Garmin HRM 600 vs HRM-Pro Plus: Which Heart Rate Strap for Triathlon?
Garmin’s chest strap range has two clear tiers, and it’s easy to overspend if you don’t need the top one. Here’s what actually separates the HRM 600 from the HRM-Pro Plus, and which triathletes should buy which.
The Two Straps at a Glance
- Garmin HRM 600 — £169.99, 18g module, ANT+ Unlimited plus three simultaneous Bluetooth connections, standalone recording up to 200 hours, battery life up to 2 months on a CR2032
- Garmin HRM-Pro Plus — £119.99 UK RRP, ECG-based electrical heart rate detection, three concurrent Bluetooth connections plus unlimited ANT+, chest size range 60-106cm, battery life around one year on a coin cell
Accuracy and Data
Both straps beat wrist-based optical sensors comfortably during hard intervals — the HRM 600 shows just a 1-2 beat lag versus an ECG reference during interval sessions, compared with the 10-15 beat lag typical of optical watches on the wrist. The HRM-Pro Plus uses ECG-based electrical detection and is rated by DC Rainmaker and Trusted Reviews as “consistently accurate across cycling, swimming and running,” including in cold-water swims where optical sensors typically struggle. Both units track running dynamics (vertical oscillation, ground contact time and balance, stride length), and both can unlock running power on compatible Garmin watches — though the HRM 600’s dynamics require a Forerunner 945/955/965/970 or Fenix-series watch to make full use of the data.
Battery Life — the Biggest Practical Difference
This is where the two units genuinely diverge. The HRM-Pro Plus runs roughly a year on a single coin cell with a tool-free quarter-turn battery door — set it and forget it. The HRM 600 needs a fresh CR2032 every 60-90 days of typical use, which is a real ongoing cost and a strap you need to remember to check before a big race. The HRM 600’s standalone 200-hour recording buffer partly offsets this by letting you train without a paired device and sync later, but if low maintenance matters more to you than the newest hardware, that’s a point in the Pro Plus’s favour.
Which Should You Choose
Choose the Garmin HRM-Pro Plus if you want the best all-round accuracy-per-pound, a battery you barely have to think about, and reliable data across all three disciplines including cold-water swims.
Check price on Tredz — Garmin HRM-Pro Plus range
Choose the Garmin HRM 600 if you want the newest hardware, the widest simultaneous Bluetooth connectivity for pairing to a watch, bike computer and smart trainer at once, and don’t mind a more frequent battery swap.
Check price on Tredz — Garmin HRM 600
For the full field including chest straps from other brands, see our best heart rate monitors for triathlon guide, and if you’re deciding between a strap and an optical wrist sensor entirely, our Wahoo TICKR FIT vs Garmin HRM-Pro Plus comparison covers that trade-off.
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