Ability to use Chest Strap Heart Rate Monitor or foot pods

[JSy]

I like that the Charge HR and Surge have the ability to monitor heart rate via the wrist based optical monitor, but from what I have gathered, it sounds like all wrist based optical heart rate monitors have poor accuracy at high intensity workouts.  It would be great if fitbit had a product that had a wrist based heart rate monitor, but would switch to using a chest strap heart rate monitor if one was detected.  Any chance that the firmware/software on the Charge HR and/or Surge could be updated to use a bluetooth chest strap heart rate monitor? 

Moderator edit: labels and title.

[AlexandraFitbit]

Hello @atxemily! Thanks for your suggestion! I moved it to this similar thread to add your vote to it. 

[Voodoochildaro]

I'm not sure what's forcing guys at fitbit standing about this option, pretty sure they have been considering this, and I'm sure they know their costumers enough to know which is the right direction to take with their products.

Most probably only a small part of customers feel the needs and benefit of the use of an external chest strap but if fitbit would invest on it we would finally talk about a real fitness equipment instead of just a little bit more than a fancy fitness toy.

Just an idea, what about two different versions of the device? I would spend some extra money for a version with Bluetooth or ant chest strap. So, who don't need it can still spend for the basic, who feel the need of something more accurate can spend some more and get a more complete fitness equipment. 

I promise you the device being able to get paired with a chest strap would be bomb, fitbit would have no competitors.

What about a fitbit property one?! I would go for it without any doubt! 

[DWHutch]

I agree. I ended up buying a Polar chest strap and wrist readout for about
$80 just so I can accurately monitor my heart rate on the bike and gym
stuff.

Moderator Edit: Personal info removed

[Rob71]

Gave up on this and went back to my Garmin Fenix 3 HR and a chest strap. My
Fitbit Ionic makes a nice paperweight though. Next I'm also selling my
Fitbit stock, since I'm not sure they will continue to be able to compete
with Apple, Garmin etc.

[Bakutotsu]

ok peeps. I've had my Charge 2 since Doec 2017. I love it in all respects except for HR monitoring during intense workouts. I have tried a MULTITUDE of things and some work better than others. None work all the time. I've used sweat bands, rubber bands, etc to mount my Fitbiton my forearm, calf, upper arm, etc. The best method is a rubber band to allow flexing while the firbit is strapped to the inside of my forearm. Even then, it monitors accurately maybe 50% of the time. So... I am done with trying to make the device work properly. I am also a software engineer and am happy to develop an iPhone/Android/Microsoft app to couple a chest strap HR monitor device to the Fitbit. What I need to get started is information on the Fitbit API. I have read one exists but have been unable to find information on it.

[tghand]

Me too... Exactly what I did. Tired of a fitness toy that doesn't work.
Polar is better and had options that are accurate. Bye bye Fitbit... Now
it's only for sleeping and the odd occasion.

Tony

[Mike-in-Airdrie]

Fitbit please consider this one.  Not only is the HR not very accurate during higher HR exercises it would also be nice to wear a strap for exercise equipment and still have this information saved in our Fitbit.

Whether I'm running or using the Bowflex trainer I have seen significant variation between a strap and my Fitbit Ionic (145 strap vs 180 Ionic).

Thanks

[JayMoss]

Still baffles me that Fitbit doesn't have an option for HR tracking during high intensity workouts.  My ChargeHR2 is readings are fine for walking, jogging but running hills or intervals data is so far off.

[asurber]

I have read the same frustrations from all the people that use the HR series watches about inaccurate HR readings during high intensity workouts for years. I finally bought a tickr x and have been trying to find an app that I like, IMO none of the apps compare with the fitbit app.  I am really trying to understand how Fitbit can just ignore a large group that would like to use their watches and get accurate readings, people buy the HR versions to track their HR but get wildly inaccurate results.  I bought an Ionic without knowing about the problems with the wrist monitor and technology not there yet. Fitbit, please allow us to connect a chest strap to your HR watches.

[Lovingmyfbt]

HI,  I would totally love this.  I have a IONIC which I had to buy to replace my Surge that got beat up by wearing it during my boxing workouts.  I wore that Surge until I had duct tape it.  For my boxing workouts I wear my "one" and just count the steps. I would love to be able to wear a chest strap (I'd even buy a new one that is a new Fitbit product) and track my heart rate.  I have other chest straps - made by Polar so if we could sync from my polar that would be an option too.

[asurber]

Here is a snapshot of the results I get when I walk in the morning, notice the HR goes down every time I climb a hill. I got a TICKRx chest strap and would love a way to integrate ANT+ into Fitbit during workouts. Does Fitbit not understand the need to cater to the group of people that wants to track their HR (As advertised) or are they satisfied to let Garmin take the lead. 

[tghand]

Yes, but Fitbit wants to pretend that their HR monitor actually works and I
think they must feel that if they allowed a third-party device that
actually is accurate, it would undermine this fantasy. I abandoned
fitbit long ago in favor of a Polar A380, that actually sort of works and
has chest strap options for added accuracy if I should want it. Comparing
the two watches is a no-brainer if you care about accurate HR.

Tony

[CavemanMench]

I am in favor of adding a chest strap option, but for me it's less about accuracy and more of a desire not to damage the wrist based tracker during kettlebell flows where cleans are done regularly, and I'm general free form movement not having something on the wrist is helpful.

