Ability to delete GPS calculated distance from a walk or run

[malkazoid]

So we all know the GPS data on walks and runs is highly problematic - when the device loses contact with enough GPS trackers, the position can jump wildly and it is not uncommon for the distance of a walk to end up doubled, as a result.  Which is worse than useless data: it is detrimental data.

Why detrimental?  Because the steps multiplied by stride distance does a stellar job of estimating distance, in comparison.  So the be forced to taint that good estimate with a terrible GPS one when we walk or run, is really unnecessary, to put things mildly.  And the only way to overcome this is to delete your entire exercise session - frustrating.

There has been a good feature request to be able to edit the GPS path, but Fitbit does not want to develop that capability at this time.  So an interim solution, which should be completely trivial to develop, is the ability to get the app to ignore the GPS computation of distance.  That way we still log the useful data of exercise time, average heart rate, peak heart rate, steps contributed to daily total (etc), but are not saddled with the wildly inaccurate distance data.

Please, PLEASE implement this.  Without it, the walk and run exercises are unusable if you want your distance tally to be even remotely meaningful.

Moderator edit: labels.

[Jorder]

Editing activity data doesn't save. I can't correct the distance on a run when GPS is turned off and I don't have my phone on me but know the exact distance - I get a step count that's about 300-500% off and need to manually correct it, but every time I enter the distance, it reverts to the previous wrong step count, so am stuck with completely inaccurate data. Just as important, why can't we enter distance data for stationary equipment - no distance data for elliptical and treadmill even though this type of equipment displays exact data which would be useful to enter manually into Dashboard? The step count is just as inaccurate, even when using manual stride length and inputting the stride length of stationary equipment. Again, using a fixed and known stride length from an elliptical yields a wrong distance count by about 300-500%. Garmin Connect allows to edit every bit of data, but Fitbit allows for start and end time (pretty much useless), yet the distance field for a non-GPS run can't be updated, and stationary equipment activity allows no manual distance input. Allowing manual input shouldn't be complicated to add, no?

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @malkazoid and commenters! Thanks for sharing this suggestion. When tracking an activity on Ionic, Versa and Charge 3, as a workaround you can turn off the GPS tracking, on the setting from your device. You can see how to do so here: How do I track my workouts with my Fitbit device?

Keep sharing your suggestions. 

[malkazoid]

Hi @YojanaFitbit -

The problem with that workaround is that we then get no GPS data at all.

I think many of us would like to be able to have the GPS data, which may end up being perfect, or flawed.  

If we can tell the Fitbit to ignore the GPS data just for distance calculations, then we get to enjoy whatever quality of GPS data we got, to remember where we went.

If this aspect of the request was misunderstood, please discuss with your dev team.

All the best,

M

[Jorder]

Yes, thanks for the suggestion, except it doesn't work properly. Even with
GPS turned off for a run on the Charge 3, I still can't edit the distance
field. The field allows me to input a new distance, but it doesn't save it.
It always reverts to what the Charge measured using stride-length and
number of steps, which is usually completely off my multiples, even if
using a properly customized stride length. I don't care about steps
distance being off, but I care that the distance field doesn't save my
input. Best, Jorder