Garmin - vivosmart HR+ Activity Tracker + Heart Rate ( Regular ) - Black

Just read my chat with the customer support and judge for youselves SUPPORT CENTER CHAT Lula has entered the session. Bar Maley: https://forums.garmin.com/showthread...123#post924123 Lula: Hi Bar, we are testing out a new chat program and appreciate your participation, patience and feedback. Bar Maley: GPS auto pause and auto resumed every few meters in the open rural area... Lula: are you still moving when it pauses or have you stopped moving Bar Maley: I am keep moving. Lula: how often do you sync your device Bar Maley: I used my device twice on the same rout and it shows the correct map but quite a different distance. Bar Maley: The difference in hundreds of meters on 4 km trip. My phone GPS tracker is different by less than hundred meters at the same time. Lula: how often do you sync your device Bar Maley: several(8 -12) times per day Lula: what is the software version on your device Bar Maley: 2.80 Lula: let me check something Lula: do you get a message stating gps has stopped? Bar Maley: As soon as I let the timer go I am going too. Then I am sensing the vibration and reading the message Auto Resumed. It happens every few steps, so I have to ignore it and keep my workout. Lula: give me a second, it sounds like auto pause is on *************************** Auto pause is available only for run ************************** Bar Maley: it is Bar Maley: I may need to stop and don't want this to impact my time results. Bar Maley: Yet this doesn't explain the big distance difference on the same workout. Lula: you said you start the timer and start the activity, do you wait until it says it has acquired satellite Bar Maley: I sure do Lula: you select walk or run, outdoor, wait until it acquires gps and then start the timer Bar Maley: correct I also start my phone tracker at the same time Lula: do you have on long sleeves Bar Maley: yes, it is cold enough out here and my phone is inside my pocket too. Lula: do you have multiple layers over the watch Bar Maley: As I mentioned before the map of my trip is correct. No just a sport jacket. Lula: because when the device is under a jacket or sleeves it can cause GPS interference Bar Maley: So your product is for Africa only? it doesn't make any sense Lula: no, but the GPS is in the band and if it is covered it will not get a good signal Bar Maley: The next issue will be that i am moving my hand... The GPS signal is strong, it shouldn't get lost because of sleeve. I am sure that tomorrow when I will try to open my hand the result will be the same. Working for over 30 years as a firmware engineer, having experience with GPS modules I'm pretty sure that the issue is somewhere else... Somehow we need to get the raw date from the device and that will show what actually the device GPS is seeing. Garmin connect doesn't give me such option Lula: so you're saying your GPS signal is strong, but you constantly lose signal Bar Maley: correct I have all bars on the signal strength indicator so something is causing the instant signal loss and quick recovery Lula: did you turn auto pause off Bar Maley: not yet. I did tell you why did I set it on Lula: no, you did not but if you have auto pause on it is going to pause and resume Bar Maley: I did! Bar Maley: I may need to stop and don't want this to impact my time results. Isn't it suppose to pause whenever I am not moving? Bar Maley: Are you still here? Lula: yes, had to answer another chat Bar Maley: Sorry for you... Lula: do you have the same issue when you trun auto pause off Bar Maley: I did not try yet. I need this feature to exclude the time when I have to stop and wait. Lula: I need you to turn auto pause off, that is the only way we will know if the issue is with the auto pause feature or the GPS Bar Maley: Not really. You're have to serve too many chats simultaneously and loosing my words. This makes me fill unhappy with the product and Garmin as a company. This is a firmware issue. Lula: I'm not losing your words....at the beginning of the chat i said it sounds like an issue with auto pause Bar Maley: 1. I need to have moving time. 2. That requires auto pause 3. Auto pause causing GPS to stop even when I am moving 4. As a result I can not get accurate enough data #3 happens every few seconds Lula: what you are describing is how the auto pause feature functions, that is why I am asking you to turn it off. If you turn it off and it doesn't do it, then we know the auto pause feature is not working properly. If you turn it off and the device continues to pause and resume then that would be the GPS Bar Maley: Agree. Now I will be a tester for Garmin to debug your device. Don't you have QC for that? I bet that somebody is getting paid for that. Lula: you have the option to troubleshoot or not, that is totally up to you

