June 11, 2025 • 17 mins
A chat based on the5krunner's Garmin HRM 600 Detailed Scientific Review
Resources & Links:
- Buy one: https://geni.us/GarminHRM600
- Detailed written review: https://the5krunner.com/2025/06/11/garmin-hrm-600-review-best-heart-rate-monitor-hrm/
- Main Channel: https://the5krunner.com
My other channels: https://linktr.ee/the5krunner
—Credits: Content in this episode was generated using AI tools (NotebookLM) based on original content from @the5krunner, and other sources as cited.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
OK, let's unpack this. Imagine hitting your stride,
pushing your limits in a sport, totally focused, no watch
banging on your wrist, but stillgetting every single bit of your
vital data captured. That's kind of the dream with
sports tech, isn't it? Absolutely.
That freedom, you know, trainingor competing without being
tethered to a watch is, you know, it's a big draw.
(00:21):
Comfort, safety and contact sports or just feeling lighter?
And that whole idea leads us straight into our deep dive.
Today we're really getting into Garmin's newest high end heart
rate monitor, the the HRM 600 strap.
Right. And we're leaning heavily on a
really detailed hands on review from the 5K runner.
That's the five runner.com. This guy's a triathlete, runner,
(00:44):
gym person, basically someone who really cares about getting
faster and digs deep into the gear.
So yeah, our mission here is to pull apart his take on the HRM
600. We'll look at the key findings,
what Garmin's promising, and, well, where the reality maybe
doesn't quite match up, especially for you listening,
wondering if this thing's worth the frankly pretty high cost.
Let's start with, you know what is this thing?
The reviewer pegs the HRM 600 asGarmin's absolute top of line
(01:08):
strap. It's the replacement for the HRM
Pro plus their previous flagship.
And who's it for? The review points to those
really data hungry athletes, right Triathletes, Serious
runners? Cyclists.
Yep, but also, and this is key, people in contact sports.
Think football, martial arts, stuff like that.
Or just anyone who, for whateverreason, doesn't want to wear a
(01:29):
watch while they're active. Makes sense.
And we should probably mention the price right away because the
reviewer does it's what, $169.99or £149.99 in the UK that's
well, it's up there. Definitely not an impulse buy.
Not. At all.
That's premium territory for a heart rate strap.
OK. So top price, what's the big
selling point then? What makes this HRM 600
(01:49):
different? The headline feature really is
the watch free recording. So this trap can actually record
a timed workout, your heart ratedynamics, all that directly onto
itself, no watch needed during the activity.
OK, it stores the data internally.
Exactly, and then it syncs up with the Garmin Connect app on
your phone afterwards. Right, I can see the appeal
there. The reviewer calls it a great
(02:11):
concept. And yeah, forgetting your watch,
but still getting the data or playing a sport without worrying
about smashing your expensive GPS watch.
That's freedom. For sure, especially like you
said, team sports. Or maybe you just prefer not to
wear anything on your wrist. This sounds like the solution
because older models they still needed a watch nearby to
(02:32):
actually start the recording. OK, but here's where the review
starts to pump the brakes a bit,doesn't it?
The idea is great, but the reviewer found the execution
less so. Yeah, that's putting it mildly.
He found it has significant drawbacks and adds unnecessary
complexity. His initial excitement
definitely got tempered by some awkward design choices.
(02:53):
That's the core tension. You ick U.
O What's the biggest issue in practise?
What's the main frustration? It's how you start one of these
watch free workouts. You'd think, OK, maybe there's a
button on the strap or a voice command.
Yeah. Ress and go.
Right. Nope, you have to, and the
reviewer stresses this. You must start the recording
using the Garmin Connect app on your smartphone.
Every single time. Wait, so you need your phone
(03:15):
with you at the start of every workout anyway, even if you
don't want the watch? Precisely.
Which, as the reviewer points out, kind of undermines the
whole watch free convenience idea, doesn't it?
If you still need to fiddle withyour phone, pull it out, unlock
it. How fiddly are we talking, he?
Described it as needing 6 taps within the app and then you have
(03:35):
to wait maybe 15, sometimes up to 30 seconds for the phone and
strap to connect properly beforeyou can actually start your run
or whatever. It's just friction.
Unexpected friction for premium gear.
OK, that. Does sound annoying?
