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Accuracy of the gps app that tracks running

‎07-16-2014 22:25

‎07-16-2014 22:25

The fit bit app said my average pace was 8:58 per mile today. (I only ran 3 miles).  I would love it to be true, but I have a hard time believing this. Not only did I feel a little slow today, but I have been using a Garmin for 3 years and my best pace for 3 or more miles was 9:13 and that is with perfect weather.  Has anyone used fit bit and Garmin together to see if they match?

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4 REPLIES 4

‎07-17-2014 08:29

‎07-17-2014 08:29

I have not used Garmin... I use my phone and an app called "Runtastic" to track that. But yeah, there are times when it just seems to miscalculate my pace. Unless for some reason I just speed up somehow in mile two of a three mile walk (Which I doubt). So it does seem to be kinda not isolated to just Garmin and more universal in GPS tracking apps. I wonder if it is just a function of the GPS tech that sometimes causes the pace to seem quicker or something?

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‎07-17-2014 20:13

‎07-17-2014 20:13

So subject line says using the GPS app.

 

But your message doesn't sound like it.

 

Because if GPS was used in both cases, I'd imagine it to be mighty close since the GPS aspect is the same.

Barring the difference between the Garmin being designed to get good GPS on the wrist, and the phone better be in a good place to have best accuracy.

 

Now between Fitbit itself using step readings and GPS as used by Garmin - ya, off.

 

Distance usually short by 12-15%, calories by 20-25% short - on Fitbit Zip, NOT using the Fitbit GPS option.

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‎07-18-2014 07:31

In response to Heybales

‎07-18-2014 07:31

The calorie difference is easy to explain - there are several different equations for calculating calories expended so one might use one of them and Fitbit uses a different one. And even using the same equation can result in a difference of some percent since it's not only number of steps and distance travelled that affects that, but also how much you weigh at the time - meaning if the weight in one system is different than the weight in the other (Say in fitbit, you say you weigh 182.6 and Garmin only has 182) there will be a percentage difference in the end calculation...

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‎08-02-2015 19:16 - edited ‎08-02-2015 19:17

‎08-02-2015 19:16 - edited ‎08-02-2015 19:17

Noticing the same.
I went for two brisk walks today, one was a full hour and measured on Google Earth about 5 km.
The other was 3.22 km measured the same way and was trundling along with wife, a grumpy kid and a chihuahua.

Great is my surprise when I come home and discover I was credited 4.43 km for the last one and a faster pace.
The FitBit gave 5339 steps and 3148 steps respectively, which is proportional to the correctly measured walks.
I imported both tracks into Google Earth and it is pretty clear that the FitBit app trusts the GPS more than the steps - and the GPS (In a first model Nexus 4 phone) was all over the place. The track looks like a hedgehog.
I can't blame the FitBit for the problem at all - it's clearly the phone. The clever FitBit nerds could however do a sanity check on the GPS measurements and weight the step length and speed against the GPS coordinates and trust in a more intelligent way, what is real. OR just display both, I'd be happy with that.

 

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