Fitbit Blaze step count inaccurate

[OmarLittle]

Hey there,

Today was my first full day rocking my Blaze. I went to an outdoor festival and had some solid step count, however, when I got home and checked my step count I noticed that the blaze tracked about 1/4 the steps I actually took. My iPhone health app logged about 10K and my Fitbit did about a 1/4 of that (2500). Also I noticed it did an auto workout and thought I had rode my bike. I think this is due to my sons stroller I was pushing. Any suggestions on how to calibrate? If I go for a run and use the GPS- will that help? Thanks!

[dawnierae]

The two replacements I received were new, not refurb. But both just as
inaccurate as the first. I am back with my Charge HR and awaiting my refund.

[URGreat]

For the stairs count, One thing that could also be taken into consideration is the height of the stairs. I work from home and use the stairs because my office is in the basement. But Fitbit Blaze count stairs that are at least 10feet high. I live in a Split Level so I have to go the extra 3 stair steps to get my Fitbit Blaze to count a whole stair count and even this is not quite enough because even in the kitchen, I'm not yet at 10feet. So I count each step up and ajust and the count is close. For the steps and distance, it is quite a problem. I bought a Charge HR and used it intensively during 28days and res to chose from and they suck.eturned it. I wasn't impress according to the accuracy. I bought a Garmin Vivismart HR. Same thing and returned it. When you spend 200$CAN or more on a wristband, you expect a minimum quality and"or at least, delivering what we read on their site but I think the problem is more they want to save money on beta testing their stuff so we are the beta tester but we are not paid for it. Now I bought a Blaze and I still have 22 days left before I return it.

[JOHNNYBlaze]

I am wearing both my surge and blaze now religously together to get back my cheated steps.

Did 11,443 on the Blaze, and the surge recorded 14595.

I synced them when I got home - it gave me the higher step count but only 3.6 miles.

Surge gives me 5 miles per 10 K but I guess it overode that.

One thing that was interesting though was that the calories from my cardio and weight workout last night were less than 20 calories off. I started both unit within seconds of each other.

My wife thinks I look silly wearing 2 fitbits but she just doesn't understand that you feel defeated when you perform at a high level and the tracker is taking like 20% of that effort off your activity.

😞

[RealBlaze]

I have now had the Blaze for a month.  I do not see any errors as some have reported.  I have counted steps (When your walking 3 mile courses you can get bored LOL)  At least while walking.  I have counted 100 steps and seen within 2 steps up and down 100 Steps.  The course I walk is a mile and I walk it 3 times.  it has 1/4 Mile 1/2 Mile etc.  I have measured this and it's pretty on.  This is not an oval track and it's up and down and curved.  The 1 Mile course I get about the same each time.  1.09 Miles and around 2200 to 2400 Steps.  Now there are objects in the way at times.  Tree branches etc.  At times you have to move around them so steps are never exactly the same.  But pretty close.

I measure from start to say a bend or tree etc.  The steps are consistant.  The only error I notice with the unit is when I get on the Elliptical.  There is where the failure is.  I have a Nordictrack SE9i.  There are maps you run on there.  Unlike walking or running.  The Nordictrack knows the stride and it knows the distance and how many steps you have to take to make up the course.

But the FitBit Blaze only records 1 step for each revolution.  It knows what machine your on.  The movement of your arms I guess.  When your walking or running the fitbit counts 2 steps (Usually) Each time you move your arm you have stepped twice. so 1,2 1,2,1,2 etc.

Not the Elliptical though. it's 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1 and a 2.43 Mile track on the machine ends up about a 1.1 Mile trip on the Blaze.  This is wrong.  And since the Nordictrack is stationary and the strides are identical.  I assume the FitBit is way off.  The time that it takes me to run this 2.43 Mile trip on the SE9i is about right time wise.  So the Blaze is the device that is incorrectly recording the distances or the strides.

[Tkcmom]

That's when I have the most errors. I have the freestrider fs9 and the blaze calculations are no where near the freestrider.

[PhoenixEmber]

I was excited about the blaze but with all these reports of errors in the step accuracy has put me off buying one! My Flex is extermely accurate without me having to mess with my stride at all.

I'm going to hold off till fitbit fix whatever the issue is.

[Brenda_Cooper]

My new Blaze has certain times it doesn't count well at all.  For example, if I am in a grocery store and I am pushing the cart, I hardly get any steps.  I can walk a thousand steps (say trying to get steps on a rainy day by walking Target) and it will record far fewer - less than half or even close to zero. Does it think I'm driving or something?  It also stopped counting once when I was walking and holding something in my hand.  I can't swing my arm every time I walk -- not going to happen.  For example the dog might be in one hand (on a leash) and I might be carrying something in the other hand.  Then I get low step counts.  How do I fix that? Never had that problem with the One. 

[Brenda_Cooper]

PLEASE fix this device. I like it, but it doesn't work. It doesn't count steps in stores, it doesn't count steps if I'm carrying something, etc. I bought it because I want an accurate step-counter that understands that biking is not walking (loved my One, but it would give me absurd step counts and stair counts on the bike).

Are you even working on it????  I have been a fitbit customer for years and I have loved every device but this one.  

