Inspire HR GPS inaccuracy

[SilverFerret]

I can see a few old posts about this with some failed attempts to solve.

The GPS tracking is inconsistent and inaccurate.

Is this just normal for the Fitbit Inspire HR or have I got a faulty model?

Does anyone get accurate/consistent distances?

The only tip I've seen but not tried yet is turning off wifi. Is that worth a try? 

Thanks

[SilviaFitbit]

@SilverFerret Welcome to the Community. Thanks for the details mentioned. 

I appreciate the research done prior to posting. There are a few reasons why GPS might not connect.

Review the information below, then check the requirements and troubleshooting steps.

1. Environmental factors, including tall buildings, dense forest, steep hills, and even thick cloud cover, can interfere with your device’s or phone’s ability to connect to GPS satellites. If the signal is blocked—either because you're underground or due to another reason—GPS won't work. 
2. Confirm that GPS is enabled on your device. For more information, see How do I turn on GPS for an exercise on my Fitbit device?
3. For connected GPS, turn off Wi-Fi on your phone so that your phone doesn’t try to connect to available networks along your route. 
4. For connected GPS, verify the following requirements; then try the troubleshooting steps if necessary.

After verifying the above, please try the troubleshooting mentioned here. 

I'll be around if you have any additional questions. 

[SilverFerret]

Thanks for your reply Silvia,

Think you may have misunderstood my question/problem, I don't have any issues connecting to my phone GPS.

The problem I have is the accuracy. It is grossly inaccurate. I have tested on walks and runs comparing what I get through the Inspire HR, Strava running on my phone and my fitbit surge with it's internal GPS. Please have a look at the 2 runs highlighted for comparison, both were run at a similar pace.

[SilviaFitbit]

@SilverFerret Thanks for the details mentioned. In this case, I would like you to let me know the elevation difference that you received in both activities. 

Also, we recommend that you enter your stride length on your Dashboard, follow the tips on this article. 

I'll be around if you have any additional questions. 

[SilverFerret]

Hi and thanks again.

I haven't set my stride length, it it set to adjust it automatically. Does
it not do this?

The instructions say that it only uses stride length to work out distance
if there is no GPS. Is that not correct?

To give you another example I have now done 2 identical runs at virtually
the same pace. One took 28.25 and the other 28.37. Hy average HR for both
runs was exactly the same at 172 bpm. My steps were also very similar 4963
and 4945. BUT one finished at my back door and said it was 5.82km the other
I had to carry on up the road another hundred meters to get it to 5.00km.
This means that one smashed all my PBs with an average pace of 4.55 and the
other was 5.41.

Same question as before, is this the best accuracy I can expect from the
Inspire HR in which case it will have to go back or is my tracker faulty?

Hope you can help.

*Rupert Gibson*

[SilviaFitbit]

@SilverFerret Thanks for getting back. 

The instructions say that it only uses stride length to work out distance if there is no GPS. Is that not correct? That's correct, it will only use stride length if there's no GPS. 

In this case, I've shared your post with our Support team and they will continue assisting you through email. 

I'll be around if you have any additional questions. 

[SilverFerret]

Just in case anyone stumbles across this thread and has similar issues I can let you know that I didn't get anywhere with this. 

Repeated identical runs offered different distances and therfore pace.

I gave up in the end and spent extra on a Garmin with it's own GPS, this has been superb.

[BigSwede72]

I have the same problem!
When comparing my tracks in the fitbit app compared to Adidas Running (former Runtastic) I also get big differences. This is very odd as they both use the same GPS i.e. the one in the phone (Pixel 3). 
I have also compared with another phone (iPhone) that was used on the same run with the same outcome.
On a short run (~3km) the Fitbit measured the length to 2.87Km. Both Adidas Running in my phone and Garmin running on the iPhone measured almost the same 3.04Km. That's around 6% differences and the error gets bigger as the distance get longer.

[SilverFerret]

I gave up on fitbit, changed to garmin and not looked back!

[RohanCosta]

This thread says that all. Even I am facing the same issue. I have stopped using Fitbit for runs and use it just as tracker for steps (eventually you don't care).

Main use of fitbit now is for silent alarm.

And use phone apps (Strava or Nike+) for running.

Planning for Garmin 

[BigSwede72]

Garmin have it's own GPS-problems. I know, switched to a Fenix 6X after getting tired of FitBit total lack of interest.

[Christina353]

Having the same problem myself. Using the Inspire HR for tracking runs and getting entirely different distances versus Google Fit. My run yesterday for example was 3.52km on Fitbit with 6"20 mins/km. On Google Fit 4.19km with pace of 5"20 min/km - so a full minute slower on Fitbit. My partner uses another app and I frequently have to run half a km more than him to reach the same distance. I've followed all the steps recommended by Fitbit to get an accurate GPS and have tried resetting the device and disconnecting other Bluetooth devices from my phone so the Fitbit is only device connected - nothing has worked. It's pretty disappointing as I bought this Fitbit purely for running but it obviously isn't good enough. Makes no sense either as Google Fit and Fitbit both use Google Maps so I don't understand why there is such a significant difference. Will have to switch to another app! 

[Aestes]

Same issue here. I even went to the high school 1/4 mile track. My fitbit inspire said 0.64 miles after 4 laps. My GAIA app recorded it correctly. I am so frustrated. I bought the inspire hr for all the things it is supposed to do. Sounds like I will have to switch to so.e other device.

[SilverFerret]

Yes I'm afraid so. It's very inaccurate and there is no support.

*Rupert Gibson*