Inaccurate step counts, intensity, and distance

[MarkWesley]

I have always suspected that the step count is inaccurate, always under-counting the number of steps, so did a test on Saturday, whereby I walked briskly for over an hour. In the first 15 mins, it recorded I was walking at the rate of 1,046 steps per 15 mins (subsequent 15 min sessions were all around 1,000 too). A few hours later I did the same walk with my 12 year old son, at a slow walk, it recorded I was doing 1,614 per 15 mins, despite I was doing the walk at a very slow pace, with a child !! 

I have tested it around an Oval, which has running tracks which are 400 metres on the inside & I'd guess say 440 metres on the outside, hence the staggered starts for the races held there. ALL my distance measurements on the Fitbit are between 200 to 210 metres, & I've done that test, many times. 

What adjustments can be made to get it to more accurately count steps, AND measure distance ??? 

I have already increased my stride length to try to fix distance, but to no effect.

[Soucman]

Having the same problem with my replacement  surge...  no one can explain it to me... will be following your question.

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@MarkWesley wrote:

I have always suspected that the step count is inaccurate, always under-counting the number of steps, so did a test on Saturday, whereby I walked briskly for over an hour. In the first 15 mins, it recorded I was walking at the rate of 1,046 steps per 15 mins (subsequent 15 min sessions were all around 1,000 too). A few hours later I did the same walk with my 12 year old son, at a slow walk, it recorded I was doing 1,614 per 15 mins, despite I was doing the walk at a very slow pace, with a child !! 

I have tested it around an Oval, which has running tracks which are 400 metres on the inside & I'd guess say 440 metres on the outside, hence the staggered starts for the races held there. ALL my distance measurements on the Fitbit are between 200 to 210 metres, & I've done that test, many times. 

What adjustments can be made to get it to more accurately count steps, AND measure distance ??? 

I have already increased my stride length to try to fix distance, but to no effect.

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[MarkWesley]

Seems weird it can get two different answers over the same course & distance, where the only thing that changed was my intensity & speed. A 60% difference seems absurd. BUT also that my wife & child's ones (which get about the same answer) get huge numbers compared to mine. Sounding to me that my Surge is a bit of junk, and no response from Fitbit themselves - maybe they know they are inaccurate !!!