What about the physical button that is on the strap?
Surely that does something useful?
You'd think, but no. According to the review, its
function is really limited. It wakes the device up.
(03:57):
You can toggle between secure and open Bluetooth connections,
which is mostly for initial pairing and it puts it into
pairing mode. But it can't.
It can't just start or stop the recording.
Correct. It cannot start or stop a
workout recording. The reviewer finds this
completely baffling, given that's the headline feature.
Why put a button there if it doesn't do the most obvious
useful thing? Wow, OK, that is awkward.
(04:19):
Like he said, a button that doesn't button the way you
expect. Exactly, and he mentions other
little annoyances too, like prompts about secure connections
that most people probably don't need or understand.
The button itself is apparently hard to feel and press,
especially mid activity, and thelittle LED light uses colours in
ways that aren't intuitive, likeblue sometimes means recording,
(04:41):
not pairing. It really sounds like that
comment from the reviewer hits home.
Designed by tech enthusiasts rather than those who will be
using them daily. Needing your phone?
Multiple taps, waiting a button that doesn't do the main job?
Yeah, it doesn't scream seamlessuser experience.
Definitely not seamless for thatcore new feature, but to be
(05:01):
fair, the review does acknowledge that beyond those
usability issues, the underlyingtech and some other features are
actually quite strong. OK, good.
Let's talk about the positives then.
What does it do well? Well, First off, the fundamental
job measuring heart rate during exercise.
The reviewer found the accuracy here exceptional.
As you'd hope. He actually uses it as a
benchmark device when testing other sensors.
(05:23):
That's reassuring. What else?
A big plus and a return to form maybe is the detachable sensor
module. The little pod snaps off the
strap. The previous Pro Plus had it all
integrated. So you can wash the strap
easily. That's huge.
Those things get nasty. Exactly, much better for
hygiene. It means you could just replace
the strap if it wears out, not the whole expensive unit.
(05:43):
So that's a definite pro, OK. And there's a new battery
situation, right? It's rechargeable now.
Yes, it uses a proprietary Garmin charging clip.
It's rechargeable, which, you know, sounds modern and
convenient. No more coin sells.
That's a but. There is a but in the review.
The claimed battery life is up to two months standby, or around
50 hours of actual workout time.Now compare that to the old coin
(06:07):
cell models like the Pro Plus. They could last up to a year.
Oh, wow. So 50 hours versus potentially
hundreds of hours. That's a massive difference.
You're trading longevity for rechargeability.
Seems like it, and the reviewer also flags that the charging
port on the pod itself isn't covered or protected, so
potential issues with sweat and moisture getting in there over
(06:27):
time. It's a design question mark.
OK, rechargeable convenience, but maybe a step back in battery
life and a potential durability concern.
What about new metrics? Any fancy new data?
There is one new running dynamicstep, speed loss or SSL.
Step speed loss sounds technical, is it useful?
The reviewers is that SSL on itsown probably not that useful for
(06:51):
most runners directly however. Ah, the however.
Yes. The big, however, is that this
SSL metric is apparently necessary for Garmin's newer
running economy metric to work. And that metric, the reviewer
believes, is fundamentally important for understanding how
efficiently you run and identifying potential systemic
issues. You do need a high end
compatible Garmin watch to actually see and use that
(07:12):
running economy metric though. Got it.
So SSL is like a key that unlocks a more valuable insight,
but only if you have the rest ofthe Garmin ecosystem.
What about just connecting it tothings?
Connectivity seems solid. It's got Ant plus Mel which is
great for connecting to tonnes of devices simultaneously.
Bike computers, gym machines, older watches, and it has
Bluetooth Low Energy BLE supporting up to three
(07:35):
connections there. It even does secure BLE, which
adds a layer of privacy if you're connecting to compatible
devices or apps that support it.So yeah, it should talk to
pretty much anything you throw in it.
And what about swimmers? That cached data feature is
still there where it stores HR underwater.
Yep, absolutely crucial for swimmers.
It stores the heart rate data while you're swimming because
the signals don't transmit well in water, and dumps it to your
(07:57):
watch or app afterwards. And compatible watches can also
use that stored data to fill in any gaps if the live signal
drops out during other activities, like maybe in dense
crowds or something. And can you just wear it like
all day as a tracker? You can if you keep it on.