I purchased my Garmin back in September because I wanted a device with GPS so I could better track my runs. I LOVED the product at the beginning. The device synced smoothly and I loved how I could see my runs on google maps; as a frequent runner it was great to see my previous run route so I could switch it up. The ability to see the average pace of each of my miles with my heart rate, and etc. was my favorite feature. The device was a perfect fit. This was all until is started "glitching." What do I mean? - The back light would stop working and I would have to turn my device on and off multiple times in the day to get the light to work again. - Half the times that I try to sync my device with the app on my phone it syncs half way and stops and says "can't find device" even though it is showing the green light up by the device icon on the app that says they are "connected." - The device would randomly stop working; I would try to swipe from screen to screen and it would be frozen. It would not even allow for me to go to the "turn off" screen...I would have to hold down the button and shut it down that way. - The device would also stop tracking my steps and calories; I could swipe from screen to screen but I would have walked at least 1,000 steps and it did not track those or the miles and calories. - Also, disappointing, the rubber on my device is rubbing off. Five Months and it's rubbing off. As it has gotten warmer outside, I live in PA, I have wanted to start running outside. I hit the run on the activity section, clicked on the GPS, and waited for it to find the GPS....and waited....and waited...around 20 minutes later it finally found the GPS. I started my run and half way through my run the device died because it took so long for it to find the GPS in the beginning that it killed the battery. I thought maybe this was just a "glitch" because I had not used the GPS in a while. So I went out the next day for a run and it did the same thing...and the next day.. and the next day.. and so on and so forth. I thought maybe it was a software issue and checked to make sure everything was up to date and it was. So for only having the device for five months and having these continued issues I decided to contact Garmin through their support. That was a big waste of time. Not only was customer service rude but they were also unhelpful. They told me to connect to Garmin Express on my computer and follow the instructions. I synced my device, and just like I knew it was because I had previously checked, all of my software was up to date. When I told the Live Chat Garmin Support this she responded with a, "My records show you have never even synced because you have no username or login." Just so you are all aware...in order to sync your activities and information from your tracker you have to have a username and login with Garmin for the app on your mobile device or through the web. So I have had a login and had been doing updates and maintenance on my device for the past 5 months even though the Garmin Support tech accused me of not even having one. Imagine my frustration. I have gone as far as deleting all of my information off my Garmin device and starting all over again as if it were a fresh and new device. None of this has helped and I have contacted Garmin a handful of time about my issues and how nothing has resolved the problems I am having. It seems all Garmin Support wants to do is try to slap a band aide on the problem and call it a day. Well, I paid good money for this product and find it extremely disappointing and frustrating that nothing is being done to help me with the issues. If anyone has any solutions please let me know. I am done with Garmin.

I am a fitness enthusiast and well aware that I take my workouts, and the tracking of them more seriously than most people. However, with that being said, I did extensive research about which activity tracker would be most appropriate for me and my needs. I spent hours reading up on blogs and reviews in an attempt to find the best fit. I wanted an activity tracker with a heart rate monitor built in and this one seemed to be the best reviewed and most acclaimed. Now, it's also noteworthy to say that I am used to the precision of a Polar with a heart rate chest strap but unfortunately as of yet, nothing quite tops the good old-fashioned sweaty chest strap. Especially, if you want accuracy and precision, you're going to have to utilize a chest strap, and this Garmin Vivosmart HR+ utilizes your wrist to analyze your heart rate. This tracker does not have the capabilities to add in a chest strap as needed, which could have easily quelled all of my gripes, and improved precision. However, it's grossly inaccurate. I compared the Garmin Vivosmart HR+ to my Polar and it was way off, I mean way, way, way off. It took a long time for my heart rate to go up when running and just was not anywhere even near accurate. Since I take my workouts and their tracking so seriously, I found these inaccuracies more frustrating than helpful. I enjoy competing with myself and breaking my own records, so an infusion of erroneous data was more upsetting to me than anything else. I tried to trouble shoot this and take the steps to make it more acclimated to my body, but it still was way off. On a positive note, Garmin has a pretty amazing app for people, but if it is filled with inaccuracy, the data doesn't help much. I know most Garmin's are far pricier than this particulate model, but getting down the accuracy is key. I ended up returning this item because after about a month, the strap for the tracker, entirely broke off, and the straps are not replaceable, they may want to think about that with the design in the future. I was so frustrated with the tracker at that point, that I just swapped it in for a good old Polar heart rate monitor with a chest strap. I will say that it was neat to get notifications from my phone on to this tracker, and it was a great size and fit. I am a female with a small frame and small wrists, and It was still small enough to blend with my wardrobe while still having a readable screen. I am not convinced the step tracking technology was very accurate either, but the sleep data was pretty neat to see. Overall, if the heart rate monitor actually worked, it would have been well worth my while, but after trying this and other wrist heart rate monitors, I am now convinced the technology is just not yet there. Again, I am someone who wants and needs to know my target heart rates and zones that I am in, and very neurotic about it, but gross inaccuracies did nothing but infuriate me for a $200 tracker!!! Garmin, quick fixes would be improved precision of heart rate monitor by adding chest-strap capabilities, and making bands that can be swapped out, because when the band breaks, the whole product has to go back.

I had a Fitbit Charge HR for 6 months and during that time I went through 3 of them that stopped working/charging correctly. There is a reason why Fitbit sends you a new one at the drop of a hat. Decided to get this since I had a good Garmin Forerunner for years. I love this tracker. So nice not to have to take it off for a shower or playing in the pool with my kids. I've used about every function, including "find my phone" so I can find my phone in the seat cushions after the kids are done playing games on it! It even sends run tracking info to the Strava app so you can track your runs on a map! Garmin Connect app interacts with MyFitnessPal app also so you can log your calorie intake, weight, etc. It charges from empty to full in an hour or less. The only negative I can think of is that HR monitor isn't going to be as exact as a chest strap as others have said, but I'm not an Olympic elite athlete, so it's good enough for me because wearing that chest strap was a bit of a pain for simple run or bike trip. The notifications from the phone can be a bit annoying at first, but you can manage them between your phone/tracker to reduce the frequency. I don't see how anyone could be disappointed with this tracker. I bought a IQ Shield screen protector film for mine since I'm bad about banging my watch into things as I'm walking around so I can't speak to whether the screen is prone to chipping or scratches. I've had mine a little less than one month. If something goes wrong, I'll update my review.

