Using two trackers at same time...Fitbit Flex and Blaze

[JimCrran]

I've been using Flex for over two years. Just got Blaze because Flex battery has issues AND I wanted to take advantage of the heart rate monitor. I'm recovering from an injury and I spend an hour on the treadmill every day. Since I usually hold on to the bar to maintain balance I was putting the Flex in my pocket and it seemed to count steps accurately. Now I'm wearing the Blaze at the same time and it records steps as well but UNDERCOUNTS because I'm holding on to the bar and thus the Blaze "moves" less. However when I look at the dashboard the step count from the Blaze overrides the count from the Flex. 

I was watching the dashboard on my iphone while I was on the treadmill and it seemed to be switching back and forth. Once I got off and came home it looks like it decided to use the Blaze stats. I was wondering if in fact there is a database rule that governs a case like mine. I want to use both and I think the rule for steps should be that the higher number should override the lower number.

Any thoughts out there?

[SunsetRunner]

Hey hey hey @JimCrran nice to read you! Please note that wearing a combination of trackers simultaneously does not provide any more features than wearing trackers individually. In fact as you saw using your phone your data was changing from one tracker to another.
I suggest to use on tracker at a time but not at the same time because it is not going to be accurate (it confuses the system).
Also, using a wristband tracker on the pocket is not going to give you accurate information since the algorithms the tracker use to calculate steps are not the same as the clip based trackers ( which you can use clipped on your pocket).
So in conclusion my recommendation would be to use one tracker at a time. If you prefer to use the flex for daily use and the Blaze for exercising do it so, this way the information won't be mixed. 

I hope this helps. Have a wonderful day! 🙂 

[JimCrran]

Thanks for the input but I would offer this. When using the flex in my
pocket I observed the step count on the iPhone app and counted along with
it. While there seems to be a slight delay as the sync cycles occur I can
say with some confidence that it's tracking correctly. The mileage on the
treadmill and on the flex are not significantly different. The count from
the Blaze is lower because it's not moving as much because I'm holding on
to the treadmill handles for safety.

So for Fitbit engineers it comes down to this. If two devices for the same
user are recording data at the same time then one of two likely scenarios
is playing out. The user is wearing both devices or two separate users are
the devices. The latter scenario is not a valid use since both devices
belong to the same account. If you accept the idea that there are reasons
why one user wears two devices (which I believe there are) then you resolve
the data problem by accepting one step count and rejecting the other if
they record simultaneously. My preference would be that unless the higher
count suggested some anomaly or error (like an impossible rate of speed)
then I would accept the higher count. The other option is to let the user
specify in a setting which count rules.

If someone can convince me that this does not make sense I would like to
hear the argument.

Thanks again

[Rich_Laue]

When two devices on one account are being used simultaneously then when the trackers sync their will be conflicting data. This will be especially true with a tracker in the pocket monitoring the body's core movement, while the tracker on the arm is monitoring the movement of the arm. Neither tracker is monitoring the leg motions, nut are looking at the bodies response to the movement of the legs while walking.

Yes holding onto the treadmill rails may limit the arm motions, but has many more affects, and most are not good.

Such as

• May reduce caloric burn up to 60%
• May cause misalignment of the back and knees
• May cause repetitive knee injury
• The ankle May not naturally twist while running.
• May cause you to rely on the rails, and unlearn how to properly balance. This can contribute to more falls while free running outside.

Slowing down on the treadmill, removing the arms from the railing will help

• Perfect your running
• Burn more calories, up to 3 times more for the same speed while holding on
• Improve balance
• Help prevent injury while free running
• Train your body to easily recover from a spill.
• Maybe even improve your response to catching a falling object you just knocked of a shelf.

I've been riding a unicycle for now 50 years, and it amazes many at how easy I recover from a stumble. Like when I tripped over an unseen rock. The cop thought I might have been drunk, it was more likely I was near the end of a 20K step walk.

[JimCrran]

As I noted, the Flex in my pocket seems to be counting steps accurately. I do not and never will do "free running". I'm wearing the Blaze primarily to monitor heart rate. So this is pretty simple. Steps are steps and I want to count them regardless of whether I'm holding on to the treadmill handle or not. I find it hard to believe that exercise efficiency could be reduced by 60% simply by holding on to the treadmill handle. You would need to provide some real research to prove that. 

[SunsetRunner]

Hope you're doing well @JimCrran Fitbit trackers you're using are wristband trackers. Fitbit trackers have a finely tuned algorithm for step counting. The algorithm is designed to look for motion patterns most indicative of people walking. One condition for a motion pattern to be recognized as a step is the motion must be large enough. The algorithm implements this by setting a threshold. If a motion and its subsequent acceleration measurement data meet the threshold, the motion will be counted as a step. If that threshold is not met, the algorithm won't count the motion as a step.

If you hold on the treadmill handle it is going to make this harder. Now, because you're using one tracker for step count and the other for hear rate reading, you can create an account for your Blaze for example and keep using the one you have for the Flex. This way you'll have on one account the Blaze information with heart rate and in the other you Flex information with steps. 

Hope this helps you to have a better understanding. Have a beautiful day! 🙂 

[JimCrran]

Thanks Thomas but I think we're going to have to agree to disagree. The
Flex step count is accurate even while in my pocket. The recorded Fitbit
data and the treadmill data pretty much agree. I'm going to do some more
rigorous comparisons over the next few days and record the results. So if I
want to hang on to the treadmill I should be able to use the Flex data for
distance and the Blaze data for heart rate. I think it's a fairly simple
database procedure to recognize simultaneous usage of two (or even three)
devices and adjust the records at the account level to reconcile the
difference. So a user's step count for a day would be the sum of steps from
each device while used independently and the higher of the recorded step
counts when used simultaneously.

