Sense not accurately tracking open water swim distance

[MummaMunda]

I've had my Fitbit Sense for about 8 weeks but have noticed it does not track my swim distance at all accurately.  I usually swim about 1km+ and it will only register 300-600 metres.  I ensure that the water lock action is completed before starting my swim and have swum at various ocean locations with poor accuracy across the board. Any ideas of what will improve the tracking function for swimming?  It's one of my main exercise activities so want to accurately record it; and for the price paid it really should be much better. Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge and experiences.

[NellyG · Accepted solution]

Hi @MummaMunda Unfortunately the swim function is only accurate for distance when used in a pool.  The way it measures distance is counting laps. As you don't swim laps in the ocean (unless it is an ocean pool) it can't count. I am also an ocean swimmer these days after swimming in the pool for years. In the pool my fitbits have been very accurate for length. In the ocean, as expected, they are not at all. Mine generally tells me I have done 2 or 3 lengths (50 to75m).

It would be great if GPS worked in the ocean as that might get better distance accuracy, but it doesn't. Sorry

[MummaMunda]

Thanks so much for your reply.  That now makes total sense!  I will set it as a run/walk to measure distance in future, or is it risky not have the water lock function activated?

[Rich_Laue]

Your Sense currently does not have a water lock function. You may want to add your vote to the suggestion. 

[dinbast]

Hey MummaMunda, did your strategy of changing setting as run/walk work? I am also having the same problem but it did not seem a problem with Fitbit Charge 4

[MummaMunda]

Hi dinbast
No luck with using the run/walk activity either...I'm rather disappointed as open water swimming is one of my main uses for my fitbit 😞
Interesting the Fitbit Charge 4 worked.
Still keen to hear if anyone has worked out a way to accurately record distance for open water swim.  Good luck

[Rich_Laue]

To accurately record the distance of an open water swim, one must record their change in posotion in relation to a known location. For Fitbit, this equips be GPS.