Problems with Ant+ connectivity

Guys, I got a Fenix 5 a couple weeks ago. I'm in the market for an external heart rate monitor.

Will I be fine if I just get a HRM that uses Bluetooth instead of ANT+ ? Or will I still run into the connectivity issues that have been discussed here. Apologies if I missed this somewhere.

Leaning towards this https://www.amazon.com/Polar-Bluetooth-Heart-Rate-Sensor/dp/B06WV8NGTN/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1501635639&sr=8-8&keywords=bluetooth+heart+rate+monitor

You will be fine with an hrm-run. I have also had reasonable results with my wahoo tickr x paired as an ant+ device. That hrm is dual band. I haven't tried it yet as a ble device. It might actually work better that way, I should test.

Where things get messy tends to be when on the bike connecting to stuff on the crank, rear hub, or bottom bracket. Footpods also seem problematic.

I don't think so, that Garmin Fenix 5 with Garmin HRM run will work properly. I have Fenix 5 (currently claim for replacement about ANT+) and I used my Fenix 5 with HRM run and had a lot of dropouts. You can see it in my activities below:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1748796626
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1863993314
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1783511463

The worst part of this problem is, that Garmin has connection dropout even with their own products - like HRM run.

Quite interesting thing is, how a Fenix 5 owner can make future purchase decision. As a F5 user I know, that I cannot buy Stryd, Stages, P1...

But if you want to buy new power meter, trainer or hr belt, how to assure it will work with F5?

Thanks for the feedback. If i'm understanding all of this correctly, it seems the problem only applies to ANT+.

I'm going to move forward with the hopeful assumption that devices that use Bluetooth (rather than ANT+) will work properly.

Since I currently have zero external devices...I should just be able to buy devices that use Bluetooth and I will be fine. Fingers crossed. Starting with a HRM and going from there. I feel bad for everyone who already owns several expensive devices that need ANT+, I would be extremely frustrated.

If i'm completely wrong here please let me know!

I don't think so, that Garmin Fenix 5 with Garmin HRM run will work properly. I have Fenix 5 (currently claim for replacement about ANT+) and I used my Fenix 5 with HRM run and had a lot of dropouts. You can see it in my activities below:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1748796626
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1863993314
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1783511463

The worst part of this problem is, that Garmin has connection dropout even with their own products - like HRM run.

Wow, that seems like something that should be escalated and should get a lot of attention from them. Have you contacted support? If the 5 doesn't even work with their own products reliably then the answer they gave DCRainmaker is a bigger load of BS than we first thought.

My Wahoo Tickr x HRM does both ANT+ and BLE and seems to be pretty solid. If I were buying another HRM i'd probably buy this one again as it will work with just about anything and is supposed to get the Run Dynamics standard late this year.

I've had a few drop outs of the Tickr x while on my bike with the watch on the handlebars. However when that happens ALL other sensors drop as well which makes me think that the watch freaked out. That would likely be a software stability issue. I've never seen a drop when running.

That said I'll probably be returning my 5 for a different watch. I don't want to be limited in what i can buy in the future.

I?ve been holding out on buying the stryd sensor because of this thread, I don't want to have a 200 usd paperweight on my desk.

But I have also noted the different outcomes each owner has with their F5, for example I haven't seen any significant dropouts with any of my sensors; footpod, HRM-tri, HRM-swim, speed and cadence, all of them from garmin.

I have more of an erratic behavior with the bluetooth connection with my phone which can sometimes be in the next room and keep connection and then I can be on a phone call using my right hand and the F5 on my left wrist losing connection.

Hope we can get a better response from garmin.

I don't think so, that Garmin Fenix 5 with Garmin HRM run will work properly. I have Fenix 5 (currently claim for replacement about ANT+) and I used my Fenix 5 with HRM run and had a lot of dropouts. You can see it in my activities below:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1748796626
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1863993314
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1783511463

The worst part of this problem is, that Garmin has connection dropout even with their own products - like HRM run.

I can't tell if those are in fact dropouts, if it's an issue with the HRM-Run, or if it's due to the fact that you're doing a gym workout. To be totally honest, I've never had luck with any type of HRM while doing gym workouts, even the chest straps. Is it possible the chest strap is losing contact with your body during certain movements? Do you have any cardio activities (run, bike) which look the same?

On the other hand, if those are dropouts, they're the worst I've seen.

Wow, that seems like something that should be escalated and should get a lot of attention from them. Have you contacted support? If the 5 doesn't even work with their own products reliably then the answer they gave DCRainmaker is a bigger load of BS than we first thought.

My Wahoo Tickr x HRM does both ANT+ and BLE and seems to be pretty solid. If I were buying another HRM i'd probably buy this one again as it will work with just about anything and is supposed to get the Run Dynamics standard late this year.

I've had a few drop outs of the Tickr x while on my bike with the watch on the handlebars. However when that happens ALL other sensors drop as well which makes me think that the watch freaked out. That would likely be a software stability issue. I've never seen a drop when running.

That said I'll probably be returning my 5 for a different watch. I don't want to be limited in what i can buy in the future.

Yes, I contacted Garmin support and they recommended me to contact Garmin support of my country - Czech Republic. So I contacted Garmin CR and they reply, that they had not heard about this problem yet and recommended me to contact reseller. I did that and now I claim for replacement. That's all. I had tried to write more email to Garmin support and the reply was always the same - contact your country Garmin support.

I had no dropout, while I was running (I am a 174 cm tall and do not swing with my arms too much), but I had few dropout during cycling.

I can't tell if those are in fact dropouts, if it's an issue with the HRM-Run, or if it's due to the fact that you're doing a gym workout. To be totally honest, I've never had luck with any type of HRM while doing gym workouts, even the chest straps. Is it possible the chest strap is losing contact with your body during certain movements? Do you have any cardio activities (run, bike) which look the same?

On the other hand, if those are dropouts, they're the worst I've seen.

Yes, I was doing gym workout. But during this workout I had my watch around 1-1,5 meters away (sometimes less) from HRM run on my chest. I had Fenix 3 HR before and the heart rate log was much better, I had few zones without heart rate, but it was caused by pause for drinking, wc, etc. I don't think so, that chest strap is losing contact, I tried all recommendations by Garmin to use your HRM run and I tried another (new) HRM run with same result. Here are my workouts with Fenix 3 for better picture: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1714329287 , https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1708447901 . I think the problem is with weaker ANT+ connectivity on Fenix 5 watches.