Ionic Heart Rate Problems

[BillSarasota]

I have been using the Ionic for 3-4 weeks now and have noticed inaccurate heart rate readings for the first 5-10 minutes of a run. It has both been way too high and quite low for workouts of consistent speed over time. I've hit 197bpm at 10:00 per mile and had it settle down to 135 after a few minutes, and this morning's 5k (7:05 per mile) started at 217bpm and leveled off between 170-175bpm. With the Blaze, my highest recorded heart rate was 196 and I never saw the spikes at the beginning of a run, and I used the Blaze for 18 months. Is it possible that this device is defective or that the software needs some tweaking? I track peak and average heart rates associated with my training and I was hoping for the same accuracy level from the Ionic. Any thoughts? Thank you.

[lqo]

My fitbit Ionic consistently measure my heart rate ridiculously high in all activities..  Step Class, Spinning, Yoga and Weight Training..  If this cannot be corrected, can I return the watch.  I got it for Xmas.. 

[Nettuno]

Finally updated .. the heartbeat is high but let's see if it has improved ... I take a shower and put the heart rate before going to bed ... I have no words ..

I do not understand how Fitbit has the presumption that 1 LED can guarantee the cardio and caloric values ​​during a workout without being compatible with cardio bands

[NonaBrewing]

Thanks Bill.  I just got my Ionic this weekend.  I used it today and had issues with it keeping track of my heart rate, too.  I understand what you are saying about wearing it high up and loose on your wrist, but that's going to make it difficult to keep the watch in place during an active workout.  Any suggestions, aside from returning it?

[BillSarasota]

None that I have found. I returned mine and have since purchased the Versa. I like the Versa better but it has the same heart rate tracker issue. I've been at a 209 HR at a 10:00/mile pace (should have been about 135). While it does settle down eventually, it takes anywhere from 7-25 minutes to get there. This does not bode well for training so I wear my Garmin with chest strap. I'm hoping a fix comes along, like reverting back to whatever technology they used in the Blaze.

[jwebb72]

@SantiR I have experienced the same problem too. Beginning of my run, heart rate spikes to over 200 bmp then settles back down. I'm wearing it just as I wore my Blaze, tight enough so it won't slide around and on the small of the wrist behind the bone. You suggest 3 fingers from my wristbone...that would put it in the middle of the forearm. Even then it would slide up and down my wrist as I ran.

[Jonxbii]

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@jwebb72 wrote:

@SantiRI have experienced the same problem too. Beginning of my run, heart rate spikes to over 200 bmp then settles back down. I'm wearing it just as I wore my Blaze, tight enough so it won't slide around and on the small of the wrist behind the bone. You suggest 3 fingers from my wristbone...that would put it in the middle of the forearm. Even then it would slide up and down my wrist as I ran.

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Me and many others have reported this issue months ago, but Fitbit has not fixed this issue. Maybe they can't fix this?

[jwebb72]

I ran 3 miles a couple days ago, heart rate seemed perfect. I wore the Ionic the same as I did today. I'm optimistic this can be fixed. I had a Blaze before this and it took a while for them to iron out the problems with that. I just need to know if this is being worked on. What I don't want to hear is to loosely wear the watch halfway up my forearm for a more accurate HR. Forearms are tapered. Unless tightened very tightly it will slide down to the wrist and knock around while running.

[jwebb72]

Here's the latest from support. I'm glad to see they are aware of this problem and are working on it. Not a big issue for me as it only seems to do it once in a while. Just a bit annoying. Patiently waiting to be fixed.....

"Upon checking our records, we've found that your tracker and your mobile app are up to date, and the Heart Rate is On. We'd like to let you know that our specialized team is aware of this issue, and they are working to resolve it as soon as possible.

As a workaround for this issue, occasionally the watch can have difficulty finding a signal, typically due to the tracker's fit. For example, wearing your band tightly may constrict blood flow in your wrist and affect the signal. We also recommend experimenting with how high you place the tracker on your wrist. When you're not exercising, wearing the tracker just above the wrist bone--as you would a watch--typically works fine. However, moving the device up a couple inches can be helpful during high-intensity exercises or exercises that cause you to bend your wrist frequently. this could help the watch to read your Heart Rate and show it accurately.

