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Is the step counter too sensitive?

kingdave82
over 9 years ago
I'm not overly fussed about by step count for the day - I'm a runner so know I get plenty of exercise, but the step counter is something of a "nice to know" on the days when I might not be out on the roads, but does it actually work?

I know that none of these step counters are 100% accurate, but for my watch to go from approx 1000 steps for the day to 8000 in the space of 2 hours when all I was doing was driving seems way off the mark!

It looks as though mine is counting any micro movement as a step rather than the type of movement done. I would've thought a step would have a certain type of swing to it that the watch could register, not just the changes on my gear stick (which I didn't do 7000 times!) or the vibrations of the car as it moved.

I've also noticed that when wearing in bed to track sleep, when I wake up and before I've even got out of bed it has often already registered 500 steps. Now, my partner sleeps like a feather and would know if I had been sleep walking, so this doesn't seem to be the issue here either.

Is anyone else having similar experiences?
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    I am new to Garmin (upgraded from Fitbit Charge HR) and in the two days I've had the FR235, I've been getting very high step readings. When I woke up this morning, it said I had 111 steps already. When I got out of bed and took the ~10 steps to the bathroom, it said I had 334 steps (cum). When I took 20 steps to the living room, I then had 792 steps (cum). Spoke with Tech Support and was told that I must've been doing a lot of moving while I slept, and surely I HAD to have been doing more arm movements than I realized to log the "steps." I was then told that's just how the watch counts steps and the Forerunner series is really built for runners and most runners care very little about their steps and much more about the additional statistical features of the watch.
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    Mine seems to just the opposite. My Fitbit HR is registering way more steps in certain scenarios. Normal walking it is fine. Last night I walked for 30 minutes and wore the 235 a fitbit HR and also a pedometer. They were all within 5% of each other.

    Walking around the house and doing some chores in the kitchen was different. The Fitbit seemed to be registering every movement of my arm. While the 235 only seemed to register about 60% of the actual steps that I manually counted. I'm not sure why. Maybe because the steps were small and there wasn't enough movement to register? Note the night before I had update both GC and Fitbit app my walking stride length that had been registered buy the 235 previously.

    I have no idea how this affects calories burnt etc. Not sure if the 235 uses steps, HR or a combination of the two for the 24*7 monitoring side of things.
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    All devices from all vendors seem to have a problem where the step count can increase while driving (I don't see it, but it could have to do with the roads I drive, etc). It's all about what the device it self sees while on your arm.

    As far as the "just walking around" differences, Garmin devices have an "at least 10 steps" count to avoid false steps from just arm movements or other things that might count. What happens is no steps are counted until you do at least 10 steps, and then you are given credit for the first 10. So if you do 5 steps and then stop, they won't be counted by Garmin, but will by other vendors. If you do 10+, you get credit for all of them.
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    All devices from all vendors seem to have a problem where the step count can increase while driving (I don't see it, but it could have to do with the roads I drive, etc). It's all about what the device it self sees while on your arm.

    As far as the "just walking around" differences, Garmin devices have an "at least 10 steps" count to avoid false steps from just arm movements or other things that might count. What happens is no steps are counted until you do at least 10 steps, and then you are given credit for the first 10. So if you do 5 steps and then stop, they won't be counted by Garmin, but will by other vendors. If you do 10+, you get credit for all of them.


    Thanks Jim, that explains a lot!

    Out of interest does you know how the 235 calculates calories burnt in 24*7 mode? Is it steps, HR or both?

    Compared to my Fitbit HR, calories burnt is way down compared to the Fitbit... I need to do some investigation to find out why.
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    Thanks Jim, that explains a lot!

    Out of interest does you know how the 235 calculates calories burnt in 24*7 mode? Is it steps, HR or both?

    Compared to my Fitbit HR, calories burnt is way down compared to the Fitbit... I need to do some investigation to find out why.


    Don't know about 24/7 HR and the 235 (I have a vivoactive, FR15, vivifit and 230), but your daily cals show those burned due your BMR, those burned for "walking around" (maybe with speed taken into account), and those from timed activities (like running).

    I would trust the Garmin numbers, especially if you include HR, as the 230/235 use the licenced "Firstbeat" stuff for analysis (go to settings>system>about, and you'll see the Firstbeat notice on the 3rd page). From the Firstbeat site, in the Garmin section, for the 230/235:

    http://www.firstbeat.com/consumer-products/garmin/

    Heart rate-based calorie computation: Accurate and personal calorie consumption calculated based on runner’s heart rate and VO2max.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 9 years ago
    It most likely is either the vehicle you're driving, the road conditions, or possibly a combo of the two. I drive a Dodge Ram 1500 for personal use and have no issues with the steps. When I'm in my work truck, a Ford F450 tower truck; forget it. My Garmin isn't affected as much as my Fitbit Charge HR was. It wasn't uncommon to drive 2 miles to a worksite and register 8000 steps. I read on another site about a fireman who uses the VSHR and has the same problem. I can explain why you'd have 500 steps once you woke up. That's got me puzzled.
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    when waking up I have usually 30-100 steps on the counter. I can live with that.


    For xmas I had a 4h (400km) highway drive to my family, it recorded about 700-1000 steps for that. I drive an old Volvo V70 which is quite "soft" in suspension though a have a bit of vibration in my steering wheel. I think it's still ok for me.

    Probably all stepcounting watches tend to count a bit more. It's recommended to wear the watch on the non dominat hand as well.

    So far I've been ok with the step count.
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    As folks use step tracking more, you'll see oddities on all devices - not only "bonus steps" (driving, and even brushing your teeth with the arm where the watch is!), but you may also see losing steps.

    Couple of common ones for "losing" is walking a dog while holding the leach with the arm with your watch, or walking through a store pushing a shopping cart. It's because your arm really isn't moving the "needed way", though you're walking.

    And using a gas push lawnmower is kind of a free-for-all on steps! :)
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    I have an Apple Watch that always credited me with exercise when riding a motorcycle. Garmin is definitely not the only one with faulty readings.
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    As folks use step tracking more, you'll see oddities on all devices - not only "bonus steps" (driving, and even brushing your teeth with the arm where the watch is!), but you may also see losing steps.

    Couple of common ones for "losing" is walking a dog while holding the leach with the arm with your watch, or walking through a store pushing a shopping cart. It's because your arm really isn't moving the "needed way", though you're walking.

    And using a gas push lawnmower is kind of a free-for-all on steps! :)


    Actually I thought step counds would mainly be based on the natural arm swing you have when walking. So what happens when I hold up my left arm (with watch) looking at it, and holding it quite steady? It still DOES count the steps. I guess this kind of "bump" acellerometer shifts is what happens during a car ride.

    I was also wandering what will happen when I go and ride my old 1 cylinder DR650 enduro... it has quite some vibrations to it :)