Show swim laps, times and lengths on Charge 5

[Tessio]

Self-explanatory, but virtually all swimmers use lap counts and times to improve their performance, especially DURING swim. Add ability to set lap count as a Goal (not just time) in the tracker. Please add this to all devices. We're thinking of getting Fitbits for our children as well, but without this feature, we will look elsewhere.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[Surfista]

I just purchased two Charge 5 trackers, for me and my daughter, to track laps and times in the pool. When I researched the Charge 5, I understood that one of the features of the device was tracking laps. Your literature did not in any way indicate that you cannot see the lap count until you check the app after you are done swimming. I find this to be misleading and deceptive.

I would not have purchased the Charge 5 if your promotional literature stated that you cannot see your lap count as you swim. Based on the comments on this forum, it appears that virtually everyone who purchased a Charge 5 to track swimming feels the same way. One of the reasons I purchased a Fitbit was because of your reputation as a reputable manufacturer with good quality products. Unless and until this very basic swim watch feature is added, I will feel obligated to tell others about this glaring defect in the forums I frequent.

[SunsetRunner]

Same here, useless for me without that feature. For me, lap count and time while swimming is the only reason to use it at the pool. 

Luckily, I think I can return the Charge 5 I bought recently. 

[Surfista]

At the very least the Charge 5 should allow us to set a swimming goal of yards or laps and send a vibration notification when it is reached.

That would seem to be a relatively easy feature that could be added by an update.

[Surfista]

I'm going to try swimming with the Run exercise turned on with a goal of 1 mile.

[VAswimmer]

I bought a Versa three years ago specifically because it showed swim distance in real-time with nice big numbers that were easy to read while swimming.  It is very easy to lose track of your lap count, so this was the #1 reason why I bought this device, since frankly many other Fitbit features are available in cheaper smart watches.  I just upgraded to a Versa 2 and was extremely disappointed to see that the swim lap feature has disappeared.  As someone else noted, did Fitbit consult with ANY swimmers before eliminating the swim distance/lap option?  Swimmers can time their swims using the stopwatch function or even a "dumb" watch or wall clock.  There is no inherent value in having the "swim" function just show total time.  PLEASE bring back the lap count/distance feature, regardless of how many people ask for it.  Many swimmers probably don't know how to find this forum or know that Fitbit uses votes to prioritize its to-do list.  Also, there are a lot fewer swimmers in the world than there are runners and walkers, so you'll never get as many votes proportionately as you might for other feature upgrades.  Thank you for considering this comment.

[Surfista]

I tried swimming a few times with the charge 5 set to Running. It recorded my time, heart rate and activity level with no problems at all. It did not accurately record the distance of my swim. I swam 1 mile and it showed that I had run for more than 1 1/2 miles. I swim in a fabric covered dome so the GPS signal should have been OK. When set for swimming the charge 5 is perfectly accurate in recording laps and total distance.

Since the charge 5 does accurately measure and record heart rate and activity level in the water, it would be nice if the watch did not automatically activate the water lock when set to swimming. Or perhaps have the option to turn off the water lock?

[Surfista]

I set my charge 5 to Swim, pressed start, turned off the water lock and started swimming.

It recorded my swim as steps and did not record heart or distance.

The charge 5 does record swimming laps and time. It cannot be set to display laps on the screen.

A goal of laps or distance cannot be set in Swim mode, though it does record this information.

The Charge 5 does not record heart rate or exercise level while in Swim mode, though it will measure and record that information while swimming if it is put in Run mode.

Fitbit, please develop and send out an update to the Charge 5 that will allow it to display laps while swimming, set goals for distance or laps and allow the water lock to be turned off while in Swim mode. This will be a huge improvement for all those who purchased a Charge 5 for use as a Swim Tracker and will certainly result in many more sales to swimmers.

[Lorslee]

Totally agree!   I bought this fit for swimming and 95% of the time it shuts off the swim mode while I am actively swimming, and then it will start up again when I am in the shower after my swim.   It has worked correctly once only in over a month of daily swims.  Please fix the ap....

[Thurza]

Fully agree with everyone else. Main reason I purchased this was to count swim laps, silly me just assumed it would as it is a Fitbit, teaches me to do my homework first next time. 

[Surfista]

Hi Thurza,

I did do my homework. I downloaded the owner's manual and found that "counting laps" was one of the functions that could be set. The manual does not say that this applies only to running laps and not to swimming laps.

[Thurza]

That's interesting thanks for letting me know. I find it doesn't get the
laps or distance correct anyway, I swim 1000m slowly in 30 minutes and it
tells me the distance I swam was 2000m and 40 laps. No way would I be able
to do 40 laps, That's only in my dreams.

[Surfista]

Thurza, did you set the correct pool length in your fitbit?

I can't see it when I am swimming, but it does correctly count the laps and distance when I check the app afterwards.

One day I swam without starting the swim function to see if it would auto detect the swimming. It did, but the distance and laps were not accurate.

[KernowRed]

If your swimming 30 lengths of a 25m pool that's 750m.

40 laps would be 1000m

[Thurza]

Hi, Yes I did but I will check it again. Thank you.

[RhysLud]

In the market for a new fitness tracker. I was about to purchase the Charge 5. Without the ability to count swim laps, I will not. This feature omission is costing you business. Mine for sure. 

[RhysLud]

Wait. I'm confused. THIS document https://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/2087.htm shows that the Charge 5 DOES track swim lengths. So what is the TRUTH? Does it track laps or not. Or does "swim lengths" mean time it the water? That would be super-lame. It does say that it tracks distance. So I assume I could swim back and forth and it would track my total distance? 

[Zefloflo]

It tracks but you cannot see it while you swim… 🙄

Moderator Edit: Personal info removed

[Surfista]

You have to go to the app on your phone or tablet when you are done to see how many laps and what distance you swam.

You cannot set the charge 5 to display lap count or distance as you are swimming, only time.

You can set a goal that will vibrate when you reach a specific time swimming, but you cannot set it for distance.

[Thurza]

Yes I think a lot of people will purchase a different watch. Hopefully
Fitbit will rectify the problem soon.

[Thurza]

Thank you for this information. It's definitely not what I want from my
Fitbit. Feel duped actually.

[AntRom]

Same experience as everyone here... incredibly lame to learn today on my much anticipated frist swim with charge 5 that I could only see elapsed time when swimming (nearly useless).  Adding at least the number of laps seems like a given.    

[Bryan.d]

Ionic was recalled and I replaced it with Charge 5 since the web site says it tracks laps. I was extremely frustrated when I jumped in the pool for the first time with it. Pretty useless to only track AFTER I'm done with a workout. 

[TerriPeri]

I'm pretty disillusioned with the swim as well.  Right, all it says is that it's swim proof, but I even called into support to say swim was my exercise and it would have been nice if they say there was no tracking for that.  It's all a bit deceptive.  I'll wear for a cpl days and see if its worth keeping.

[Thurza]

Yes it's really false advertising I feel as what is the use of the lap
count after the swim. I suppose it verifies wether I can count laps
correctly. I have kept my Charge 5 as I love everything else about it. But
truly disappointed re the swim laps as that was the reason I purchased it.
Hopefully Fitbit can do an upgrade to fix it.

[Lorslee]

It is so frustrating.  Many days my Charge 5 just decides to stop the swim timer by itself.  Very random... About once a week it actually records the time I swim but the laps/lengths are never correct.  It was too late for me to return it... horribly disappointing.