Steps and stairs accuracy on my Surge

[udayan]

the Readings on my Fitbit surge seem way out ..... the floors, it consistently reads over 50 floors, every day. While I have really climbed 5-6 floors. Then there is the calories counter, how accurate is it? Somedays my gymming gives me 225 calories, on others 300 calories, this could be a result of the effort put in (I would like to believe that). The real question is, with the floors so out of sync .... how accurate is the rest???

Moderator edit: Clarified subject.

[missyblurkit]

with the floors, i believe it takes into consideration the elevation climb you have from your daily moving around. i noted that on my long run Sundays which I need to clock 42km, I get 170 floors based on the elevation gain of my run route. 

To get that equation, one floor is approximately 3 metres high (in Malaysia). So my 499m = 166.33 floors. Plus another 3 plus which I can account for when I walk in and out of my basement carpark when I drive to and fro my training ground.

Hope this explanation helps. I have attached the pics for you to have an idea of the elevation gain. 499m from my training itself - 499m / 3m = 166.33 floorsSunday's total of 170 floors

[udayan]

I wish I did 42km ... then i wouldnt care what the fitbit says ..

excluding the stairs ... the steps and calories ... are those accurate ... or does the misread on the steps colour everything else in a bad light. ..

Thank you for your response ..

[missyblurkit]

what's your daily route like? i mean you might be walking loads of rolling elevating pavements and ramps?

[missyblurkit]

steps and calories for me is right based on what i calculated / double checked with a separate pedometer sometime back.

calories seems right when compared with my previous tracker apps. on condition that you have keyed in your stats right and turned on the heartrate monitor. the numbers are a tad lower when i switch it off. hope that helps in explaning.

[YojanaFitbit]

Thanks for joining us to this family @udayan, hope you like what find here! And thanks a million @missyblurkit for explaining how your Fitbit tracks floors! 

@udayan In case that you're wondering why there are some days you have more floors that usual check this master post that clarify some key points in regards how Fitbit Surge tracks floors. You might find it helpful!

Now, about calories burned information; it depends on a different factors like number of steps, activities you're doing, and yes as you the result of the effort you put in to work harder everyday. The HR monitor will take that information, it will take the intensity of your workout to determine if you go higher in each workout; but it's something that it does by itself. So, I'd focus on your steps first; let's check this information on how to properly wear your Surge to make it more accurate. And if you have more doubts about your Surge not being accurate, do this accuracy test: 

1. Put your Surge on your.
2. Walk 100 steps, making sure to count a step each time one of your feet hits the ground.
3. Pause, then check your tracker to see your step count.

If your tracker counted less than 100 steps or more than 100, please let me know so I can investigate further. Sometimes, when you start walking you may notice that your steps may not update on your tracker right away. After about 10-15 continuous steps, you'll notice the steps catch up and start updating in real-time with each step you take.

What are the workouts you usually do? Are you manually logging activities? Fitbit trackers are pretty accurate when calculation your calories for activities tracker, but if you think that yours is not working properly, you can also restart it to see if this helps!

I'll be around! 

[missyblurkit]

Thank you on the steps test. Will be good to check on mind too.

[Ken41]

I was glad to see that someone else posed this question as I had wondered the same thing about mine and thought that part might be broken!  I have to say from the outset though that I love my Surge to bits. From keeping records on activities in a variety of ways before I got it makes me able to attest that in the other aspects it's very accurate. It's been replied to here already but I surmised after reading that the floors measure was tracked via altimeter that some odd variances might happen. Today though was very odd, I got home from work to find I'd climbed 90 floors! I work on the 10th floor of my building and had to go to the ground and back up a lot today in the lift (elevator for my US friends!). Would that change in pressure cause this big number do you think?

[YojanaFitbit]

A warm welcome to out Fitbit Community family @Ken41! Good to know that you've found useful information in the Forums! About that number of floors, why dont' we check together at what time they were tracked. Please open the Fitbit.com Dashboard in a computer or in your phone browser. Click on Log > Activities > Change the view to Floors and choose the date. You will get the time line of day with the information regarding floors, including time.

Please note that the tracker uses both the accelerometer and the altimeter to track floors. Algorithms interpret the raw data into a floor, and it registers a floor when it detects continuous motion combined with an elevation gain of about 10 feet. So, your thoughts about the lift causing more floors is feasible.

I'll be waiting for your response! 

[Ken41]

From looking at the times of some of the floors logged, it was indeed when I was using the lift a few times. Plus thanks for the clarification about the Surge also having an accelerometer, that explains it further.

Great to be part of the Fitbit family, the device has provided me with tons of motivation to keep active and moving and to stay fit!

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @Ken41, you're welcome. It's a pleasure to help, I really enjoy Fitbit products and I'm happy to know that it has helped you too. Feel free to come back and post any inquiry that you might have, the main purpose of being in this family is to know that anybody can help you out. 

I dont' know if you're familiar with our Discussions board, there is a really good chance for you to like it. In case that you haven't do so, check it out! You might be interested in this topics: Saturday Humor or How do you break out of your sedentary lifestyle? 

Till next time!