Two accounts is a workaround that from a user perspective makes it more
difficult to review fitness information. A user should not have to think
about which account he has to log into to get or record different versions
of data. I've got a bookmark that I click and I'm there. I don't want to
have to logout and log in to get the other data or maintain two bookmarks.
I want all of my data in one place.

Thanks again for your input on this.

Jim

[Rich_Laue]

It might be simple in your mind but will need a re write of the section of the server that handles the multi-year aspect. Then it will need to be tested with all combinations of trackers

[SunsetRunner]

Hope you're doing well @JimCrran Another nice thing about your Fitbit Blaze is that you have a "Treadmill" option in your exercises you could use to have your steps, heart rate, etc, at the end of your activity without having this information mixed with your Flex's. For the moment you can only use one tracker at a time, but I think it would be a good idea to share your request on the " Feature request" section. There you'll have other users voting for your idea. This way our developers would see your request an might implement it in the future.

Let me know if there's something else I can do for you. Have a nice day! 

[JimCrran]

You're absolutely right. I've used this option when my Flex battery died
unexpectedly. Just log afterward as an activity using time and distance and
it figures out step count. I'll try that today.

I still think that the solution I suggested would make sense and would be
very easy. Since I spent $100 to buy the thing I want to use it. It's a
shame to throw it away after two years. I may have to do this anyway since
the battery is erratic now.

I'll submit a suggestion.

[Ashjo]

I use a zip on my shoe and wear a charge 2 and mine always syncs fine. I only use the zip when I'm on a stationary bike though.

[jenlar3]

JimCrran,

i completely agree with you.  I have only had my Charge 2 since Oct. 2016, and Flex 2 for a few weeks. When I am carrying a child, pushing a stroller, a wheelchair or shopping cart, my steps don't get recorded, unless I swing my arm, which is quite difficult in those circumstances.  I looked forward to using my Flex 2 in addition to my C-2. The F-2 doesn't allow me to monitor my heart rate, mileage, time or steps as visibly as the C-2, but I can put it in my leg or shoe to more accurately capture steps. Sometimes I use my Stepper or my Treadclimber. I am just re-starting my fitness journey after multiple surgeries, so I need to hold on to something. Plus, the Treadclimber doesn't really allow room for swinging my arms, and has caused me some stumbles when I tried. 

Last night i had both Fitbits on, and I was watching the numbers for each on two different phones (same account). They tracked well together, and when I had to hold on, the F-2 continued to track accurately, while the C-2 numbers stopped increasing. When I finished, I took a screen shot of my F-2 numbers. I was almost at 12,900. I walked around my house till my heart rate slowed down. My C-2 numbers were tracking again, but never got up to the F-2 numbers. Today, my final total is @11,000.  I want to see all my info in the same place, without having to do a bunch of mental gymnastics. And I want my efforts to count when I'm participating in challenges. There must be a simple way to do this. I just am not familiar enough with either of mine, or Fitbits in general to know what that might be. Appreciate any help from anybody!

[tomkat58]

Hi all, 

So if both trackers are used at the same time and they log steps, what doe the dashboard show? Steps for C2, steps for F2, the sum, or the average? 

And can I have the C2 on my left wrist and the F2 on my right wrist? 

Thanks,

TomK

[JimCrran]

I would recommend that it use the the higher of the two and disregard the
other.

The sum would never make sense. If I had a Fitbit on each wrist and walked
1000 steps and one Fitbit records 997 and the other recorded 1030 steps why
would I ever conclude that I had walked 1927 steps?

If I use the average then I am by default assuming that one or the other is
so inaccurate that somehow the average is better. That doesn't make sense
either. Given the nature of these devices I'd accept either number if only
one device had been used.

The original question arose because I was walking on a treadmill and
holding on to the safety bar. As a result the Chrome on my wrist
significantly under recorded steps. I had my original Fitbit in my pocket
and the step count from that seemed accurate. I used the Chrome to record
heart rate and wanted to use the Fitbit data for steps. A perfectly good
solution in my mind. But the people at Fitbit are wedded to the concept
that only one tracker device per account is permitted.

So now I use the mileage and time data from the treadmill and enter it into
the activity log and accept whatever step count it computes.

[tomkat58]

Thank you Jim!

I agree with your logic on what "I should use", the question really is if I had C-2 on my left wrist and F-2 on my right wrist, what would the fitbit dashboard (on iPhone or web page) show? Both values?

TomK

[JimCrran]

Unless the system has been changed I assume it will log the steps from whichever device is associated with your account. You're only allowed one device per account. 

I gave up on trying to convince them that my logic would work. I just don't use the old tracker anymore. 

…

[tomkat58]

Jim, thank you so much. So I cannot have 2 trackers associated with one account which means no single dashboard that includes swimming and biking. 

Well fitbit could have sold more if they were smart, that's a simple software thing. Instead I will now have to wait for a water resistant C-2 that has the additional functionality. 

Much obliged. 

TomK

[Rich_Laue]

@tomkat58 of course you can have more thsn one tracker connected to your account? I have 4.

Fitbit recommends wearing only one at a time. So what happens if you wear two? Fitbit tries to determine the real step count.