Accuracy of Fitness Watches (Fitbit, GPS)

treillw

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I have a Fitbit and sometimes I wonder if the number of miles it tells you that you have walked is correct. I have the Charge 2 HR. I have counted my steps a few times in the past and the step count is spot on. I don't know if it accurately converts those steps to miles though. Supposedly it has GPS in it to automatically determine your stride length and distance walked. Just curious what you all have noticed with Fitbits and GPS watches in general. I've noticed that the elevation gain count is pretty darn close just looking at starting and ending elevations on the map, but I haven't made it a point to thoroughly check it.

I sometimes feel like the total distance number it gives me is exaggerated. I guess I can see how the number would be slightly inflated due to inefficiencies in walking - if a trail is three miles long, you might be able to add 10 or 20% to that distance to account for zig zagging around blow downs, not walking in a perfectly straight line, and other things like talking to men about horses. Thoughts?

Random Questions:
What is a good step to mile conversion for walking in the mountains?

What is the most accurate watch out there / what would you recommend for a GPS watch?

Are GPS watches more accurate than Fitbits?

Thanks!
 

Team4LongGun

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To improve accuracy, manually calibrate your steps at a known distance. My Fitbit was almost doubling the distance until I did this
 
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treillw

treillw

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To improve accuracy, manually calibrate your steps at a known distance. My Fitbit was almost doubling the distance until I did this

Even then there has to be variations in the distance. If your climbing a steep hill, taking micro steps, and sliding back down the hill in the snow, your going to cover a shorter distance than when you're blasting down the trail in the dark to get back to the truck.

Nevertheless, where would you calibrate the distance at? A track? A trail with stated mileage (don't know if I trust them either haha)? I suppose it's better than nothing.

I've started just telling people the number of steps and letting them do the math when they ask me how far I've walked.
 

Team4LongGun

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Use your rangefinder, then step off the known distance while counting steps. Once you have your actual pace count, input into Fitbit via app on phone.
Just like Land Nav pace count, there will be variables for everything but straight, flat walking.
What I did after calibrating, was test it against my quad odometer. There is a loop I take when I check trail cams and it is a mix of flat, hills, descent etc. It should give you a decent idea of how accurate.
I don’t live and die by “steps” or count macros bro.....maybe I’m not best suited to help 😜
 
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treillw

treillw

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2000 - 2500 steps per mile seems to be pretty widely accepted on different websites.

My fitbit is giving me 2152 steps/mile and I'm 6' tall. That's 2.45' per step.

It shouldn't be too far out of line, but I will check it.
 

Team4LongGun

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One more thing-my 2 buddies had identical GPS watches and after 7 days of hunting, not once were they even close on ANY reading and they hunted together entire time.
After seeing that, I’m gonna hold off and let technology improve before dropping $400 on one
 
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treillw

treillw

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One more thing-my 2 buddies had identical GPS watches and after 7 days of hunting, not once were they even close on ANY reading and they hunted together entire time.
After seeing that, I’m gonna hold off and let technology improve before dropping $400 on one

Thanks. Know the brand and model?
 

GregB

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Garmin Forerunner 35, they're just over $100 and accurate when using in GPS mode. I use it to track runs and checked the accuracy on 1/4mi and other known distance courses and it's been dead on. also tracks elevation gain/loss heart rate etc. There are also more expensive models but this does everything I need for a decent price.
 

KHNC

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I am 5'10, my pace count for 100yds is 115. Translates to 2052 steps per mile. However, my SUUNTO tells me at 10000 steps i am at 4 miles.
 
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Fitbit charge 2 and 3 do not have internal GPS. They link to your phone for GPS data. They both have an accelerometer that counts steps. Distance is estimated based on # of steps and your sex and height. Like any pedometer It is going to be a rough estimate at best unless you calibrate it and even then it is going to vary over rough terrain.

Best way to get an accurate count is a mapping app on your phone that will measure distance via GPS.
 
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My normal stride is 99-100 steps per 100 yards.

I don't trust what my Fitbit says one bit. I generally do walk a lot. But I know driving posts in the ground most of the day it is counting every wack as a step or 3. Plus always on equipment it can't tell what I'm doing. I normally hit 10k steps by 10:30. I can't believe I'm walking 5 1/2 miles by then. That would be 18-25 most days by dark. I'm lazy. No way I'm walking that much.


But it's nice for the alerts. I can't feel a phone vibrate but I can a watch.
 
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I ran three gps units on the same course at the same time to test accuracy, a Garmin watch, Garmin VIRB camera, and my phone. Watch does well on track line but consistently measures slightly longer than my phone. But all three were pretty close, and good enough for me.
 

Carl

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Flat walking, my Garmin fenix 5x does a pretty accurate job, same with dirtbiking, snowmobiling, etc. Where it gets off, like said above is in steeper and slower terrain, like hunting. Last week, my onx on my phone said I was at 7.2 miles, while my watch said nearly ten. It was the same last year in AK. My watch said about 8, but my partners gps was around six.

Sent from my LM-G710VM using Tapatalk
 
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I have a Fitbit and sometimes I wonder if the number of miles it tells you that you have walked is correct. I have the Charge 2 HR. I have counted my steps a few times in the past and the step count is spot on. I don't know if it accurately converts those steps to miles though. Supposedly it has GPS in it to automatically determine your stride length and distance walked. Just curious what you all have noticed with Fitbits and GPS watches in general. I've noticed that the elevation gain count is pretty darn close just looking at starting and ending elevations on the map, but I haven't made it a point to thoroughly check it.

I sometimes feel like the total distance number it gives me is exaggerated. I guess I can see how the number would be slightly inflated due to inefficiencies in walking - if a trail is three miles long, you might be able to add 10 or 20% to that distance to account for zig zagging around blow downs, not walking in a perfectly straight line, and other things like talking to men about horses. Thoughts?

Random Questions:
What is a good step to mile conversion for walking in the mountains?

What is the most accurate watch out there / what would you recommend for a GPS watch?

Are GPS watches more accurate than Fitbits?

Thanks!

My daughter gave me a Fitbit for Christmas two years ago and I love it. Overall I find it to be very accurate with the distance traveled. When I have worn it and had my onX tracker on they have had virtually identical distance traveled. Where I find the watch suspect in accuracy is in the number of steps because when I wear it and look at the number of steps tracked by my health app on my iPhone they can have several thousand steps different. Which one is accurate I have no idea. I believe it accurately tracks my heart rate but not at my wrist only when I open the app on the phone because I could be putting in a big effort hiking a hill and the heart rate could show at my wrist in the low 90’s when I stop and look at the app at the same time it may show I am at 140. I really can’t help you with a GPS watch but am curious to hear the suggestions.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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