Fitbit not calculating distance correctly

[MexicoMike]

I just got a new Fitbit Charge 5 and it is not calculating the distance I walk correctly.  I started suspecting something was wrong when trails I've been hiking for years and know the distance of(using my AllTrails app) were pretty far off.  One trail is 7 miles and Fitbit was showing I hiked 10 miles.  So to double check, I mapped out a street trail using my car and the 3 miles my car was showing showed as almost 4 miles with Fitbit.  

I just got done talking to customer support and they told me they calculate by using your gender, weight and age.  This makes no sense at all to me.  I could see if they were using your height how that might work.  

Has anyone else verified that the distance Fitbit is showing you is actually, correct?  

[Fitpoodle]

Is there anyone at Fitbit that is able to successfully help with this issue? I am experiencing the same -- it's a brand new Charge 5. What the heck?

[wilmaring]

I just got a charge five for Christmas and it has been also tracking too many steps and too much distance.  Like really excessive. Today my Apple phone told me that I went 1600 steps. The Fitbit said I went over 5000. I don’t know how to adjust this. It makes me not want to wear the Fitbit.  Like, it’s lying to me.

[Fitpoodle]

anyone know how long it takes for FITBIT to actually address questions and offer effective solutions? 

[monkbat]

Mines the same. I’ve tried reducing my stride length as I’m only 5’4” but it’s still wildly inaccurate and over calculates distances. I’ve gone back to Strava on my phone. Battery life when using on a walk drops out after a few hours too. 

[wilmaring]

I am 5 foot six. I’m thinking maybe if I increased my stride length, then it would start to come closer to reality. So maybe I have to tell the Fitbit that I am 5 foot eight or 5 foot nine. Still, none of it makes any sense. It’s telling me that I’m walking over 10 miles a day, but I know that it’s more like three or four. It’s very frustrating.