Swim Tracking Very Inaccurate

[AlmondMac]

I bought the Charge 3 yesterday on launch day primarily because of the swim tracking feature. I like to swim but I don't like having to keep count of my laps while swimming, so I thought the Charge 3 would be good.

After buying the Charge 3 yesterday, I took it to the gym to try it out. I set the pool length setting to 25 yards, started a swim exercise session with a goal of 20 minutes, and started swimming. It vibrated to alert me after 20 minutes, at which point I stopped. I synced the Charge 3 with my phone. The session was logged correctly at just over 20 minutes, but it only showed me completing 5 lengths for 125 yards. I'm not the fastest swimmer but I'm sure I actually did around 30 lengths.

I contacted customer support yesterday and their only suggestion was to have me restart the Charge 3 and try again. So I restarted it and took it swimming again today. I did the same thing, manual swim session with 20 minute goal. This time it logged 3 lengths, for 75 yards.

I read the Help article here:

https://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/2087/?q=swim&l=en_US&fs=Search&pn=1

and I am not doing any of the things listed that might cause incorrect swim data. I swim freestyle and I swam continuously from start to finish. I do a flip turn between lengths.

Has anyone had similar (or good) results swimming with the Charge 3? If this is normal then I may have to return it. 

[NellyG]

I dont have a Charge 3 (yet) but I swim regularly with the Versa, Ionic and Flex 2. When my lap count is out it is always because i have been sloppy in my turns. In order for a wrist worn tracker to know you have started a new lap you need to communicate with it in a way it recognises. Through trial and error I have found that trackers (Fitbit ones anyway) need for your arms to stop moving  briefly (a second or two). Either stopping at the end of the pool before turning, or giving a strong push off from the wall and gliding through the water for a second or two (you can paddle your feet, but not your arms), work well. What doesnt work is continuing to move your arms without a break. Tumble turns or turn and push off work equally well.

Do you think you could be too eager to get moving again and not giving the tracker the information it needs?

[JenD10]

I've got a similar issue, I've set the pool length at 25 metres, I swam 80 lengths today but it's only recorded 23 lengths. I wear a lap counter as well so I know the amount I've swum is accurate ( each length I press a button ) The other issue I have is the distance on the App is showing as Yards even though it's set as Metres on my Fitbit. Really hope Fitbit sort these issues out as the main reason for upgrading from Charge 2 was to track Swimming.

[Cwep2]

Mine was fairly accurate. I swam 80 lengths and it recorded 77. I swim consistently and always freestyle with short 30s breaks every 20 lengths. 

I do push off turns (not good enough for tumble turns...) and glide through the water for the first 3-4m which gives my arms a break (as previous comment) but it’s possible a few turns were interrupted. Will see if a more consistent turn with a glide every time records it more accurately. 

I do do think you should be able to update the length data in the app afterwards rather than have to delete the workout and add a manual one. 

[JenD10]

Thanks, i'll try your technique tomorrow, i think the problem may be that
i'm not pausing long enough at the end of each length.

[YannMomo]

Hi everybody,

I don't have a charge 3 yet, but I would like to know what features it has about swimming? does it recognize automatically your swimming style, how many strikes, etc... what statistics does it gives to you?

If anyone takes time to reply it will be great!

Thanks,

Yann

[AlmondMac]

Hmm, I'm sure my tumble turn technique isn't perfect. I learned it from a Youtube video. I'm sure my arms don't move for about two seconds after turning. I intentionally don't push off the wall hard either. I'll try gliding a bit longer and see how that works.

YannMomo, from what I see it does not count number of strokes or which stroke style you are doing. It does time, and number of lengths, and distance (calculated by lengths x the size of the pool you set in the settings), and calories burned. Also average time per 100 yards (or I assume meters if you set that) but that is also calculated from the other numbers.

[Rjgits]

Glad to hear. My family was about to gat me one for my birthday and now on hold as this would be my main reason to upgrade from the two. Please keep us posted. I hear the lack of a date is a negative for many as well. That seems more like a thoughtless design oversight. Too bad. 

[barmstrong2000]

I am having the exact same problem! Very frustrating since I too bought this mainly for tracking swimming!

[JenD10]

I changed my technique as suggested & i'm really pleased to report that it worked, thanks !  I paused for a few seconds at the end of each length & pushed off the wall & only used my feet for a couple of seconds & it's accurately measured all of the lengths that I swam. 

[JenD10]

I give up with Fitbit Charge 3, after it successfully logging my swim yesterday i went for my swim today, used exactly the same technique as yesterday & it's miscalculated my lengths, i swam 86 but it's only logged 66, i finished the session on the Fitbit Tracker but for some unknown reason it's logged that i did an extra 64 lengths 20 minutes after i had finished swimming.  I'm taking the Fitbit back to the shop for a refund & will buy a different Brand. 

[AlmondMac]

Wow that's really weird. Were you using the automatic tracker or the manual
exercise mode?

[JenD10]

My Fitbit won't Auto track when swimming so have been setting the Goal on
the Swim App on the Fitbit itself, i've run out of patience with the Charge
3, The main reason for buying the Charge 3 was the ability to Auto Track
Swimming, (i've already got the Charge 2) also for the last 3 days i've
got 'sleep not tracked' on the Fitbit itself even after it's been synched.
I've decided to return the Charge 3 & get a refund & buy a different
tracker that will actually Auto Track Swimming.

[barmstrong2000]

Thank you so much for that.  I'll definitely try that this afternoon when I go to the gym!

[Rjgits]

Ha. After your post yesterday, I gave my wife the thumbs up. My birthday is tomorrow and \i think she was going to get it over lunch, so now I may need to call her with the kibosh. She is going to kill me. I will need to check if the same frustrating issues with the Versa. This is really a bummer.

[AlmondMac]

Well, I tried it again today, changing my technique. After doing my turn, this time I would glide through the water for a few seconds, with at least my left arm (where I wear the Charge 3) stationary. I would still kick, and sometimes I would do one stroke with just my right arm so I could take a breath but my left arm was always extended out in front of my head for about three seconds after the turn. Result: after a 20 minute swim, it logged 4 laps. I don't know what else I can change. Can any of the Fitbit moderators tell me exactly how the Fitbit detects when a lap changes? I was hoping maybe yesterday's firmware update would fix this, but I guess not.

[barmstrong2000]

I am still having the exact same problem! I tried both yesterday and today to kick before taking a stroke and was sure my first stroke was not the arm my Charge 3 was on. I did 50 lengths (25 each) and my Charge 3 recorded 125 yards and 5 lengths.  It is very frustrating! I don't understand why this is so difficult for Fitbit to figure out! I have a Moov tracker that cost WAY less and is extremely accurate!

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

[AlmondMac]

I wish they would expose the number of strokes done. I assume that data is
what they are actually tracking, so they should have a count. I could
estimate how many laps I'm swimming from that, at least more accurately
than the Charge 3 is doing.

Next time I swim I'm going to try just using the automatic tracking instead
of manual exercise mode and see what happens.

[Rjgits]

Is there any way I can see a lap count while I am swimming so that I don’t need to keep track in my head?

Sent from my iPhone

[AlmondMac]

To see the lap count you have to sync it with your phone and look at the
app. The Charge 3 will not show those stats.

I swam with it again today and got the same issue, 4 laps tracked. This
time I used the automatic tracking instead of the manual exercise mode. The
automatic detecting itself worked well. It knew that I was swimming, and it
got the length of time correct. The interesting thing is that manual
swimming mode disables the HR sensor so it doesn't have that stat, but
using auto mode it shows the heart rate stats during my swim. I don't know
exactly how accurate it is but it seemed about right.