Garmin Index S2 Smart Scale Review vs Original Index 1 & DEXA Scan

[@barkingspider2007]

The major benefit for my wife and I is that the scale puts the data into the Garmin Connect app. The act of tracking weight daily will help us trend to our target weights. I have found that any thing tracked tends to improve. (I hate a bad score card.) Thanks for the video. : )

[@fitgearhunter]

Sure thing - and me too. It just keeps all the info consolidated w all of my other data - big plus. Thanks!

[@CPowell133]

I have been using the Withings Body+ for awhile now. I think was replaced by their Body Smart. I had a dexa scan a year or so back and it was close compared to how my Withings was tracking. Downside was just having to plug in my details within my Garmin app.

[@fitgearhunter]

That's really helpful to know! Especially if it was close to a DEXA scan. Thank you so much for sharing

[@TCPULLEY]

I’m happy that you get consistent results from your Withings. That has not been my experience. I’ve had two Withings scales (the latest is the body+) and they are wildly inconsistent. I’ve even seen this happen across multiple weigh-ins on the same day. Muscle mass and BFP vary 5-9 lbs. Sometimes it’s consistent for days or even a week and and the then it changes

[@WariWahab]

The index s2, you can weigh in lots of times a day, for you to maybe track water loss, after exercise, etc. It will keep track of day to day averages between multiple weigh ins. So, you don't really have to just take it in the morning, at the same time, unless you do want a daily baseline. You can also delete a weigh-in if you felt guilty when you do so after a huge dinner 😅

[@fitgearhunter]

Those are great points! Thank you!

[@Fozzee.1970]

Do does version 1

[@tpmullooly]

Looking at this now that Qardio has gone Chapter 11. Thank you for this video.

[@ianhaigh9786]

I'm a tad confused by how you used and reviewed the manual entry of body composition. My understanding is that you do a manual input, the the scales use this as a baseline for your current snapshot, then going forward it will measure body fat more accurately with this baseline for you as an individual..... So to determine if the fat readings are accurate we would need to see trend data for a period of time after the manually set body fat percentage..... I may be wrong.

[@NedStone1]

I have the S1. The turns on but does show anything and does not connect to Bluetooth. Can this be fixed?

[@PureNRG2]

Beyond weight and BMI, I think most of these hi tech scales are just guesstimating body fat, skeletal mass and water. I have a Withings. And it’s measures of these latter elements vary considerably from day to day but within a somewhat credible range.

[@Jjengering]

Like you say they aren't very accurate but they do tend to recognise trends which can be useful.

[@PureNRG2]

@@Jjengering Yes. I figure I’m somewhere in a range +-standard error of measure for those measures. But, as you say, it’s really trends I look at.

[@Witcherworks]

Is the requirement Wi-Fi only? It can’t sync to Garmin connect via Bluetooth?

[@fitgearhunter]

Good question, and yes I believe so. It's interesting because the scale is supposed to have both Bluetooth and ANT+, but neither appeared to be a definitive option, but I didn't really look for it either.

[@benwintermute2804]

Have they updated the Body fat at all?

[@Dazdigo]

Stones are the Imperial form of mass. Lbs are the Imperial version of force that this commonly misused as a mass measurement.

[@fitgearhunter]

Ahhhhh - got it - thank you!

[@doloresumbitch6797]

Nah this is wrong. Stone and pounds are both mass just like kg are, rather than weight (the force). Weight would be measured in Newtons. A stone is 14 pounds. It's just another denomination, but it's more commonly used (particularly by older/old fashioned people) here in the uk vs in the USA.

[@fitgearhunter]

@@doloresumbitch6797 thanks for updating! That clarifies

[@JockyT1]

Not sure how correct I am here, but the S2 doesn't measure body fat%. I don't think other home scales do either. Garmin have some calculations and other metrics they use to determine your BF%. Garmin calcs are just way off. In order to bring it back on track, calibrate it so to speak, you need to input a BF% value determined from a more reliable measure (e.g. DEXA scan). The latest update lets you do this in Garmin Connect. I was considering returning mine but I really like the immediate wi-fi sync to Garmin Connect and on to other health apps - so convenient compared to bluetooth. Also, I'm interested in trending more than absolute values, although I reckon my values are reasonably accurate now.

