Outdoor Recreation Archive

fēnix 5 Series Step length adjustment

Step length adjustment

Former Member over 6 years ago

Hi,
I noticed, that activities without GPS ("InWalk" or original Garmin app "Indoor Track") count steps correctly, but calculated/visible distance is MUCH too short.
I found that fenix 5S is calibrating step length related to done GPS walks.
As we are no "Power Walker" (only walking just for fun), I think my automatically adjusted step length is very small in the moment...

Often, I want to measure a special distance - and of couse the calculated length is not correct - only about half of estimated length.

Some minutes ago, I've modified the personal setting for step length in Android App Garmin Connect to 75cm, synced - and measured my way again. But unfortunately the distance is still not correct.
Programmer of activity app "InWalk" says, there is no setting inside his app, as it carries over data directly from 5S firmware. There are no settings in app for modification.

How (where) can I adjust the personal step length directly in 5S watch options? (Probably the modification in Android App was not set correctly into 5S)

0 Former Member over 6 years ago

I think I'm going crazy because of the step length!

As previously written, I've set a personal step length of 0,70m in Android Garmin Connect App. (in the moment both: walking and running) and synced the watch.
(I still don't know, how to set in device directly.)

1. I made a walk - it's about 300m I think...
2. fenix 5S counted 367 steps (This is nearly correct)
-> normally there should be shown a calculated distance: 367 steps * 0,7m = 256,0m
3. fenix 5s shows: 0.09km!!! --> Thats absolutely stupid and it's NOT POSSIBLE!

Can someone explain, what is wrong???

0 Former Member over 6 years ago

Now, I've seen, that normal distances for 24h steps (without activity) are calculated correctly with personal set step length of Garmin Connect!
I set 0,7m in GC - and now distance in GC for normal Steps are really shown as "=Steps*0,7".

Only the distance for indoor-Walks without GPS still is wrong!
BTW: Steps for activities are cumulated in total normal 24h steps - and calculation is OK.
That's why I think, it's a bug in Garmin firmware, isn't it?

The additional problem is: I can't see the steps of any activity in Android App.
That's why, for indoor activities I always have only wrong distances and not even the possibility for manual calculation, as I don't know the quantity.
Does someone know, where I can find or add the steps for single activities?

0 Former Member over 6 years ago

Miaz Have you tried this?

https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=ky5UNByyYh9iXay7mvbnt9&productID=564291&searchQuery=custom%20stride%20length&tab=topics

0 Former Member over 6 years ago

TMK17 : Yes - I've done.
But as explained above, this has only effect to 24h total steps. This distance is calculated correctly with my personal set step length 0,70m.

But in case of doing an activity WITHOUT GPS:
1. The quantity of activity steps in added to total 24h - and calculated correctly wit *0,70m
2. But the distance INSIDE the activity in Android App and in the watch is calculated with another step length - and it's much too small.

Remarks:
Sometimes (during "normal" walking) this should bei OK. But in case I wand to measure a distance by walking with my standard steps, it's NOT OK. The distance is much too small.
So, I think, there should be 2 data fields for step length
a) automatically calculated from GPS walks
b) personally set 0,70m
Does this exist somewhere (Probably special data field)?

BTW: Showing done steps inside activity is solved now: Data Field: "Steps to FIT" is showing steps during walking - and is saving steps in GC :)

0 Former Member over 6 years ago

Problem is solved with Data Field "AppBuilder 5".
Today, programmer has added the activity steps in his app for evaluation - and now it's possible to calculate a distance by formula [steps * StepLength]

0 Former Member over 5 years ago in reply to Former Member

Hi Miaz.

Could you tell me how did you solve that problem. I've just got my Fenix 5 few days ago and the incorrect distance during any type of activity with a GPS turned off is just driving me creazy. I think the problem lies in the watch itself and its software because it takes in to consideration not only step lenght and amout of steps like the Android app does but also tracks cadence and steps ratio so the faster you walk the longer steps you should make. My step lenght is around 68cm and when i walk fast it calculates the distance correctly but when I walk slowly my watch for some reason calculates the distance based on 50-52 cm step lenght which is a complete nonsense. On every 1000m the watch is showing approx 200m less.

0 Former Member over 5 years ago in reply to Former Member

Hi,

BTW: Do you need conversation in English, or is it possible in German?

Have you already installed Data Field AppBuilder5 by FlowState (my version is 5.23)? (see here)

At first, you have to go into the settings of AppBuilder 5.

Profile 1 (Running) - Formula for calculating correct steps for your step length 68cm in settings of AppBuilder5 is:

norecord() ; recordsummary(steps*0,68/1000)

DisplayFormat "Auto(decimal or numer" is OK.

After this, you have to create a new activity or copy an existing activity without GPS (Rename e.g. Go-NoGPS_68) and specify the personal data field AppBuilder5. That's all.

BTW: The fenix is calculating the steps from your walks done with GPS. This means, after a while walking with same stile, also the distance without GPS is rather good. But the problem is, in case you have different stiles with GPS. During hiking with my wife, also for me steplength 68cm gives good results. But in case, I'm walking alone, or I want to measure a distance without GPS, for me steplength 78,5 cm is better. Thats why, I have 2 different activities. For this reason, you can find different "AppBuilder5" version from FlowState (A, B,...). It's always the same app, but you can install more often for different formulas.