Heart rate monitor not accurate during exercise

[Admroe]

Hi, so I bought my first ever Fitbit  (Charge 3) as a way to help me measure and monitor my level of activity (mainly at the gym). I need to keep my heart rate at a constant rate for fat burning.

Wore it today for the first time at the gym and it just sat at no more than 80bpm. I checked using the gym monitor and I was up at 140bpm. How can something called a Fitbit that is supposed to be about monitoring levels of activity be so inaccurate? 

PS: after about 30-40 minutes of session it suddenly shot up to 150bpm.

I’m hoping this was a one off and net time it is more accurate otherwise I think I’ll have to be emailing Fitbit directly.

Is this a common issue and if so has anyone found a way to increase accuracy?

thanks

[pnsgoda]

HR 3 has way too many issues. I wish I never gave up my HR 2. Tired of Fitbit blowing off these issues instead of fixing them. The latest issue is the heart monitor is no longer accurate. Now my heart is 196 beats when taking a brisk walk when it averages 132 normally.

[Gaelsb]

I have had the same experience, charge 3 inaccurate by 40 heartbeats when working out harder, again pretty accurate when I slow down... 😞

[Gaelsb]

ha ha it looks as if you're working for fitbit...

[pnsgoda]

I am giving up on Fitbit. It now only records part of my exercise in
addition to inaccurate heart/calorie results. Should have kept my Charge 2.
--
*May your day be filled with many blessings.*

Moderator edit: personal info removed

[pnsgoda]

If I was the Charge 3 wouldn't have all these problems. Treating myself to
an Apple Watch for my birthday!

--
*May your day be filled with many blessings.*

Moderator edit: personal info removed

[dcc2013]

I tried that too, but charging the battery everyday was too much and to do it overnight means you miss that data.

[carlafoxx]

I see Fitbit flagged this as 'Solved!", which it is not true.  I am a tracker and the Fitbit 3 is INACCURATE.  The software release don't work, the repositioning on the wristband doesn't help, and for some thankful reason, I do not sweat during intense exercise, so that is not impeding producing accurate results.  The Fitbit 3 lacks accuracy during intense workouts.

This did not happen when I had the Charge 2 (which I reset and gave to my friend and an another subject-it's telling him, with 6,000 steps in a day, that he has burned 5,000 calories (he's not overweight).

During a one hour run, my heart rate goes from 200 (which I take manually at the time it happens, and it's really 130), to dropping below 125 and staying there (when it has actually increased to 150).

Not sure what happened Fitbit, however this is a major blunder.  My hope is you address it, because I really am appreciative of your concept.

[pnsgoda]

I hope they do to although customer support keeps telling me this is
normal. I gave away my Charge 2. I am now getting rid of the Charge 3 and
going to the Apple Watch. After 5 years, I am parting ways with Fitbit.

--
*May your day be filled with many blessings.*

Moderator edit: personal info removed

[Jsapp1211]

I got into my car after walking from work to my car and I happen to glance down at my Fitbit and it said my heartrate was 170 when I checked my pulse it was 88

[Surgeincali]

I have tried a couple of fitbit devices and a samsung watch.  All work ok for HR when walking around at a normal pace or when sitting still.  Any activity where your arms move, IE. running, elliptical, etc... will throw off the HR measurement.  Occasionally it will work.  I've measured against a Polar chest strap and watch, the gold standard in HR measurement. The Polar device is always within 1 or 2 beats of the HR measurement on treadmills, ellipticals, etc.  If you want to accurately monitor heart rate during exercise get a device with a chest strap monitor.  In my case, the fitbit consistently measured higher than actual. So, when I thought my heart rate was at 140, it was really at 120-125.  Big difference if you are benchmarking your workout with HR.  I talked extensively with Fitbit support but all they suggested was to redjust the fibit on my wrist ,update software, etc..   I tried it tight , loose and everything in between. no improvement. They replaced it but nothing changed. Fitbits other wrist devices are great for step counting and resting heart rate. As far as exercise goes, it's not for serious users.  I think they all use the same technology. 

