Garmin Fenix 6X Pro Solar HR Data Problem And Solution

Dale Matson

I have used a HR monitor for more than 25 years and have gone from a Polar to a Suunto and to a Garmin Fenix. One of the features that led me to the Fenix 6X was a wrist-based heart monitor that was reputed to accurately record my HR while swimming. Well, Garmin is not there yet.

This is what Garmin states.

“Some Outdoor watches feature an optical heart rate sensor (OHR), which uses light to penetrate the skin and estimate heart rate. The sensor requires a constant seal against the body to be accurate. The watch will need to be in direct contact with the skin of the wrist, and the band should be adjusted so that the watch is snug enough not to move or shift during the swim, but not so tight as to impede or restrict circulation. By default, the OHR sensor may be disabled. The OHR can be enabled during swim activities on compatible watches, but accurate heart rate tracking will require proper fit of the watch during swimming. Wrist Heart Rate settings can be found in the Sensors & Accessories menu of your watch.” https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=FiDFYSmt6wAsvsw5yd7DD7

If you are not getting accurate wrist HR data while swimming, then you will need to purchase and use a chest strap that has a blue tooth connection to your watch. The information is transferred to the watch after the exercise. I use the Garmin TRI Strap for swimming. It is paired using Menu>Sensors and Accessories>Add New>External Heart Rate>Chest Strap.

Here is the rub. If you use a chest strap, you must turn off the wrist-based HR sensor when swimming. This is done by going to Menu>Wrist Heart Rate>While Swimming Off. If you don’t, you will download to Garmin Connect and get conflicting data. In this example, I show both the downloaded chest strap data AND the wrong heart rate information in the swimming part of the chart. It also increased my recovery time b/c the recovery time was determined by my inflated wrist-based number which was above 150 HR. (I’m age 77). 

    Hope this helps explain the confusion some of you may be experiencing. Click Photos To Enlarge.