It tracks steps, calories, distance, intensity, minutes,
and your all day heart rate. It syncs all that using Garmin's
(08:18):
True Up system to keep your dataconsistent across devices.
Does it do HRV tracking all day like RR intervals?
The reviewer notes it doesn't seem to capture that continuous
RR interval data needed for things like body battery when
worn just as an all day tracker,only during timed activities.
It's also got a 5 ATM water rating, so swimming is fine.
(08:40):
And that detachable module should theoretically help
durability, though again he wonders if constantly popping it
on and off for charging might wear out the strap snaps over
time. OK, quite a list of features
there. Let's circle back to accuracy
because that's paramount for a heart rate strap.
We know sports HR is good. What about other things like
pace on a treadmill? Right.
It can estimate pace and distance, which is potentially
(09:02):
handy indoors, but the review states it's wildly inaccurate
out-of-the-box. Oh dear, can you calibrate it?
You can, and calibration does make it better.
It becomes more consistent on the same treadmill, but the
reviewer warns that trying to rely on that accuracy across
different treadmills which mighthave their own calibration
quirks is pretty difficult. So useful ish, but with big
(09:24):
caveats. OK, now the big one.
The review had some pretty surprising findings about heart
rate variability or HRV accuracy, especially resting
HRV. Yes, this was a major point in
the review and frankly a bit of a shocker.
He specifically looked at resting RMSSD.
That's a key metric many athletes track daily for
(09:46):
recovery status using apps like HRV for training or elite HRV,
and the HRM 600 was found to be not reliably accurate for this
specific measurement when compared directly against the
Polar H10 strap. The Chen is widely seen as the
gold standard for consumer levelHRV accuracy.
Not accurate. How inaccurate are we talking?
For a brand new top tier $170 strap from Garmin, that seems
(10:10):
bad. It does.
The reviewers data showed a consistent systematic
underestimation of RMSSD by the HRM 600.
On average, it reported values about 6.5 milliseconds lower
than the polar H10 during resting measurements, and the
readings are more variable, lessconsistent day-to-day compared
to the H 10. 6 1/2 milliseconds?That's actually quite a lot in
HRV terms, isn't it? That could easily push you from
(10:31):
a good recovery reading to a caution reading in some apps.
Exactly. The error metrics he calculated
were apparently two to three times larger than for the Polar
H10 or even another competitor, the Wahoo Trace AKRHR, under the
same test conditions. It led the reviewer to state
very clearly that he will not use HRM 600 for resting RMSSD.
(10:51):
Wow. OK, so if your primary the use
case involves tracking precise morning HRV for recovery
insights, this review strongly suggests the HRM 600 might not
be the tool for you, despite theprice tag.
That seems to be the conclusion for precise resting HRV, yes.
He does add a small caveat though.
The HRM 600 HRV data did seem totrend in the right direction
generally. So if it's your only HRV source
(11:13):
and you're just looking for verybroad up or down trends over
weeks, maybe it's OK for a very basic interpretation, but not
for reliable daily numbers. Any idea why it might be less
accurate for resting HRV? The reviewer speculates it could
be down to how the Streps algorithms process the RR
intervals, the tiny time gaps between heartbeats.
RMSSD is very sensitive to smallerrors in detecting those
(11:35):
intervals, especially at lower resting heart rates, maybe
around 60 beats per minute wherepeople often take these
readings. Maybe the Polar H 10s processing
is just superior for that specific task.
This whole HRV thing really makes you compare the HRM 600
not just to competitors but to Garmin's own history.
They've had a lot of straps overthe years.
We certainly have from the earlyHRM run, adding dynamics to try
(11:58):
and swim, adding memory for swimming the dual, adding
Bluetooth, then the pro and Pro plus consolidating things.
It's been an evolution. So how does this new HRM 600
stack up against the one it justreplaced, the HRM Pro Plus well?
The 600 takes the top spot. The review highlights the key
differences. You've got them in chargeable
battery in the 600 versus the long life cone cell in the Pro
(12:18):
Plus. Detachable module in the 600.
Fixed in the Pro Plus. The 600 adds secure BLE, the
button, the LED. And the big one, the 600 can
start recordings via the Connectapp, whereas the Pro Plus
absolutely needed a watch to initiate a timed activity.
