@IhateCharge5 Here is my perspective. I did experience inaccurate step counts initially and I had your frustration. The solution for me was to perform a factory reset (on the charge 5: settings > device info > clear user data). The device receives a significant update to the firmware out-of-the-box upon initial set-up. Sometimes with hardware after a significant update it is good practice to just start fresh so previous settings (regardless of how old they are) from the old firmware don't cause errant issues. Once that happened I noticed over the week less inconsistencies (especially in my truck). I never mess with the calibration either.
I also discovered a better metric to focus on: Active Zone Minutes (AZM). This metric is the measurement of any activity that gets your heart pumping above normal. Many times I have achieved a high step count but I found them not delivering the health improvement desired. For example days with a lot of errands, grocery shopping, or around my office, etc. With AZM being the goal, it adds a component to get the heart pumping. This doesn't need to be intense cardio; rather it could be a brisk walk verses a stroll, etc. For me, both of my legs have a significant amount of damage from an accident and I find focusing on increasing my AZMs provide me with a much better health improvement over counting steps. AZMs are also harder to get false readings because it requires effort measured by increased HR coinciding with movement.
I hope my perspective is helpful.
