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Wrong step count when using hiking poles?

SebCologne
over 2 years ago

I've repeatedly made the observation that my step count is far off (meaning too low) when using hiking/trekking poles. The step count doesn't match the distance of the hike, and I compared it with the step count of a friend of mine, who has a different watch, and his step count was much higher. Also I get higher step count when not using poles. I assume due to the poles the watch doesn't detect the typical arm-swinging movement, but I guess this could be solved software-wise. Does anyone have observed a similar behavior, and do you know if this has been addressed by Garmin so far?  I'm not talking a few % difference, but rather > 30%. 

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to Martin868

    It is know that Garmin count steps with watches this way ... but why? I what to steps to be counted, not movement of my hand!  Phone can do that without hand movement, HRM-Pro can do that without hand movement, why  Garmin watch can not do that? Especially within the hiking profile there have to be some solution from Garmin... because lot people do hiking with poles. 

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to iGO
    iGO said:
    Phone can do that without hand movement, HRM-Pro can do that without hand movement, why  Garmin watch can not do that?

    Because the watch is on the hand, how else would it identify step data?

    Both phone and HRM-pro are using accelerometer data to detect up and down motion. The reason they can work is that neither of them are holding a pole.

    It would be very difficult to write an algorithm to dis-entangle the pole motion from steps.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to Ɛpsilon

    It is not about poles ... Also if you don't use poles you have to move your arms to properly count steps. Fenix has also accelerometer. 

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to iGO

    Strap the watch to your ankle and you're good to go.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to who knows

    What do you expect them to address ? This is  not an issue, simply that a sensor on your wrist has limitations tracking steps. Solution exist if that is an issue for you, get a footpod. 

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to iGO

    HRM and iPhone are not worn on the wrist, they are work on the chest/belt. They do not detect the same movements and are not subject to the same limitations. The issue is really having the sensor on the wrist, and it is easily solved by adding a sensor that is positioned elsewhere. There are many available. 

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to Martin868
    Martin868 said:
    Solution exist if that is an issue for you, get a footpod. 

    It's not a concern for me and what footpod counts steps since you keep recommending one? 

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    I use hiking poles off and on when I'm hiking but I think this is an issue with the hiking activity. I started noticing low step counts after version 19.20. Below is an email I sent to the Garmin beta team (never got a response). I did the same hike on 10/23 and 11/28. 

    After upgrading my Tactix Delta from 19.20 stable to 19.77 and 20.00 (beta), I've noticed the step count seems to be low when doing a hiking activity. This noticeable when comparing a non-activity day to a hiking day, please see my examples below:
    11/27 (20.00):
    No activity
    3.7 miles
    11,012 steps
    ~2967 steps per mile average 
    11/28(20.00):
    Hike activity
    10.4 miles
    19,567 steps
    ~1881 steps per mile average
    10/23 (19.20)
    Hike activity
    10.6 miles
    25,256 steps
    ~2382 steps per mile average
  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to Ɛpsilon

    My guess is I have to give up other data such as heart rate when it's on the ankle. I'm training for a 96-mile hike through the Highlands of Scotland. I can't imagine walking all that way with my watch around my ankle. Garmin needs to make an edit to the steps to match a recorded distance. 

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to 8346463
    8346463 said:
    Garmin needs to make an edit to the steps to match a recorded distance. 

    I don't understand why this is necessary.

    Since you know the distance accurately using GPS, why do you need to know exactly how many steps you took?  If you know what your average steps/mile count is when not using poles, couldn't you just do the math after the fact to determine the approximate number of steps?