Stride x Steps does not equal miles

[mjs752002]

This is just an example from today, the numbers are off by a similar amount every day.

Steps: 8406

stride length: 28.9 in

Distance should be:  8406*28.9 in = 242,933.4 in = 20,244.45 ft = 3.83 mi

Distance shown by Fitbit = 5.57 mi

That's not just a rounding error, that's a factor of ~50%.  And the 3.83 figure is definitely the closer one, based on route mapping.  

Worst part is that the calorie burn (the part I care about) appears to be based off the incorrect figure.

How can this be corrected?

[JohnnyRow]

You didn't say what tracker you are using (or whether or not you ever use GPS).  If it is one with heart rate, calorie burn is based on heart rate, not number of steps or distance.

[mjs752002]

I'm not using a device, just the pedometer included in my phone, so it's definitely calculating calorie burn based on distance - Fitbit doesn't have any heart info to work with, in my case.

But even if it were getting more thorough data, that kind of misses the point.  The app shouldn't fail this badly at multiplication.  It is, very literally, elementary school level stuff.

[MrMarv]

@mjs752002 -

It has been a few years since I have linked a phone to the app for use as a step-tracker when my device was not on my wrist.

<<edit>> Or do you have a separate pedometer application on your phone that links to the app? <</edit>>

Keeping that in mind, have you considered using the "Walk" exercise app in the FitBit app which will deal with the actual mileage issue via GPS - or are you already doing that - "And the 3.83 figure is definitely the closer one, based on route mapping"  - or is the "route mapping" just a reference to an estimate of the distance shown on a map?

[mjs752002]

Thanks Mr. Marv.  I'm not familiar with any separate "walk" function within Fitbit, but I'm only using a free account at the moment.  (And frankly, what I've seen from a reliability standpoint doesn't inspire me to pay actual money in this company.)  

The 'route mapping' I mentioned was from outside mapping applications, which all agree on a figure around 3.6 miles.  That also matches much better with the time this walk takes (approx 1 hr 15 min at a moderate walking pace.)

And again, the issue doesn't appear to be the numbers going into the app.  The step and pace numbers within the app are correct (or reasonably close), they just aren't being used together in any sensible way.  This is like a calculator that registers 2 and 3 correctly, yet insists, day after day, that 2x3=10.  

[mjs752002 · Accepted solution]

And there is no best answer.  But Fitbit is insisting I select one, rather than showing interest in actually providing help or correcting their products.

Because that's the kind of clusterfitbit this service is -- a barrage of misleadingly positive information, in the mistaken belief that smiling at frustration is the same as happiness. 

There.  That's my best answer.  And I'm sure, in a 24 hours, I'll get another automated email saying they're glad my problem was solved.