Distance on GPS map doesn't match with exercise summary

[Andyn1970]

Hi all

Firstly love the Fitbit Versa does everything I need also the app is great.

BUT over the last couple of weeks the distance recorded by the app is way off. 

I use it connected to my Samsung Galaxy S9+ and its always been very accurate to a tenth of a mile or less. 

But on my last few runs of about 3.4 miles it can be a whole mile out, but just the distance the route it records is spot on but the mile points are in the wrong place for example it recorded 2.44 miles in 30.29.

My wife who also has a Versa connected to an IPhone recorded 3.43 miles in 30.30 this is correct and matches our pace of about 9.30/m

Prior to the last weeks it has always been almost exactly the same as my wife as we run together. 

I have Re started the Versa and the phone, I have cleared the data in the Fitbit app and I have also uninstalled the fitbit app. 

Same result its not always out the same, a couple of runs back it got to 2.89m on the same route. Then on Tuesday it was spot on. 

Any ideas it seems like a small thing but not having an accurate record of your work turns out to be extremely frustrating.

Anyone else had this? 

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[Davie1888]

Got Fitbit involved yesterday and did all the usual stuff they suggested. Ran a 10k this morning with a mate, we used his Suunto watch, my Strava and fitbit. Suunto and Strava within 150 metres 9f eachother over the 10k route, Fitbit showing 7.5k which is worse than it was. I point blank refuse to adjust my stride length as it's only to fudge a problem they know they have and cant or wont seem willing to admit to.

[RunHolmanRun]

I have had this issue with my original Versa since I got it (bought it second hand), at first it was slightly under then when through a period of being slightly over and for a while it was pretty accurate but recently it's been awful. I'm training for a half marathon and during the run around 45mins in it is saying I've ran 10km, now my average 10km is around 53minutes that's when running 10km so there is no way I've ran it that fast when running such a long distance. So I decided to run 24km (according to my Versa), after the run I checked the TCX file and I had actually ran just over 21.15km. This makes the Versa totally useless for what I need it for. How can I train with it knowing it is nowhere near correct while running. The other day I ran my local parkrun when I finished the Versa said that I had ran 3.6km. I believe that this is never going to be fix as I posted about this a while ago and got the same stock replies. 

[Davie1888]

Yup same here, i'm booked up for 4 half marathons next year and considering a fifth. Had umpteen emails back n forth with fitbit this week going round in circles and getting nowhere. Thankfully I've spotted this issue before I buy another two of these watches for my kids, seriously considering selling mine second hand and putting the cash towards a Garmin as these are ridiculously inaccurate for something we've paid £160+ for and they dont seem to be able or willing to fix the issue, what's the bloody point in a tracker that cant track you properly!!

[RunHolmanRun]

Halfords are selling the vivoactive 3 for £150, from what I've read it's pretty accurate and with its style, touchscreen and smart features it might be a good replacement for those of us who have a Versa, the forerunner 235 is pretty cheap now too but it's a bit ugly. Either way my next sports watch won't be a Fitbit. 

[Andyn1970]

The replacement watch should be here tomorrow, I will set it up and try it during the week. 

I don't hold out any hope really as I think it's something to do with how the Fitbit software interpreted the data it receives. 

We all know the GPS is as near as GPS gets 1/10 of a mile out or so and we know from doing the maths (steps x stride length= distance) is also pretty much what the GPS says and the overall time is correct. 

3.4 miles in 32mins is 9.24 ish per mile. 

Fitbit somehow takes all that accurate data, ignores the GPS ignores the step count and stride length, makes up some random distance but keeps the correct time. 

I have purchased 5 of these things, will I get my money back because its not fit for purpose? 

[Davie1888]

Yeah I've been looking at a Vivoactive 3 or possibly going for  a secondhand Fenix, got another email from this morning with another long winded thing to try but again I hold out no hope. They came back yesterday saying Strava run a different algorithm than them for GPS data which I do believe but  if their data is completely off the ball then their alogorithm is wrong. Ran a 10k the other day using my mates Suunto and Strava on my phone, both within 150 metres of eachother, fitbit came back in at 8k, complete and utter garbage considering they'll be using the same satellites. 

