Heart rate and stairs grossly inaccurate

[Linderville]

I spent extra to get the charge HR because I really wanted the heart rate function. It’s so far off it’s useless (treadmill says 140 and I am panting and my Fitbit says 98) (walked up four flights of stairs one day and it said 28. And vice versa). Fitbit replaced it but the second one was just the same.I quickly lost interest and just used it as an expensive step counter. Which I have no way of knowing if that function is even accurate. I want to buy another fitbit but I’m wondering if five years later they are any more accurate? Did I just get two lemons?

[tomdeluca]

You've been hoodwinked, Linderville.  I have the same issue with my Versa 2.  And the Versa I had prior to that, and the Versa I had prior to that one.

The Fitbit HR "technology" is a joke.  Two days ago I was doing a HIIT workout at the gym, and between sets I'd measure my heart rate with a finger to the carotid and a stop watch.  Was finding it in the 150bpm range, but the Versa 2 read 86 and never really budged from that number for the duration of the workout.  Then after I had a warmed down and it dropped into the low 70s, Versa woke up and reported 100.  This is my normal experience, whether it's the stationary bike or the rowing machine or the treadmill or burpees.  The tech is worse than useless.

I've tried everything, including shaving my wrist.  Yes, that's how badly I want this to work and how hard I've tried.  But it just doesn't.