[MsSpammy]

I have been having these conversations with fitbit support when I've logged these issues. Their suggestion is to either manually log the steps afterwards (so, we need to count the steps while we go round the shops or for a walk?!) Or, we should put the Blaze in our pocket or elsewhere on our bodies... no idea why we'd want to do that when we also wear the Blaze to monitor HR!

To me, these are not acceptable answers, but I'm getting nowhere with them. They've even said that the Blaze will 'sometimes count steps and sometimes not count' and have also suggested that any previous fitbit may be overcounting. Again, not really acceptable!

[markusbjolgerud]

My Blaze counted way too few steps as well. When walking lightly I could see that the counter didn´t count any steps for long periods of time. I decided to do a comparison with my old charge hr and created an account on my wife’s phone. The first few days the results proved my right. The Blaze was way behind the charge hr.

But somehow, after a few days, the Blaze started to reduce the difference and now, after 15 days they’re close to identical. This weeks workweek hustle had the Blaze at 80562 and the Charge HR at 79266, a difference of a 1084 steps. Checking out the total period of 15 days leaves the HR at 212k and the Blaze at 200k steps.

I’ve tracked everything in excel and here you see the charts. 10 of the 15 days the steps are within 5% difference. The other five days the difference is above 1000 steps difference with the worst at 3641 steps difference. Of the 5 days, 3 of them are within the first 4 days.

Steps:

I’ve also counted floors and I find it way more unstable, but I don’t really care.

Difference Steps / Floors: (in percent - the closer to the middle of the chart the better)

Difference in steps:

So, tonight, after 15 days I put my charge HR in the drawer and walk of with the blaze (and cross my fingers for a firmare (clock face, log water, removing heading on today) update soon.

[cammieshelto44]

Having the same issue and I'm not happy about it. $200.00 to count arm movements isn't cool. Fix it please!

[amandagal]

I'm in the undercounting boat.  I was actually considering sending my newish (I got it a week ago) Blaze back to amazon when I decided to look here to see if it was a known issue.   I have previous fitbits and I know my step count is about the same with this one (even more than usual, since I'm training for a marathon), but this things undercounts my steps every day by 10-20%.  I've tested with my old fitbit and manually counting steps myself.

If you have to retrain yourself to walk to use this device, it's not worth it, but I really don't think it's an arm swinging issue.  It's consist if I'm holding my phone in my hand with my wrist relaitively stable as I usually do when I walk with a beginning walkers group I lead or if I'm running 10 miles.  It's always 10-20% off the other trackers. It sometimes counts when I hold my wrist relatively still and it sometimes doesn't.

Putting it in your pocket is a weak recommendation. If I wanted something that didn't track heart rate, I would stuck with the One for 1/3 the price!

[JOHNNYBlaze]

My Blaze has a mind of it's own. I have posted previously on the huge differences between the blaze and my ol surge. I was trying to see how many steps it was to the longest bathroom away from my office today and looked at it when I started and then when I got to the bathroom. I raise my wrist and the blaze is counting steps like crazy - sorta like it's catching up.

I really give up. I am keeping it. I have just decided after much stress and anxiety I am just going with what it gives me day to day and trying to improve on it.

I still have my surge and am using it to cut grass and the long walks with my dog for the GPS.

I don't want an iwatch, I bought my parents two for christmas and they have to charge it every day.

My Surge and Blaze seem to last at least 5 days if not 7.

Also one improvement in the blaze other than looks is that it does not give me bad rashes on my wrists at times like my surge did. 

Has anyone looked into the Garmin, polaris or any other fitness tracking watches?

I know they are expensive but I don't see any way out of this.

[ChrissyA]

Just received the Blaze Firmware Update - 17.8.104.1. I was all exited thinking that they would address the step counting issues…..NOPE! Unless they are lumped in the "minor bug fixes"

[Minnqueenb]

I was wearing Garmin Vivo Active prior to the FitBit Blaze and I am very surprised by the step count difference. I have been testing by wearing both watches together and today alone the step count on the Garmin is 1000+ steps over the Blaze. I know this is a big issue. Any word on a fix?

[Minnqueenb]

I have a Garmin Vivo Active and really like it. Especially since I swim laps and it counts my laps, calories burned, etc. The main I went with the Blaze it due to the Heart Rate monitor.
So far, the Garmin is proving worthy. The battery on the Garmin lasts at least 1 week, while the Blaze maybe 3 days. I'm totally considering returning Blaze.

[W_P]

Noone seems to be able to answer the question on why the Blaze is under counting steps.  I have tried so many different methods and nothing has worked.  I am thinking of getting a refund, going back to my charge, which worked fine and saving for an apple watch... Has anyone had any problems with getting refunds?

[Teefeb19]

How do I remove myself from this forum?

Sent from my iPhone

[ahefner33]

Actually, it will count steps when arm isn't moving. I push our son in stroller or walk around hold him. without moving arms and can watch my steps go up. But I do notice your steps go up when just swinging your arms without walking

[Jason212]

@Teefeb19 click on the gear icon in the upper right of this screen then click on subscriptions and notifications and unsubscribe from it.