Does the ionic actually track your heart rate when swimming? How well?

[Elanhui]

I have been longing for a heart rate monitor that I can wear while swimming as it is the only exercise I can do with sufficient intensity while not hurting myself.  How good it the Ionic for this - really?

[harrypotter2]

I think it can show you your heart rate under water.

If not go out of the water and wait a few seconds for it  to show you.

[shipo · Accepted solution]

Per comments from the Fitbit moderators, the Ionic switches off the heart rate monitor when you are in swim mode.  Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

[harrypotter2]

Oh OK thank you for the information!

[Elanhui]

Thank you.  That was very helpful and saved me some bitter dissappointment.  It looks like the tech to monitor heart rate for swimmers other than elite athletes is still some time in the future.

[SteveMarshall]

Any updates on its ability/inability to record Heart Rate in water and/or buffer and send out of water at the end of session ?

I have my iphone 7plus in belt while swimming, and I am looking for THE LATEST smartwatch/tracker that will send live/buffered from wrist watch

[GM2]

My experience in swimming heart rate tracking has actually been quite good with the fitbit product.

I previously used the Charge 2 and had it waterproofed with "waterfi", a 3rd party vendor.

I would set up an "Activity", start it manually start- jump in the pool, do my swim work out, then stop it.

It tracked 60 minute interval workouts showing me a nice progression of warm up - main set- and warm down. No issues what so every for over one year. And then it died in mid September.

I waited for the new Ionic, since it is natively waterproof.

I was able to get a heart rate read by just swimming with it (not in exercise mode).

It recognized the activity, and I got a successful HR tracking.

HOWEVER, when I use the swimming exercise mode it did not track HR.

Also, I swim in a 25 yd pool and the Ionic default is 25 meter length.

Currently, Ionic cannot be changed to any other length of pool.

I have tried all the suggestions from customer service, and the device will not "sync" any change from the default of 25 meters.

Hopefully fitbit will have an update soon on this issue.

I can change from Meters to Yards but the default pool length cannot be altered (yet).....so it displays the incorrect distance swim since it figures each length is 25 meters.....

Happy swimming!!

GM

[Elanhui]

Thank you for a very useful response. Iv’e noted that the app still has not been adjusted to accept laps rather than tenths of a mile increments. I get the impression that swimmers are not a priority.

Sent from my iPad

[GM2]

My experience is different.

All my lap swimming has been counted, as long as you are in the exercise mode - but then you do not get the HR.

I am on a Masters Team, and the coach has a record of our distances and number of laps.

I am not concerned about that.

I want measurement of my "effort" as indicated by tracking HR.

When I have used it in the "exercise" mode, I found the lap counting very accurate.

Some other posts indicated problems, but I have not had any whatsoever.

I believe the "accelerometers" in the device are programed to sense a sudden change of direction as a "turn" and that will indicate the end of a length of the "pool".

If a swimmer does not make a vigorous turn movement, it is likely that the ionic will not count it as a "length".

In my coached swim sessions we are always making a hard turn and driving off the wall forcefully. Maybe that makes the count more in line with the Ionic's imbedded algorithm.

IMHO  

[cable-dg]

I think the software is faulty. My pool is 10m long, but I cannot change it either. FitBit please fix this and make the setting changeable for each exercise. When you swim you often. Use different pools.

[Nursecamper]

My ionic can be set for up to 100 meters. Mine stopped counting laps at 29, not sure why, I did swim 4 more laps without it recognizing more than 29. It recorded my heart rate part of the day but the graph is so small I cannot discover what the rate was during any particular part of my swim or after my swim. 

[Elanhui]

They really do need to make the heart rate chart more granular.  I don’t know why they have not yet.

[Nursecamper]

No, apparently the heart rate tracker kicked in after my swim. Just could
not read it in the tiny screen.

[Elanhui]

My workouts are always accompanied by a watch that is a challenge to read on the turns. I’ll have to see the ionic myself but thanks- it’s nice to know it’s there.

Sent from my iPad

[datalore]

It can show your heart rate in the water, but it's probably not accurate. Optical sensors and water don't mix well. To get a more accurate heart rate in water you would need to use a chest strap. The technology to accurately measure heart rate under water with an optical sensor is not quiet there yet. 

[Elanhui]

What I have suspected. Last time I looked chest strap not an option so I’m still waiting for the tech to catch up with my dreams. Thank you for the info.

Sent from my iPad