Fitbit's strategy seems to be identifying small gaps in the market and filling those gaps one or two features at a time.
The Alta HR is Fitbit's latest gap filler, adding to what is now a somewhat overwhelming range of products.
It seems like there really is a tracker for everyone.
There are skinny little bands like the Flex 2 that pretty much just record your exercise without displaying it anywhere until you check the app. Then there are the rather oversized almost-smartwatches, the Blaze and the Surge, offering a full range of notification options and even GPS tracking capabilities.
So the question is; who is the Alta HR for?
To answer that, let's look at what it can and can't do.
The obvious feature here is in the name - the HR means this iteration of the Alta boasts Fitbit's PurePulse heart rate monitoring function. This "always-on" heart-rate reader means you can check your pulse at any time, with a simple glance of your wrist. I find this certainly keeps me honest when I'm at the gym; if I see that number start to drop, I know I need to up my effort.
That's assuming you've chosen a watch face that displays your heart rate - one of the other cool things about the Alta is the selection of faces. Because of the rectangular, skinny screen, you can decide between either vertical or horizontal faces, a face that just tells time or one that shows your progress towards your daily exercise goal. (This can even be represented by leaves on a little flower, if that's your sort of thing)
The screen is a black and white OLED display. which you tap to scroll through various stats - steps, heart rate, distance covered, calories burned etc. That all works great... until you get outside. Then I encountered the exact same issue I had with the screen on the Fitbit Charge 2; it's too reflective so you can't read anything in bright sunshine, especially if you're wearing sunglasses. This meant although the Alta HR did a great job of tracking my runs and walks automatically, I couldn't get the same heart-rate motivation I achieved at the gym because I simply couldn't see it. I guess I'll stick to the Blaze or Surge for outdoor activities.
That display setback is a bit of a shame, because the general functionality of the Alta is very good. You can even set up call and text notifications with the texts scrolling across the screen to save you having to grab your phone. This is a feature that worked well and I found very useful.
The Alta HR is also slim enough and comfortable enough to wear all night to make full use of its sleep tracking abilities and the silent alarm function.
In fact, Fitbit calls the Alta HR its "slimmest, most stylish heart rate tracker." It certainly lacks the rather masculine bulk of some of Fitbit's other devices and there's a selection of bands in different colours, including leather options. The bands can be changed very easily and apparently the straps from the original Alta will also fit, although using them may affect the accuracy of the heart rate monitor. This is because the HR bands use a more conventional buckle to ensure a tighter fit.
As usual, the Alta HR comes with its own wacky charging cable that isn't compatible with any other device. This means if, like me, your household now owns several Fitbits, you probably have a dedicated box or drawer just for crazy chargers.
At least you won't have to plug in the Alta HR very often - the Fitbit website claims a full charge will last about a week and I'm pleased to say they're not exaggerating. This is an improvement of several days over the original Alta.
So who is the Alta HR for? This is one of the more elegant and subtle Fitbits, ideal for people who need to monitor their heart rate when they exercise indoors... with the added bonus of being able to read incoming texts on your wrist.
Click here for more information and pricing on the Fitbit Alta HR
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