Versa 3 heart rate discrepancies

[Shannon29]

Used the Charge 4 for several years, the heart rate monitor worked very well and consistent readings.

Due to recall, sent it back and upgraded to Versa 3.   The Versa 3 heart rate monitor readings are VERY inconsistent and significantly lower than those recorded on my Charge 4 and readings taken manually now.  Have contacted help desk twice, very little help, (restart, wear it higher, wash the sensors), none of which helped.

Thought about trying the Charge 5 but noting on Community board that same heart rate problems are occurring with it.  At this point I will probably return the Versa 3 and give up on Fitbit.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[MarreFitbit]

Hi there, @Shannon29. Welcome to the Community Forums. We‘re taking your comments and sentiments in regards to our products and services into consideration.

Note that you might notice slight variations between your heart-rate reading on your new Fitbit devices compared with your old ones due to improvements in the heart rate sensor and algorithm.

Differences between heart-rate readings on your device and on exercise equipment are likely due to wrist or hand position. Make sure the back of your device is in contact with your wrist and that your band is snug.

Several factors can affect heart rate, including air temperature, stress level, alcohol or caffeine intake, immune response to illness, and medication use (source).

Exercising in cold weather can make it more difficult for your device to track your heart rate, as environmental conditions can affect skin perfusion (the amount of blood that flows through your skin). Spikes in your heart rate during sleep may be caused by sudden movements (for example, waking up and getting out of bed), or a weak signal due to wrist placement. 

As with all heart-rate tracking technology, accuracy is affected by personal physiology, device location on your arm, and type of movement. For a more accurate heart-rate reading:

• Wear your Fitbit device on top of your wrist, and make sure the back of the device is in contact with your skin.
• When you’re not exercising, wear your device a finger’s width above your wrist bone.

• During exercise, wear your device a bit tighter and higher for an improved fit. The band should be snug but not constricting (a tight band restricts blood flow, potentially affecting the heart-rate signal). Many exercises such as bike riding or weight lifting cause you to bend your wrist frequently, which could interfere with the heart-rate signal if the watch is lower on your wrist.

To resolve common issues, see our troubleshooting steps in What factors can affect my heart-rate reading on my Fitbit device?

If the above doesn't help you, the best way to get help for this problem is to chat with us online again or give us a call. Click here to get connected.

[SunsetRunner]

@Shannon29 

Versa 3 and Sense share the same HR sensor that has very poor performances. You can head to the Sense subforum to see the several.complain by users.

If you remain into Versa 3 forum here is another discussion.

Fitbit is aware of the bug and several.months ago they said that they might be unable to provide a fix soon.

[TommyIzzo]

@SunsetRunner Interesting that they don't seem to respond about it being a known issue anymore. 

[Shannon29]

Yes, and they keep responding with the same suggestions to correct it, ie wearing hire on wrist, temperature outside. Don't acknowledge that I've taken heart rate manually at same time and noted the extreme difference.

[Shannon29]

Your response is the same I received from the online chat.  None of those suggestions have helped.  You also did not acknowledge that I've checked my heart rate manually and have confirmed the Versa 3 reading is EXTREMLY incorrect/low, not just a little.

As I outlined to the online chat, to perform a 52 mile bike ride with 2800 feet of elevation climb in 4 hours, exerting fairly long stretches of exertion, and end up with 15 minutes of cardio, something is NOT CORRECT.  I've performed this same ride numerous times with the Charge 4 and SIGNIFANTLY DIFFERENT RESULTS.  I believe there is something inherently wrong with the new system Fitbit is using for heart rate monitoring with all new models, not just the Versa 3

[TommyIzzo]

@Shannon29 The pure pulse 2 technology that is the issue here, is on the Sense and Versa 3. I'd be pretty confident the next products won't have the exact same heart rate technology. There has never been a fix announced since the complaints started in Fall 2020.

[SunsetRunner]

@TommyIzzo right, the problem here, and that casts serious doubts about Fitbit as a reliable fitness service and trackers provider, is that those devices are kept being sold even if they are evidently not fit for purpose. And, for what reasons should I trust Fitbit for their next generation of devices when evidently they don't support their products?

[Shannon29]

Thanks

Sent from my iPhone