Critical Stroke Detection Flaws in Garmin Fenix 7X Solar Impacting Swim Metrics

Neel 8 months ago

I've been experiencing ongoing issues with my Garmin Fenix 7X Solar during swim sessions. Despite the watch being advertised to accurately detect swim strokes (as outlined in the product manual), it frequently misidentifies my strokes. For example, it often records freestyle as breastroke which throws off the accuracy of my swim data.

I'm confident in my freestyle, especially since both the Apple Watch and Amazfit detect it correctly. The issue seems isolated to Garmin.

Given that stroke detection is a core feature, this error impacts not just stroke count but also the reliability of other metrics, such as calorie burn and swim efficiency. Since these metrics are interconnected, any inaccuracies in stroke detection affect the entire dataset, making it hard to trust the results.

I've already tried all the troubleshooting steps, including reboots and switching hands, but the issue persists. Is anyone else facing this problem? Or is it just me? Should I consider claiming warranty at this point?

0 bw 8 months ago

Neel said:
Should I consider claiming warranty at this point?

Yes

0 Dr Phil 8 months ago

Neel said:
Should I consider claiming warranty at this point

By all means but I’d suggest you look at your swimming style first. If the watch is confusing freestyle with breastroke then there is more likely to be a problem there. Just because other watches missed the confusion doesn’t mean the fault lies with Garmin; it could well be the case that Garmin is right to be confused with your stroke mechanics. There have other posts about this, as a search would have revealed.

if you are really convinced there is nothing wrong with your swimming style and believe the problem is with the watch then do contact Garmin support.

0 Neel 5 months ago in reply to Dr Phil

Thank you for your response, but I am confident the issue lies with the Garmin watch and not my swimming style. I use FORM goggles alongside the watch, and they provide accurate stroke recognition, which supports my statement. My swimming mechanics are consistent, and other devices have no trouble distinguishing between freestyle and breaststroke.

I posted here to gather input from fellow swimmers who use Garmin devices regularly and might have faced similar issues. Garmin support isn’t very accessible in my region; I’d have to courier my watch to another state, wait for them to examine it, and then have it sent back. Since I rely heavily on my watch for training, I want to avoid this hassle unless absolutely necessary.

If anyone else has experienced this problem or has suggestions, I’d greatly appreciate hearing from you!

0 NyreeD 4 months ago in reply to Neel

Yep, I get random lengths of *** stroke too an starting to get annoyed now. We wonder if it is a pace thing rather than movement it is tracking, but the accelerometer shouldd be able to tell the difference between front crawl and *** stroke surely!