Add Canoeing/Kayaking/Paddle Boarding as an Exercise Shortcut

[Bits]

Hi,

Just taken delivery of my Surge and am loving it! One thing I'd like to see is Kayaking/canoeing added as an activity on the Surge. As it is water resistant and splash proof (and you shouldn't be getting that wet!), this should be OK. I am particularly interested in the tracking opportunities offered by the repetitive arm movement - this should be easy for the Surge to recognise and would enable some really great stats - strokes per minute, strokes taken etc, and combined with the GPS function you could work out stroke efficiency, distance per stroke and maybe even give feedback on how well the stroke is done (e.g. more vertical entry v's sloppy strokes).

Could be a quick win for the developers?

Many thanks!

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity and labels.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @Feliciamc. Thanks for sharing this suggestion about adding kayak to the exercise shortcuts list with us. This idea was already requested in the Feature Suggestions board, so I’ve moved your post here. The status of this request has been updated as "Under Consideration", so don't forget to add your vote to show your support! To learn more about how Fitbit decides which suggestions get developed, visit our FAQs.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @TripleCreekRay. Thanks for sharing this suggestion about adding kayaking and paddling to the exercise shortcuts list. This idea was already requested in the Feature Suggestions board, so I’ve moved your post here. This will help us to keep the forums organized and make sure the suggestions don't get confused, or split a popular vote. Don't forget to click on the thumbs-up to show your support!

[Ajpaxto]

Agreed!  I’d be very interested to see paddle boarding and kayaking added as an exercise.  I would use this feature regularly!

[SunsetRunner]

I would love to see this exercise feature added to the ionic. I have tried to track my paddles on my SUP and its pointless. I tried selecting walk as I did a very mellow four miles on the local canal. But it only registerd 0.38 miles. But as in the above comments stroke rate and gps tracking for speed and mileage would be amazing. I need this feature in my life as I may be taking up canoeing soon as well. Cheers

[Andrew_STaro]

Please support paddling sports! Currently when using Hike activity while paddling the GPS distance and pace a very inaccurate.... 50% off!!

[ClaireD1985]

I'm double mapping I suspect but I'm using swim on the basis that its mostly arms not legs and then mapping as "paddleboarding" on Strava



Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

[Crazyhill]

I should have done my homework more before I bought a fitbit.  Never even considered that kayaking and paddling wouldn't be an option.  I live someplace that this is done year round and just assumed it would be an option.

[michael6745]

Good morning everyone.  

I am getting a Kayak early next year.  I've been a Fitbit user since 2016 and am disappointed that with all the requests I've read for a kayak tracking over the years and nothing has been done.  This thread was started in 2015..????  Why do we need to go to third party applications to track this?

[fired_earth]

These three exercises are common in gyms and the outdoors and need to be included in the list of possible exercises. I would also like to be able to remove exercise modes from the list when I will never use them.

[JohnDinSD]

Seriously, the FitBit either needs an embedded or 3rd party app to track kayak, SUP and rowing stroke metrics when working out.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @JohnDinSD. We wanted to let you know that the ideas you recently posted already exist on the Feature Suggestions Board. You can see them here where you can add your vote to those existing suggestions:

Add Canoeing/Kayaking/Paddle Boarding as an Exercise Shortcut

kayak app on Fitbit Ionic/Versa

Track rowing data - Strokes, SPM, Time

Add Windsurfing/Surfing/Stand Up/Paddleboarding to exercise mode

Rowing/Stationary Rowing Machine Exercise Shortcut

Please try to make sure you only post one idea per suggestion, so we can keep the board organized, easily searchable and see which idea other members are voting for. Thanks for participating in Feature Suggestions.

[Betchaboy]

It’s all very well for the Fitbit moderators to keep coming back with the “good suggestion, please submit a feature request” line but this thread has been going since 2015! Either Fitbit are completely tone deaf to their users and are choosing to ignore these requests, or they simply have no intention of actually ever providing this feature. Let’s be honest... If they have not done it in the past 6 years there’s probably very little chance they will ever do it. Please... At least have the decency to say it’s not happening, and don’t continue to mislead your users with this fake concern for their needs. 

[Water-rat]

I agree.... step up Fitbit!!!

Sent from my iPhone

[evse2702]

I have a Versa 3 and love it except it does not track my Kayaking well at all.  Please add Kayaking/ canoeing/ paddleboards as an exercise.

[kevinapaddler]

I asked about this years ago. I doubt Fitbit is going to do anything about it despite the multiple posts asking for it.

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

[MelvinL]

Will be good to be able to track specific water sports activities such as kayaking and Stand Up Paddling. But even if accurate calorie measurement is not available, there should still be the basic functionality to simply track the distance travelled and map the route using GPS. I understand that this might be available by using the "Outdoor Activity" mode in the Charge4, but not on other devices. Why?? I am using the Fitbit Sense, your most advanced smartwatch. When will this simple functionality be available on the Sense?

We just want a generic mode to allow us to track distance and map the route. No additional hardware changes or research is required for this as long as there is GPS. This functionality is already available for Fitbit supported activities, why not just make it available for other generic activities as well (and then allow us to change the name of the activity to whatever exotic sport that we are doing)?

[evse2702]

Yes, I would encourage Fitbit to add the water sports of Kayaking/canoeing/paddle boarding.

[Saratnl]

I was directed by Fitbit support to use this thread to agree with everyone else here that paddleboarding should be an available exercise/activity on Fitbit. It's a real shame this suggestion has been sitting here since 2015 without development. 

[jboone]

lots of comments on this but no action from fitbit, sad to say in 2021 there is still companies out there that do not value input from customers

[Scotti2]

Add “rowing”. and “paddling” to exercise list. Both are whole body exercises.

[DavideFitbit]

Hi @Scotti2, thanks for taking the time to share your feedback with us about the possibility of adding "Paddling" and "Rowing" as exercise shortcuts on Fitbit devices, this feature suggestion already exists so I’ve moved your post here as it is currently Under Consideration status. This helps to keep the forums more organized. Make sure to vote for this idea about adding Rowing exercise as well. 

Thank you again for your participation in the Community. 

[Betchaboy]

Hi David,

With respect, this is a non answer. Just be up front and say that the
feature is not going to happen.

Meanwhile, my next fitness watch will not be a Fitbit.

Chris Betcher
Sent while mobile

[Water-rat]

Try Strata .. it has water sports.

[Tarabro]

Would be nice to have a kayak exercise app on fitbit 

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @Tarabro, thanks for sharing this suggestion about having kayak as an option for the Exercise app with us. This idea was already requested in the Feature Suggestions board, so I’ve moved your post here. This will help us to keep the forums organized and make sure the suggestions don't get confused, or split a popular vote. Click on the thumbs-up to show your support.