Blaze Inaccurate Distance (Even W/GPS)

[BLMBG]

I have no problem linking my blaze to my phone's GPS.  It tracks distance and route.  But it is dreadfully inaccurate.  What is the point of a device that "uses" the phone GPS when it doesn't pay attention to the distance the more capable device is registering.  Regardless of stride length settings (which should have zero impact on distance anyway, using the phone GPS instead), my Blaze always records wildly inaccurate distance compared to my phone and other workout apps.  I read that, after a few uses, the blaze is supposed to adjust based on differences it encounters between it's internal distance estimate and the real distance per the phone/GPS.  But that's not happening, and I've got lots of linked runs with this setup.  Don't need it if it can't track distance somewhere in the ballpark of reality. Help!

[pmayabb]

I had the Samsung gear fit 2, it had GPS on it but could not track distance accurately. Now on to the Blaze and even connected to my phone it does not track not accurately, going to take it back and go with the Garmin, at least it will work like it should. Wish they could make these things work properly. The Samsung was nice had a lot of options could even answer quick texts. Off to Best Buy again to get something that works, see you fitbit.

[shipo]

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@pmayabb wrote:
I had the Samsung gear fit 2, it had GPS on it but could not track distance accurately. Now on to the Blaze and even connected to my phone it does not track not accurately, going to take it back and go with the Garmin, at least it will work like it should. Wish they could make these things work properly. The Samsung was nice had a lot of options could even answer quick texts. Off to Best Buy again to get something that works, see you fitbit.

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Keep in mind the Blaze has no GPS capabilities; what it does offer you is the ability to tie it into the GPS of your phone.  Said another way, if your tracked distance is incorrect, I'd be more inclined to look at the phone and not the Blaze.

[imoksoami]

My Charge HR matches my Garmin everytime. We do many runs on the same course weekly so it is easy to monitor. The Blaze is all over the place and most users have found the same problem. This is a Blaze problem.

[pmayabb]

I had another app running on my phone. It traded accurately. Just like
most the other post say. So it's in the Fitbit.

[pmayabb]

Thanks, got it a bit better adjusted stride length, should not matter when
hooked to GPS, but now off only .11 for every mile instead of .20.

[shipo]

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@pmayabb wrote:
Thanks, got it a bit better adjusted stride length, should not matter when
hooked to GPS, but now off only .11 for every mile instead of .20.

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Stride length is completely ignored when running in Connected GPS mode; so either you're not successfully connecting to your phone or your phone just happened to be more accurate on your last run.

[pmayabb]

It shows connected even has 3 green bars. Found out it can not even count
steps correctly for ever 100 steps I count it counts 80. It's just a bad
piece of tech gear. It's going back getting something that works Garmin.
It's too bad really wanted to give fitbit a chance.

[shipo]

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@pmayabb wrote:
It shows connected even has 3 green bars. Found out it can not even count
steps correctly for ever 100 steps I count it counts 80. It's just a bad
piece of tech gear. It's going back getting something that works Garmin.
It's too bad really wanted to give fitbit a chance.

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Hmmm, there are any number of folks in the two running clubs I help coach who use the Blaze, and not one of them has an issue.  I'm still thinking there's something wrong with your phone.

As a side comment, comparing the Blaze to a Garmin is apples to corn cobs; like the Fitbit Surge, the Garmin units have in-built GPS, the Blaze does not.

[imoksoami]

There are a number of folks who have problems too. You are tireless in telling people that there is not a problem. There is a problem, period.

[shipo]

Good luck with your Garmin.

[pmayabb]

They were the first probably the best. Maybe in need to convert to Apple.
That would be a sad day. But they work.

[BLMBG]

Nope. It's the Fitbit. Not the phone. Not the connection with the phone. I've tested it across multiple iPhones and blaze's. They don't show anywhere near accurate distance data when linked to iPhone. Phone tracks fine. Other apps track fine. Only the Fitbit distance is consistently very inaccurate. I'm on my 3rd iPhone and second blaze. It's pretty much just a heartbeat monitor for me. 

[Colinm39]

@shipoI have a Support ticket with Fitbit because I have tested all of my Fitbits, and the Blaze doesn't perform as expected for the majority of our day to day activity at domestic walking speed like walking in the malls, between shops, in carparks at home etc.. It under reports distance by 20%. On a planned walk it is accurate on distance taking into account the missing steps. This would agree with your walking club because I cannot fault the Blazes during a planned effort walking activity

When I consider a planned walk is about 50% activity it is definitely out on distance at the end of the day.

