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.

[gofour7]

After much research, I've realized that all wrist worn trackers lose accuracy during intense workouts.  The app is great and the Blaze I have works fine under normal use.  I find it very motivating.  In my research, I learned that the best way to measure heart rate during workouts is a chest strap.  I have one, but it cannot communicate with my fitbit app which I like using to track all of my activities including workouts.  I wish Fitbit would offer a Fitbit chest strap which would also communicate with my Fitbit app and my exercise machine, in this case, my Schwinn AirDyne Pro heart rate dashboard.  Not only would this be much more accurate since it's not depending on light blinks to measure heart rate, but it would also allow me to remove my tracker during workouts so I don't need to clean the sensors as often.  Sweat actually interferes with light emitting trackers while it actually helps chest straps listen to the heart beats.  I still see the great value in the many features that work well with the tracker and app, but have now concluded that a chest strap version is needed for accurate readings during intense workouts.  I hate the fact that my data is always shorting me on how intense it believes my workout was.  Since Garmin, Apple, and all of the other wrist trackers share the same issue, it would be great to see Fitbit again take the lead and offer a product that can supplement and defeat that problem.

[Rondosa]

Absolutely 100% agree. I sweat a lot when I workout and it seems like either the BPM increases or the sweat makes it so that my Blaze can't keep up. I can't tell you how frustrating it is looking down and seeing 118BPM when I'm in the middle of an Insanity workout.

For Blaze, it'd be very easy to add an Exercise like "Workout" (which already exists) and automatically pairs with an available BT chest strap - similar to how when you select "Rrun" it automatically pairs with your phone for GPS data. 

That, and making it waterproof, would make it 100% perfect.

[Dando]

I just bought a TomTom Spark 3 - works so much better, is accurate in HR, waterproof, and has music streaming from the watch. It's years ahead of FitBit

Sent from my iPhone

[Jackblack]

The chest strap idea is a MUST. I spent 150 to have JUST the heart rate monitor. It doesn't do it. It just can't handle or show even near results. It says I'm out of shape when I run miles like it's nothing and I'm ripped as one can get naturally. So what gives. Please add the chest strap. It'll make a world of difference. Hell I'll pay 50/60 $ just for that add on. 

[Sabrelime]

I agree with this FR. I have an FB Blaze, and while it is fine at regular activity tracking and low intensity stuff, it starts losing the ability to track while i'm running as I get super sweaty and as my HR passes about 155bpm.  I'd REALLY like to get this sorted out as I'm getting shorted on my workouts. 

[Sabrelime]

@Rondosa, I totally agree.  I'm doing 10mph interval sprints ion a treadmill and I feel like i'm dying and I look at my FB and it says i'm doing like 124bpm or not reading at all because its too sweaty.  Very disappointing.

[the4biellos]

We need a HR chest band ASAP I am going to another band  

[Parras]

Hello Fitbit! Are you paying attention? There are now close to 200 votes for this. What's the hold up? Can we help? 

[SunsetRunner]

Optical HR sensors are great for all-day use, but have a hard time with precision during harder workouts, like running or biking.  Chest straps, like the Wahoo TICKR, are compatible with Bluetooth.  It should be fairly straightforward to allow the Ionic to optionally connect with these devices for workouts vs the optical sensor.  Garmin's optical HR watches already allow this.

Moderator edit: label & title.

[fitness17]

Thank you.

I did send out a e-mail last month to James Park (CEO of Fitbit) requesting for this very important feature.

Not just Garmin. The likes of Apple, Polar, TomTom, Suunto all allow pairing to external sensors.

[melthemagpie]

205th'd.  third party chest straps can be used, but I have never successfully gotten step and heart rate data to transfer from the third party app into Fitbit for record-keeping...the best I can do is overwrite the amount of calories burned.  I know the concept of Fitbit is "all you need is the wrist unit," but it's time to admit that doesn't work for everyone.

[Raven2k360]

I'm sure this has been requested ad nauseam, but one thing I'd like to see is either a chest strap made by fitbit, or compatibility with a 3rd-party strap.  I have a surge, and it works great with cardio workouts...but it completely blows with weight training.  Every single time I use my fitbit while weight training, it will report my heartrate as ridiculously low, until I'm near the end of my rest period between sets.  This has always bugged me, as it seems like it throws my workout data off for that session.  Please work on this, I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants this to happen.  Either make a strap yourselves (would also be nice to be able to pair it with other devices, like my gear watch), or partner with a 3rd-party who makes one and develop the ability to pair with it when needed.

