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HR monitoring accuracy - unacceptable

Hi everyone

Despite the numerous reviews citing reasonable HR monitoring performance on the Vivosport, I have been unable to get accurate measurements with the device when exercising.

The device showed a maximum heart rate of 132 bpm using passive monitoring during a 2km erg sprint test completed in 6 minutes 42 seconds. For those unfamiliar with the erg machine, this is a maximum effort sprint test which should push you close to your maximum heart rate. I am 26 years old in good health - unfortunately 132 bpm is not even remotely accurate.

I subsequently tested the device using the indoor 'cardio activity' mode during a 1 hour steady state erg (rate 20, 2:02/500m avg split) as I read that the device may struggle to pick up rapid increases in HR. This exercise was completed at 100% effort and again left me at the limits of my physical capability. The device recorded a maximum heart rate of 114 bpm and average of 87 bpm. Immediately post activity, the device displayed a heart rate of around 50 bpm during my warm down when I was still struggling to catch my breath - 11 bpm lower than my supposed average resting heart rate recorded by the device.

I would be very interested to hear whether anyone has managed to get decent readings from their Vivosport, and whether they had to change anything to do so?

The fact that it could not pick up a realistic heart rate over a 1 hour period is incredibly disappointing. At present, the performance is so bad that I feel the device is either faulty or simply does not work as advertised. For anyone considering purchasing the Vivosport for its HR monitoring capabilities, I would advise against until something improves.

Cheers

A
  • I have purchased the vivosport and have similar problems. As an example I was on crosstrainer for 30 minutes and over the whole time my BPM on the vivosport never exceeded 100, while the BPM on the crosstrainer was something between 145 and 170. As soon as I finished and concluded the recordered activity my BPM on the vivosport increased to 120.

    Does the "recorded activites"-function decrease BPM values?

  • I can agree with all the comments above. Points of contention with Garmin:

    Local service in Johannesburg without interest and merely point to the standard warning  about how awfully bad their optical HR readers are.

    At no point is it indicated that there is no Indoor Cycling Activity mode.

    The "lock on" experience oft cited above has no regular pattern. Hence one has to enter a trial and error pre-exercise warm-up.

    I suspect that the HR monitoring is subject to an override  i.e. the GPS function needs to be ectivated or the swinging arm when walking before the monitor  "seee's" the pulse.

    But overll, as evidenced above, the Vivosport is an incomplete fitness tracker - Garmin will you choose to fix it?

  • Had mine about 2 months. From previous experience with a TomTom running watch I had to use a chest strap to get accuracy. I therefore know that the Vivosport is accurate. I would say that the device will need to be sitting comfortably on the wrist and be reasonably tight, but not uncomfortable. If light enters the underside this will prevent a good reading.

    My problem is the intensity minutes. Whilst the HR within the zones is correct it puts an inflated incorrect total in on My Day.

  • Same here. Have mine since July. The hr measurements while weight training are way off. On an average shows 90-100, while my hr during the training session is on an average 120 - 130. I have contacted garmin repeatedly.  Their replies  as I have told them can be characterised at best not sincere.  I have made a formal complaint mentioning that they should state that the hr monitor cannot be used in weight training. No sincere reply again. I could not imagine that a company with Garmin's brand image and exposure,  would show such an unprofessional face.

  • Just started using mine & it's absolutely rubbish!!!

  • Just started using mine & it's absolutely rubbish!!!

  • +1 here: My vivosport seems reasonably accurate when running on gps mode (~155bpm average over 6 miles), however the HR capability on any 'other' sport, cardio workouts or strength training is consistently 50-60bpm lower than i would expect, and when compared with in-built machine HR monitors, or just beat counting, it's clearly well out...

  • I am experiencing this problem with my vivosport as well, 2 years after this was first reported! It is very intermittent. Seems the activity that is the most inaccurate is the "other" category, which I use for general strength training and group classes. I have compared with Polar HRMs that use the chest strap, which record my accurate HR. I don't have a furry wrist so shaving it will not solve the problem. :) Is there a solution to this? It is quite annoying. 

  • I've thrown mine away as it's dangerous ..showing my heart rate as 62 bpm when it's actually 152 ...that's way above my max for my age ..I'm surprised no one has sued them .

  • Arrgh. I biked 2 hours on an indoor bike with pulse around 150-160. Iused Vivosport, bike's own HR meter and calculated heart beats with hand on my chest. Vivo gave me pulse between 90 and 150. Mostly below 100. Garbage.