Versa counting too many floors.

[Acharpia]

Ever since I got my Versa it seems to be grossly over exaggerating my stair count. I had the Charge 2 before the Versa and it was fairly accurate with my stair count, but now it’s more than doubling the number of floors I climb in a day.

Is this a known issue? Has the way in which the Versa calculates stairs climbed change significantly over the Charge 2? I’ve now gone from averaging 15 floors a day to 34. 

Moderator Edit: Clarified Subject.

[ShaunMcGill]

My wife and I fixed our Versas. I have a Garmin Fenix 3 now and she has a Vivoactive 3. So much better. 

[crushalot]

It doesn't seem that fitbit is going to address it at all.  My guess as to why is they realized only after they sold millions of them that they didn't properly test correctly and therefore there is nothing they can do to overcome some serious design flaws.

I still see glowing reviews and press releases about how good the Versa is, and the fact the units do not work as advertised is never mentioned.  My guess is that the testers/journalists are just wearing the device at their desks and not exercising with it.  When it gets wet or vehicles are involved, all measurements go to crap.

So in summary 2 ways to correct the issue:

- Buy a different device (quick but only true fix at this time)

- Have a national news outlet compose a story about the massive bait and switch fitbit is pulling off here and force a consumer advocacy organization such as Consumer Reports confirm that the unit does not work and maybe fitbit will issue a recall and then release a device that works as advertised.  (long way) 

At first I thought the stair/floor count was the only issue.  However when I looked into it with more detail I realize that the step count is off and also when sweaty and exercising, the heart rate info is inaccurate also. 

I work for a major Heath care software provider and have tested out in a true clinical setting with ISO 13485 certified devices and found that the only function of the Versa that is truly close to accurate is the sleep monitoring.  All other functions only work if conditions are right (conducive to the function being tested).  

Sigh, sad face, mad face

[tallgeoff]

Thanks for this comprehensive analysis. I too was in the health care for years (Pharma sector) for years and am familiar with QA testing. Appreciate your test efforts.

I have not tried it in the pool but have in spin class and while it's high heart rate to start it settles down to a range that appears accurate, but of course now I can't be sure.

As Fitbit is not Apple and does not have the size to recall their latest million unit sales device I suppose this is a write off.

I hope to write their management and have written to one tech publication and may do more. Without a benchmark to compare results to how many users are unaware of the errors? And happily telling friends how many steps they take?

Geoff

Moderator edit: personal info removed

[SallyB605]

In my support ticket, they've offered to exchange my Versa... again! It won't help. I'm now at a decision point - stick with the Versa or bail on Fitbit. I'm so very disappointed.

[DataMonster]

Me too!

6/18 and 6/19 I counted 4 flights versa says 12

6/20 I counted 2 flights, versa says 10

I am unsure about the stair activity 6/21-6/24 due to business travel.

6/25 I had 0 stairs, versa says 1

6/26 I counted 4 flights versa says 7

6/27 I counted 4 flights versa says 12

I walk the exact same flight of stairs 2 to 6 times per day. I only have 1 flight of stairs at my work and none near home. 

[SallyB605]

I am parting ways with Fitbit at least for now. Best of luck, everyone. And best wishes to Fitbit in dealing with these issues.

[AlejandraFitbit]

Hello everyone!

I appreciate all the efforts and information provided regarding this issue. Also, I was able to see that some of you have already contacted our support team, I know they will be glad to help you out with this. For the rest, have you followed this suggestion and contact support as well?

Catch you later. 

[Gjjen]

Support blew off my concerns and said that the Versa wasn’t accurate outside of when the skin was moist. Isn’t that how it is supposed to be used?

Sent from my iPad

[Ladyash]

Just found this as my new versa said I climbed 57 floors yesterday!! I only climb around 10 flights a day. It seems to be counting my elevator ride in my condo as flights of stairs. Not sure how it came to the 57 number as my blaze had the same issue but was only ever around as high as 20 floors which at least was a bit more accurate and realistic than 57!

[Jchen10]

I purchased he Versa close to a month ago, previously I had the Blaze. Ever since having the Versa, it’s counting floors at an alarming rate. On a good day with Blaze o could get about 20 floors, with the Versa I’m getting in the 70’s and higher almost daily! I contacted Fitbit and went through the trouble shooting with them, but I’m still having the same issue. I think I’m going to return the Versa and go back to the Blaze.

