HRM Pro Plus VS HRM 200

I would like to buy an heart rate monitor band for use mainly during swimming.

The main thing I have not understand yet is if the Pro Plus model streams data real time during swimming or I can only record data and download it later.

By looking at the manual of HRM PRO Plus it seems that:

  • to record data underwater ANT+ is mandatory
  • it is not possible to stream data underwater

The other thing I did not understand is: if a start and than save a swim acitivity, the related heart data saved by the band are automatically associated to that session or result as a separate session? I mean when I see an activity in Garmin Connect It would result in two heart graphs one from the watch and another fron the band?

I just found also the new model HRM 200 but there is no way to compare products on official Garmin site.

Maybe the main difference is that 200 only measure heart rate while the Pro Plus also running dynamics.

The manual of HRM 200 does not say anything about the ability or not to stream data underwater.

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  • HRM - PRO

    Streaming data underwater is challenging. At the end of the swim the activity would download the HR data from the HRM to the activity and integrate it into that activity.

    The problem I have with HRM-PRO strap is that they move under water pressure unless one is using a full body suit. 

    I have the FR965 and I tried this once or twice then decided that I'd just do without and let the OHR do its thing. I know there was an  HRM-SWIM and that had a strap that would work better underwater.

    I see it is on the Garmin Website still. In fact I just found one on a local retailer where i live and I;ve ordered one - Im sure they weren't available last time I looked.

    https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/512311/pn/010-12342-00

    The HR reflected in the activity would be the one from the strap, if one downloaded that data at end of swim when it asks. 

    I know for running that with the latest software it records both (unless one turns a setting off) and one can see both when interrogating the .fit file but I am not sure how it handles in this situation.

    HRM 200 

    I do not think that has the ability to store HRM data, so I do not think it would work underwater.

    This video may be helpful, There is a link to his HRM 200 one.

    www.youtube.com/watch

  • The main thing I have not understand yet is if the Pro Plus model streams data real time during swimming or I can only record data and download it later.

    It does not stream data to the watch when submerged. You download the data after you finish your swim.

    if a start and than save a swim acitivity, the related heart data saved by the band are automatically associated to that session or result as a separate session?

    If you have the strap paired to the watch, then upon saving the activity the watch will download HR data from the strap. In that case you will get one recorded session with HR data comming from the strap. But if for some reason the HR data is not downloaded during saving, then you can download HR data later, and in that case you will get two sessions.

  • Thank you both for the feedback.

    I found the HRM swim as well but it is not in the list of compatible devices for forerunner 255.

    It mentions only HRM PRO Plus, HRM Dual, HRM fit and HRM 200. It seems a "marketing strategy" for compatibility...

    I found and discount in Amazon, the plus model for 89,00 but if it moves a lot under water may be useless. I wad no fast enought to decide. All bands sold out. XD

  • I found the HRM swim as well but it is not in the list of compatible devices for forerunner 255.

    Likely an omission because the HRM-Swim is quite old. This manual page says that the FR255 can download HR data from the HRM-Swim, which makes sense, since the HRM-Swim uses the same protocol for HR data download as the HRM-Pro.

  • Which region are you?

    I can see HRM-SWIM on the German and USA Garmin sites

    https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/512311/pn/010-12342-00

    Im in EU currently and I  actually ordered one yesterday when I saw one online and I am waiting it to arrive.

    I find the OHR records to high HR when I swim and this impacts my training metrics (I mostly run) so I shall be interested to see how the HRM-SWIM records my HR. I had tried the HRM-PRO I have before but it is unusable due to it slipping as mentioned. 

  • Received my HRM-SWIM today and paired with my FR 965 and used it for my swim today, Much better HR results and it didn't slip.