Pool Swimming lap counting: PLEASE make it better!

Pool Swimming lap counting: PLEASE make it better!

I've happily owned an Instinct (1) Solar for almost 4 years. But the over-reporting of laps on pool swims always bothered me. It happens under specific circumstances. In my case, if the swimming pool is crowded and I unfortunately have to slow down, it ends up counting double (or triple) laps. Every firmware update would give me hopes this became better, but it never really did.

Now I bought an Instinct 3 Solar, and had high hopes this would be better, just to figure out it's just as bad... I understand the tips (have a clear push from the wall etc [1]), but there is no excuse to not make this algorithm better! Instead of relying ONLY on the acceleration sensor, it should cross check with:

  1. Time
  2. Number of strokes
  3. Avg direction my hand is pointing when it enters the water (compass stuff, NOT GPS)

For example, if I on average complete 50m (a length) in ~50 seconds with ~ 25 strokes, HOW ON EARTH can I complete 2 or 3 lenghts with similar time or # of strokes? Or how can I have started a new length (turned around) if I'm still pointing toward the same direction?

Developers, please make it better. There's so much complaint on the internet about the bad lap counting. The above proposal can make it much more accurate!

Thanks in advance.

[1] support.garmin.com/.../

  • Dear Garmin Team, please remove the 14-meter minimum pool length limit!

    Explanation: I have a 10-meter pool. I’m forced to swim with the 14-meter setting — this is discrimination!

    Laps are counted perfectly, but at the end of each workout, the total distance is calculated based on the 14-meter setting, so I have to manually correct it every time using a calculator. The watch was supposed to make life easier, not force me to use extra tools! This is a major disappointment.