[13maria]

Fitbit is well aware of the issue ... But act like yours is an isolated incident. 

[tallgeoff]

I am now dealing with Support. We did a 100 step test and a factory reset and they've asked for feedback on a 48 hr test. I'm afraid to say so far there is little change. On a quiet day with little activity yesterday I recorded 7000 steps and 37 flights of stairs. Not possible. I'll test again and then see what they say. I have a ticket open now. 

[13maria]

TY. Plz keep me posted.

[Pulsar2]

I'm following this post with interest as I was about to buy a Versa but will hold off until I can see that Fitbit have resolved this issue. My wife and I have had a Fitbit One for 3 years and found it very accurate with both steps and particularly with stairs. I then bought a Samsung Gear - (The Versa was unavailable  then)great smartwatch with its rotating bezel, but this has the opposite fault - hardly registers any stairs and the Samsung forums are awash with complaints about this - and no fix. So I kept the Fitbit One in my pocket just so I could register stairs climbed - but after 3 years have lost it - and can't buy a new one. So I thought I would get a Versa to replace both the Samsung Gear and One - feeling that Fitbit had the stair climbing bit licked based on my previous experience. But I live in a hilly city on the side of a volcano - not much use if the Versa registers altitude as stairs when driving!

[Jchen10]

I returned mine after Fitbit was unable to fix it with their “troubleshooting”.

Sent from my iPhone

[Gjjen]

Climbed 3000 vertical today, Fitbit said 1940. Inaccuracy gives both ways.

Sent from my iPad

[SunsetRunner]

I am having the same problem. It just started today. Suddenly it shows me climbing 18 stair flights when it used to show 2. I reset the watch yesterday because I couldn’t get it to go back to the home screen. Very frustrating. I love this tracker, but there are some software issues that need to be ironed out  

[SunsetRunner]

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@Acharpia wrote:

Ever since I got my Versa it seems to be grossly over exaggerating my stair count. I had the Charge 2 before the Versa and it was fairly accurate with my stair count, but now it’s more than doubling the number of floors I climb in a day.

Is this a known issue? Has the way in which the Versa calculates stairs climbed change significantly over the Charge 2? I’ve now gone from averaging 15 floors a day to 34. 

Moderator Edit: Clarified Subject.

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@Acharpia wrote:

Ever since I got my Versa it seems to be grossly over exaggerating my stair count. I had the Charge 2 before the Versa and it was fairly accurate with my stair count, but now it’s more than doubling the number of floors I climb in a day.

Is this a known issue? Has the way in which the Versa calculates stairs climbed change significantly over the Charge 2? I’ve now gone from averaging 15 floors a day to 34. 

Moderator Edit: Clarified Subject.

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@Acharpia wrote:

Ever since I got my Versa it seems to be grossly over exaggerating my stair count. I had the Charge 2 before the Versa and it was fairly accurate with my stair count, but now it’s more than doubling the number of floors I climb in a day.

Is this a known issue? Has the way in which the Versa calculates stairs climbed change significantly over the Charge 2? I’ve now gone from averaging 15 floors a day to 34. 

Moderator Edit: Clarified Subject.

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I am having the same problem. It just started today. Suddenly it shows me climbing 18 stair flights when it used to show 2. I reset the watch yesterday because I couldn’t get it to go back to the home screen. Very frustrating. I love this tracker, but there are some software issues that need to be ironed out  

[Ladyash]

I’ve apparently climbed 147 flights of stairs today. The Versa is ridiculous. I’ve reset it and done everything else mentioned here and it just counts insane amounts of stairs for no reason. My blaze was pretty accurate save for the times it would count my elevator ride as stairs but with the Versa it seems to count stairs for no apparent reason! Wish there was a way to delete stairs so that I could at least have a more accurate picture of how I’m actually doing which is roughly 10 flights a day.

[SunsetRunner]

I had that issue for a while, but it seems to have been corrected, for the most part. I think there was a software update.

Sent from my iPhone

Moderator edit: personal info removed