I look at my step count while I am walking.I noticed it does not count steps instantly. It seems to do it in bunches. Is that the same for all 235 owners?
Garmin use a "10 or more" scheme to reject false steps (like arm movement while sitting at a desk)
Until it sees what it thinks is 10 steps, none will be counted, but as soon as you do 10, you get credit for the first 10. And this means if you take 9 steps, stop, and 9 more and stop, you won't get steps, and also why you see the numbers "jump" when you start out.
Just a warning on the Step Counter on the 235, it's not very good. Especially when compared to the step counter featured in the older Forerunner 15. The problem is the 235 uses a single axis step counter so you can "spoof" it by simply swinging your arm. In addition because it relies on arm swing ONLY you won't have steps counted if your arm movement is restricted. Put you hands in you pocket on a cold day and you can walk two miles or more with barely one single step being recorded.
In comparison the Forerunner 15 used a 3 axis step counter with some very sophisticated programming. As a result the 15 could accurately measure your steps if you have the watch in your shirt pocket, are using the heart rate contacts on a treadmill, or pushing a grocery cart. In addition you can swing your arm for two hours in an attempt to "spoof" the step counter and barely see 25 or 30 steps recorded.
Note, hopefully in time Garmin will realize they dropped the ball a bit with the step counter in the 235 and revive the design used in the 15 for whatever replaces the 235. Until then my response is to pay attention to not restricting the motion of the arm I wear my 235 on. I've also taken to wearing my older 15 on the other arm and spoof the 235 at the end of the day if needed. BTW the 235 and 15 match within 200 counts or so for 5000 steps on an Elliptical as long as I make sure I am using the handles.
So where did you get your single-axis in the 235 information from? I'd wager, it's completely wrong. All consumer accelerometers these days are 3-axis and it makes no sense when you have a working algorithm to change it to monitoring a single axis.
My bet is Garmin have tried to optimise to weed out false positives from cycling, driving etc so it's difference but not necessarily worse. Try taking a ride or a drive with both watches on the same wrist and see which is better. Oh by the way, then repeat the test with the watches swapped as to which is nearer the wrist as even that will make a difference.
I walk with my hands in my pockets a lot lately as the weather has turned pretty cold and it counts my steps just fine (I've confirmed this several times). I have found, however, that the steps DO NOT count very well when holding onto a shopping cart, or similarly, the HR handles on a treadmill.
I walk with my hands in my pockets a lot lately as the weather has turned pretty cold and it counts my steps just fine (I've confirmed this several times). I have found, however, that the steps DO NOT count very well when holding onto a shopping cart, or similarly, the HR handles on a treadmill.
Max
Yeah, I've noticed the same. I've had my 235 for almost a year, and shopping carts are this thing's Achilles heel. That said, I had the same issue with the Fitbit wrist trackers as well.
Thankfully, I don't work in a grocery store, so it's at most 1000 steps lost in a week. LOL
I walk with my hands in my pockets a lot lately as the weather has turned pretty cold and it counts my steps just fine (I've confirmed this several times). I have found, however, that the steps DO NOT count very well when holding onto a shopping cart, or similarly, the HR handles on a treadmill.
Max
Yup, this time of year I walk with my hands in my pockets pretty much every day and it counts fine. It can sense the vibration from a step just fine. But when you hold on to something like a shopping cart, stroller, bars on a treadmill, etc, the vibration can be missed and fewer steps, but that's typical of wrist based step trackers. (pushing a gas powered lawn mower can also really confuse it as it's overloaded by the virbations! :) )
Yeah, I've noticed the same. I've had my 235 for almost a year, and shopping carts are this thing's Achilles heel. That said, I had the same issue with the Fitbit wrist trackers as well.
Push lawnmowers too. My neighbors probably think I'm nuts, When I'm mowing the lawn, I'm pushing with one hand and swinging the other. :D
