Heart Rate Way Wrong

This is my second post about this device and I'm starting to scratch my head about why I spent the money.

I worked out this a few mornings ago-- hard rowing workout. My HR was recording a BPM of around 90 -- way, way lower that it actually was. My actual HR was around 150-160.

Last night I took a really brisk walk, including up a long hill. 5X+ showed a heart rate of between 59 and 65. Actual HR was around 110.

So what's gives?

Any ideas about why this would be so far off? I selected the "row indoor" activity, obviously. I tried both wrists.

Between this giant inaccuracy and the useless (and very misleading) sleep tracking, I'm starting to think this device is no good.

? Things can't be this off.

Top Replies

All Replies

0 Dr Phil over 5 years ago in reply to 6157427

6157427 said:
As I am nearly 60 with some cardiac challenges, reliable data are important for me - I do not get it with this watch.

I missed this in my earlier reply. This watch is not designed to be a medical device and should not be used for the purposes you allude to in this statement. Is it possible that your 'cardiac challenges' are causing you to see such variance? Are you on beta blockers?

Pretty sure only the Apple Watch has been certified for medical use, and possibly only in the US.

0 RunR over 5 years ago

Optical HRM is poor due to the measuring principle itself! Buy a strap, especially if you are realy suffering from heart desiases it can be vital to have reliable data. Yesterday I had 20bpm plus on a treadmill compared to faster runs outside with a strap!

0 PeledBY over 5 years ago

Hi,

I have a similar problem, HR is way off, I am on 135 BPM and my Fenix 5P shows 90-105 BMP,
But only when I am in exercise, looks like normally HR is OK, (I hope) what can be done about it ?

0 Stuart.Thomson over 4 years ago

I have the vivosport and fenix 5 plus. On the fenix 5 today , actual Heart rate was 140, but on the watch 70 to 90. Vivosport does a better job. Going to give it one more go before sending back

0 2549975 over 4 years ago in reply to Stuart.Thomson

I tested garmin and apple, if you want accurate heart rate apple watch 3 or 4 is very impressive. I did test for a week. Doing intervals Garmin not even close to apple. The reason I returned apple watch:

apple display can easily break, one wrong swing and 300 bucks out of the pocket

Battery life will last a day.

I just love round shape watch.

Garmin connect webpage is way better then apple.
Apple watch has wifi, but if you go for a run without a phone and try to connect to any open wifi, it will not happen, it needs iphone to work.
AW takes long time to charge

AW gps tends to overestimate a bit,

So if Garmin could copy paste that OHR from Apple , it would be great.

0 AndreiDracul over 4 years ago

Fenix 6x sapphire here, this type of issue still exists for us too, and theres plenty bringing it up of fenix 6 forum lol. So yah... whats going on with Garmin and why they are not fixing or improving, is beyond me...

0 9876079 over 4 years ago

Yes. I have seen it too. It seems most unreliable.

0 Stuart.Thomson over 4 years ago

I have found it takes 5 to 10 minutes to align, but every now and again would drop off suddenly. When it works well

0 Stuart.Thomson over 4 years ago in reply to Bernhard_Winter

I went back to Garmin and said my vivosport was more reliable than the fenix 5 and they replaced the watch. New watch works much better, but not perfect. I find it takes about 5 to 10 minutes to give a fair reflection, but every now again it gives bad results. Overall i can live with it now. previously i couldn't get my HR points from my health insurer, now i get them everytime. If its really terrible, take it back

0 Former Member over 4 years ago in reply to Stuart.Thomson

Same issue here. Siddenly drops to unrealistic low heart rate and gets back some minutes later. Horrible software since way over 1 year!!!