[RunHolmanRun]

They just refuse to accept responsibility for this issue, when other brands get it right well at least closer. I posted it about months ago and got no update, I also tweeted Fitbit support and go no reply several times. 

[Davie1888]

• Turn off All-Day sync on Fitbit app.
• Log out Fitbit app.
• Force quit Fitbit app.
• Remove Versa from phone BT.
• Reboot Versa.
• Press and hold the left and right bottom buttons until you see the Fitbit logo on the screen
• Let go of the buttons.
• Reboot phone.
• Log in Fitbit app.
• Turn on All-Day sync to add Versa to phone BT.

Thats what i've been asked to do this time, basically switch it on and off again, this is hopeless, I feel like taking a hammer to it. None of this is going to fix what apparently going by all our discussions is a firmware issue, i've now lost all notifications again which I did briefly get back yesterday before they got me to do another reset. I see fitbit seem to have bodyswerved this thread and left us to our own devices.

[jessicalb34]

I agree Fitbit seems to be dodging us, and how do they not at least ADMIT there is an issue. To have us do all these neverending(and absolutely worthless) workarounds is ridiculous.  At this point frustrated doesnt even cover it....

[RunHolmanRun]

@Davie1888  how often are we supposed to do this? Before every run? Once month?

It's so stupid even if and it's a pretty big if how long before it starts giving inaccurate readings again?

[Davie1888]

Yeah i'm extremely irritated, i've only got a couple of days left at home then i'm off to work where I can't use the watch so i'll need to wait for two weeks before I can keep trying whatever stuff they come up with for me to try.

Either way this is a joke, I dunno how many times they can tell me to turn it on and off again in a different order to fix it, really liked Fitbits and probably would've stayed loyal to the brand but this has soured it for me. I'm trying to improve my running but without accurate distance and pacing it's utterly useless as I try to increase the distance on runs and figure out my optimal pacing.

[jessicalb34]

They even sent me a brand new one...same thing. None of these ridiculous things are going to work. Something with the update and android software isn't working correctly together 

[Davie1888]

Dunno mate, i've tried it tonight so it'll get a test on a walk tomorrow before I try it on my 10k route on Tuesday. I dont think it'll fix it anyway, I did two walks the other day, one was kinda accurate and other other was well off, not what you need on an activity tracker.

[Davie1888]

Yeah I might do a test run tomorrow and pinch one of my kids iphones and sync it to an iphone and see if there's a difference, that's if I can prise it out of their hands without them collapsing on me. 🙂

[RunHolmanRun]

The pace information is really important to me now that I've started doing longer runs and with this problem I might as well run with out a watch and guess how far I've ran and a what pace. 

[Davie1888]

Yeah i'm the same, only started running 4 months ago but now i'm running 10ks no problem, ran a sub 50min 10k for the first time the other day but had to use my mate and his watch as a pacer to get it done as I cant trust my fitbit. Starting to train for half marathons as well so really wanting to dial in on pace etc so I can figure out my optimal pace so I dont set off too fast and burnout and this issue isn't helping one bit. The only saving grace I have is a chest mounted phone holder called a Freetrain V1, means I can see my phone as I run, still means I need to unlock it as I run to see all the info but at least I can see an accurate run distance.

[RunHolmanRun]

I could use Google fit to help monitor distance/pace but I'm not a fan of Google fit plus I would have to keep checking my phone which is far from ideal. If I can get my money back i might just fork out the extra for a Vivo 3 or forerunner 235 as they seem pretty solid with accuracy

[Davie1888]

Yeah if it progresses I'll be asking for my money back or at least I'll try, just not good enough in my opinion. If they at least admitted there was an issue and they were working to resolve it then it would be fine enough but it seems as though the heads is firmly in the sand.

[RunHolmanRun]

Sadly so. I was really excited about my Versa at first but this problem and lack resolution has turned me away from this company. The last 3 days I've been looking at alternatives. If I get my money back and order a different one I might have to go a couple of days without a tracker which is a bummer.

[Davie1888]

Yeah I think I'll try it again on Tuesday but I may contact Amazon customer support in the interim. As far as I'm concerned I think I've got a valid claim it's not fit for purpose and seeing as it's less than 6 months old I should be entitled for a refund.