[acooksey7028]

My main purpose for using a heart rate monitor is to provide me comfort during my daily activities.  I recently had heart surgery and it helped me settle my anxiety when I noticed that my heart rate wasn't as high as I thought it was.  However, during my rehab sessions I used 3 different means of measuring heart rate intending to find the method that was correct the majority of the time. In addition to the TomTom watch I bought for the GPS location capability (and chest strap I bought after surgery), the free Fitbit Charge 2 that I won from a wellness event at work, and the clinical heart rate monitor with leads stuck to my chest that the nurses used to monitor my heart rate and rhythm. During my rehab I felt the chest strap was the closest to the hospital's tracker, but because I don't feel like wearing a chest strap during the remainder of the day, I like using my Fitbit.  I am just tired of using 1 watch to track workouts and 1 to monitor my resting heart rate during the rest of the day.

[Therman]

I find it hard to believe that this issue hasn't been addressed in 4 years!  I am a lifelong athlete and have relied on heart rate training during my competitive cycling days and continue to use it even though I no longer compete.  Despite being 66 years of age my max heart rate is still north if 170 and I routinely approach it. So what good is a device that can only measure up to 130 and not even accurately? I just purchased a Fitbit Versa and I'm delighted with how sleek and easy to use it is. However imagine my disappointment when I found that it won't read a BLE chest strap transmitter even though the Bluetooth capability is present.  It appears the Fitbit thinks music is more important than accurate input from an external sensor.  To further compound my frustration, the third party apps that are intended to bridge the gap (iCardio andaEndomondo) now require monthly subscription fees to receive the chest strap HRM.

[Pantelis]

Hello friends, after 1 year of daily use I abandoned my Ionic... I really loved that watch but at this point, I need maximum accuracy at my workouts, that means accurate HR that the Ionic cant provide without an EXTERNAL SENSOR!!! You are just losing customers, now I'm going to use a Garmin watch with a chest strap and see how it goes.

Ps The VO2 Max sensor is an other disappointment 😞 

[Therman]

Yet another vote for external sensors. I wonder what is the threshold for
action?


Sent from my Android Pixel 2XL

[JayMoss]

I gave up in the end, strap broke again on Charge2 so decided to move on.

Changed over to Samsung Galaxy watch as it has 3rd party app support for everything I need including heartrate straps.

It is a lot more chunky than Charge2, but was surprised how well the optical HR works compared to FitBit so far in intervals it has always matched HR on gym equipment and strap, very responsive.

Maybe fitbit will come with strap support in 2020?

[SunsetRunner]

After 9 days with my new Versa I mostly enjoyed a lot of features, but the complete inability to track any meaningful data for interval training and no option to connect a chest strap is a disappointing surprise and a deal breaker for me. Today my Versa recorded my hill sprint peak HR at 117 BPM and my own carotid artery palpated BPM was well over 150. I didn't expect it to be spot on for higher HRs but never expected it to be off by over 30 BPM. I will probably return it today while I still can and get a Garmin or Wear OS watch that has the option. 

[Mike-in-Airdrie]

My Ionic is hit or miss on workouts. Sometimes its spot on and other times it's totally out to lunch especially if I start an exercise mode when already in progress.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

[2plus3]

It’s a no brainer, great product, great features, but lacking in accuracy for high intensity exercise which is important to a large part of your current and potential customer base.

Get it done fit bit, heart rate chest strap in 2019! #ifyoumakeitwewillbuyit

[SunsetRunner]

Most of my workouts are lifting. I use Versa Grips (wrist straps) which prevent me from wearing my Fitbit when I lift. Please either make a chest sensor or allow integration with a sensor like the Polar or Garmin. 

[SunsetRunner]

And if not a chest sensor, maybe one designed for the forearm. Not making something for the power lifter set is leaving a whole chunk of the market in the cold.

[robj93]

I'm so close to switching to a Garmin watch literally just because of this issue. I regularly weight train and play football and the heart rate on my Surge is often showing at 60-70BPM when it is well in excess of 100+BPM; it's so frustrating, and like others have said, as soon as you go over a certain HR, the BPM shoots right down, so the time in which you need an accurate reading the most is when it's least accurate.

Please FitBit, just allow us to connect to 3rd party HR monitors, such as the wahoo tickr, only £40 for the consumer and will keep so many happy.

Thanks!

[Bernie64]

I am in agreement with those above that have commented that the ability to connect a third party HR chest strap would be beneficial.  

I ran into the same issue with my recently defunct Garmin VivoActive HR, where during HIIT, my HR would be anywhere from 20-40 BPM below what my chest strap HR monitor indicated.  For steady-state aerobic exercise, both worked great but for any type of exercise where HR increased rapidly, the inaccuracy was unacceptable.

I'm fortunate that my HIIT is on a Bowflex M5 which has an onboard HR chest strap.  The issue I am having is that if I take off my Fitbit, I have accurate HR but lose the steps, but if I leave my Fitbit on, I maintain the steps but it shows up as double the calories burned (duplication of the energy expended during my workout).

Fitbit, I have had my Ionic since I bought it for myself for Christmas and am very happy with it except for the lack of accurate heart rate monitoring during HIIT, or the ability to add a Third Party HR chest strap.  Please fix this glaring functionality hole in your device(s).