[Sueby]

Well I guess now I know that I wasn't imagining the inaccurate heart rate! my HR has been showing as 90 when on a stepper at the gym, but the machines HR monitor shows me at being 152. That is a wildly different result and I can assure you that the way I was sweating, feeling, moving, my HR was definitely higher than 90! I'm just glad that I didn't spend the money purchasing this product (it came free when I joined a health fund) - I would have been incredibly peeved if I'd bought it.

Also not impressed that it takes so long to charge and doesn't stay charged for long.

[WalterMP]

Well guys, I just woke up from sleeping and checked my HR it was 139.... lol nope its 62. It's not the first time I have seen really off readings... I guess I am going to return it. 

My charge 2 broke last week (after 2 1/2 years) and I decided to pick up the charge 3 for the better battery life and being able to ware it swimming....

[Surgeincali]

interesting that I found the fitbit to show a higher HR than actual. My
daughter saw the same thing. She uses a Charge 2. I have the Surge.
Jeff Barton

[Luked78]

Very disappointed in my charge 3. I had suspected that since I owned it the heart rate monitor was not accurate during exercise, works fine when I’m not but it’s under by about 30-40 bpm when exercising. Considering this is the main reason I bought one I feel ripped off that it doesn’t do what it’s designed to do and doesn’t accurately record the main functionality of heart rate during exercise. Given that this is a common problem I would expect that Fitbit plan to do something about it or their reputation will be mud

[aliciasv]

I'm having the same problem.
I've been in a study where I have to do certain exercises, including cardio, under supervision. The study provides a monitor when I'm there plus I can use the hand held monitor on the machine. Sometimes the FitBit does fine. However, way too frequently it's about 20+ bpm off, usually underrating mine. I *know* what my heart rate feels like at 120 and 90. This is very disappointing since monitoring steps and HR were two primary goals.

It also reports insane numbers on stairs. It said that yesterday I climbed 39 flights of stairs when in fact I climbed about 15.

It appears that FitBit is not responding to these complaints. Bummer, because these devices are not cheap. 

[aliciasv]

I contacted Fitbit. 

The overestimation of the stairs may be accounted for but the inaccuracy of the heart monitor has not. Fitbit wants to blame it on not wearing it correctly and that's nonsense. 

I just filed a complaint with the FCC. I would urge those who have had these same problems to do the same. If they hear from many of us, something might happen. 

Here's the website:

https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/GettingStarted?NextQID=278&Url=%23%26panel1-9&SubCategoryID=0#...

[Luked78]

Yep we were duped, unfortunately if you want a more accurate device for
your study I suggest getting a polar or a whoop and possibly something that
has the chest strap as well as the wrist reader, chests traps are still
more accurate whilst exercising than the best wrist devices. What I find
more frustrating than anything is that the way it records the information
doesn’t even try to be accurate in terms of the time, having 6am 12pm and
6pm provides no time vs heart rate accuracy. Most people on blogs and
forums consider Fitbit to be junk. If you’ve only just got yours you could
ask for a refund and go and buy Garmin polar or a whoop. The sleep app is
pretty good and I find that it is fairly accurate in recording what sort of
sleep I’ve had but it’s still not as good as it could be

[HikeWithDogs]

After my Fitbit experience, I bought an Apple Watch series 3 for not much more than a Fitbit Charge. I’ve found it to be very accurate, and super convenient for how it integrates with my phone. 

[Surgeincali]

Does the Apple Watch measure heart rate accurately during vigorous
exercise? Running, elliptical, rowing, etc.,,
--
Jeff Barton

[HMargeson]

I have no idea about the Apple Watch as I don’t have one, but someone did respond that the Apple Watch works better than the Fitbit. I returned the FitBit...

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