Heart rate readings too high in Fitbit Versa

[tiim]

I just went on my first run with the Versa and found the heart rate wildly off. I've had several other Fitbit devices that have registered a peak rate between 160-165 bpm for the same run, on the same wrist, with the same wrist placement. This run shows a lengthy section where my heart rate peaks at 209. I'm in my late 40's... No way that is accurate. Anything I can do to fix this?

Moderator Edit: Updated Subject For Clarity.

[acbdparker]

After 5 conversations with support, I am returning my versa and ordered the garmin vivioactive 3.  Hate to leave fitbit products, but they should never have rolled out the versa with so many problems.

[Lovetorunandlif]

What other problems are you having? I love it other than the heart rate issue. Although, I too have had several conversations with them and they all give me the "try these fixes" speech.

[hawkman199]

I agree with 'Lovetorunandlif', the Versa is a great product and will look forward to a fix. As long as I know there's an issue, it's easy to compensate for a few odd readings. The high HR numbers are transient and only affect overall HR results slightly.

For myself, I'm going to stick with it and have no intention of returning to the store.

[acbdparker]

I finished a half marathon saturday and the mileage said 11.99 miles instead of anywhere close to 13.1.  I have had to reload the clock face twice also.  My biggest issue is by far the heart rate.  THe blaze was amazing and I'm so disappointed.

[Lovetorunandlif]

Yeah, my mileage has ALWAYS been off with all my fitbits, so that's nothing new to me. I never really used it to track my miles anyway; I use Runkeeper for that. But, I think if you are a avid runner the Garmin is the way to go. I'm sticking it out with the Versa because i like that it will track my other workouts too and the other features. Good luck with your Garmin and Congrats on your PR! Its an amazing feeling! I'm shooting for a new PR in June!! 

[bobmccon]

i realized after walking and jogging a mile several times as measured with
a gps unit that the Versa was about 3-4% shy of the true distance. I
compensated by increasing my stride length a few inches till the Versa
matched ground truth distance. On the other hand my HR was ...over 200 -
as a 67 yr old, reasonably fit, guy.
as if.

bob
"I think rock and roll will be here for quite some time..but i don't think
it'll be rock and roll as we know it"
Eddie Cochran, 1959

[SunsetRunner]

I have returned my Versa and now have the Vivoactive 3. Resting HR (68) is accurate as well as HR during exercise. I didn't think I'd need GPS but now I don't mind having it, especially for snowboarding and hiking. It also feels like a more solid, sturdy device. I was always worried about bumping the Versa on something and breaking it. Good luck with your fitness goals everyone and I hope Fitbit updates your Versas soon. 

[Reece_Tarbert]

What's the firmware version in yours? You can check it from both the Fitbit app and the web by selecting the device icon from the Dashboard and mine says 32.32.4.19.

I'm asking because I got so frustrated that I was ready to return it for a refund and did a factory reset, but then I wanted to give it a second chance and I went through the whole set up process again, which took a very long time and downloaded an updated firmware. At least I think it's newer compared to the previous one because I didn't write down the version number before and maybe it's just wishful thinking!

Anyway, now HR readings seem to be more reasonable and comparable to what I used to have with my Alta HR (with a resting HR in the mid 50s to low 60s range) but I haven't had the time to track any exercise yet and things might as well be as bad as before there.

Last but not least, I went to grab a coffee and when I got back resting HR was again in the high 80s.... before even drinking the coffee! Could it be? No, the old fashioned "two fingers to the neck" method still said "about 60".  Hmmmm... after fiddling a bit with the position on the wrist and no improvement whatsoever, I did a restart (bottom right + back buttons) and things seem to be back to normal.

My take: it seems that, at least with this firmware, the OS can get very confused with HR detection and needs a bit of help to recover, which is not really a solution because when I'm out cycling I don't want (and can't) fiddle with the Versa -- but still better that the random numbers I've been dealt so far.

Reece

[tiim]

@Reece_Tarbert - my Versa has the same firmware version. And I haven't
received any updates since I unboxed the device the day it went on sale. If
it keeps working for you though, maybe it is worth trying a full factory
reset.

[hawkman199]

Wanna really mess up your Versa? Wear it in a race-car at a track day! Yesterday I 'climbed' 105 flights of stairs, 'burned' off 4000 kcals and over 30,000 'steps'. Sweet! 

[Reece_Tarbert]

Ready for the next IRONMAN, I guess?

