Garmin HRM 600 Heart Rate Monitor

Garmin HRM 600 — Heart Rate, Running Dynamics and Standalone Recording

The HRM 600 represents a significant step forward from Garmin’s previous chest strap lineup. Built around the same ECG-based heart rate accuracy that made the HRM-Pro series a go-to for serious athletes, it adds a rechargeable battery, standalone activity recording and expanded running dynamics — making it genuinely useful across running, cycling, triathlon and gym training.

Heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) data is transmitted in real time over both ANT+ and Bluetooth Low Energy simultaneously. ANT+ supports unlimited concurrent connections, and BLE supports three at once — so you can feed a Garmin watch, an Edge cycling computer and a training app at the same time without compromise.

Running Dynamics

Paired with a compatible Garmin smartwatch, the HRM 600 tracks a comprehensive set of running form metrics directly from the chest strap’s motion sensors: cadence, stride length, vertical oscillation, vertical ratio, ground contact time and ground contact time balance. The headline addition over previous straps is step speed loss — a metric that quantifies how much speed you shed at foot strike, expressed in centimetres per second. It’s a practical indicator of running economy and form breakdown under fatigue, and it’s exclusive to the HRM 600 within the current Garmin strap range.

Activity Recording Without a Watch

Paired with the Garmin Connect app on your phone, the HRM 600 can record complete activities independently — heart rate, calories, pace, distance and steps are all logged and synced directly to your Garmin Connect account. You don’t need to stay within Bluetooth range once recording has started, making it practical for team sports, swimming, gym sessions and any activity where wearing a watch isn’t ideal.

Swim Heart Rate

The HRM 600 caches heart rate data throughout a swim session. Since Bluetooth and ANT+ don’t transmit through water, live HR display isn’t available while submerged — but on surfacing during rest intervals, the strap sends average and maximum HR for the previous interval in real time. When you save the swim activity, stored HR data is automatically downloaded to your paired Garmin device. For pool swimming, the strap should be worn under a swimsuit or tri top to maintain contact and accuracy.

Battery and Build

The rechargeable lithium-ion battery delivers up to two months of life based on one hour of use per day — 60 hours total. Charging uses a proprietary Garmin connector, the same as most current Garmin wearables. The removable module snaps into the strap, which is machine washable in both available sizes (XS–S and M–XL). Water resistance is rated to 5 ATM, covering swimming and open water. A tri-colour status LED indicates connection type, pairing mode and battery status at a glance.