How Accurate is a Fitbit?

[numbersman]

So I was getting worried about my sedentary lifestyle, and my long term survival prospects. yesterday I bought a Fitbit to count my steps. Its just a cheap one, the actual Fitbit brand, but pretty much all it does is count steps, and tell the time. Unfortunately so far, it can't count for sh*t. I couldn't get it on my wrist last night after charging it up (I think it was just stiff from never having been used before.) By the time I got it on, seated at the table, I had apparently taken 1,417 steps. This morning I put it on and went down to the kitchen for breakfast. I made and ate breakfast, packed my gear for work, brushed my teeth, went to the toilet, said goodbye to my wife and daughter. Then I walked to the bus stop, caught the bus and walked from the bus stop to work, about a 10 minute walk. Now I've been teaching students for an hour, and in all that time I have only done 244 steps. I'm calling bullshit.

So, is there something going on that I don't know about? Does it need to get used to my walking pattern? Or are these things just over rated crap? What sayeth the collective wisdom of the BladeForums community?

Cheers, numbersman

Edited to add: Oh dear! I was looking at the wrong thing. I assumed the steps would be on the first screen, but they weren't. So I was looking at some number meaning I have no idea what, yet, that seemed to increase randomly. You'd think that a device that really only does one thing would have that on the first screen, but nope. Ah well, as I tell my students, I'm right up with all this modern technology, that stuff they do like SnapGram and InstaChat!

 

[gadgetgeek]

You might have been looking at a calories burned estimate, those are not super accurate. Also from having used one for about a year, I found that they did seem to self-calibrate a bit so somedays would be really off, but then those were odd days. You should be able to change it around. The main thing is that for some people it helps them do that last walk after dinner or one extra hallway at work, if that meshes with your personality, within a few weeks, you'll start to notice the habit changes. For some it won't matter a bit, but I don't think anything works for some people.

Good luck with your journey.

 

[mqqn]

I have the cheapest one and in terms of counting steps, close enough is good enough.
I have been averaging just under 10k steps a day.

best

mqqn

 

[Shann]

I have a Fitbit Versa. i think the steps are pretty accurate.

I am skeptical about the accuracy of the heart rate monitor. It seems to go up and down very quickly (and I'm old and fat so my cardio recovery time is not great). Sometimes I will be exercising and it will be at 130 and a minute later at 95 and I'm still feeling the same.

The sleep tracker, who the hell knows? It seems to work but I don't know how they can figure I'm sleeping or just laying there, etc.

 

[Mo2]

I find they last a year or less and you got to buy a new one. I've been through at least 5 of them. I no longer buy any fitness trackers. Not until I hear there is a quality brand that's not so expensive. The fit bits are excessively expensive for what they are even though some of the cheap ones seem reasonably priced. I think they are marked up alot.

 

[22-rimfire]

I have a hearing deficiency and have looked at the various Fitbit type watches with the purpose of getting one that has a vibrant vibration setting for the alarm. I would wear it at night mostly. I read over the specs and none really mention this at all. Maybe the alarm and vibration function is ho hum now. So far, I really don't care about counting steps or monitoring my har rate. But who knows what the future holds? The durability issue is really important too. Some are quite expensive.

 

[Shann]

I have a hearing deficiency and have looked at the various Fitbit type watches with the purpose of getting one that has a vibrant vibration setting for the alarm. I would wear it at night mostly. I read over the specs and none really mention this at all. Maybe the alarm and vibration function is ho hum now. So far, I really don't care about counting steps or monitoring my har rate. But who knows what the future holds? The durability issue is really important too. Some are quite expensive.

The Fitbit Blaze is supposed to have a vibrating alarm. I don't know that for a fact or whether you can set a wake up alarm for it. If you don't care about the monitoring functions, something like a Timex Expedition is cheaper and probably a lot more durable.

 

[Gideons]

I have a Fitbit Versa. i think the steps are pretty accurate.

I am skeptical about the accuracy of the heart rate monitor. It seems to go up and down very quickly (and I'm old and fat so my cardio recovery time is not great). Sometimes I will be exercising and it will be at 130 and a minute later at 95 and I'm still feeling the same.

The sleep tracker, who the hell knows? It seems to work but I don't know how they can figure I'm sleeping or just laying there, etc.

There are many articles on the accuracy of the fitbit heart rate accuracy. In a TLDR, while technology isn't perfect and can have some small issues here and there... overall it is very accurate (especially on the newer models). I would recommend doing some research on the topic to help you find your answer, it could depend on where you wear your fitbit, how tight it is and what model. I would also assert, that the rate of how your heart rate increases or decreases is complicated and that is why we need trackers who help guide us. If how we "felt" was an accurate depiction of heart rate we wouldn't need fitbit.

 

[22-rimfire]

The Fitbit Blaze is supposed to have a vibrating alarm. I don't know that for a fact or whether you can set a wake up alarm for it. If you don't care about the monitoring functions, something like a Timex Expedition is cheaper and probably a lot more durable.

Been using a device called "Shake & Wake" and it works well; just large.

 

[John A. Larsen]

I had one, but could not understand why living in a tri-level home and going up and down the stairs consistently and the Fitbit only registering about 1/10 of the levels I walked. Then I cut our back lawn, which is pretty large, takes me an hour with a push power mower. Ground is completely flat so imagine my surprise when the Fitbit said I had climbed 15 stories. So I figure it is based on the amount of exercise you do, not really about how many levels you have "Climbed". John

 

[Edm1]

I have a Fitbit HR. In 2017 I was on a Philmont crew with 10 people. 7 of us had fitbits. After 10 days backpacking we were all within 5 miles of each other in total distance on the fitbits. That was amazing to us all. That said. When my HR is on my wrist it doesnt work well. I would climb 2000 feet and be shorted 50 or 60 flights. If I put it in my pocket it worked fine. My wife had the same problem with steps. I'm also on my 4th one. They kept falling g apart and I'd have to get them to replace it.

 

[Uncle Timbo]

Been using a device called "Shake & Wake" and it works well; just large.

I've been using a critter called a rooster to wake up by. Cannot for the life of me get him strapped to my wrist and there ain't know way I'm taking him to bed.
Only problem is my alarm clock is mean and chases me all the time.
One of these days.....

 

[22-rimfire]

Wish I had a dependable rooster. But I probably wouldn't hear the critter first thing in the morning anyway if I was inside the house.

I hear regular alarm clocks. If I'm really tired, my mind just turns them off and I continue sleeping with the alarm blaring away. So, they probably aren't quite loud enough.