In case the last recommendation do not work, we want to provide you with a solution, taking into account all your efforts to resolve this. We'd like you to reset your Ionic, before wearing it the way we recommend, please try:

1. Press and hold the back (left) and bottom buttons until you see the Fitbit logo on the screen. This should take less than 10 seconds.
2. Let go of the buttons.
3. If your Fitbit Ionic doesn't work normally, use the instructions in How do I turn off my Fitbit device? to turn your watch off and on again.

When an issue arises, we recommend restarting your device to refresh the watch's sensors and configuration.

We are now working on this issue because is our top priority. We want you taking the best of the Fitbit experience as soon as possible."

[bbarrera]

@jwebb72 is the bold type yours, or did Fitbit send it to you that way?

You do realize the wrist is one of the worst places to do optical HRM, right? The simple fact is that it may not be possible to "fix it." Fitbit has been aware of optical HRM accuracy issues since they launched the Surge. My only issue with Fitbit is there is no "plan B" - if I want higher accuracy (chest strap) then its simply not possible because:

- Fitbit doesn't support pairing with external HRMs

- Fitbit doesn't support importing activities with HRM (and GPS)

I really wish Fitbit would be more forthcoming with honest information about optical HRM on the wrist. And offer a "plan B" if you have accuracy issues (e.g. outdoor cycling and weight lifting).

[jwebb72]

@bbarrera

This reply is for those of us experiencing the abnormal spike in heart rate at the beginning of an exercise, not about how accurate optical heart rate monitors worn on the wrist are. Thanks for sharing though.

[bbarrera]

@jwebb72 Thanks, yeah, I was reacting to the (mostly) generic answer that Fitbit provided you, and looking at title of this thread. 

[AnthonyMira]

Hi, I had the blaze for around a year and never had a problem with my heart rate and resting heart rate it seemed to be very accurate and recently bought the ionic and in the past 5 days my resting heart rate has went from 51 bpm to 61 bpm and when I look and I’m doing next to nothing my heart rate is around 70/80 bpm when on my blaze it was around mid 50s, I’m wearing it exactly how I was wearing my blaze just above the wrist bone. has anyone else had this problem and no how to fix it or adjust it as I’m looking on taking mine back and getting a refund. I’m very disappointed 

[lqo]

I wound return if u can. My heart rate does the same thing. Every time I
receive an update I hope for a fix. But nothing so far. I got mine for
Xmas. I will not buy again I’m very disappointed. Unless miraculously
there is a fix. It’s a huge bummer.

[AnthonyMira]

Thanks I’m going to give it a couple of more days and see if it’s still like this, if so I’m going to return it it’s a lot of money for something that doesn’t work correctly 

[lqo]

I don't think it's going to change.. I've been waiting 6 months. Also, I
find that it is worse when I am in an "exercise" mode such as Spinning,
Weight Training, Yoga, etc. Seems to calculate higher in those modes.
Then when I end my workout, my heart rate spikes even more like a
ridiculous amount.. Like 185 after I have cooled down and everything. .
It's a bit more accurate if I'm just wearing the watch and letting it count
my steps. I'm extremely disappointed in my watch. But I continue to hope
for a fix.. 🙂 good luck .

[Josephsarkis]

I m having the same problem but here it shows a lower heart rate than it actually is. The fitbit charge had a better reading. 

[NonaBrewing]

For what it's worth, I had to return mine.  I was consistently getting inaccurate readings and "losing" my heart rate all together during my workouts (running, lifting and CrossFit).  I even had instances when it would lose my heart rate when I was just sitting on the couch.  Because the HR is key to most of the data I was wanting to get from the Fitbit, including sleep data, I had no choice but to return it.

Maybe HR monitoring from the wrist is just not reliable in general at this time, but I was sold a product that made specific claims and failed to live up to them. 

[SNW]

You are right. I do 90 min cardio in the gym , the gym equipment track my heart rate and amount of cardio I do accurately but Fitbit Lonic does not.. I run my lungs out but my watch shows as if I am sitting no heart rate at all. This is the third time I have to change this f*kng watch.

[lqo]

Maybe time to switch to the Apple Watch. That will b my next purchase My
daughter loves hers. Or Garamond. Good luck to us

[SNW]

No it does not provide accurate cal loss because it does not measure accurately amount of cardio I do daily . I do above 132 heart rate (cardio) I see the rate on my cross machine but my watch shows 75 which is not even fat burning .. so how thus watch get to measure cal accurately .,?