Inflated heart rate reading

[jtlapp]

PLEASE READ BEFORE RESPONDING. Don't just react to the photos. I wore the Charge 2 by itself and the Ionic by itself before doing this test. It was their crazy differences that inclined me to then put them on at the same time -- and the crazy difference remained. Further experiments revealed the true source of the problem, as I explain in my updates below.

I've been wearing my Ionic for a few days. The heart rates I see are not similar to those I saw on the Charge 2. I can be standing in place typing at the computer, look at my watch, and see a heart rate of 130.

I decided to put some juice in my Charge 2 and go for a walk with both. I took 14 photos of the watches over the course of a hilly mile. The heart rates were only once the same. They often differed by 10, with the Ionic higher. And sometimes the differences were crazy. (See images below.)

I tried making the Ionic extra snug half-way through the walk, but the readings remained crazy. For example, I could be at 100 on the Charge 2 and 120 on the Ionic upon cresting a hill, and then hit 90 on the Charge 2 and 150 on the Ionic upon subsequently reaching the bottom of the hill.

Is something broken, or am I doing something wrong?

UPDATE #1: After more testing with a second Ionic and the present Ionic worn higher on the wrist, I found that the Ionic and the Charge 2 more closely agree on the HR when the Ionic is worn at a distance from the wrist bone. Fitbit recommends that it be worn at least two fingers above this point. Because Fitbit also recommends that the Ionic be worn loosely, Fitbit's own recommendations imply that the device will not give a reliable HR while walking with the hands swinging down at the side. Even so, the Ionic usually reports higher numbers than the Charge 2 when worn higher on the wrist. Finally, at least one person is happy with their HR numbers when the Ionic is worn low on the wrist.

People have also replied to this thread with their own experiences getting unusually high HR readings on the Ionic. I don't mean to summarize their findings here.

UPDATE #2: Apparently it is known that the devices can interfere with each other when worn on the same wrist. Mind you, I wore one device and got crazy numbers and multiple devices and got reasonable numbers on all by the bottom watch. The purpose of the test was to find out if the watches were broken. What the test told me is that the watches were not broken, but are more accurate higher on the wrist. The test told me that despite any interference there might have been. (Besides, I'm unable to peform the test on both wrists, because one hand must hold the camera.)

Moderator edit: edited title for clarity

[Harry222]

Wow @Whistler888 that's unbelievable with striking similarity.

I had contacted Fitbit after dealing with it on my own for four months.  Basically got the usually party lines. I had explained at least four different ways to "fix it" such as resetting the Ironic, turning HRM off/on in app, uninstall it from the app and not wearing it like you.

Then, they asked me to wait for an update......

[Whistler888]

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V@Harry222 wrote:

Wow @Whistler888 that's unbelievable with striking similarity.

I had contacted Fitbit after dealing with it on my own for four months.  Basically got the usually party lines. I had explained at least four different ways to "fix it" such as resetting the Ironic, turning HRM off/on in app, uninstall it from the app and not wearing it like you.

Then, they asked me to wait for an update......

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Haha!  Expect to wait a very very long time for any update to fix that based on broken promises made in this Forum.  Virtually all “known issues” remain unresolved after update after update.

[Gainn]

Would wearing it on the inside of my wrist help getting a more accurate reading while running? Even with the ionic higher up my wrist it's giving me 180bpm readings on a walk while an alta on the other wrist is showing half that. 

[tinbucket]

Inside or not on my wrist it’s high. I used a Polar training watch with a chest band. At rest both within a beat or two of each other. Get to 90 bpm

and the ionic was showing 120 -128. Get to 130 and ionic is displaying anything from 160 - 178. Moving the watch further up the wrist has made little difference. It’s frustrating because this bpm is used to calculate calorie burn which is going to higher than actual. All rather frustrating. I’ve taken to not wearing it during exercise as it’s pointless. 

[Logrunner]

With my Ionic I am 80% sure I get a lower, truer reading with a wristband over the watch. I know Ionic reading sometimes too high by comparing with more predictable reading from  gym equipment. I don't think the wristband alters the watch position on my wrist but may hold the watch closer to my skin. 

Try it and let me know! 

[vwhawk]

I'm seeing the same ridiculous HR at times too. My first Ionic died, but it showed an accurate HR. I know it was accurate because it would match the HR on my BP monitor. This new one constantly shows a resting HR that's at least 30 BPM higher and I've seen it spike to 140 when I'm sitting still! It's also shown 202 during a workout. That alone leads me to believe there's a problem. At that HR, I probably would have collapsed in a coma. I just got off a call with support and I was told it's a known issue and it's been escalated. I'm about ready to give up and never buy another one because this was my 2nd call and it's no closer to being resolved than my first call.

[tinbucket]

It’s been an issue of ‘aware’ status for over a year. I gave up on mine. It’s a bit like the fantom weights being recorded from the scales on the app. That’s been an open issue for years. Just get told to delete the manual entries.

Lee

[BenThere]

I've pretty much given up on Fitbit.  They seem to have placed this issue on "ignore"; they don't seem to see a business or reputation need to address it in a manner that will fix the problem.  ~1-1/2 years now with the one I have.  It's time to look elsewhere, I've had it with looking at the thing after doing a set on the Hammer Strength bench press and it telling me my HR is 170 (as an example).  Right now, I've go my eyes on a Garmin.....

[Alpha.Zeta]

I just ripped all the hair off my wrist where the sensor would sit and I’ve gone from an erratic 110-145bpm driving MPS to what it should be for me at rest 68-72. 

if you are having accuracy issues I can vouch that removing hair worked for me instantly. I’m now about 10-15% accuracy instead of the completely useless readings I was getting previously. 

my device is a Charge 3.