Blaze under counting steps

[DonShula]

Did some googling on this and found similar accounts, but no fixes.

My Blaze has made a habit of undercounting steps. I've actually owned two of them, and both have acted in the same manner. When I go for a long walk, I end up with 20-30% fewer steps in the end than what I'd expect. I've noticed that in colder months, when I walk with my hands in my jacket pockets, the step count is correct. It also correctly counts steps when I hold my tracker up to look at it while walking (which makes sense as my arm is making the same motion as if my hand were in my pocket). But when the arms are swinging, it doesn't count all my steps.

I did some spot checking on a walk a few days ago, where I'd walk and count, then check the tracker. In batches of 100 steps, the Blaze would fail to count anywhere between 20 and 35 of them. 

I also did some math on my most recent walk, where I used the "Walk" exercise function with GPS enabled. At the end of the walk, the app reported 3.25 miles walked for a total of 5,021 steps. My stride length is set to 29.9 inches, which is accurate by my account. Based on simple math alone, the walk should have resulted in 6,887 steps. Quite a difference between 5,021 and 6,887.

I contacted Fitbit support over chat regarding this issue. They had me do a simple "test" where I restarted my tracker, walked 100 steps (indoors) and then stopped and checked to see if my tracker was accurate. It was, in this case. The rep I chatted with then asserted that since the count was correct, my tracker must be working correctly. I suppose I don't blame him, but this is a really lazy way of investigating a problem, especially considering the other reports I've read.

Maybe simply resetting the tracker will prove to have fixed the issue. I doubt it'd but I'd like to be wrong.

Anyone else experience this and have success with a fix? I did try changing from non-dominant to dominant in the app, which resulted in the tracker recording even fewer steps.

Moderator edit: subject for clarity

[LisaInNJ]

I'm experiencing this with my Blaze. I'e tried all of the suggestions over the past month, but even with GPS 5700 steps walking 3.1 miles just cant be right for a 5 ft 5 in woman. So frustrated with this Blaze. 

[Instigater]

I think I've actually figured this out. I guess I swing my arms too much when walking. When i put my hand in my jacket or pants pocket that has my Fitbit on its deadly accurate.  I know this is incredibly stupid but it works. Maybe someday fitbit will figure this out or maybe I'll just try a different tracker next time. There are lots of people that complain about this so if they don't fugure this out its on them. I don't care what else or how much music i can put on the next greatest Fitbit. IT NEEDS TO COUNT STEPS ACCURATELY.

[SkepticalUser]

My first Blaze was significantly under counting steps.  I regularly walk with my husband, step-for-step, and my Blaze under reports both distance and steps; about 25-35 under for every 100 steps taken.  I called FitBit and they did a couple of tests over the phone and decided to send me a new one.  Same thing happened with the new one, so I called again and asked for a refund.  They said they couldn't refund my money but would send me a THIRD one.  Same thing! I just took a half-mile walk with my husband and I had 200 less steps than him.  I'm super frustrated and will let everyone know that FitBits are not accurate. What a scam!

I feel your pain.  FitBit has sent me two new Blazes within 4 months and I'm ALWAYS short of my husband.  Just did a half-mile and was 200 steps short even though we walked step for step.  NOT a reliable product.

Moderator edit: Merged replies

[Psbuhrmann]

My husband and I had some of the same issues. We ended up playing around with the stride length. We would take 10 steps, adjust stride and did it over and over until it was accurate. My preset stride length that is entered as a guesstimate for my height was not accurate. Try that and see if you can both get more accurate counts. I have not had an issue since then!

Sent from my iPhone

[Rich_Laue]

Stride lean gtg will only change the reported distance, it will not change the way steps are counted. 

[Psbuhrmann]

Actually we found that to be untrue. When I would take 15 steps with the preset stride length it only counted 10...once we adjusted the length of stride it started counting them accurately.

Sent from my iPhone

[SkepticalUser]

Thank you!
On the midst of my 3 FitBits I have entered my stride length. I’ve even entered my husbands stride length! But that shouldn’t effect number of steps taken and didn’t help the problem.

Elle

[Psbuhrmann]

My husband and I both took 20 steps and counted. Mine counted 15 steps, his counted 30.

When we adjusted our stride lengths which we had to do and adjust several times, we finally got 20 accurate steps taken and recorded.

Sent from my iPhone

[Rich_Laue]

The Fitbit counts steps .Then multipliies the steps by the stride to come up with a guess to the distance. 

[FerdinandFitbit]

Hi there @SkepticalUser @Psbuhrmann, good to see you around! 🙂

@SkepticalUser, I completely understand where you're coming from, but just to keep it in mind, comparing your results against your husband's is not the best thing to do because of the differences in height, weight and the way you both (and actually every single person) walks. There will be always a difference between you both.

Now, I'd say that doing the steps accuracy test and count 100 steps and see how many steps were recognized by your tracker was a good call! Since you've noticed that to be inaccurate, I could probably recommend switching the position on your tracker. If you're wearing your tracker on your non dominant hand, switch it to your dominant one just to try it out and see if there's any difference. You can also leave it on your non-dominant hand but in the settings of your tracker, which you can access by tapping on the tracker's icon at the top left corner of the dashboard and then going down to wrist placement, choose that you're using it on your dominant hand and try it out and see if that makes any difference.

Also, wearing your tracker a little snug could help.

Try that out and let us know how it goes!

[SkepticalUser]

Thank you!
I wear it on my non dominant hand and have always had it set that way. I’ve tried snug and slightly loose. Last night we started our walk function at the same starting and ending point. His watch said we walked 1.5 miles and mine said 1.25.

My next experiment will be to have him wear my watch and I wear his. We’re set both to the same stride length.

I’ve read so many complaints about this issue of counting steps that I’m thinking it’s just a very unreliable product but many users are probably just trusting it.

Elle

Elle

[FerdinandFitbit]

Thanks for getting back @SkepticalUser!

About having the same stride length for you both, I would not recommend doing that as, since I explained before, I'm pretty sure you're different from your husband (speaking about your body) and if you both have the same stride length, results will be misleading for sure.

I would recommend following @Psbuhrmann's advise about how she tuned her stride length for distance accuracy and about the wrist placement, I meant that if you are wearing your tracker on your non-dominant hand, specify the opposite in the settings. Try it out and see how it goes. Also try wearing it on your dominant hand and specify that you're wearing it on your non-dominant hand in the settings just to experiment a little and see if that makes any difference.

[SkepticalUser]

Sounds like crazy hoops to go through for a darn pedometer but I’ll try!



Elle

[FerdinandFitbit]

I'm very sorry to make you go through this @SkepticalUser but thanks for getting back and please let me know how it goes!

[SkepticalUser]

Wearing the watch looser, on my dominant wrist and telling FitBit it’s on my non-dominant wrist is helping!



Thank you,



Elle

[JFontanini]

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