One of the questions that seem to be on everyone’s mind, when it comes to Fitbit devices, is whether or not they are waterproof. In this instant, we’re focusing on the Fitbit Versa 2 and if it is or isn’t waterproof. But first, there’s a thing or two that most Fitbit aficionados need to know about the term, “waterproof.”
No wearable device is ever going to be truly waterproof, as that would indicate that no water can ever penetrate it, period. It’s not legal to label these devices as waterproof as that would be disingenuous. The Versa 2 is water-resistant up to 50 meters.
So, unless you plan on scuba diving more than 50 meters down in a lake, ocean, sea, gulf, or whatever, the Fitbit Versa 2 has you covered. That means showers, baths, laps in the pool, some time in the hot tub, or a day at the beach are all perfect for the Versa 2.
The only word of caution that Fitbit puts out there concerns the bands as not all bands that you can get for your Fitbit devices are conducive to water submersion for long periods. Whenever you get out, be sure to thoroughly dry your band.
Read Also: How Waterproof Is The Fitbit Inspire 2? (Is It Really Good For Swimming?)
What Can You Do With The Versa 2 In Water?
You’re talking sports and recreational activities for the Versa 2 since there’s probably no point in time where you are going to go deeper than 50 meters in the water. Since the Versa 2 is highly water-resistant, what uses does it have for water-related activities?
- Vital Tracker
- SmartTrack
- Fitbit Premium
- Premium Challenges
- Guided Workouts
The Versa 2 has plenty of tracking capabilities all on its own, but if you go with the Fitbit Premium subscription plan, you get even more tracking. As it is, the standard vital statistics apply, such as heart rate readings, blood pressure, calories burned, steps taken, and so forth and so on.
The SmartTrack feature is customizable automation that tracks your preferred statistics for a specific workout. If it’s jogging, you can set up the kind of vitals you want it to track and compile those trackers under jogging. The same goes for swimming.
Fitbit Premium is $9.99/mo or $80/yr. It comes with some extended tracking capabilities but most of the premium version revolves around workout routines that you can set up or select through guided workouts, where the app runs you through a workout routine—of which there are 150+—that you choose.
Fitbit Versa 2 Sensors
The Fitbit Versa 2 has several built-in sensors and, unfortunately, GPS isn’t one of them. So though the Versa 2 will keep track of almost everything you do, you’ll need a smartphone to access the full range of its capabilities.
The Versa 2 has an accelerometer for linear acceleration and deceleration, which is how it tracks the number of steps you take and how it keeps up with the distance that you have traveled throughout the day.
It also has a gyroscope so the device is always aware of orientation, which is especially important underwater, whether you hit the board and flip or dive straight down, the gyroscope knows how far you went and which way is up.
The built-in HRM (heart rate monitor) tracks your heart rate, whether you’re working out or not. Mostly this is a background activity but you can set it to track specific times during specific activities.
It also has a pulse oximeter, which measures the oxygen saturation in your blood. It’s an important feature if you are exercising and asthmatic or if you are dealing with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Both issues are more prevalent when swimming.
It’s also important throughout any periods when you are sick, especially with pneumonia, Covid-19, heavy colds, or sometimes the flu.
Recommended Bands For Water Sports And Recreation
Fitbit recommends a silicone or rubber wrist band if you are heavy into water sports and activities, especially if you own a hot tub or enjoy going to the spa. Non-silicone bands tend to swell contract and degrade quickly when wet.
If you don’t want to get a silicone or rubber type of material for your Versa 2, you have to be pretty thorough when drying out your band after time in the water. You also need to remove it from your wrist, pat it with a towel until it’s dry as possible, and let it air out before putting it back on.
It’s understandable if you don’t want to go with a silicone band as it is irritating for those who have skin that is sensitive to it and that is reason enough to first dry the band if you sweat on it or gets wet before putting it back and also make sure to remove the band here and there for about an hour after extended wear to let your wrist taste some air to avoid skin rashes and irritations.
Final Thoughts + Safety Tips
So, while the Fitbit Versa 2 is certainly not waterproof, as no smartwatch will ever achieve that standard, it’s water-resistant enough to allow you to do anything and everything that you want, so long as it all goes down in water that’s more shallow than 50 meters.
Unfortunately, Fitbit doesn’t cover the water damage under warranty that’s why here are some precautions that you better take to keep the water resistance membrane intact and also incase your Fitbit Versa 2 gets damaged due to water while it’s still under the warranty then please contact their support team for further help.
- Don’t drop your Fitbit versa 2
- Perfumes, insect repellent, deodrants, oils, soaps, detergents, contioner, and shampoo can damge the water resistance of device so better avoid versa 2 from exposing to these things (removing your fitbit before entering in shower room or bath tub is good even though it is water resistance for those situations, just make sure the mentioned things don’t interact it with.)
- Don’t take the Versa 2 in hot tub, hot pool, sauna room, and hot springs.
- Don’t take your band for high velocity water activites as the high water pressure is an enemy to it’s resistance.
Read Also: Is Fitbit Charge 4 Waterproof?
Michael is heavily inclined towards traveling to natural places and documenting cultures/people from different parts of the world. He also loves hiking and camping and is spirited toward all outdoor activities. He will share his passion for outdoor life and brands or products we use outside our homes. He has good research skills, and that’s why you can see why his articles are packed with info that is factual and not readily available. He also has the vision to travel the whole world and share it with all readers of Outdoor Favor.
