Combining heat rate data

The heart rate strap data is more accurate than the wrist based monitor, and should be used in preference if it finds data from both devices.

That is already the case for timed activities (runs, rides, etc.) with respect to that idea.

Is there any chance of Garmin Connect being enhanced for this combining of heart rate data from more than one device?

I suspect there's a fundamental premise that Garmin will only track all-day heart rate with built-in (optical) HR sensors on its activity tracking wearable devices, so even if the TrueUp feature extends (or is extended) to heart rate data in addition to steps, it'll still be a case of combining non-overlapping data from, say, a fēnix‑3‑HR and a vívosmart‑HR.

Edit: I'd be happy to be proven wrong, though, if someone with a vívoactive‑HR or FR235/735XT tells me HR data from a chest strap captured during a timed activity is also used in the all-day HR data the device reports to Garmin Connect. Alas, I can't test it for myself since I no longer have a FR235 to use as an activity tracker.

You can try this. On the VAHR sync it to the strap. And under sensors turn the optical HR off.

And keep it in a pocket as you ski.

You can try this for an hour and then donwload it to see if the HR shows on the daily HR.

I just tried it.

With the strap the VAHR does not record in the daily HR.

BUT if you start an time activity it is recorded. At the end after you stop the activity you can immediately delete it, but it still keeps the daily HR.

Maybe I'll just hope then ...

I have the Vivosmart HR+, and as far as I know I can't set that to connect to a chest HR strap.

I would have thought that since Garmin Connect seems to detect duplicate activities it might extend this to the HR monitoring. If I cycle with the Vivosmart on, it detects a bike ride automatically (mostly) but then if I have been using the Edge 820 it seems to forget the automatically sensed ride if deference to the Edge recording. The same could readily be extended to the HR monitoring, and if there was an overlap, then precedence should be given to the most likely more accurate readings - which I guess would be the chest strap one.

So I will hope, but not hold my breath, that Garmin might do this.

I do think that Garmin Connect is really pretty great, but I would love it to keep on improving. For example, if I record my snowboarding on my Edge 820, and then change the activity type to 'snowboarding' wouldn't it be wonderful if Garmin Connect did some snow sports analysis, rather than just presenting the data rather dumbly. It could then separate out sections when I was riding as opposed to sitting on the lift, and not give me credit for all those calories going up the mountain! This is the sort of thing that can delight consumers and buy an awful lot of market love - and probable sales.

Thanks for the helpful replies too.

FENIX solved the problem

I had the same problem when I had my vivo smart and edge. I wanted to track all day HR but get in the details of my bike rides, occasionaly snowboarding and hiking.

I solved the issue with getting the FENIX3HR. Best watch I've ever had. I don't even think I'll upgrade to the 5.

Basically the FENIX3HR becomes the activity tracker. It works perfect for snowboarding and hiking. And when I cycle I mount it to the handle bar with the watch mount. Yes the screen is not as big as the edge, but really only use it for HR training and checking times, never as a navigational tool while riding.

I bought my vivo and edge at REI so simply returned them with ease

… wouldn't it be wonderful if Garmin Connect did some snow sports analysis, rather than just presenting the data rather dumbly.

Do keep in mind that Garmin's core business is in selling devices, so it would certainly seem more commercially sound to embed various desirable analytical capabilities in the different models, so that the only way on offer (from Garmin itself at least) for a customer to gain access is to buy the ‘right’ model(s) – whether that means having a separate watch for running and a console for cycling (possibly with some overlap of functionality, which one may argue results in a higher total cost of ownership than would otherwise be strictly necessary to get all the features), or a super-duper wearable device that does everything the customer wants and more (which one may argue results in a higher total cost of ownership than would otherwise be strictly necessary to get only the features that matter).

The Garmin Connect service is nominally free of charge to use, with no ongoing subscription fees payable, so it wouldn't make sense to let users (especially those with more ‘limited’ models of hardware) gain access to significantly greater data processing/analytical capabilities than they have paid for in one-off device purchase prices. ‘Dumbly’ reporting data captured and submitted by individual end-user devices, in half a dozen different ways (so as to cover the information gaps inherent in each one as a stand-alone) instead of offering a single, ‘intelligent’ and highly-customisable analysis and reporting engine, is exactly the strategy I'd say an observer would reasonable expect Garmin to pursue.