Fenix 5 Plus HR very inconsistent

I've had my 5 Plus for a little over a week. I use it a lot as a HR strap in conjunction with my Edge 1030. The first week, the HR rates seemed consistent with what my strap had been reporting based on effort. The last 2 days, it's been all over the place, telling me my HR is 105 on an all out sprint. Even on a hill climb, I could not get it to read above 157 when I knew i was much higher.

When I got home, I threw on my HR strap and fed it into the Edge and left the Fenix broadcasting. I did about 5 mins of jumping jacks; enough to get my HR up. Strap read linear and based on effort; Fenix stayed about 30bpm below and not reactive.

I tried rebooting it; changing wrists, flipping it to my wrist. Nothing changed.

Do I have a bad unit or did the most recent update bork it?

0 bfinary over 7 years ago

The 5 was the same. Garmin's wrist HR is pretty ordinary at best. I wear a strap for accurate readings.

0 Dr Phil over 7 years ago

Garmin's wrist HR is pretty ordinary at best

Along with most other oHR devices.

0 bfinary over 7 years ago

Most yes. I find the Scosche Rhythm+ to be as accurate as the HRM-Run chest strap. I have no idea how or why as it seems to use the same method for reading as the Fenix. I used to wear the HRM-Run, but since getting a Stryd Footpod for power and running dynamics I wear the Scosche as I hate chest straps.

0 ChrisF7 over 7 years ago

My Vivoactive HR was more reliable. I wore it against the Fenix today. Much more stable by comparison.

I don't think it's the oHR tech since my regular strap, Wahoo Tickr FIT is as reliable as a chest worn strap.

0 bdub25 over 7 years ago

I've had my 5 Plus for a little over a week. I use it a lot as a HR strap in conjunction with my Edge 1030. The first week, the HR rates seemed consistent with what my strap had been reporting based on effort. The last 2 days, it's been all over the place, telling me my HR is 105 on an all out sprint. Even on a hill climb, I could not get it to read above 157 when I knew i was much higher.

When I got home, I threw on my HR strap and fed it into the Edge and left the Fenix broadcasting. I did about 5 mins of jumping jacks; enough to get my HR up. Strap read linear and based on effort; Fenix stayed about 30bpm below and not reactive.

I tried rebooting it; changing wrists, flipping it to my wrist. Nothing changed.

Do I have a bad unit or did the most recent update bork it?

I have found my 5+ titanium to be very very accurate. I have been testing this out for a week or so and its been more accurate than my 5.

0 Seren over 7 years ago

I have found my 5+ titanium to be very very accurate. I have been testing this out for a week or so and its been more accurate than my 5.

Most likely the weight ...can I ask ( it's not clear from the specs on the Garmin site) is the back plate titanium as well as bezel?

Thanks

0 ImDisaster over 7 years ago

I notice mine is less accurate if I don't strap it tight and if there is a lot of movement (related.) Today I tried strapping it to the underside of my wrist, where there is much less hair and it yielded more accurate readings during my bike ride.

0 soss3osp over 7 years ago

Indeed HR accuracy of my Fenix 5s Plus is pretty lousy too. Compared to my Ionic and the Polar Strap it is 10bpm ahead at a 10k run. This is horrible. And whenever you follow your HR while sitting on a chair you can see big variations (15%) within some seconds. The whole watch is one big mess. I paid 800 EUR for this lousy device and even bought one for my gf.

0 bluelavender over 7 years ago

OHR accuracy depends also on on the watch weight. Heavier watch produce more inconsistent result. That's why titanium version produce more accurate result above, as well as lighter vivoactive. To Garmin credit, its OHR in lighter watches doesn't produce "surprise spike" like what was experienced in suunto spartan sport series (which needs warm ups).

0 esselite over 6 years ago

In my 5+ this is terrible. Today I had some interval Sprint runs, 10x150m and I almost couldn't breathe and this thing was showing 128 bmp. It has some big delay I reaction to pulse or it doesn't measure at all, showing only possible hr. Try swiths exercise from running to cardio and your hr will drop 20 bpms. This is stupid.