[@fitgearhunter]

Yep! Wes just relayed the simple Calc just based on variables. I'm going to keep it since you can add the outside BF for future tracking, but it could be much better.

[@daryloya]

Silicon Valley Bank?

[@dr.eldontyrell-rosen926]

So we need to get a real DEXA to calibrate these scales before trusting them?

[@fitgearhunter]

Yes! And No - I think the bottom line is you can't really trust them for body fat calc. If you update w Dexa value then yes it will be within the range, but i think it show to be not accurately reliable source for tracking that particular aspect

[@youssefhamidi8152]

Does this scLe have an athelte mode? Perhaps thats y the bf was wildy innacurate.

[@fitgearhunter]

@@youssefhamidi8152 no athlete mode!

[@ivanl1154]

The s2 is nearly 4 years old. Garmin needs a new scale

[@Cyborgon]

Stones are how a lot of people measure body weight in the UK lol i only understand weight in stone lol 😂

[@fitgearhunter]

That is much cooler sound of measurement!

[@gowanlock]

16oz per lb. 14lb per stone. 140lb = 10 stone 150lb = 10st 10lb

[@WesJH]

Makes me scratch my head for a company like Garmin that prides themselves on accuracy, moreso on the GPS side of course. But knowingly puts out a product that has the basic algos as all other smart scales in terms of age + bio sex + weight + BIA bottom readings = BF. I know they have their own positioning patents for the device, as does the others. But it still yields incorrect results. Why even put out a scale in the first place? I'm sure the answer is moving SKUs/gaining rev, and integration into their ecosystem. Our search continues!

[@fitgearhunter]

Yes exactly. Not sure how the couldn't enhance some other way of accessing a more scientific approach to calculating BF. Def doesn't seem like they're using impedance at all. From all of your research do you know how they run the skeletal MM? I can't figure how they are calculating.

[@WesJH]

@@fitgearhunter general ratios with BIA feedback from some patents I've read. Big reason to go DEXA.

[@fitgearhunter]

@@WesJH yes absolutely. My DEXA was so helpful. And Zozo suit review coming out tomorrow! Wish I looked better in super tight clothing.

[@WesJH]

@@fitgearhunter haha humbling. Very humbling.

[@fitgearhunter]

@@WesJH lord - so humbling. Delaying due to whoop's strength training, which is not much to write home about.

[@Cenot4ph]

I have a cheap xiaomi. Fail to see why this is worth over 100 bucks more. It's way too expensive

[@TerminatriX86]

Ok so the scale is a mess if it cant measure bodyfat correctly 😅

[@thisguy2973]

No scale is very good at fat percentage calculation. The calipers are the best.

[@TerminatriX86]

@@thisguy2973 thank you

[@cactuscanine3531]

How can you take some serious when they are wearing an SVB shift? Lol

[@fitgearhunter]

Ha - it was an awesome joke shirt I found. It says "risk management team" beneath logo

[@janmasek699]

Index s2 is a joke. When you set your real age then it shows you the values you think that are right. Change your age from 40 to e.g. 20 and the values are totally different with the same body :)

[@fitgearhunter]

Interesting! I just like the trend lines, that's interesting to see the age shifts it all

[@channul4887]

It creates a vision of what you might like rather than an actual snapshot of your body stats? Sounds like it was designed by a woke up committee.

[@janmasek699]

@@channul4887 Garmin's algorythm concerning human age is very naive. BTW blind using BMI is also inaccurate.

[@ruiloureiro3167]

Agree. A 200usd scale that guesstimates body fat has to be a joke. Even if you consider it gets more accurate when you spend at least 100usd to calibrate it with a DEXA scan, continues to be a big joke. Garmin continues to get away with half assed products and we keep buying … mea culpa.

[@SamEfDee]

​​@@channul4887They probably use a baseline average person for each age group and then adjust up or down from there base on the scan. The reason it might change significantly from 20 to 40 is that bone density changes with age. So you're comparing yourself to a different baseline of bone density and it's adjusting yours from an incorrect baseline.