Distance

[SunsetRunner]

So fitbit when will you decide to track our distance when we run/walk etc? I think thats a very important feature for runners/ walkers etc. Come on fitbit shouldnt be that hard to do.

[SunsetRunner]

@SunsetRunner - I’m not sure what your are specifically asking for. My Versa tracks steps and distance/miles. Miles are important to me as I’m in the 1000 mile challenge for 2019.

[silvermetis]

Hi, accurate distance measurement on the versa is not possible, the distance is calculated by multiplying step count by step length. If you manually adjust your step length for a particular known length route you can get a more accurate estimate of distance but if do a different walk you will get errors again. If you turn on GPS connect and download the .tcx file, load it in a third party app such as garmin basecamp you will get a more accurate distance but not on your versa, you will however rapidly discharge your battery.

A lot of people will disagree with me many could well be on the fitbit payroll.

[SunsetRunner]

Thanks!Sent from my Sprint Samsung Galaxy S9.

[AlvaroFitbit]

@silvermetis @SunsetRunner I hope you're doing well!

@SunsetRunner thank you for your inquiry. As @SunsetRunner kindly explained your device can calculate your distance. You can read more about Fitbit devices here.

@silvermetis thank you for your comments. I just want to clarify that Fitbit employees are us the moderators and are clearly labeled under our names. People like @SunsetRunner are here voluntarily and help many members with the questions then have. You can read more about these volunteers called Community Councils here.

@SunsetRunner thank you for your help here.

I'll be around.

[silvermetis]

I don't want to be disrespectful of any one but I speak my mind.

I am not disputing that the fitbit versa calculates distance just the accuracy of the end result!

The product of step count x step length is not as accurate as a GPS calculation.

I raised this issue with tech support and they have advised me and others in the UK that even if gps connect is turn on it is not used to calculate distance but it can change the run stride but not the walk.

It is a know fact that an athelete will vary the stride length depending on the terrain so a calculation based on step count will not be accurate..

You can down load the recorded track as a .tcx file and load it into garmin basecamp to get a more accurate distance but because fitbit have chosen to use a 1 second GPS update rate using GPS connect rapidly depletes your battery so it is not really an option.

I raised the 1 second gps update rate with tech support and they agreed it would be far better at 5 seconds but unless other people raise this as an issue they will do nothing.

As most people are unaware of the sampling rate and just suffer the consequences of rapid battery depletion fitbit are unlikely to do anything but people will talk with their feet

[SunsetRunner]

My versa has distance just blank whenever I do a run- it has the miles for the entire day but I want to know the miles when I do a run not for the total day.Sent from my Sprint Samsung Galaxy S9.

[silvermetis]

Hi,

Have you got auto recognise turned on in app for run or alternatively have you selected run in exercise on your versa? You must do one or other.

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Did you get the run distance sorted?

I tried a test yesterday if do a run and let it use auto recognise you get only time,calories and avg bpm. If you manually select run on your watch you get distance, pace and avg bpm. If you turn on GPS you get map when you manually select run but no map or distance with auto recognise.

How crazy can that be, software is clearly very much work in progress.

[Shreyabasarge]

Is this now solved? I still don’t see an option of tracking distances for auto recognised exercises