Peter Gamma’s experience with Garmin watches to measure respiration rate

Last Updated on May 27, 2024 by pg@petergamma.org

Chest Strap HRM that does Respiration rate?
byu/joelav inGarmin

• With the Venu 2 and the Yoga protocol respiration works with the watch internal OHRM, but not with an external Polar OH1.
• The Fenix 6 requires an external HRsensor for respiration rate.
• With the watch internal OHRM it respiration does not work.
• A while ago, it was possible to pair the Fenix 6 to a Polar Verity Sense, and respiration worked.
• Now, when I pair the Fenix 6 to a Polar OH1 respiration does not work.
• But when I pair the Fenix 6 to a Polar H10 chest strap it works.
• In the manual it says the Fenix 6 requires a Garmin chest strap so that respiration works.
• But first it worked with the Verity Sense, but now it does not work with the Polar OH1.
• I wonder if it was the Verity Sense that worked, but not the Polar OH1, or if external OHMs do not work anymore due to a firmware update from Garmin.
• The Fenix 6 with external HRM delivered more stable respiration rates than the Venu 2.
• But both Garmin watches where very accurate at 12 breath per minutes, which is the lowest physiological range for respiration rate at rest.
• Both Garmin watches where not accurate at higher respiration rates ,e.g. 20 breath per minute, which is the highest physiological range at rest.
• The Venu 2 strongly fluctuates. If for instance the Fenix 6 paired to a Polar H10 shows 13 breath per minutes, a Venu 2 which is worn at the same times shows around 16 breath per minutes.
• The Fenix 6 with the Polar H10 worked if someone wants to practice breath meditation down to 12 breath per minutes which is the lowest physiological range.
• Both watches do not work to do physiologal calculations, since both are inaccurate.
• On the Fenix 6, when paired to the Polar H10 when the heart rate is monitored from the Polar H10 and is displayed on the watch, the respiration rate sometimes disappears. (drop outs).
• After replacing the battery of the Polar H10, drop outs are still there in the respiration rate, but less frequent.
• The Fenix 6 requires an external HRM for respiration rate.
• In my tests this worked with the Polar H10 and the Verity Sense, but not with the Polar OH1.
• The Fenix 6 showed the heart rate from the external OH1, but not the respiration rate.
• With the Verity Sense in previous experiments both heart rate and respiration rate where displayed on the Fenix 6.
• The Polar OH1 tested was an older one.
• That the respiration rate is not there on the Fenix 6 could eventually caused by a poor battery of the Polar OH1.
• Battery replacement with the Polar H10 showed that a new battery decreases number of drop outs in the respiration rate.
• It remains to be seen if a new Polar OH1 works properly with the Fenix 6 to show the respiration rate.