NEO+ Necklace for Fitbit Alta Review: a simple way to wear your tracker without a wristband

I bought this NEO+ necklace holder because I was getting fed up with having something on my wrist all day. Typing on a keyboard, sleeping, doing dishes – the band kept annoying me. I still wanted the step tracking, though, so this little silicone pendant for the Fitbit Alta and Alta HR looked like a simple workaround. No brand hype here, just a basic accessory from a small brand with a decent rating on Amazon.

Out of the box, it’s literally what the listing says: a purple silicone sleeve and a metal chain. No tracker, no extra parts, nothing complicated. I used it for a bit over two weeks, swapping between wristband and necklace depending on my day. I wore it at work, at home, and even during a couple of walks outside to see how it handled movement and sweat.

The main thing I wanted to figure out was: does it actually work in real life, or is it the kind of accessory you buy, try once, and then throw in a drawer. I also paid attention to comfort, how the chain sits on the neck, whether the Fitbit stays in place, and if the screen is still readable without having to fiddle with it constantly.

Bottom line before getting into details: it’s a simple, low-cost solution that mostly gets the job done, but it’s not perfect. If you expect the same experience as wearing the Fitbit on your wrist, you’ll be a bit disappointed. If you just want a way to get the tracker off your wrist and don’t mind a few compromises, it’s honestly not bad.

In terms of value for money, this NEO+ necklace sits in the “cheap but useful” category. You’re paying for a simple accessory that solves a specific problem: wearing your Fitbit Alta or Alta HR somewhere other than your wrist. For that, it delivers. It’s not packed with features, it’s not fancy, but it does what it says on the tin, more or less.

Compared to branded accessories or more stylish third-party jewellery-type holders, this one is clearly on the budget side. Those more premium options usually look nicer and use better metal, but they’re also noticeably more expensive. If you’re just testing the idea of wearing your Fitbit as a necklace and don’t want to drop a lot of cash, this NEO+ version is a low-risk way to try it. If you hate the concept, at least you didn’t overspend.

Where the value really improves is if you pair the silicone pendant with a better chain. The silicone part is the key piece here, and it’s actually decent. The chain is where they’ve clearly saved money. If you throw on a stronger or nicer-looking chain you already own, you basically get a more solid and slightly better-looking setup for just a few extra euros. That’s what I’d recommend if you plan to use it regularly.

So overall, I’d say the value is pretty solid for casual users: good if you want to free your wrist at a low cost, not so great if you’re expecting jewellery-level quality or perfect tracking performance. For the price range it sits in, the trade-offs make sense, as long as you go in knowing it’s a simple, budget accessory and not some premium fashion item.

Design-wise, this NEO+ necklace is pretty straightforward. The pendant is a vertical silicone tube shaped to fit the Fitbit Alta/Alta HR snugly, with an opening to show the screen. The purple color is quite strong – not pastel, not super dark, just a middle-of-the-road purple. If you like colorful accessories, you’ll probably be fine with it; if you prefer something more discreet, this shade is a bit loud, especially against light clothing.

The pendant length is about 5 cm, so it’s not tiny. On the chest, it’s clearly visible, more like a small gadget than a piece of jewellery. The front cutout lets you see the Fitbit display, but you do have to tap or tilt it a bit to get a good look, especially if the pendant twists slightly while you move. There’s no smart design trick here to keep it perfectly facing forward; it just hangs freely on the chain like any other pendant.

The chain itself is metal and feels light. To be honest, it looks a bit cheap, like the sort of chain you get with costume jewellery. It’s not ugly, but it doesn’t scream quality either. The clasp is the standard small lobster claw type; it works, but it’s a bit fiddly if you have big fingers. After several days, I didn’t see any discoloration, but I wouldn’t be shocked if it wore out or tarnished over time, especially with sweat and perfume.

In terms of style, I’d say it’s functional first, decorative second. It doesn’t really turn the Fitbit into a classy necklace; it just moves it from your wrist to your neck. If you expect something that looks like real jewellery, you might be underwhelmed. If your priority is just not having it on your wrist and you don’t care too much about aesthetics, the design is totally acceptable for the price.

On comfort, this necklace is a mixed bag, but overall I preferred it to wearing the Alta on my wrist all day. The silicone part is light, so you don’t really feel the weight of the tracker much. After a few minutes, you kind of forget it’s there, unless it swings when you bend forward. Compared to a tight wristband that leaves marks or feels annoying when typing, this felt like a relief, especially during long workdays at the computer.

The chain length (about 60 cm) puts the pendant slightly above the middle of my chest. For me, that’s okay, but it’s a bit short if you like a more relaxed, low-hanging necklace. One Amazon review mentioned the cord being too short for an adult, and I can see why they said that. On a bigger person or someone with a thicker neck, it might sit too high and feel a bit tight visually, even if it’s not actually choking you. If you’re picky about how necklaces sit, you might want to switch to a longer chain.

During everyday use – walking, cooking, working – the comfort was fine. Where it’s less ideal is during more active movement. If you lean forward, the pendant swings and can hit your chest or table edges. It’s not painful, just a bit annoying. I also wouldn’t sleep with it; lying on your side with a pendant between your chest and the mattress isn’t great, and the chain can twist. For sleep tracking, I ended up putting the Alta back on the wristband because it was simply more practical and less intrusive.

So overall, comfort is good for casual wear, better than a wristband if your wrists are sensitive or if you hate typing with something on. But it’s not ideal for sports, sleep, or anything where a swinging object on your chest would bug you. If you see it as a daytime accessory and not a 24/7 solution, it does the job reasonably well.

