Garmin HRM-FIT Review: Best Women's Heart Rate Strap?

Here's everything you need to know about the Garmin HRM-FIT, from fit to accuracy to general usage as well as more advanced features too.

The HRM-FIT takes the features of Garmin’s high-end HRM-PRO Plus, but molds it into a strap that snaps onto your existing sports bra. The design aims to increase comfort compared to traditional chest strap bands (which go all the way around the chest and tend to be restricting), while still maintaining chest-strap accuracy.

Given the unit’s lineage with existing Garmin HRM-PRO series straps, that means it maintains features like advanced running metrics, offline data caching, indoor run/treadmill running pace data transmission, as well as tracking steps/calories/intensity minutes even when a watch isn’t worn. However, all of this comes at a significant price bump, bringing the price to an eye-watering $149USD.

Now, this is one of the few products I can’t actually test directly. So instead, my Ironman triathlete wife has been putting it through its paces, as well as another (female) family friend, thus providing multiple viewpoints on the HRM-FIT. This includes both comfort/fit thoughts, as well as data accuracy notables. While it may seem like it should work just like the HRM-PRO series in terms of accuracy, one of the chief components here is ensuring snug fig so that it doesn’t move around (which would reduce accuracy).

0:00 Quick Overview
0:40 HRM-FIT Hardware Basics
2:43 Attachment and First Workout Thoughts
3:47 Movement and Slow-Motion Data
4:32 Connectivity & Apps
6:16 Advanced Data Metrics
10:28 Athlete #1 Feedback
12:49 Athlete #2 Feedback
14:32 Accuracy Test Data
18:20 Final Recommendations

Note: May contain Amazon Affiliate links, for which I'm a member of the Amazon Associates program and may earn a commission.

#GarminHRM-FIT #HRM-FIT #GarminHRMFIT

[fitgearhunter]

Your wife is a saint and should be treated to a full spa day for helping you with this video

[ecace]

I'm normally salty when companies feel a need to make something special just ~for women~ like they're some niche market that can only wear pink or else they'll melt. But this is a brilliant idea. Well done Garmin.

[uberwenchable]

This is definitely not a case of “shrink it and pink it” for the female market, and I’m glad Garmin came up with it. I’ve been eager to try it since it was announced. Your wife and her friend are, ahem, of a slighter build than some like me who need industrial grade scaffolding in the brassiere department. I will definitely stress test it 😊

I’d like to try it as well while rowing, where I sometimes dislodge the strap pulling in the oar (and wrist based HR is completely useless in rowing).

[Aldinequeen]

Got this today for Mother’s Day’s and ran 3 miles with it. I said hell no to this but this is perfect! Excellent job Garmin.

[laydsimba]

Our SHERO!!! Going out shirtless in the cold for us makes you the real MVP! ❤ Of course Garmin would release this 2 weeks after I bought a Polar OH1+ on a Christmas sale. 🙄 I cannot stand chest straps so the armband has been great. I may try this one in the future. 👍🏾

[Jazmin_Ortega]

I appreciate Garmin going through the process of bringing this to market, even if it doesn't work for a lot of users. Currently I use the H10 Polar strap, using electrode gel it works well, up to about 15 miles without chafing. Anything more and it causes issues. There is a bra out there (Sensoria Fitness) that has the buttons to snap in an HRM pod, but it doesn't seem to offer the level of support that I need. So the search continues.

[paulw]

Kudos to your wife for the demo and to you for covering a women’s specific product

[kfahren]

Okay... I got one and did my first run today. My opinion is that as a well endowed female it is a huge upgrade compared to a normal heart rate strap. The normal heart rate strap chase between my bra and the strap itself. This where it attaches means that I'm not going to be chafing there. I did my first run in it tonight and didn't even notice it there. Where my other traditional heart rate strap. I notice immediately when I put it on.

[tinnahelga]

Thank you so much for this review! I am a woman who HATES a very snug chest band and feel like a normal HR strap i choking me when worn under a sports bra. So this sounds like just the thing, if I would like to up my HR game.

[emlin]

Brilliant, why hasn't this happened sooner. Well done Garmin and thanks for the review!

[achookangaroo]

Definitely interested in this! My regular chest strap seems to be competing with the band of my sports bra. The only bummer is that I've had really bad luck with Garmin HRMs. I went through two of the duals and then switched to Polar.

[martinlanders]

Kudus to Mrs.DCrainmaker and friend!! 👍🏻

[nollys]

I don’t have a 2022+ watch. The only thing that would be missing from my metrics is power.

Thanks to my ample bosom I’ve never had to moisten sensors on a chest strap, but I have had to stop wearing it due to chafing. If this changes the chafing game, I’d sign up but my experience with Garmin HRMs is that they don’t have a great lifespan. My polar OH1+ has lasted longer and still works well but I don’t wear it during warmer months as I prefer the discreetness of a chest strap.

[tripw]

This seems awesome. I wish there were a way they could do something as convenient as this for attaching to bib straps for people who dont wear a sports bra.

[katrinaalison]

I have told my husband multiple times how it's annoying and dumb to put a HRM strap under my bra strap. I already have one strap constricting my chest, two can be uncomfortable. This is a step in the right direction... but I think the obvious solution would be garmin partnering with brooks or another run company to make a bra that the strap has the hrm built in, and then you just unsnap the device from the bra (like on on the heart rate strap currently) to wash it. That's the HRM that I'm dreaming of!

[elliottsmith]

Thanks for this review and to your wife (and her friend) for being the tester(s). I am interested to see the eventual feedback from larger athletes using this monitor, and if the opinion on the benefits changes.

[ked]

Since you brought it up... would love to see some recent reviews of arm

[Maxwaehrens]

Hey Ray, always enjoy watching your videos! I guess if you want to test the accuracy of this "strap" in the future, you could rotate and wear a HRM pro strap 180 degrees around your chest and attach the HRM-FIT to the band of the HRM Pro strap and adjust the tightness.

[kimwarner]

I agree with your wife. It seems to be one more thing I'm not going to want to do to work out. I bought a polar arm band, but sent it back b/c I found it annoying having to put it on. My fenix heart rate is accurate and I'm always wearing it. Thanks for the review

[Sewmylifeback]

Super awesome review! Who makes your wife’s cycling bibs - those look fantastic!