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Fitbit HR Inaccurate
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thefuzz1290
Posts: 777 Member
in Debate Club
May 19, 2016 (San Francisco, CA) – A comprehensive new study conducted by researchers at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (“Cal Poly Pomona”) reveals that the PurePulse™ heart rate monitors in the Fitbit Surge™ and Charge HR™ bear an “extremely weak correlation” with actual users’ heart rates as measured by a true echocardiogram (ECG) and are “highly inaccurate during elevated physical activity.”
http://www.lieffcabraser.com/2016/05/comprehensive-testing-confirms-fitbits-purepulse-heart-rate-monitors-highly-inaccurate/
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Yeah, I've never been interested in getting a HR monitor device. I started off with the zip and now have settled on the Alta.0
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I had the HR and have since switched to the jawbone UP241
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indy_cruizer wrote: »I had the HR and have since switched to the jawbone UP24
Was there much of a difference between the two @indy_cruizer ?0 -
It's been pretty well publicized that wrist-based HRM's are not as accurated as the ones with chest straps. Kind of a no-brainer.6
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I have the HR Charge. I put my info in on that class-action suit. I'm uncertain if it matters if the number is showing low. but it would be really unfortunate if I think I am working 150 BPM and I am only at 130BPM.0
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I'm less interested in my actual heart rate than having a consistent measurement over time. I have no idea of what my Fitbit tells me is 140 BPM is actually 140 BPM, but as long as it's consistent with previous days, I can still use the information to help me understand my workouts.
It works for me, although I understand why other people might not care for it.11 -
I liked the idea of a heart rate monitor for my workouts and I knew a wrist based monitor wouldn't be as accurate for a workout. I ended up getting a Garmin Vivofit 2 with the hear rate monitor. It started out great and tracked my heart rate so I could get in to the right zones for cardio. Well, it's stopped working now and I don't recommend it. My 15 year old plus polar heart rate monitor works great though, just doesn't have any tracking since it's much older tech, just give you an average at the end.1
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Yep. My girlfriend returned hers because it was about as accurate as rolling dice when she was exercising. It seemed better when she was sitting down relaxing, but you don't need a heart rate monitor for that.fitmom4lifemfp wrote: »It's been pretty well publicized that wrist-based HRM's are not as accurated as the ones with chest straps. Kind of a no-brainer.
While this is true, it's not what we're discussing. Plenty of wrist-based optical sensors work accurately and reliably, Fitbit's just isn't one of them.0 -
I pretty much just use my Fitbit as a very expensive pedometer. It is accurate for counting steps. The resting HR is consistent with professional measurements I've had. I don't know or care about HR during other activity.1
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I recently upgraded to a Blaze from a Flex (RIP, good friend) and my main annoyance is that the calorie burns seem about 50-100% higher than they should be..0
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NorthCascades wrote: »Yep. My girlfriend returned hers because it was about as accurate as rolling dice when she was exercising. It seemed better when she was sitting down relaxing, but you don't need a heart rate monitor for that.fitmom4lifemfp wrote: »It's been pretty well publicized that wrist-based HRM's are not as accurated as the ones with chest straps. Kind of a no-brainer.
While this is true, it's not what we're discussing. Plenty of wrist-based optical sensors work accurately and reliably, Fitbit's just isn't one of them.
It really doesn't matter what wrist-based device you're talking about - none are as accurate as a chest strap that is actually detecting your heart rate straight from the source.
Also, how is FitMom4Lifemfp's response "not what we're discussing"? The topic is about the inaccuracy of the Fitbit HR. Seems pretty on point to me.3 -
You're right, they're not as accurate as chest monitors, but no one is going to wear a chest strap at all times. My Garmin is pretty close. I've used chest straps in the past and I know what my body feels like at 180-190bpm and when I start feeling that way I'm in the 180s.0
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MandaB9780 wrote: »It really doesn't matter what wrist-based device you're talking about - none are as accurate as a chest strap that is actually detecting your heart rate straight from the source.
Mio's wrist-HRMs are accurate. It's very slightly delayed compared to a chest strap, but the exercise community has embraced them because they're accurate and useful. Fitbit's HRM isn't just "slightly delayed," it's off by an average of 20 beats per minute (!!), it's wildly inaccurate. Yes, it really does matter which wrist-device you use, because some are much more accurate than others.
Here is a comparison of a Garmin wrist-HRM against a chest strap. The wrist one isn't flawless, but it does a good job.
Here are two images comparing the Fitbit Charge HR to a chest strap for the same exercise. You can see vague similarities; the Fitbit does not do a good job.MandaB9780 wrote: »Also, how is FitMom4Lifemfp's response "not what we're discussing"? The topic is about the inaccuracy of the Fitbit HR. Seems pretty on point to me.
The point isn't that chest straps are better than wrist straps (which isn't really true anyway for most people), and the Fitbit doesn't perform as well as other wrist straps. We're discussing the Fitbit's HR system specifically, not what body part is best.1 -
Is the offage reading higher or lower during periods of intense exercise?0
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DorkothyParker wrote: »Is the offage reading higher or lower during periods of intense exercise?
That's what I want to know0 -
DorkothyParker wrote: »Is the offage reading higher or lower during periods of intense exercise?DorkothyParker wrote: »Is the offage reading higher or lower during periods of intense exercise?
I believe it was mid points of exercise. If you were trying to stay around 160bpm, it could read 140-180...if the 20 point swing was both ways.1 -
DorkothyParker wrote: »Is the offage reading higher or lower during periods of intense exercise?
It isn't consistent. It can be wrong in either direction, with an average error of 20 bpm (ignoring times when it could not read at all).0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I pretty much just use my Fitbit as a very expensive pedometer. It is accurate for counting steps. The resting HR is consistent with professional measurements I've had. I don't know or care about HR during other activity.
True but the selling point of the HR is the HR. 20 BPM in either direction is a big difference. Personally I just use a basic vivofit 2 for counting my steps and put on a chest strap monitor for cardio sessions. If a wrist based wearable witb hear rate monitor doesn't have a good heart rate monitor then you might as well save the $50 or so and get the model without it3 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I pretty much just use my Fitbit as a very expensive pedometer. It is accurate for counting steps. The resting HR is consistent with professional measurements I've had. I don't know or care about HR during other activity.
True but the selling point of the HR is the HR. 20 BPM in either direction is a big difference. Personally I just use a basic vivofit 2 for counting my steps and put on a chest strap monitor for cardio sessions. If a wrist based wearable witb hear rate monitor doesn't have a good heart rate monitor then you might as well save the $50 or so and get the model without it
That's a good point. Luckily mine was a gift.
Actually not so lucky since it was a gift from a close relative who expects me to wear it all the time and quite frankly I don't care what my HR is at every given moment or how many steps I take per day.1 -
Honestly I don't care how many steps I take in a day, either. I get more steps walking to the coffee shop than riding my bike 50 miles, so I don't consider it a good indication of how much exercise I've done.1
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