FitBit One - accuracy.

[Bnmn]

I use the local gym indoor walking track. The lane I walk on is 8.5 laps to the mile (so I've been told.)

I place the FitBit One on my right shoe, start the walk exercise program on my synched iPhone - I am told that the GPS reading is inaccurate, but I continue anyway. Here's what's happening:

- Some days when I walk counter clockwise FitBit gives me 4 laps to the mile 🙂 

- Mostly it charges me 12 laps to the mile clockwise, and 10 counterclockwise 😞

-Today I walked 35 laps counterclock and it credited me with 3.04 mile 8210steps (instead of 4+ miles). 

- Yesterday I walked 33 laps clockwise and it credited me with 3.46 mile 8082 steps 21 calories p/minute.

- This evening I downloaded MyFitnessPal and checked the stats for a brisk 3.5 mile walk and came up with about 6 calories p/minute. 

Is there anyone out there with a similar experience that can shed some light?

Tomorrow I will NOT switch the exercise mode on. Instead I will just place the One on my shoe and let FitBit just count steps for 34 laps (the promised 4mile) I will also count steps/lap and will also consult the iPhone. my next post will follow.

BTW 34 laps take me about 75 minutes.

See you tomorrow 🙂

[TandemWalker]

Hi @Bnmn. Your Fitbit One is not calibrated to be worn on you show but rather on your torso, as discussed in How do I wear my One .

In addition, distances reported by your Fitbit One are estimated. They are the product of your step count multipled by your stride lengths (as documented in your profile.) But since we can't possibly sustain the exact same stride length all day long, it follows that Distances are only a best estimate. Notwithstanding, if your stride lengths are reasonable, then reported distances should also be in the ball park.

The next time you do your walk workout at your local gym, clip your One to your torso; and user the button on your One to start and stop the timer at the beginning and end of your walk. This will cause that particular walk to be segmented out of your daily steps and to show up separately on your Activities log. Not only will this allow you to see exactly what your tracker computed, but those metrics will become very useful for the purpose of tracking your performance improvement on that particular indoor track.

To compare the stats you get to your Phone/GPS tracking is futile. With 8.5 laps to a mile, that would indicate to me a relatively narrow perimeter such that your Phone's GPS chipset ability to detect your movements on earth are a hit and miss; and that's why you're getting very uneven results. But even if you were walking outdoors, comparing Phone/GPS tracking to your One is futile in my Opinion.

There are a number of ways to test your Fitbit One's competency at counting steps. Next time you visit the gym and you're ready to start walking, just wait 20 seconds or so to give your One a chance to catch up and click the button to navigate to the step count screen. Jot down the current step count to memory and walk 50 steps, counting them mentally. At the count of 50, stop and wait another 20 seconds or so; and then click the button to see what the count is. If it went up by 50, give or take 2 or 3, then you know that you're One is counting your steps accurately. From this point forward, should you find that the reported distances are not in the ball park, then you'll know that the step count is not the issue and that you need to tweak your stride lengths in order to narrow the gap.

I hope this helps. Have a nice day.

TW

[Bnmn]

 TW, Thank you so much for your input. it realy helps.

Can you please answer me another one or two q's:

– I counted my steps/lap twice today 230 each time. I still had the One on my shoe, and the readout after 34(4 miles) laps was reasonable. 

I appreciate what you said regarding the GPS.

I not have a chest band (yet) but I do have a wrist band, or I can wear it on my neck as a necklace. Which would you recommend? Also - if I wear it on my wrist, I prefare using it on my right hand - Does it matter?

Thank you, I looke forward to tomorrows workout 🙂

Bnmn

[TandemWalker · Accepted solution]

Hi again @Bnmn. For step accuracy, it is best to wear your One clipped to your torso in such a way that jiggling around and tossing side to side is minimized.

I usually wear mine clipped to a side pocket or the top of my T-shirt. I also use a Flipbelt, which is a third party product, that allows me to slip a number of items inside the stretchy waistband; and flipt it over my  waist to lock the items in. The Fitbit One's accuracy with the Flipbelt is fine, plus I can carry my phone, a house key, and ID - I don't like running with loose items in my side pockets. The Flipbelt is relatively expensive and certainly not a necessity. There are probably other similar competing products that you can get for cheaper.

Regardless of what I wrote in my earlier post, if you're satisfied wearing your One on your shoe, then there's no need to change. For me, that would DEFINITELY NOT WORK, as much of my activities are done outdoors, rain, snow or shine. If you want consistency in your step metrics, it's important, in my view, to wear it in the same manner. I have read posts in the Community from folks who chose to wear their want in a zip-sweat band wallet, with the understanding that it will not be as accurate. But step count accuracy, for them, did not prime - what primed is their performance improvement over time, their trend line. If you always wear your One the same way, no matter what the error factor is (because you're wearing it on your show or on your wrist opposed to having it clipped to your torso), I'd be willing to be that the error factor will be relatively constant, thus it will have no impact on your trend line.

My take. Have a nice day.

TW

[Bnmn]

Hi again TW.

Thank you for answering my questions. I think if I secure the One onto my chest and sop it from jingling around, I should be OK. Well the next few days are going to prove the pudding 🙂 

Be well

Bnmn

[TandemWalker]

You bet! Have a nice day.

TW