Sure, You Can Put Your Watch and Fitbit Air at the Similar Band (however You Might Now not Need To)

One benefit of an unobtrusive health tracker just like the Fitbit Air is that you’ll put on it concurrently some other watch with out taking a look such as you’re dressed in two watches. Some Fitbit Air homeowners have taken this to some other stage through combining the Fitbit and a mechanical watch at the identical band. Right here’s the right way to do it—however be warned which you could no longer be proud of the end result. 

The best way to are compatible a Fitbit Air and an eye fixed onto the similar band

Combos of the Fitbit Air and a mechanical watch are in all places boards like Reddit. Right here are some examples so you’ll see the way it seems on a couple of other watches. To try this maneuver, right here’s what you’ll want: 

A Fitbit Air in its same old nylon band (the person who comes within the field with it—no want to purchase a unique band). The Fitbit Air calls for its personal particular strap, so you’ll’t do that trick with an ordinary leather-based watch band. I’m recommending the nylon band since the Energetic band is just too thick to suit, and the Increased Fashionable band is to stiff to be sensible. (I examined all 3.) 

An eye fixed with no less than 18 millimeters between the lugs. It is because the Fitbit Air’s band is eighteen mm. Maximum watch bands are no less than 18 mm, however some are a lot higher—that is going to appear foolish on a 24-millimeter watch. Notice that you want the usual form of lug that takes a spring-loaded pin. Sadly this won’t paintings with area of expertise connectors like what’s at the Apple Watch. 

Spring pins to suit the watch. Because you most likely have an eye fixed band already, in principle you’ll simply pull the pins out of the band. That is more straightforward to do on some bands than others, although. In the event you don’t wish to mess together with your just right watch bands, you’ll purchase pins or thieve them from a spare band. Notice that those want to fit the scale of your watch, no longer the 18-mm measurement of the Fitbit band.

I don’t have a mechanical watch available, however I’ve various smartwatches, so I experimented on some Garmin Forerunners I had to hand. Listed below are the stairs: 

1. Take away the band out of your watch.

2. Lay the Fitbit Air band around the again of the watch, ensuring the outdoor of the band faces the again of the watch.

3. Set up the spring pins into the holes within the watch lugs, ensuring that the Fitbit Air band will get sandwiched in between the pin and watch.

4. Slide the Fitbit band as wanted in order that the Fitbit Air software shall be at the backside of your wrist when the watch is on best. 

Why combining a Fitbit air together with your watch would possibly not give you the results you want

After attempting this with a number of watches, I’m in truth no longer inspired. This setup turns out adore it will have to paintings (a strap is a strap, in spite of everything) however there are some problems. 

First is sizing: In case you have a small wrist you would possibly not have sufficient room for the watch, the Fitbit software, and the band’s closure to all be in suitable puts. With out a watch, my Fitbit Air’s band has a number of inches of touch between the 2 facets of the hook-and-loop closure. With an eye fixed threaded onto the band, the watch takes up a few of that area, leaving a part of the strap as a loose-hanging flap. 

What would possibly paintings higher—even if I haven’t attempted it—is a third-party adapter like this to place the Fitbit Air beneath your common watch band. This selection seems cumbersome and I will’t say it seems splendid, however possibly value attempting. 

Any other drawback is convenience and accuracy of the Fitbit when worn at the backside of the wrist. I haven’t examined the Fitbit for accuracy on this place, however most often the ground of the wrist is a much less dependable position for optical center fee sensors to learn your pulse. And as skinny and slim because the Fitbit Air software is, it’s roughly lengthy. I don’t in finding it in particular relaxed to put on on an eye fixed band this fashion. 

You’ll additionally need to forgo any sensor that could be at the again of your watch. This strap hack covers up the again, so you’ll’t put on a Fitbit and a Garmin in combination if you wish to have the Garmin so as to select up your center fee, HRV, or blood oxygen.

That’s a large number of caveats for a easy hack. I received’t be dressed in my Fitbit Air this fashion. But when your wrist is simply the proper measurement relative for your strap, you in finding it relaxed, you don’t thoughts an opening in case your lugs are greater than 18 millimeters aside, and also you don’t care about getting the perfect accuracy out of your Fitbit’s center fee sensor, this can be a handy method to stay from dressed in a 2d wristband.