Exactly. That's the unique selling point,
but remember, the HRM 600 is also significantly more
(12:41):
expensive, launched at $170 compared to the Pro Plus at
$130.00. Right.
So more features maybe, but alsomore cost and those usability
issues. And the reviewer actually
suggested that for most people, the older garment straps might
even be better. Yeah, he put it quite strongly.
He suggested that straps like the older HRMTII or the HRMP Row
(13:01):
Plus might be generally superiorin terms of commonly used
features for the average athlete.
Because the stuff that makes theHRM 600 unique, like that app
based recording really only offers this full benefit if
you're deep in the Garmin ecosystem anyway and
specifically need that niche function.
OK, so let's boil it down based on this really thorough review
from the 5K runner, who should actually buy the Garmin HRM 600.
(13:23):
Who is it really for? The recommendation is pretty
clear cut. The reviewer basically says the
HRM 600 is the clear choice onlyif you fall into a few specific
categories. 1, you just want theabsolute latest, most feature
packed garment strap price, no object.
Two, you specifically prefer a rechargeable battery, even with
(13:44):
the shorter life. Or three, and this seems key,
you absolutely need that abilityto record a timed activity
without a watch starting it via the app.
Correct. That makes it, in his words, the
best option for team sports players using Garmin who can't
wear a watch, or maybe certain professionals who value the
secure BLE connection. But for everyone else?
For and I quote 99% of athletes.The review suggests you should
(14:07):
probably skip it. Wow, 99% skip it.
That's blunt. Why such a strong recommendation
against it for most people? Because fundamentally you can
get heart rate straps that are just as accurate for actual
exercise HR for way less money. Even within Garmin's own lineup.
Cheaper models like the HRM Dualor older Pro versions offer
(14:27):
excellent HR accuracy, Ant Plus and BLE, and some even have
features like cache data for swimming or basic running
dynamics. The very high price of the 600
just doesn't seem justified for the features most people
actually use day-to-day, especially when factoring in
those usability frustrations. It really positions it as a
niche product, doesn't it? Not the default upgrade Garmin
(14:50):
might present it as. Very much so.
It's interesting the reviewer himself did buy one, but he
explicitly says it wasn't for typical training reasons.
For him, as someone who tests and compares lots of devices,
the ability to record directly into Garmin Connect without
needing a paired watch offered auniquely valuable way to run
certain comparison tests. It was a must have feature for
(15:10):
his specific workflow as a reviewer.
But that's a reviewer specific need, not an athlete's typical
need. OK, so wrapping this all up,
what's the final word from this deep dive into the 5K Runners
review and what improvements does he hope to see?
The final verdict is basically this.
The HRM 600 is, on paper, maybe the most featured heart rate
(15:31):
monitor ever made. It's packed with capabilities
but the reviewer marked it down significantly.
The main reasons were the reallyhigh price that moved to a
shorter leg, rechargeable battery and just the awkward
ways it's signature features work and practise, especially
needing the app to start recordings and the button being
kind of useless for that. So loads of potential, but the
(15:52):
user experience for those advanced features really lets it
down for the average person. That seems to be the core
message, yeah. He offers some pretty concrete
suggestions for Garmin too, likeput a simple shortcut in the
Connect app to make starting those recordings faster.
Better yet, change the firmware so the button on the strap can
actually start and stop recordings without the phone
needing to be involved right then.
(16:13):
And make the app smarter about automatically finding and
syncing completed workouts from the strap.
Simple, practical fixes that would address the biggest
frustrations. And there was that lingering
durability question, too, right about the detachable.
Pod, yeah, just that thought. The detachable design is good
for washing, but if you're constantly popping the pod off
to charge it via that potentially vulnerable port,
(16:35):
could the repeated stress damagethe strap attachment points over
the long haul? Just a point of consideration
from someone who uses this stuffhard.
Right, so there we have it, the Garmin HRM 600.
According to this detailed look via the 5K Runners review.
It's a strap loaded with tech, some genuinely novel ideas like
watch free recording but maybe Hanford by its premium price,
(16:57):
and some real potentially deal breaking usability issues for
how you actually use those new features.
It ends up feeling like a product for a very specific
niche, not the automatic upgradeand many might have expected.
It really makes you think, doesn't it?
Yeah. What do you value more in your
sports tech? Is it having the absolute
longest list of features possible on the box, or is it
(17:17):
the gear just working smoothly, intuitively, almost invisibly
when you're actually out there trying to train or compete?
