Fitbit Charge HR

Dorian

I know these are quite new on the market but has anyone got one yet? I got mine Saturday, but have mixed feelings. The main issue is the step tracking seems a bit crazy. Is this an issue with all step counters?

On Sunday I stayed in the house doing jobs, went round a supermarket and did a 3.5km walk. Healthkit on my iPhone logged 5.8km walked. The Fitbit logged 13,500 steps and 9.8km travelled. Of those steps only about 4000 were a result of the longish walk. So what's going on with the other 9,500 steps?

The sleep tracking and heart rate monitoring is excellent and makes me want to keep the device but what is the point of it counting steps when it's far less accurate than what's already built into the phone?

I'm hoping for some positive news here like there's some learning involved and the device will improve!

Jazz Monkey Jr

Fitbits are usually pretty accurate at tracking steps. Did you drive anywhere (this shouldn't affect it)? It surprising how many steps you take around the house etc.
Use the phone and compare steps as the iPhone 5S and above should give similar results.

10,000 steps is around 5 miles for a guide.

Dorian

It tends to log about 5000 extra steps a day! Fitbit have classed it faulty and are sending me another. Hope I'm wrong but suspect the new one won't be any different. I'll compare them both side by side though and test it properly.

mr97

Hope the replacement addresses the issues you experienced.  The 'charge'  seems to tick all the right boxes for what I'm looking for -  on paper anyway -  please would you give an update re performance of the new unit?

CupraT

I've got one and thought the steps were reading really high as its logging almost double to what my S4 S health shows.  It's almost like it  uses a different method to the S4 ie S4 counts 1 each time the right leg does a step, the Fitbit counts 1 for either leg going forwards?????

Either way, I've logged the distance today.  I ran 3.85 miles, have taken my car to the garage and pottered around the house a bit.  The Fitbit shows distance as 4.31 miles so pretty much spot on.

It also has the stairs climbed bang on as well.

I do like the heart rate and sleep tracking.  Is it worth 100  .... Not sure really but I like gadgets so will get some use before retiring to my bedside drawer with the rest of my stud

mr97

My sister has the 'flex' and compared to my smartphones pedometer - which is very stingy re steps - her step rate seems very high.  I suppose that if you only use only the one device it will become as accurate as you need it to be; like weighing yourself on the same set of scales.

"I do like the heart rate and sleep tracking. Is it worth 100  .... Not sure really but I like gadgets so will get some use before retiring to my bedside drawer with the rest of my stud"

I'm very much a gadget man myself and, like you, have a bedside drawer full of them to prove it LOL   ...Crazy  thing is I get more of a buzz researching my next gadget than I do actually using them .

Dorian

As promised, an update. Got my replacement and it's got a defective screen (it's delaminated inside across about 1/3 of the screen). To be fair they are offering to help with this.

I've tried both trackers at the same time and the new one actually logs slightly more steps than the old one. So accuracy is a design issue not a fault.

It doesn't matter that much, it's all relative and at least you can hit the 10k goal fairly easily. When you do this the watch buzzes and you get a notification on the phone so it's quite rewarding. The gamification of exercise is a good thing and definitely makes me do more.

What I have found to be the best data is:

- sleep tracking. Knew I wasn't getting enough but didn't realise I was only averaging 6.5 hours a night
- "active minutes". Default goal is 30 minutes. On the days when I drive to work, its scary how little I do and even with a lunchtime walk I struggle to hit 30 mins
- heart rate tracking is highlighting that my resting heart rate has come down since getting the device due to being more active.

So even with the inaccurate step/distance counting it's still a worthwhile device. I reckon the other fitbits that you can wear on a belt clip must log more accurately.

Dubious

I've had mine a couple of weeks now, I ordered it after giving up waiting on a firm release date of the UP3.

Impressed with it so far, seems fairly accurate although also not sure on the step counting. The heart rate tracking is good and was my main reason for purchase

Dorian

The step counting is odd. When actually walking it's spot on. But it's the steps when I'm doing nothing that's a concern.

Yesterday I didn't leave the house except for popping out in the car for 10 minutes, and my step count was 4400 steps. Seems on the high side!

But I did plenty jobs around the house so if it's accidentally counting that then it's sort-of valid as it is exercise. The other metrics are spot on and made me get fitter already

1000 Cutts

Just ordered mine and should be getting it tomorrow.. I assume that everyone uses the Fitbit app with it?