But seriously, getting the HR wrong is one thing, but counting steps and floors while the activity is clearly NOT walking|hiking|running, it's just plain lazy. I mean, even if the tracker gets confused, that would be trivial to fix AFTER the data has been synced (since it always goes to Fitbit.com first and in fact you cannot even sync if no internet connection is available) . I would code something like:

if ( Activity != Walking ) {

   steps_this_session = 0;

   stairs_this_session = 0;

}

but the fact that it's been like this forever shows how much they care about getting it right.

Oh, and about those 4000 kcal: a friend of mine has shed a few pounds since  he got serious about karting. As far as I know he's not sick, so don't knock it!

Reece

[Jimtowner]

I was also wondering about firmware version. I returned my Versa and got
another from REI a few days ago because they have long return time for
defective products. If the problem can’t be fixed I don’t want to get stuck
with it. The setup installed versio 32.32.4.19. This new one seems better
behaved than the previous with respect to high heart rates. If anything,
they hr during exercise seems consistently low now. I was thinking there’s
a hardware issue with better and worse watches but maybe it’s firmware.
Would be curious to know what firmware is on watches received 2 week’s ago.
--

Moderator Edit: Formatting

[Reece_Tarbert]

@tiim(and everyone else in this thread): Today was my "active rest" day, so I didn't want to do more than walk back home from work: just 3.6 kiliometers (2.2 miles) in 36 minutes, which is my usual 6.0 km/h (3.7 mph) pace.

I'm happy to report that my Versa didn't go past 145 BPM, hovering most of the time at around 130 and averaging 134 BPM for the whole session. The breakdown is as follows:

01 Mins Fat Burn

22 Mins Cardio

13 Mins Peak

Note that my Peak Zone starts at 140 BPM, so we're really splitting hairs here. Also, and more to the point, this matches well enough what my Alta HR used to report for the same activity (as in same distance, same route, same pace).

So far, so good and even as I'm writing this my Versa reads 61 BPM, which makes me "cautiously optimistic" but I want to see what happens when I'm out cycling (because I've seen numbers firmly in the WTF Zone) before I decide if this one's a keeper.

Reece

[bcbakerun]

I just saw that a new firmware release (32.32.10.15) was being rolled out.  But it doesn't specify if the heart rate problem was fixed.  I don't think they addressed it yet.  But I haven't had it rolled out to my watch yet.  I hope whoever gets it sooner will let the rest of us know.

[BamIAm]

Just replaced the stock Versa plastic band with one of the soft silicone ones from Amazon (NO1Seller). 

It seems to keep the Versa's HR sensor better positioned on my arm.  Readings have been consistent and accurate so far, not getting the transient spikes as before. 

The new band is also much more comfortable.

[SunsetRunner]

Still have my Versa and have done at least a half dozen hikes (5 miles, steep, with 35-lb pack) since i last posted on this thread.  I have been having trouble with extremely high HR reading in first part of hike and  good reading after the first 15 minutes. A least 4 out of the last 6 hikes have given me good reading, no extreme high. Factors 1) Got bad reading when the temperature was at or below 40 F 2) I tend to walk with hands in pockets when cold outside till i warm up. 3) Got good reading when i wore a neoprene wristband over watch ( I wear this to protect watch while doing construction work. Just forgot to take off for hike).  Changing the subject: Versa does cut about a half mile out of my 5 mile hike but this is understandable. Accuracy is dependant on number of GPS data points taken. The more points taken results with increase in accuracy but decrease in battery life and i hike a very whinedy trail.

[bobmccon]

Same here..after 10-15 minutes versa jibes with the polar h10 and a 67 year
old dude is no longer recording hr of 180+. Once i redid my stride length
the versa was within 2-3% of ground truth.

[tiim]

@RobertoME - the new firmware version that @bcbakerun mentioned contains unspecified bug fixes. Does it address the heart rate issue? The new firmware hasn't rolled out to my watch yet, but the tracking it provides is consistently terrible and hasn't improved after troubleshooting with Fitbit Support. I'm returning it to REI unless it is fixed before my 90 days is up. Please provide details of what Fitbit plans to do about this.

[acbdparker]

Hated to leave my Fitbit challenge community but returned mine for the Garmin vivioactive 3 and am very pleased. Best of luck!

[SunsetRunner]

I'm a 67 year old trying to get back in shape after a long sedentary winter. The wifey buys me a Versa and I like it. I know something is wonky when the treadmill says 3 mph, I'm breathing at a relaxed rate about 18 minutes into a 20 minute evening walk, and the heart rate jumps from 105 to 240. Since I feel exactly the same as when the monitor said 105, I'm going to guess it isn't me. Third or fourth time it's happened on the same treadmill. Looking forward to a firmware fix. I'm starting to think the Versa was fielded a little early.