That's the real question I suppose.
How do you personally balance that cutting edge promise with
the day-to-day reality of using the tech?
Something for you to Mull over when you're looking at your next
gear purchase.
OK, let's unpack this. Imagine hitting your stride,
pushing your limits in a sport, totally focused, no watch
banging on your wrist, but stillgetting every single bit of your
vital data captured. That's kind of the dream with
sports tech, isn't it? Absolutely.
That freedom, you know, trainingor competing without being
tethered to a watch is, you know, it's a big draw.
(00:21):
Comfort, safety and contact sports or just feeling lighter?
And that whole idea leads us straight into our deep dive.
Today we're really getting into Garmin's newest high end heart
rate monitor, the the HRM 600 strap.
Right. And we're leaning heavily on a
really detailed hands on review from the 5K runner.
That's the five runner.com. This guy's a triathlete, runner,
(00:44):
gym person, basically someone who really cares about getting
faster and digs deep into the gear.
So yeah, our mission here is to pull apart his take on the HRM
600. We'll look at the key findings,
what Garmin's promising, and, well, where the reality maybe
doesn't quite match up, especially for you listening,
wondering if this thing's worth the frankly pretty high cost.
Let's start with, you know what is this thing?
The reviewer pegs the HRM 600 asGarmin's absolute top of line
(01:08):
strap. It's the replacement for the HRM
Pro plus their previous flagship.
And who's it for? The review points to those
really data hungry athletes, right Triathletes, Serious
runners? Cyclists.
Yep, but also, and this is key, people in contact sports.
Think football, martial arts, stuff like that.
Or just anyone who, for whateverreason, doesn't want to wear a
(01:29):
watch while they're active. Makes sense.
And we should probably mention the price right away because the
reviewer does it's what, $169.99or £149.99 in the UK that's
well, it's up there. Definitely not an impulse buy.
Not. At all.
That's premium territory for a heart rate strap.
OK. So top price, what's the big
selling point then? What makes this HRM 600
(01:49):
different? The headline feature really is
the watch free recording. So this trap can actually record
a timed workout, your heart ratedynamics, all that directly onto
itself, no watch needed during the activity.
OK, it stores the data internally.
Exactly, and then it syncs up with the Garmin Connect app on
your phone afterwards. Right, I can see the appeal
there. The reviewer calls it a great
(02:11):
concept. And yeah, forgetting your watch,
but still getting the data or playing a sport without worrying
about smashing your expensive GPS watch.
That's freedom. For sure, especially like you
said, team sports. Or maybe you just prefer not to
wear anything on your wrist. This sounds like the solution
because older models they still needed a watch nearby to
(02:32):
actually start the recording. OK, but here's where the review
starts to pump the brakes a bit,doesn't it?
The idea is great, but the reviewer found the execution
less so. Yeah, that's putting it mildly.
He found it has significant drawbacks and adds unnecessary
complexity. His initial excitement
definitely got tempered by some awkward design choices.
(02:53):
That's the core tension. You ick U.
O What's the biggest issue in practise?
What's the main frustration? It's how you start one of these
watch free workouts. You'd think, OK, maybe there's a
button on the strap or a voice command.
Yeah. Ress and go.
Right. Nope, you have to, and the
reviewer stresses this. You must start the recording
using the Garmin Connect app on your smartphone.
Every single time. Wait, so you need your phone
(03:15):
with you at the start of every workout anyway, even if you
don't want the watch? Precisely.
Which, as the reviewer points out, kind of undermines the
whole watch free convenience idea, doesn't it?
If you still need to fiddle withyour phone, pull it out, unlock
it. How fiddly are we talking, he?
Described it as needing 6 taps within the app and then you have
(03:35):
to wait maybe 15, sometimes up to 30 seconds for the phone and
strap to connect properly beforeyou can actually start your run
or whatever. It's just friction.
Unexpected friction for premium gear.
OK, that. Does sound annoying?
What about the physical button that is on the strap?
Surely that does something useful?
You'd think, but no. According to the review, its
function is really limited. It wakes the device up.
(03:57):
You can toggle between secure and open Bluetooth connections,
which is mostly for initial pairing and it puts it into
pairing mode. But it can't.
