Hi all. This has been a long time coming, but this new band I've got is the straw that broke the camel's back.
I, like many had the issues, on the band 1, of the 'rubberised' battery cover peeling. This caused a large outbreak of eczema on my arm. The only way to cure this was to raid the wife's nail drawer for some clear nail varnish, and paint it on the exposed metal. This one was eventually returned, and a new one arrived. Same thing happened again. This time I went through Global escalations, and was offered a Band 2 and a couple of other bits, to keep quiet, LOL. This arose after I had mentioned the Fitbit class action in the US.
The band 2 is a great bit of kit. The build quality is akin to something out of a Christmas cracker. The one I was sent by Global Escalations had a decidedly second hand look and feel to it. The metal around the HR sensor looked liked it had been cut by Stevie Wonder, there were chips on either side of the screen, which if you moved your finger along, were quiet noticable and felt like pin pricks. This one went back, and the next one was exactly the same. Who is manufacturing these things?
After a couple of weeks of on / off use, I decided, last week, to say to hell with it and started wearing it every day. I have now suffered a more significant case of eczema from the underside of the band, around the HR sensor. This is getting silly now, and enough is enough!
In the UK we have certain consumer laws in place, to protect purchasers from shoddy workmanship etc.
There is obviously a serious issue with the Band series, and the poor quality of materials etc. I have seen quite a few posts about the band 1 and the battery cover causing skin problems. Some have just put up with it which is not really good enough, especially when you have spent some serious money on the damned things.
The eczema / skin irritation issue is something MS claim to be unaware of. Yeah right. But when you mention the Fitbit fiasco to them, they suddenly offer assistance. The straps splitting are also a big issue with the band 2. Now, under UK consumer law, they are 'Not fit for the purpose for which they were designed'. There is also an argument for this, and the band 1.
The skin irritation, as I have been informed by a dermatologist, is down to the fact that sweat reacts with the metal, releasing nickle which is exacerbated by the salt in sweat. Now, the band 2 is sold and promoted, as a fitness device, and consequently, should be able to cope with sweat, without the chemical reaction with sweat. So, once again, there could be an avenue of recourse as these devices could cause severe irritation.
If you have a band, in the UK,, don't just sit back and put up with the poor design, materials used or incompatability as a fitness device. With regards to the skin issues, Fitbit devices now carry a warning, should there be nickel used in the construction of the device. Maybe Microsoft need to follow suit?
As I said, the consumer laws in the UK are pretty good for someone buying an item. They must be of merchantable quality (band 2 straps, clasps getting damaged even though you just took it off for charging eh?) ,They must be fit for purpose ( straps, rubber coatings falling apart, the scuffing on the band 2 clasp, yeah seen that one as well it even does it when all you do is take it off for charging!! and skin irritation)
I appreciate that not everybody will suffer the skin problems, but even so, the other issues are a joke. Do they actually have anyone testing these things? With the amount of issues experienced with these so called 'fitness devices', and the large sums they cost, those with issues should stand up and let MS know. MS just seem to be relying on the reseller to carry the burden of returned / defective items. I have been to my local Argos and spoken to the manager. They are currently receiving Band 2's back with split bands, and I'm the 3rd person to return one due to the Skin issues. I will give them credit, they have been fantastic about returns, without an question. MS on the other hand, look for the nearest sand pit to bury their heads.
Finally, we need to let them know that these things are bad. It can't be just a minority suffering, as they would have us believe. I have emailed Global Escalations in Redmond about the experiences I have read about on here, so, if any of you are experiencing the same issues of shoddy build quality, poor customer service, and general bad experiences with your Bands, let us know and I can see what sort of horror stories appear. I would like some ammunition before I start kicking off, AGAIN!
Me? I've gone fitbit blaze...just waiting for the notifications problem to be resolved, which, apparently, is in the works.
If you don't wish to post here, then PM me. I'll stick some picks of my arms when I get a minute.
I, like many had the issues, on the band 1, of the 'rubberised' battery cover peeling. This caused a large outbreak of eczema on my arm. The only way to cure this was to raid the wife's nail drawer for some clear nail varnish, and paint it on the exposed metal. This one was eventually returned, and a new one arrived. Same thing happened again. This time I went through Global escalations, and was offered a Band 2 and a couple of other bits, to keep quiet, LOL. This arose after I had mentioned the Fitbit class action in the US.
The band 2 is a great bit of kit. The build quality is akin to something out of a Christmas cracker. The one I was sent by Global Escalations had a decidedly second hand look and feel to it. The metal around the HR sensor looked liked it had been cut by Stevie Wonder, there were chips on either side of the screen, which if you moved your finger along, were quiet noticable and felt like pin pricks. This one went back, and the next one was exactly the same. Who is manufacturing these things?
After a couple of weeks of on / off use, I decided, last week, to say to hell with it and started wearing it every day. I have now suffered a more significant case of eczema from the underside of the band, around the HR sensor. This is getting silly now, and enough is enough!
In the UK we have certain consumer laws in place, to protect purchasers from shoddy workmanship etc.
There is obviously a serious issue with the Band series, and the poor quality of materials etc. I have seen quite a few posts about the band 1 and the battery cover causing skin problems. Some have just put up with it which is not really good enough, especially when you have spent some serious money on the damned things.
The eczema / skin irritation issue is something MS claim to be unaware of. Yeah right. But when you mention the Fitbit fiasco to them, they suddenly offer assistance. The straps splitting are also a big issue with the band 2. Now, under UK consumer law, they are 'Not fit for the purpose for which they were designed'. There is also an argument for this, and the band 1.
The skin irritation, as I have been informed by a dermatologist, is down to the fact that sweat reacts with the metal, releasing nickle which is exacerbated by the salt in sweat. Now, the band 2 is sold and promoted, as a fitness device, and consequently, should be able to cope with sweat, without the chemical reaction with sweat. So, once again, there could be an avenue of recourse as these devices could cause severe irritation.
If you have a band, in the UK,, don't just sit back and put up with the poor design, materials used or incompatability as a fitness device. With regards to the skin issues, Fitbit devices now carry a warning, should there be nickel used in the construction of the device. Maybe Microsoft need to follow suit?
As I said, the consumer laws in the UK are pretty good for someone buying an item. They must be of merchantable quality (band 2 straps, clasps getting damaged even though you just took it off for charging eh?) ,They must be fit for purpose ( straps, rubber coatings falling apart, the scuffing on the band 2 clasp, yeah seen that one as well it even does it when all you do is take it off for charging!! and skin irritation)
I appreciate that not everybody will suffer the skin problems, but even so, the other issues are a joke. Do they actually have anyone testing these things? With the amount of issues experienced with these so called 'fitness devices', and the large sums they cost, those with issues should stand up and let MS know. MS just seem to be relying on the reseller to carry the burden of returned / defective items. I have been to my local Argos and spoken to the manager. They are currently receiving Band 2's back with split bands, and I'm the 3rd person to return one due to the Skin issues. I will give them credit, they have been fantastic about returns, without an question. MS on the other hand, look for the nearest sand pit to bury their heads.
Finally, we need to let them know that these things are bad. It can't be just a minority suffering, as they would have us believe. I have emailed Global Escalations in Redmond about the experiences I have read about on here, so, if any of you are experiencing the same issues of shoddy build quality, poor customer service, and general bad experiences with your Bands, let us know and I can see what sort of horror stories appear. I would like some ammunition before I start kicking off, AGAIN!
Me? I've gone fitbit blaze...just waiting for the notifications problem to be resolved, which, apparently, is in the works.
If you don't wish to post here, then PM me. I'll stick some picks of my arms when I get a minute.
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