Versa 2 distance is inaccurate

[Jspayne]

I have recently purchased Fitbit Versa 2s for my wife and I. My one seems to record a different length on the same walk as my wife. We tracked the same walk on a exercise app on the phone, my wife’s Fitbit was accurate and mine a fair bit off. Should I get the Fitbit returned or is there something I can do to rectify this? 

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[MarreFitbit · Accepted solution]

Hi there, @Jspayne. Welcome to the Community Forums. Thanks for sharing the details about your inquiry with Versa 2. I understand where your concern is coming from.

Before anything else, I'd like to clarify that it's normal that you see a difference when you are comparing your data with another person, this is because Fitbit devices record your data based on your personal information (age, gender, weight and height).

If you feel that your step count and distance are inaccurate, confirm that the following are set correctly in the Fitbit app:

• Your wrist settings (For more information, see Does the wrist I wear my device on affect accuracy?)
• Your height (For more information, see How do I manage my Fitbit profile?)

Fitbit Versa 2 calculates distance by multiplying your walking steps by your walking stride length and multiplying your running steps by your running stride length. We estimate your stride lengths using your height and sex. Track one or more runs using on-board or connected GPS, we evaluate that data to automatically update your running stride length. For best results, run at a comfortable pace for at least 10 minutes.

However, if you prefer to measure your walking and running stride lengths yourself and enter them manually, see How do I measure and adjust my stride length?

Note that when you're tracking an activity with GPS, Fitbit calculates your distance using GPS data rather than steps. If you begin moving before you get a GPS signal, the tracker will calculate distance using steps and stride length as described above until a GPS signal is found.

Hope that helps.

[HPO]

I am having the same issue.  I run a marked trail and my 5ks were pretty close two month's ago to the distance marking.  Then it started being about 2.86 miles for every 3.1.  Now it is down to 2.5 miles for my 3.1 miles.   I just bought a versa 3 for the go's. But i really don't like how small the font is for seeing steps.  The versa 2 interface is so much more user friendly.  Why would you change such a wonderful interface that you can see every stat with a single finger touch.  Now i don't know if i should just give up on Fitbit watches.

[TammyKinPA]

@MarreFitbit I am also having an issue with the Versa 2 under-calculating distance based on my stride length.  Out of curiosity I manually calculated the distance myself, and it appears that the distance calculated by the Versa might be based on the default stride length as determined by my gender/height by Fitbit rather than my custom (actual) stride length that I set in my user profile.  At least the distance being recorded by the Versa is much closer to the default stride length than the stride length that I measured and edited in my profile about 4 years ago.  (And yes, I checked that my custom stride length is still what I set it at way back then.)