It can't just start or stop the recording.
Correct. It cannot start or stop a
workout recording. The reviewer finds this
completely baffling, given that's the headline feature.
Why put a button there if it doesn't do the most obvious
useful thing? Wow, OK, that is awkward.
(04:19):
Like he said, a button that doesn't button the way you
expect. Exactly, and he mentions other
little annoyances too, like prompts about secure connections
that most people probably don't need or understand.
The button itself is apparently hard to feel and press,
especially mid activity, and thelittle LED light uses colours in
ways that aren't intuitive, likeblue sometimes means recording,
(04:41):
not pairing. It really sounds like that
comment from the reviewer hits home.
Designed by tech enthusiasts rather than those who will be
using them daily. Needing your phone?
Multiple taps, waiting a button that doesn't do the main job?
Yeah, it doesn't scream seamlessuser experience.
Definitely not seamless for thatcore new feature, but to be
(05:01):
fair, the review does acknowledge that beyond those
usability issues, the underlyingtech and some other features are
actually quite strong. OK, good.
Let's talk about the positives then.
What does it do well? Well, First off, the fundamental
job measuring heart rate during exercise.
The reviewer found the accuracy here exceptional.
As you'd hope. He actually uses it as a
benchmark device when testing other sensors.
(05:23):
That's reassuring. What else?
A big plus and a return to form maybe is the detachable sensor
module. The little pod snaps off the
strap. The previous Pro Plus had it all
integrated. So you can wash the strap
easily. That's huge.
Those things get nasty. Exactly, much better for
hygiene. It means you could just replace
the strap if it wears out, not the whole expensive unit.
(05:43):
So that's a definite pro, OK. And there's a new battery
situation, right? It's rechargeable now.
Yes, it uses a proprietary Garmin charging clip.
It's rechargeable, which, you know, sounds modern and
convenient. No more coin sells.
That's a but. There is a but in the review.
The claimed battery life is up to two months standby, or around
50 hours of actual workout time.Now compare that to the old coin
(06:07):
cell models like the Pro Plus. They could last up to a year.
Oh, wow. So 50 hours versus potentially
hundreds of hours. That's a massive difference.
You're trading longevity for rechargeability.
Seems like it, and the reviewer also flags that the charging
port on the pod itself isn't covered or protected, so
potential issues with sweat and moisture getting in there over
(06:27):
time. It's a design question mark.
OK, rechargeable convenience, but maybe a step back in battery
life and a potential durability concern.
What about new metrics? Any fancy new data?
There is one new running dynamicstep, speed loss or SSL.
Step speed loss sounds technical, is it useful?
The reviewers is that SSL on itsown probably not that useful for
(06:51):
most runners directly however. Ah, the however.
Yes. The big, however, is that this
SSL metric is apparently necessary for Garmin's newer
running economy metric to work. And that metric, the reviewer
believes, is fundamentally important for understanding how
efficiently you run and identifying potential systemic
issues. You do need a high end
compatible Garmin watch to actually see and use that
(07:12):
running economy metric though. Got it.
So SSL is like a key that unlocks a more valuable insight,
but only if you have the rest ofthe Garmin ecosystem.
What about just connecting it tothings?
Connectivity seems solid. It's got Ant plus Mel which is
great for connecting to tonnes of devices simultaneously.
Bike computers, gym machines, older watches, and it has
Bluetooth Low Energy BLE supporting up to three
(07:35):
connections there. It even does secure BLE, which
adds a layer of privacy if you're connecting to compatible
devices or apps that support it.So yeah, it should talk to
pretty much anything you throw in it.
And what about swimmers? That cached data feature is
still there where it stores HR underwater.
Yep, absolutely crucial for swimmers.
It stores the heart rate data while you're swimming because
the signals don't transmit well in water, and dumps it to your
(07:57):
watch or app afterwards. And compatible watches can also
use that stored data to fill in any gaps if the live signal
drops out during other activities, like maybe in dense
crowds or something. And can you just wear it like
all day as a tracker? You can if you keep it on.
It tracks steps, calories, distance, intensity, minutes,
and your all day heart rate. It syncs all that using Garmin's
(08:18):
True Up system to keep your dataconsistent across devices.
Does it do HRV tracking all day like RR intervals?
The reviewer notes it doesn't seem to capture that continuous
RR interval data needed for things like body battery when
worn just as an all day tracker,only during timed activities.