The pendant is made of flexible silicone, and that’s probably the strongest point of the whole thing. It’s soft to the touch, bends easily, and doesn’t feel brittle. Sliding the Fitbit Alta in and out is straightforward: the silicone stretches just enough without feeling like it’s going to tear. After a bit more than two weeks of use, taking the tracker in and out almost daily, I didn’t see any cracks or warping.

The silicone also does a decent job of protecting the tracker from small bumps. If it swings and hits a table edge or a door, the silicone absorbs most of the shock. It’s not like an armored case, but you can feel it adds a bit of security compared to a bare device on a chain. It also doesn’t pick up dust or lint too badly, which is often my complaint with cheap silicone; here, it stayed relatively clean, even when I wore it under a T-shirt.

The chain is clearly the weak point in terms of materials. It’s light and feels a bit cheap. It didn’t break on me, but I didn’t exactly torture it either. I wore it around the house, at the office, and on walks, but I took it off for sports and showers. I’d guess that if you’re rough with it, or if you pull on it by accident, it could snap. If you already own a better chain, you’ll probably want to swap it in. The pendant has a simple loop at the top, so changing the chain is easy.

For the price, I wasn’t expecting premium metal or anything like that. I’d say the materials are in line with a budget accessory: solid enough silicone, average chain. If you mainly care about the holder itself, you’re getting something decent. If you want a sturdy chain that will last years, plan to replace it sooner or later.

Durability-wise, I focused on two things: does the silicone stretch out or tear, and does the chain survive daily use. After more than two weeks of fairly regular use – inserting and removing the Fitbit almost every day, wearing it several hours a day – the silicone still looks fine. No cracks, no white stress marks, no tearing around the edges. It grips the tracker as firmly as on day one, so at least in the short term, it’s holding up well.

I also paid attention to the opening where you slide the Fitbit in. That’s usually the weak point on cheap silicone cases. On this one, it’s slightly thicker, and you can feel they’ve tried to reinforce it a bit. When you stretch it to fit the tracker, it doesn’t feel like it’s at its limit. That gives me some confidence that it’ll last more than just a few months, as long as you’re not yanking the tracker in and out ten times a day.

The chain, on the other hand, is what I’d call “good enough, but not reassuring.” It didn’t break or deform, but it feels fragile. The links are thin, and the clasp is small. If it gets caught on something or if a kid pulls on it, I wouldn’t be shocked if it snapped. For the time I used it, there was no rust or major discoloration, but I also avoided wearing it in the shower or during heavy sweating. I wouldn’t trust it for years of daily wear without expecting to replace it.

So in short: the pendant itself seems reasonably durable for the price, and I’m more confident about that part than the chain. If you want this to last, I’d seriously consider using a stronger chain you already own. The silicone should be fine with normal use, but the chain feels like the typical part that gives up first.

When the NEO+ necklace arrived, the packaging was as basic as it gets. A small plastic bag, the chain, and the purple silicone pendant – that’s it. No instructions, no fancy box, nothing to keep. Honestly, you don’t really need a manual for this kind of item, but a tiny note on how to insert the Fitbit safely wouldn’t hurt, especially for people who are a bit rough with their gadgets.

The package includes exactly one chain and one silicone holder, both sized for the Fitbit Alta and Alta HR only. Important detail: if you have a Charge, Inspire, or any other Fitbit, forget it, it won’t fit. The pendant is about 5 cm long, and the chain is around 60 cm (23 inches), which puts the tracker roughly mid-chest on me. On the Amazon review, one buyer said the cord was too short for an adult; personally, on my average build it sits a bit higher than a long necklace, more like a short pendant. If you’re broad-chested or like your necklaces low, you’ll probably find it a bit short too.

The Fitbit slides in from the back of the silicone case. There are no clips or locks; the silicone just grips it by friction. It looks simple but it holds reasonably well. I shook it a bit and it didn’t fall out. I still wouldn’t go running or doing jumping jacks with it without keeping an eye on it, just because losing a tracker is not fun. But for normal walking and day-to-day activity, it stayed in place.

Overall, the presentation matches the price: no extras, no nonsense, just the accessory. If you like unboxing experiences, this isn’t it. If you just want the thing you ordered without paying for fancy packaging, it’s fine. Just be aware that you’re essentially buying a silicone sleeve and a basic chain, nothing more.

The big question for me was: does the Fitbit still track properly when worn as a necklace? For steps and general activity, the answer is “mostly yes, but not as accurate as the wrist.” I tested it by wearing it as a necklace for part of the day and then switching to the wristband for similar activities on other days. Step counts were in the same ballpark, sometimes a bit lower or higher, but nothing crazy. For basic daily use – counting roughly how much you moved – it’s fine.

Where it struggles more is with heart rate tracking (if you have the Alta HR). Around the neck, the sensor is not in contact with the skin the way it is on the wrist. Sometimes it would read, sometimes it would just give weird values or nothing at all. If heart rate is important to you for workouts or health tracking, this necklace is clearly not the best setup. I ended up treating it more as a step and notification holder than a full health device when worn this way.

As for reading the screen, it’s okay but not super convenient. You have to grab the pendant, tilt it, and then tap the screen. The silicone cutout is sized well, so you can see the whole display, but if the pendant has twisted around the chain, you first need to turn it back. It’s a small thing, but compared to just glancing at your wrist, it’s slower. For quick time checks or notifications, you lose a bit of that instant convenience.

Overall, in terms of effectiveness, I’d say this: it works for casual tracking and wearing, but you sacrifice precision and ease of use compared to the original wristband. If your goal is hardcore fitness tracking, this is not the best solution. If you mainly care about keeping the tracker on you without annoying your wrist, it’s acceptable and does the minimum you’d expect.