Fenix 6x wrist HR vs HRM-Run accuracy

I know several versions of this question have been asked before a while ago but I'm not sure whether the new updates were supposed to improve anything with this regard. Also I'm not sure about just how much of a difference is normal to expect between the OHR on the wrist and the chest HR with the HRM-Run.

My experience is that the difference is so high that it makes the OHR basically useless for certain types of training. In my case, for steep trails, it seems the OHR gives relatively decent values. For flat runs however the differences are ridiculous. Here is a plot showing my wrist HR and my HRM-Run HR from a flat run I did today. I'm wearing the watch on my left hand and this is correctly set in the watch.

The difference of the averages between the two (165 vs 135) is 30 bpm! Anyone experience such differences?

Thanks,

Adrian.

Top Replies

5135968 over 3 years ago +2

Adrian said:
My experience is that the difference is so high that it makes the OHR basically useless for certain types of training.

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I think anyone seriously interested…
5135968 over 3 years ago in reply to Adrian +1

Adrian said:
However I was mostly trying to "qualify" what a "normal" difference should typically look like, and under what conditions we can expect the best and the worst differences…
sensovision over 3 years ago in reply to 5135968 +1

5135968 said:
I think with the 6x due to it's weight, decent wrist HR is problematic. The Pace 2 only weights about 30 grams which helps. Probably you'd see better results with a Forerunner 245 or Fenix…

All Replies

0 5135968 over 3 years ago

Adrian said:
My experience is that the difference is so high that it makes the OHR basically useless for certain types of training.

In other breaking news, Elvis is dead

I think anyone seriously interested in decent HR data will end up buying an external belt, I think it's almost essential.

0 Adrian over 3 years ago in reply to 5135968

sure, this is clear, and indeed, well known. Which is why I do have external belts (a Run and a Tri). However I was mostly trying to "qualify" what a "normal" difference should typically look like, and under what conditions we can expect the best and the worst differences.

BTW, it seems wearing the watch on my right wrist brings better values (but I hate doing that).

0 5135968 over 3 years ago in reply to Adrian

Adrian said:
However I was mostly trying to "qualify" what a "normal" difference should typically look like, and under what conditions we can expect the best and the worst differences.

Garmin's wrist HR is hopeless really.

So I tend to rujn with a Coros Pace 2 simultaneously for it's excellent instant pace and as connecting an external sensor to the Coros impacts it's battery life, I just use the wrist HRM.

From this mornings run: Fenix 6 Pro with HRM Pro is in purple, Coros Pace 2 with internal wrist HR is in blue

I think with the 6x due to it's weight, decent wrist HR is problematic. The Pace 2 only weights about 30 grams which helps. Probably you'd see better results with a Forerunner 245 or Fenix 6s?

0 sensovision over 3 years ago in reply to 5135968

5135968 said:
I think with the 6x due to it's weight, decent wrist HR is problematic. The Pace 2 only weights about 30 grams which helps. Probably you'd see better results with a Forerunner 245 or Fenix 6s?

could be but I've Vivoactive 4 and it's 50g and what I've spot so far that my HR during runs on either Fenix or Vivo are good and doesn't differ that much from chest strap, but when I try to record activity with low HR like walking it can differ even more than 30 beats or could be spot on...