Charge 3 heart rate not accurate

[SunsetRunner]

While fast walking (heart rate ~105), my Charge 3 shows suddenly 165, than 5 sec later 192 and even 203. After stoping the walk, it suddenly indicates 75 and than comes back to 103..... What can I do to solve that problem? Impossible to get a correct training mesure like this.

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[PaulyPaul]

We did too, actually my wife uses a Polar Vantage V for her serious training sessions. Both of us wear our Apple Watch 4s regularly. So much happier with them than the Charge 3!

[dcc2013]

Agree. The Apple Watch 4 is in an altogether different league compared to the Fitbit Charge 3. More expensive obviously but well worth it. Both in terms of features and operability and also it’s a truly well built instrument. People complain about having to charge it almost daily but it’s so easy to get into a routine such as charging during shower and morning coffee.  The Charge 3 was rushed to market last year for 3rd Qtr earnings and Fitbit cut corners in my opinion. The Charge 2 is a better product in some ways but still not close the Apple Watch. 

[ChuckMc]

Appreciate the info!

[KDD125]

I have found great inaccuracies with the heart rate on the Fitbit.  I tried the "solutions" and still find inaccuracies.  I have begun to use a wrist cuff, and just can't recommend Fitbit for an accurate heart rate.

[SunsetRunner]

You are completely right; you can forget Fitbit if you want to have serious results. And the same for the support. Well, they will loose a lot of customers. As I yet wrote, I changed to Garmin and I tried the new Polar Vantage V too.  I now have to decide for one of the two, but certainly, it will no more be Fitbit.

[PaulyPaul]

DCC2013, funny that you mentioned 3rd qtr ERs, on the same day FIT released another losing ER. LOL. Company has been on a solid downtrend since IPO. Funny just like all of us unhappy with our FitBit product, so are long term shareholders.

[Cornman23]

Basically you're telling us that fitbits are inaccurate and we gotta deal with it. Even after following the steps listed, my HR is reading ~80 bpm, even though I'm in my peak interval according to the stairmaster, and by my high exertion. The steps are always doubled as well, based on comparison to 2 other devices. I will be returning my Fitbit and hopefully 

finding another option that actually does what it advertises. 

[rjmoore007]

I find the fitbit charge 3 to be near worthless as a heart rate monitor - the prime purpose for having one.....  I have bought 3 of them and whilst I can not report on my daughter's tracker, mine and my wife's are totally unreliable.... oh and these are f.o.c. replacements as the original two developed lines across the face....

I have been on a elliptical stepper with a heart rate of say 120 (more or less agreeing with the reading on the machine).... then on increasing my intensity the machine rises to 140 and the fitbit actually drops to 100.....  this is totally pointless.  I have followed the advice on wrist placement and it makes no difference to what happens.

Similar issues happen when using a rower.

I bought these trackers particularly for heart rate as my wife is rehabilitating and I want to watch her progress as we manage to increase her fitness and flexibility.....  Charge 3 is un-fit for purpose.

[lfroeh22]

Why is this considered resolved?

[BikeBetty]

I encountered this same issue.  It was tracking great no matter the band and since I added notifications for Telegram it started getting weird.  I went back to the issued band, turned off notifications and have restarted it several times to no avail.  The only good news is that it looks like I am burning 7000 calories a day (not!)

[lmy]

I notice the sane thing... when I move my arm quickly,  like to raise it to check time I'll notice heart rate going up, and if I move it a lot,  picking up books or petting my dog, it will jump up from 65 up over 100.   I check my pulse, it is in 60's.  I am right now wearing both my Charge 3 and my Alta HR, on same wrist, resting on couch,  and Alta is steady in kid 60's,   so is Charge...until I raise my arm a couple of times... then it starts rising up to 90's.   Charge may be more sensitive that Alra,  but old fashioned pukse checking doesnt lie.  I want a HR tracker that is accurate and doesnt go crazy just because I'm moving a little.  

[lfroeh22]

I ended up getting a deal on an apple watch 4 on black friday and got rid of my charge 3 totally on black friday. According to my Charge 3, my RHR is 60. According to my apple watch, my RHR is 53. 

[dcc2013]

Right. No wonder Fitbit sold out to Google.

Moderator edit: personal info removed

[dcc2013]

Apple watch. Spend the money. Well worth it. Save yourself the stress of trying to get Fitbit to work.

Moderator edit: personal info removed

[PaulyPaul]

Apple Watch for the win! Almost 9months later and have not had any issues PERIOD. Especially with heart rate.

This tread is dead, just like the Charge 3 is dead to Fitbit.

So glad we bought our Charge 3s from Costco and they happily refunded 100% of our money and took back the Charge 3s.

[rapunzelsplace]

I just got mine yesterday and am having the same issue. It's off significantly, so I can't trust it.

[lmy]

I have reset it and reset every which way they have told me, but it still
messes up. Did it this morning actually. Last email they sent, they
pretty much said not to contact them again... not in those explicit words,
but that is what they meant. I dont care what they say, the charge 3
heart rate monitor glitches, and they know it does. They just cant admit
it and have to replace thousands... i get that, but they are loosing their
repeat customers. They lost this one, no way I'll ever invest in another
fitbit. Too many other options now.

[rapunzelsplace]

I bought mine through Amazon. I went through all the resolution garbage with the fitbit people last night. It didn't fix it, so I called amazon this afternoon, and they are sending me a replacement. After reading comments here, I don't have a lot of hope. I will try though, but if the replacement has same issue, I'm done. I had panic attack yesterday before I realized the problem was with fitbit and not my heart.

[dcc2013]

What makes you think a replacement will be any different? The Charge 3 is defective as a heart rate monitor. Look at all the postings.

Moderator edit: personal info removed

[lmy]

Good luck!!!
also, i understand about the freaking out. I was kind of worried at
first. It always seem to go haywire when I am sitting still.... i happen
to check time or a text, rate is like 90 and it will go up and up and up,
i feel fine but i check my natural pulse to make sure, and its normal about
60 ish. No denying that rate. I told Fitbit this, they first kept giving
me their canned response of all the possible variables blah blah blah,
finally they are just like "well, we see no jumps in rate on our
end"🤷🏻‍:female_sign:🙄. well its on my dashboard!!! It will go up and up to like
120 then boom just start falling, all the while I am sitting here, calm and
quiet. I got mine through my insurance but they just send me to
Fitbit's "customer service"