These were not the first fitness trackers we've owned. We have had several Jawbone's, and I also own a Forerunner, which has been terrific. We thought since we loved all the features, the look, and the feel, and since they should be pretty easy to use, the VIVO HRs would be the perfect bands for us. However, my wife and I both have one and this constantly confuses the bluetooth. Only ONE device can be used on one account. When Garmin Support tried to help us set up the second device, it seemed to work fine, but in reality it was only reading the first device. They were able to fix this for a while, but it keeps reoccurring. This is especially frustrating since Garmin Support is ONLY open during banking hours and the average hold time can be up to an hour. My other issue is that it seems to be inaccurate. It is not uncommon for it to tell you to "MOVE!" while you are running, or that you have hit a 10,000 step goal after only being awake only 20 minutes. We still wear them but seldom pay attention to them because we don't trust them. If Garmin could have the support and the software interface that Jawbone has, I think they would be the best in the fitness tracker field. They should merge! Unfortunately, these two things combined add up to two very serious flaws and I regret wasting our money on them.

This is my first fitness tracker and I must say that in general, fitness trackers supplement very well with all lifestyles. I'm an engineering graduate student, and there are times when I'm very active, but other times when I am in the office all day. It's good to get the statistics for both times. I bought the Garmin Vivosmart Hr+ for its waterproof capabilities, "thin band" (I have small wrists), and GPS tracking. My biggest issue with the watch is that the heart rate monitor is not very accurate. When I'm in the shower for example, my heart rate will definitely less than 100, but it will record 130 bpm. On the flip side, when I run track workouts, the heart rate will stay at 150 when I know I'm somewhere near 185-190. I believe that somehow, the gear is coupled with surface skin temperature, which can lead to pretty inaccurate results. I really reap the benefits of having the bluetooth connection to my phone, and now I actually check my phone less because in a sense I'm always checking my phone (always wearing the watch). The sleep tracker is rather useful for knowing the quality of my sleep (deep vs. light sleep hours). I'm not sure how accurate the number is, but they correlate well with how sluggish or rested I feel.

I bought this as a Christmas gift to myself last year and have lost over 20lbs. I can't thank Garmin enough for this lifestyle change. I used to come home after work and watch tv, eat dinner and sleep. Now I'm motivated to workout to meet daily step count goals and win challenges! 1)Design/feel: cool and smooth- I keep it on almost all day due to the rubber wristband. 2)Charge: you hardly need to charge it- I charge it while I shower. 3)Activities: You'll be able to track just about everything you do at the gym, walks, cycling, swimming, running, etc and see how many calories you burnt, time per lap and so on- it even captures when you walk fast under moveIQ but it won't give you a calorie burn breakdown. 4)Move bar/move jolt: This gets me moving at work, allowing me to get off my chair and get some steps in. Love it! 5)Step Goal: The goal increases or decreases by a bit depending on previous day's outcome. I wake up everyday with the intention to meet my new step goal. 6)Garmin App/Community: The app has a ton of information for you to see your workouts, sleep, weight over periods and it compares your data with other users in your demographic. You can join groups and connect with people from around the world. Garmin also automatically enters you into a challenge with users in your own step activity level which is great to keep you engaged and active. 7)GPS: Very reliable. At first it may take a few minutes depending on area but next time you use it in the same area it is much faster. I've already logged activities all over the world- NYC, Pennsylvania and Dominican Republic.

I use it to track my workouts(walking, swimming, weightlifting, hiking) and using to see how much activity I do and when and where I could be doing more to improve my health. Also testing to see if better device is worthwhile in my future(will probably be getting fenix watch sometime). Realistically it can't be entirely accurate, but can give a reasonable amount of data to be helpful tool in improving your health. The product and accompanying app work well enough for my needs. -I track(not all readable from device), steps taken/distance, sleep, heart rate, calories burned, intensity minutes, distances, activities. -can be used with MyFitnessPal app to log calories. I have a couple gripes, but not that big of a deal. -Some settings can only be changed through the app -Floors counted doesn't work well, so I just remove the stat from showing on device. -You can't set all types of activities(only walk, run, other) to the device, you log it as "other" and then edit the activity using the app afterwards. -Can't change the band. -I don't use certain functions, like music controls or notifications for phone, but always asks for permissions when connects even though it doesn't need it. -sometimes gps takes a while to connect. Overall I enjoy it and what it does outweighs the minor negatives. Would recommend to those looking for an activity tracker as long as you have realistic expectations of what it can do.