The Blaze does not follow Fitbit's definition of steps by distance, it appears to be using a different algorithm than my other Fitbits.  As if the 3D acceleromter is taking control at low speeds. I have no problems at speeds greater than 2.5mph (4.0 kmh), it is the slower strolling walking speeds.. Just below moderate walking pace.

In my testing there are 2 x Surges, 2 x Blazes, the One and  1 x Charge and 1 x Charge HR.. The Surges and the others are spot on with distance.. I have set them all as auto and custom and used Phone Connected GPS and the Surge GPS and the data indicates an issue.  Inflating my stride by 20% corrects the problem at low speeds..

I noticed the problem back in February because in May I used Multi on my Android with the Fitbit One and that was overriding the Blaze and the distance were accurate. So rather than the hassle of swapping them in and out I reverted to the Blaze.

I'm now using this image as my testing ground and the athletic track for the shorter tests.

at my age it gives me mental dexterity and I test in the late evening because I get wierd looks when I'm testing with 8 Fitbits. This involves keeping a Blaze, a Surge and a Charge HR on each arm.  I then swap them to the oppposite wrist and the Charge is an extra. Of course my trusted One on my waist.

All of the data is on a large spreadsheet which Fitbit have in Support. This includes the life history of the Blazes on my main account.

Keep up the excellent posting

[BLMBG]

I have a large spreadsheet of missed mileage. 🙂 I still use my blaze on every run and each time I bike. It's consistently wildly inaccurate on distance (linked to phone gps) and consistently accurate on duration and pulse. 

[IWBWalk]

I 

I have a new Blaze and i am unhappy about its accuracy. Four days on the SAME route. Distance recorded as 5.56km, 5.74km, 5.50km and today 4.96km!. Pace per km 13.32, 13.21, 13.42, 14.52. These equate to 4.50 km per hr, 4.54, 4.47 and today 4.13. In fact i think that all the km/perhr are low. On a treadmill i "walk" at 5.80 and i think that when i am walking outside i am somewhat close to this?. Maybe i have something wrong in set up. Also if tracking by GPS, then the distance at least should be the same? I also have "Runtastic" app that records distance by GPS andf appears to be consistant and accurate. I love all the Blaze features - i just need to be convinced that they are realistic

[Colinm39]

@IWBWalk  Just to confuse the issue my walk in the earlier post was the reverse. The Phone Connected GPS had me going faster but only because it had extra distance. Because this is a Council controlled track and used by the Athletics Clubs it is a correctly measured circuit.

When the weather cools I will be conducting my next battery of tests, the last few days we have been in the high 35oC (95oF) including Christmas Day...

[DMR01701]

My Blaze GPS distance is also off - on a 5k race this morning, I lost 1/2 a mile.  There is a slight difference between my map and the race director's page, but not enough to account for the missing distance.  

[Cody151]

Having the same issue. I use the Starva app at the same time and my Fitbit is tracking distance way less than Starva. Starva is 99℅ accurate. Both are using my phone's GPS. Why the difference? Frustrating! Only thing of value is my heart rate on my Fitbit Gauge.

[Colinm39]

I have since conducted more tests and here is the latest.. I have consistency even though the GPS is reporting slightly more than the walk track which is measured at 1.208 metres. I still have the Blaze under reporting distance by over 20% on day to day activities, All of my other trackers are accurate for day to day. At least for planned walks I was pleasantly surprised at the closeness of the results.

I have now set all of my strides to Auto which Fitbit calculates to 72 cm walk and 77.2 cm for run

[Aclobos]

@Colinm39, thanks for listing  your test for each device. I have the blaze and it took me about 2 months to get my walking stride set. What I had to do was to mark my walking trail every half mile and count my steps for every half mile, to verify my steps and distance. My walking trail is 4 miles. I was very frustrated when I first started. As you know we have different strides though out the day. When I monitor my steps when the blaze is in auto mode my steps are way off. But when I set my blaze in walk mode and I'm on my walk it's about 97%. I have my walking and running stride set manually. Say have you done any test checking your heart rate and calories burned? So far I know that my blaze is set to burn 72+ calories an hour. I don't wear my blaze at night but when I check it in the morning it registers 689 cal's burned. I have a low heart rate, so I guess my stats will always be off. Hopefully technology will get better, I guess the chest strap is still the best way to monitor your heat rate. The Blaze still has a ways to go to get it right, it's just not fun having do all of those adjustments to get your stats. I guess all toys have their problems. Thanks again for your information.