[WJPerhacs]

Couldn't agree more.  The New Ionic seems to have everything except the ability to provide an accurate heart rate when truly exercising.  Allow users to purchase an optional chest strap that overwrites the wrist HRM and Fitbit will own the market.  I run/bike with my Fitbit on my left wrist, and my old Polar on my right wrist (with chest strap).   I'm trying to figure out if I should continue this two wrist game, or just purchase a new Polar (or other).  If the Ionic came with an optional chest strap, I would buy it right away, and forget about the competition.  Just saying....

[Starkman78]

Please, oh please give it up Fitbit. The research (conducted by parties that aren't trying to sell something) is pretty much undisputed; wrist based HR tracking just doesn't cut it for workouts. Why is it so hard for you to concede this? It is high time to make Fitbit compatible with chest straps. The Ionic is the perfect product to do so. You have nothing to lose other than a few ego strokes!

[Podupuis]

I agree. I will love to add my chest strap with my ionic.

[vitalyk]

Some activities such as biking and weight lifting usually interferes with wrist based HR sensors. So I think it would be helpful to be able to get data from a chest based sensor.

[SunsetRunner]

This would be useful at the winter time when wrist based hr must be under your clothes. If possibility to use external hr strap, you can wear Ionic more freely on your clothes.

[vitalyk]

Looks like this suggestion is just a more specific case of https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Feature-Suggestions/Allow-Ionic-to-pair-with-other-sensors-like-ches...

[SunsetRunner]

Really needed for high intensity activities such as rowing, where wrist based optical monitors are very inaccurate.

[Wfunk88]

As a soccer player, I'm not allowed to wear anything on my wrist when I play. So before every game I have to take my fitbit off (as do my teammates who have fitbits) which is a bummer because then I don't get to know any stats about my fitness during the game. I was thinking that instead of a wristband you guys could also offer a cheststrap band. I was testing out my sensor and if its positioned around my chest on the front left by my heart, it will detect my heart rate. Its so easy to switch out wristbands it seems like you could make a chest strap with the same mechanism, and then athletes who play soccer or basketball, etc, would be able to get tracking data in games.

[SunsetRunner]

Hi

As current alternative, it's possible getting a fitbit zip, this can be worn in your pocket. It's possible to setup multiple trackers (must be of different model) to the account. 

[MarlenS]

Hi @JSy and commenters, thanks for your suggestion.

We're always working to streamline our offerings as we introduce new products. Although it has been a very popular product for us, we will soon stop selling Fitbit Surge. If you're looking for a new device, we recommend considering Ionic. Ionic is a motivating timepiece packed with fitness guidance, health insights, music storage, apps, and more. You can learn more about Ionic at https://www.fitbit.com/ionicor compare the Fitbit family of products at https://www.fitbit.com/compare.

Please note that we’ll continue to support Surge from a software standpoint, along with any questions you might have during your use of the product. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope we can continue to provide you with Fitbit devices you love and help you reach your goals.

I think your suggestion is a good one, so I took the liberty of changing the label and title so that it is applicable to future products and exercise developments.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and feedback with us.

[dennisd3miller]

You're right. This feature has been requested repeatedly, but I have yet to see a satisfactory response from FitBit. There is a lot of conjecture that FitBit has a corporate "wrist-only" philosophy and that using or developing a chest strap is some sort of a black-eye for them. If that is true, that is a very closed-minded philosophy that will leave them vulnerable to the next wave of new technology. For me, the ideal product would be a chest strap that pairs to my FitBit, but can also be used stand-alone in a "recording" mode to be synced later. The reason for this is that I play volleyball and wearing a watch is not an option. Volleyball can't be the only sport where a watch is not an option... so, isn't there a bonafide market here? I'm hoping that we will at least get some sort of response from FitBit.

[dennisd3miller]

I play volleyball and a wrist tracker is simply not an option while I'm playing. A chest strap that can operate in stand-alone mode to record activity and then sync-up later would be ideal for my situation. I have a Charge2 and I wear it every day, but it has limitations that will never be solved by making a smarter watch. I see several of these please-give-me-a-chest-strap-option threads, but I really have no idea if FitBit has any interest in the idea. Wouldn't it be nice to hear some sort of official response?

[Venkats]

By far the biggest item that is seriously lacking is the ability to interface with a bluetooth chest heart rate monitor during moments when accuracy is of paramount importance. However accurate the heart rate technology within fitbit frame work may be, the issue is that arm swings during exercise cause the watch to slide thereby interfering with the heart rate tracking. Is it possible for development to consider this idea. I also see similar requests have been made for Surge / Blaze etc.