Surge Question re: Heart Rate and Exercise

gbel1975

I know the Surge is new and there may not be a lot of people out there with it yet. But for those who do have it, how well are you finding the heart rate (HR) function working?

I got mine today and went to the gym this evening. I did 17 minutes elliptical, 21 min weights, and 20 more minutes on the elliptical. While I was on the elliptical both times the HR worked very well. While I did weights, it didn't work as well. It was erratic up and down and sometimes just lost its "signal" or connection altogether. I suspect it was the movement in my wrist that kept the sensors from keeping good contact, but I would have expected that to have been a possible issue Fitbit would have tested and worked out.

Any similar experiences? Thoughts?

heybales

The Fitbit forums are full of these comments.

Either intense exercise where the HR is high the whole time, or as you experienced, where it changes fast (which it should going anaerobic lifting weights).

It's also noticed that for some it reads lower than reality at higher HR's, so unless you had a better HRM to confirm with, you'd never know because it seems high enough perhaps.

Some commented turning the device around and farther up the arm - which Fitbit recommends too.

You can't hope it's going to work alright on everyone - you can only work out so many variables on a HR reading device that can't be EKG accurate as a HRM can be.
Fat arms, thin arms, easy to see blood flow, high vessels, deep vessels, wearing it in not best spot, ect.
Even HRM's using changes in electrical state of the heart fail on some people, or they have to wear it backwards or on their side.