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Heart rate strap metrics with forerunner 955

2603588
over 1 year ago

The 955 already has running dynamics by itself, so I'm wondering if strap selection has much of an impact on the metrics collected during an activity. 

What is the delta in metrics between say Polar H10, HRM-Dual, HRM-Pro Plus when combined with a 955 for running?

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    Wow, there's a lot to unpack here! Polar H10 will only provide external heart rate, no running dynamics. I've used Polar H10 and Pro Plus and both are equally more accurate than WHR, obviously.

    HRM Pro Plus enables treadmill running dynamics which isn't available on the Dual, other than than they may be very similar to each other. I use a treadmill so opted for the Pro Plus version.

    Dual and Pro Plus will provide Ground Contact Balance which is unavailable via wrist based dynamics. Activity settings allow you to determine the preferred source of power (which requires dynamics data): Smart, Wrist Only, Accessory Only. I choose Accessory only in belief it will fundamentally be more accurate to use the Pro-Plus dynamics than relying on the watch, but that is just an assumption.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to B1nny

    To add to what wrote:
    The "footpod" in HRM Pro(+) is also used to improve pace measurement during outdoors running if gps reception is temporarily poor, like in an underpass (I've been told this by a developer who have studied how HRM Pro(+) behaves).

    Even though you can get running power, vertical oscillation, etc. from the watch only, they are more accurate when measured from the body (HRMs capable of running dynamic and the Running Dynamics Pod) than at the end of a flailing arm. And because of this, the running power figures cannot really be easily compared between wrist power and HRM power, that's why I've set my watch to use HRM power only as well.

    But briefly, it all comes down to convenience vs. accuracy. With wrist HR, power, oscillation, etc., you don't have to care about an accessory. But with a HRM Pro+ or similar, you get more accurate results (+ ground contact balance).

    Unfortunately cannot tell you "how much" more accurate a strap is, since I don't have two watches so that I could run wearing them both and with strap connected to one of them. And even then it would depend on the type of the run, the course I'm running, etc.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to B1nny

    Thanks for the help - quite complex! Does using the polar strap stop the 955 from collecting the wrist based dynamics?

    I haven't been able to practically use any of the dynamics data to inform my training but increased heart rate accuracy would obviously help the accuracy of workouts that leverage HR data. My wife has the polar strap laying around, so I was considering using it.

  • +1 over 1 year ago in reply to 2603588

    You will definitely still receive the wrist based dynamics. The Power menu found in the Run activity settings specifies the preferred source for these metrics - I would set it to Wrist Only for reliability, since Smart or Accessory Only won’t be necessary in your case.

    Definitely use it, the Polar was my favourite. I only changed to Pro+ so I could get rid of the additional separate Garmin Running Dynamics Pod I was using. I had a 945 at the time which doesn’t have wrist based dynamics.

    As a purely recreational runner, I rely on a chest strap for accurate beat-to-beat HR and Zone feedback. I suspect if I was a well trained runner I could rely on WHR alone purely for assurance purposes.