HRM-Pro Plus data gaps

I had same issue, reported it to Garmin and they replaced my HRM-Pro Plus.
With new one, problem still exists but not so often like it was earlier.

When I chatted with them about it yesterday they basically just told me good luck and sent me a link to an HRM troubleshooting page. I guess it could be worth trying again!

everyone with delayed recording or gap problems on any Garmin HRM needs to use this on the pads

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0837LN9X9/?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Spectra 360 premium electrode contact gel for EKG TENS, etc.

(make sure it says shipped and SOLD by Amazon, not 3rd party, should be around $7)

and when I say use it, I mean the smallest, tiniest, drop physically possible, you only need a TRACE amount, not a glob, even a matchstick-head drop would be entirely too much

that $7 bottle should last a decade or more, it is huge  (used to be $4 but pandemic "inflation")

the proper amount could even just be s speck on your fingertip and then just super thin spread on the actual inside ring of the pad

DO NOT get any on the strap itself, just the inside of the pad

(if you get it on the strap this is very bad because it can produce electrical contact across both pads)

With even the smallest amount, 100% of your data loss problems should be completely gone, no startup delays, etc.

I have used it for a decade now on all kinds of straps including HRM-PRO-Plus

Thanks for the link! How does it do with excessive sweating?

 a lot are experience this(my local run club), I think there are underlying design issues on the hrm pro plus.  Rumor is a new version is coming out later this year. (  amazon did a major sale and cleared all their garmin hrm pro  plus ! ) 

Btw, whenever you lose respiration rate data, your heart rate will also be inaccurate.  either spike up some beats or down some beats ( 5-15 bpm range )   

in our testings, connect with BT will provides a more stable connection than ANT+ , you may want to give that a try.  ( you do lose ground contact ratio data L/R) 

I'm using ECG gel and it helps but not always.
Interesting is that respiration data lose was more often when temperature outside was below 10 degrees.
Another interesting thing I'm observing now is lack of respiration data not at the beginning but closer to end of run when I'm definitely completely sweat.
And yes, lack of respiration data usually is combined with inaccurate hear rate.

I tried ecg gel before and really didn't help much. Inconsistent result like you said.  But going Bluetooth mode does seem to be more stable than ant+. 

Also I find if you want the  best result (  least likely to lose respiration data/connection , I do this for vo2max workouts )

Going shirtless + bt mode is the way to go for consistent stable connection to hrm pro plus.

Seems even pure cotton tank top can cause respiration data  drop (hrm pro plus disconnection ) best go shirtless if doing a hard workout and want good heart rate data .

I was watching the marathon recap video on The running channel  on YouTube .  Andy Baddeley had hrm pro plus on with his Garmin 965 ! His respiration chart also has multiple missing data(connection drop offs )on his entire marathon run! 

You also lose the download ability when in bluetooth mode, I mean why even buy a Garmin device at that point if none of the features are going to work unless you are in ANT+ mode?

They just need to fix the download feature, it is completely broken, either the time markers are off or the R-to-R calculations are off because even with absolutely no dataloss, the end result from the realtime vs downloaded data is completely ifferent. It radically drops my load and effort rating (tempo or vo2max or threshold becomes "base")

I don't use download mode. Just care on stable connection on hrm.

I have running dynamics from epix pro.