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Brand new Forerunner 265S HR data is way off

Leah P
9 months ago

I have tried emailing Garmin and not received any reply. I have tried submitting their support form (which supposedly emails them), but the form keeps not submitting -- with no indication as to what I'm doing wrong. Why is it this hard to get ahold of anyone to help me?? Anyway, posting here in the hopes Garmin will see this.

PRODUCT NAME: Forerunner® 265S

DESCRIBE YOUR QUESTION OR ISSUE AND ANY TROUBLESHOOTING STEPS ATTEMPTED
I have only had this watch for a couple of weeks and am extremely disappointed in the HR feature. I wear a chest strap while riding my indoor trainer, and I can see during rides that the watch frequently reads as much as 50 to 65 bpm below the chest strap, for nearly the entire duration of the ride, which is totally unacceptable, because it makes me suspect that the watch is reading way too low during other activities (like sleep, walking around) for which I am not wearing the chest strap. This has already happened several times and leads me to believe I need a refund or replacement.
Steps already tried to no avail:
  • Wearing watch above wrist, exactly as shown in the manual;
  • Using silicone band that came with the watch;
  • Slightly tightening the strap to eliminate bouncing/sliding (but not so tight as to cut off circulation);
  • Cleaning watch/sensors (and not wearing thick sunscreen or whatever underneath);
  • Having light/white skin with no tattoos;
  • Doing a good warmup;
  • Working out indoors so excessively hot/cold weather should not be a factor;
  • Not using wrists to grip handlebars during a ride (I rest my weight on my forearms);
  • Confirming software is up to date (“Software is up to date — Version 19.18”); and
  • Restarting watch several times.
I paid quite a lot for this watch and spent quite a long time setting it up, with extensive reference to the user manual. This watch is marketed toward athletes but apparently can’t do the one thing most athletes want it to do?! I realize an optical HR monitor is never going to be totally perfect, but telling me I’ve settled in the 90s throughout the ENTIRE duration of a 10-minute interval when my actual HR didn’t go below 150 or even 155 for a single moment is just . . . not even close to good enough. (I have screenshots if you can give me a way to send them.) And don’t tell me to use a chest strap all the time, because the point of the watch is to replace the strap, especially during sleep and outdoor activities. Am I supposed to wear a strap to bed every night?
I just retired my third Fitbit (Charge 5), and I can’t believe I am saying this, but that thing was WAY better at HR monitoring. When I got off the trainer and compared numbers, they were always almost a perfect match (average HR, highest HR, overall shape over an hour). I am immensely disappointed in the Forerunner 265S. Please send a refund. In the alternative, please send a replacement, but ONLY if you can guarantee that it will have a HR monitor with reasonably accurate readings (again, not necessarily 100% perfect, but like . . . it can’t read at 60% for large chunks of a workout, give me a break).
COUNTRY/REGION: United States
I consent to Garmin viewing my account, which could include logged activities, location, heart rate and related metrics and other personal health-related data, as needed to troubleshoot my issue.: YES
  • 0 9 months ago in reply to Leah P

    Hey Karen, the watch cannot know what you are doing. Not sure why you’d think that. Based off of your comments, it doesn’t sound like you’re willing to use the watch as they suggest so I don’t think you’ll ever be happy with it. 

  • 0 9 months ago in reply to Matt

    Hey Cletus,

    1. I never suggested it should know what I am doing. Go back and work on your reading comprehension. I said it should know my HR, because it is strapped to my wrist, where my HR is readable. It absolutely does not have to know exactly what I am doing to read my heartrate, as all my old Fitbits did. It is giving me intentionally inaccurate data, as Garmin admits, this is "by design."

    2. Even when it does know what I am doing (while recording an activity), it still gives grossly inaccurate data. As shown in the screenshot I uploaded yesterday. 

    Thanks for playing, jackass.

  • 0 9 months ago in reply to Matt

    What a dismissive and sexist response. This is the Garmin forum, which is precisely where Garmin wants people to discuss these kinds of issues. She’s not asking to see the manager, she’s frustrated that a very expensive, high-end watch that Garmin advertises as (among other things) having HRM capability doesn’t actually have accurate HRM data. The watch seemingly fails in that regard even when she starts an activity. If you look through the forums, concerns on this front are widespread. Very offputting of you to pretend that this is a “her” problem and not a Garmin problem. 

  • 0 9 months ago in reply to Leah P

    Am I correct that the watch measured your HR at something like 40 bpm at the “slowest” point? Your screenshot seems to cut off at the bottom, so I’m not sure. Still obviously inaccurate in context though, either way. This thread is discouraging. I have an older Fenix that I was thinking of upgrading to a Forerunner, but it’s not worth the money and frustration if they can’t solve this issue. I’ve been perusing the threads here, and you are not alone in having this issue, although that may be cold comfort. Thinking of maybe jumping brands to a Coros or Suunto. Garmin seems to have lost the plot. 

  • 0 9 months ago in reply to EV

    Stop Selling the products or hire experienced engineers. I came to check if garmin still resolves issues based on user testing , nothing has changed. 75$ products are much better in HR accurancy.

  • 0 9 months ago in reply to Leah P

    I actually had a conversation with a sweet Garmin support agent about this. I was running while not actually recording an activity and the HR showing on the watch face was not accurate. I was simply curious and emailed product support as to why and they mentioned that because of their algorithm managed by First Beat Analysis (which you can find in the Health Science portion of Garmin Product Support), running while not actually recording an activity will not be accurate because of the ALL day algorithm the watch face is producing, not an activity algorithm. I thought it was interesting but I understand, you can't argue over what algorithm Garmin has put forth and set in place for their watches. I have the FR965 and while I do notice some discrepancies with my watch while running in the activity profile, I warm up beforehand (the nice agent told me how to exactly do it) and the readings have been so much better while in an actual activity profile. I do understand that they have a lot to work on when it comes down to accuracy but I think warming up or purchasing a chest strap to pair to the watch are two great options for great data. Slight smile Have a great day everyone! 

  • 0 9 months ago in reply to eezybreezy

    Warming up prior to these HR problems introduced by software updates was not neccessary for accurate HR measurement during activity. Watches measured HR more correctly with or without warm up. Thus, that nice agent is telling you about a woraround while diverting from the main topic: when will this issue be fixed?

  • 0 9 months ago in reply to Vizi

    I am already aware that this was a diversion. Nevertheless, it was kind of her to give me a work around and I now use a HRM strap which makes me happy. Whenever they get a fix out for this, great but for me I am happy! Have a great week everyone! 

  • 0 9 months ago in reply to eezybreezy

    I appreciate the info on this point. That said, I want the watch to work for me, not vice versa. Changing how we do our workouts is too much of an "ask" from Garmin, IMO. If anyone from Garmin is monitoring this thread... customers are losing patience....

  • 0 8 months ago in reply to Garmin-Sierra

    . This randomly dropping heart rate is STILL happening, even while recording an activity, with the band tight. Here are two examples from today. First at 7:47 minutes into Body Pump, it tells me HR dropped to 66 bpm (= lying in bed). Then at 21:08 minutes into yoga, it says my HR dropped to 62 bpm (= asleep). Neither of these numbers is remotely accurate for my level of exertion at the time.

    1. Please confirm you have added me to the apparently endless bug report for Garmin to work on.
    2. Please tell me when I can expect this new, expensive watch to work. If it won’t be anytime soon, I may have to return it as defective, while it’s still under warranty. This thing is a joke.