It's also got a 5 ATM water rating, so swimming is fine.
(08:40):
And that detachable module should theoretically help
durability, though again he wonders if constantly popping it
on and off for charging might wear out the strap snaps over
time. OK, quite a list of features
there. Let's circle back to accuracy
because that's paramount for a heart rate strap.
We know sports HR is good. What about other things like
pace on a treadmill? Right.
It can estimate pace and distance, which is potentially
(09:02):
handy indoors, but the review states it's wildly inaccurate
out-of-the-box. Oh dear, can you calibrate it?
You can, and calibration does make it better.
It becomes more consistent on the same treadmill, but the
reviewer warns that trying to rely on that accuracy across
different treadmills which mighthave their own calibration
quirks is pretty difficult. So useful ish, but with big
(09:24):
caveats. OK, now the big one.
The review had some pretty surprising findings about heart
rate variability or HRV accuracy, especially resting
HRV. Yes, this was a major point in
the review and frankly a bit of a shocker.
He specifically looked at resting RMSSD.
That's a key metric many athletes track daily for
(09:46):
recovery status using apps like HRV for training or elite HRV,
and the HRM 600 was found to be not reliably accurate for this
specific measurement when compared directly against the
Polar H10 strap. The Chen is widely seen as the
gold standard for consumer levelHRV accuracy.
Not accurate. How inaccurate are we talking?
For a brand new top tier $170 strap from Garmin, that seems
(10:10):
bad. It does.
The reviewers data showed a consistent systematic
underestimation of RMSSD by the HRM 600.
On average, it reported values about 6.5 milliseconds lower
than the polar H10 during resting measurements, and the
readings are more variable, lessconsistent day-to-day compared
to the H 10. 6 1/2 milliseconds?That's actually quite a lot in
HRV terms, isn't it? That could easily push you from
(10:31):
a good recovery reading to a caution reading in some apps.
Exactly. The error metrics he calculated
were apparently two to three times larger than for the Polar
H10 or even another competitor, the Wahoo Trace AKRHR, under the
same test conditions. It led the reviewer to state
very clearly that he will not use HRM 600 for resting RMSSD.
(10:51):
Wow. OK, so if your primary the use
case involves tracking precise morning HRV for recovery
insights, this review strongly suggests the HRM 600 might not
be the tool for you, despite theprice tag.
That seems to be the conclusion for precise resting HRV, yes.
He does add a small caveat though.
The HRM 600 HRV data did seem totrend in the right direction
generally. So if it's your only HRV source
(11:13):
and you're just looking for verybroad up or down trends over
weeks, maybe it's OK for a very basic interpretation, but not
for reliable daily numbers. Any idea why it might be less
accurate for resting HRV? The reviewer speculates it could
be down to how the Streps algorithms process the RR
intervals, the tiny time gaps between heartbeats.
RMSSD is very sensitive to smallerrors in detecting those
(11:35):
intervals, especially at lower resting heart rates, maybe
around 60 beats per minute wherepeople often take these
readings. Maybe the Polar H 10s processing
is just superior for that specific task.
This whole HRV thing really makes you compare the HRM 600
not just to competitors but to Garmin's own history.
They've had a lot of straps overthe years.
We certainly have from the earlyHRM run, adding dynamics to try
(11:58):
and swim, adding memory for swimming the dual, adding
Bluetooth, then the pro and Pro plus consolidating things.
It's been an evolution. So how does this new HRM 600
stack up against the one it justreplaced, the HRM Pro Plus well?
The 600 takes the top spot. The review highlights the key
differences. You've got them in chargeable
battery in the 600 versus the long life cone cell in the Pro
(12:18):
Plus. Detachable module in the 600.
Fixed in the Pro Plus. The 600 adds secure BLE, the
button, the LED. And the big one, the 600 can
start recordings via the Connectapp, whereas the Pro Plus
absolutely needed a watch to initiate a timed activity.
Exactly. That's the unique selling point,
but remember, the HRM 600 is also significantly more
(12:41):
expensive, launched at $170 compared to the Pro Plus at
$130.00. Right.
So more features maybe, but alsomore cost and those usability
issues. And the reviewer actually
suggested that for most people, the older garment straps might
even be better. Yeah, he put it quite strongly.
