New Garmin smartwatch - Vivoactive HR

Inferno

My one was rubbish at step counting with a stationary or near to stationary arm, I've tried carrying shopping in it and it simply did not accumilate nicely, it's dead simple if your arm is doing a pendulum movement it will count, if it's hardly moving or pushing a buggy the firmware thinks it's false movement and dosen't count it as your arm is not moving enough, ergo your arm that was carring the shopping had to be also swinging or it wouldn't count it.

Just ftr my Fenix 3 when in Walk mode does add the steps to the master daily step count although the Walk mode dosent give you a step count in that Walk app, madness!!!

It also doesn't give a step count when in Run mode but again adds the steps you take to the master daily total count, it will however give you cadence, and stride length will be shown also.

That Gearmin watch face is way too busy for my liking.

Gazaman

Interesting. Mine doesn't act anything like that. For example...
If I hold my arm up so I can see the watchface and walk whilst keeping my arm still, it keeps accumulating the steps! Just like when I tried it with a shopping bag?
I'm not 100% sure how the technology works but if you simulate walking but by moving your arms only in a pendulum movement like you suggested, it doesn't count anything, which is what you'd expect.

The Gearmin face takes some getting used to but once you've had it for a while and customised it to your liking, its pretty decent.I have the graph showing steps over the last week so I can see how my step count compares to the last week without having to change screens.

Inferno

Mine definitely does not count steps if i keep the arm wearing the device stationary even when simulating walking, unless my arm is swinging.

How about the one you had KyleS1?

NoFrills is the best Digital watch face but I tend most of the time to have the Generic Analog one as it looks best to me.

KyleS1

I'm trying to send mine back but at the moment, they aren't playing ball.
Mine wont track carrying children or pushing a buggy or trolley. Thoroughly annoying and totally not fit for purpose.
I am just using the standard analog watch face.

Gazaman

Strange. If I get chance tomorrow I'll record my watch counting steps whilst walking to show you what I mean.
Not sure if its relevant but have you done the initial calibration walk?

Inferno

I did the initial calibration walk 4 times, I had 2 of them watchey things and i reset both just to see if it would solve the problem, it didn't , I even went as far as purchasing a foot pod but that wasn't counting all the steps either so that got returned too.

I like I said had 2 of them and I got a full refund on the both of them, where did you get yours from?

KyleS1

I've done several calibration walks too.
I bought mine from Cotswolds Outdoors.

Jazz Monkey Jr

Mine records steps no problem [emoji4]
I'm not sure if the floors are as accurate though, seem to be less that I have done.

Gazaman

Mine's also from Cotswold outdoors. I've just been walking up and down my works factory and kept my arm upright and as static as possible and again it counter steps perfectly ( /- 2 steps). One thing I did notice though and is worth mentioning is that sometimes it isn't real time and takes a good 5 secs or so to catch up. The steps counted are still correct though.
I'll record this if you like but will have to do it later when there are less folk about

Inferno

One was from Amazon and one was from Very , with Amazon I actually got more back than I payed as thay gave me a postage allowence that was more than I payed to return, bonus!.

My Fenix 3 HR is from Cotswold only coz I hade a code that took it under £400 so was cheaper than anywhere else.

Not a chance mine definitely did not do that, I would like to know how yours does?

If mine had done that then I would still have it, and I would bet KyleS1 would still want to keep his, it simply did not record steps if I was pushing my kid's buggy or a shopping trolley.