Versa 3 heartrate reading usless

[SomeWierdness]

I recently upgraded from my Versa 1 to a Versa 3 I got for Christmas.

This 

Is a workout I tracked with my Versa 1. 

This

Is a workout i tracked just an hour ago with my Versa 3. I gave up halfway through the hour since this heart rate reading is so disappointing. I was going the exact same pace as I did in the Versa 1 workout (~5 miles every 15 minutes on the same resistance level) and there's just constant drops even though I am 100% sure my heartrate physically cannot go from 170+ to 110 and then back in less than 5 minutes.

[hikingking]

It sucks. The heart rate monitor JUST DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY and it is highly frustrating. Been banging on Fitbit for more than a year and heard nothing. The customer service people suck. 

[Honulii]

I also had the Versa 1 and it seemed to do a better job tracking my HR.  I switched to the Sense when it came out and doing the same exercises with the same intensity (I do HIIT), I couldn't get into max zone.  I realized that it read increases in my HR slow and recognized drops in my HR pretty quick.  And sometimes I would have to stand still for it to register the increase in HR (I noticed this because I also wear a chest strap monitor at the gym and my HR is displayed up on a board).

My Sense is giving me issues and so I'm here in the Versa forum trying to figure out whether I want to switch back to the Versa line, but seems that maybe this HR thing is an issue with the newer Fitbit technology in general.  Bummer.

[deiG]

What kind of workout were you doing?

[jess5485]

I had a Versa lite for almost 4 years and it hardly ever malfunctioned. When it died I got the Versa 3 and the heart rate monitor starting doing this almost immediately. I sent it back to Amazon and got another Versa 3 and same thing. Both went back and I’m waiting on my Apple Watch to arrive tomorrow. Terrible product

[SomeWierdness]

The exact same workout both times like I said, an hour of spinning in the first picture and half hour of spinning in the 2nd because I quit halfway since it wasn't tracking it properly anyway 

[jess5485]

I bought an Apple Watch and have had it for a few weeks now. So glad I spent the extra money. It’s worth it! 

[SomeWierdness]

Fixed itself for a few months but once again in my morning workouts it suddenly started dropping from 160-ish down to 100-112 out of nowhere 

[hikingking]

Yes. I am still having the same problem. Will use this till it stops. Never upgrading to this brand again. They have an issue with the heart rate monitor reading but refuse to address and fix it. Extremely callous attitude. 

[deiG]

I found it relates to air temperature. Heart rate readings' accuracy is better in warm/hot seasons. 

[SomeWierdness]

Considering the two workouts in the screenshots I've listen were only about 2 weeks apart in a Minnesota winter, and I had no issues at all with my versa 1 and only the versa 3 I don't see how the older one should function better in certain seasons when my house is the same temp year round 

[Guy_]

Hi @SomeWierdness   - the Versa 1 watch has good heart rate recognition, the Versa 3 is known to be unreliable during exercise (movement).

[Podenco]

I had an Ionic. And replaced it for a Versa 3, a big mistake, I should have read the community posts first. My old Ionic was way more accurate.

I don't expect the accuracy of a medical device, but the Versa 3 is during exercise way off, 30 to 50 bpm behind my actual bpm. 

If you post about it you get the same copy & paste reply from a moderator everyone gets. When you respond, there is radio silence.

Although Fitbit knows about this issue, that's been going on for 2 years, they just ignore it. There will be no fix.

There should be a recall, but they just keep on selling a faulty product. And they get away with it!!

I just bite the bullet and when my Versa dies I move on to another brand.