He suggested that straps like the older HRMTII or the HRMP Row
(13:01):
Plus might be generally superiorin terms of commonly used
features for the average athlete.
Because the stuff that makes theHRM 600 unique, like that app
based recording really only offers this full benefit if
you're deep in the Garmin ecosystem anyway and
specifically need that niche function.
OK, so let's boil it down based on this really thorough review
from the 5K runner, who should actually buy the Garmin HRM 600.
(13:23):
Who is it really for? The recommendation is pretty
clear cut. The reviewer basically says the
HRM 600 is the clear choice onlyif you fall into a few specific
categories. 1, you just want theabsolute latest, most feature
packed garment strap price, no object.
Two, you specifically prefer a rechargeable battery, even with
(13:44):
the shorter life. Or three, and this seems key,
you absolutely need that abilityto record a timed activity
without a watch starting it via the app.
Correct. That makes it, in his words, the
best option for team sports players using Garmin who can't
wear a watch, or maybe certain professionals who value the
secure BLE connection. But for everyone else?
For and I quote 99% of athletes.The review suggests you should
(14:07):
probably skip it. Wow, 99% skip it.
That's blunt. Why such a strong recommendation
against it for most people? Because fundamentally you can
get heart rate straps that are just as accurate for actual
exercise HR for way less money. Even within Garmin's own lineup.
Cheaper models like the HRM Dualor older Pro versions offer
(14:27):
excellent HR accuracy, Ant Plus and BLE, and some even have
features like cache data for swimming or basic running
dynamics. The very high price of the 600
just doesn't seem justified for the features most people
actually use day-to-day, especially when factoring in
those usability frustrations. It really positions it as a
niche product, doesn't it? Not the default upgrade Garmin
(14:50):
might present it as. Very much so.
It's interesting the reviewer himself did buy one, but he
explicitly says it wasn't for typical training reasons.
For him, as someone who tests and compares lots of devices,
the ability to record directly into Garmin Connect without
needing a paired watch offered auniquely valuable way to run
certain comparison tests. It was a must have feature for
(15:10):
his specific workflow as a reviewer.
But that's a reviewer specific need, not an athlete's typical
need. OK, so wrapping this all up,
what's the final word from this deep dive into the 5K Runners
review and what improvements does he hope to see?
The final verdict is basically this.
The HRM 600 is, on paper, maybe the most featured heart rate
(15:31):
monitor ever made. It's packed with capabilities
but the reviewer marked it down significantly.
The main reasons were the reallyhigh price that moved to a
shorter leg, rechargeable battery and just the awkward
ways it's signature features work and practise, especially
needing the app to start recordings and the button being
kind of useless for that. So loads of potential, but the
(15:52):
user experience for those advanced features really lets it
down for the average person. That seems to be the core
message, yeah. He offers some pretty concrete
suggestions for Garmin too, likeput a simple shortcut in the
Connect app to make starting those recordings faster.
Better yet, change the firmware so the button on the strap can
actually start and stop recordings without the phone
needing to be involved right then.
(16:13):
And make the app smarter about automatically finding and
syncing completed workouts from the strap.
Simple, practical fixes that would address the biggest
frustrations. And there was that lingering
durability question, too, right about the detachable.
Pod, yeah, just that thought. The detachable design is good
for washing, but if you're constantly popping the pod off
to charge it via that potentially vulnerable port,
(16:35):
could the repeated stress damagethe strap attachment points over
the long haul? Just a point of consideration
from someone who uses this stuffhard.
Right, so there we have it, the Garmin HRM 600.
According to this detailed look via the 5K Runners review.
It's a strap loaded with tech, some genuinely novel ideas like
watch free recording but maybe Hanford by its premium price,
(16:57):
and some real potentially deal breaking usability issues for
how you actually use those new features.
It ends up feeling like a product for a very specific
niche, not the automatic upgradeand many might have expected.
It really makes you think, doesn't it?
Yeah. What do you value more in your
sports tech? Is it having the absolute
longest list of features possible on the box, or is it
(17:17):
the gear just working smoothly, intuitively, almost invisibly
when you're actually out there trying to train or compete?
That's the real question I suppose.
How do you personally balance that cutting edge promise with
the day-to-day reality of using the tech?
Something for you to Mull over when you're looking at your next
gear purchase.
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