The short answer? Yes, surprisingly accurate for a wrist-based sensor.
The Forerunner 970 uses Garmin's new Elevate Gen 5 heart rate sensor, and honestly, it's impressed a lot of people. In head-to-head tests against chest straps like the Polar H10, readings were consistently within 1-2 BPM. That's about as good as wrist-based tech gets.
For most of your training, you probably won't need a chest strap at all. Steady runs, tempo efforts, easy recovery days, cycling sessions. The wrist sensor handles all of these really well. Even resting heart rate measurements matched chest straps exactly in testing.
But let's be real about the limitations. When you're doing hard intervals and your heart rate is spiking quickly, there can be a slight delay in the readings. It's the nature of optical sensors. They're reading blood flow through your skin, not direct electrical signals like a chest strap does.
Swimming is where things get trickier. Water messes with optical sensors on all smartwatches, so if accurate swim HR data matters to you, a chest strap is still the way to go.
Quick tips for better accuracy:
- Wear it snug, about a finger's width above your wrist bone
- Make sure the sensor area stays clean
- In cold weather, the sensor might take longer to lock on
One thing to know: some of the fancier metrics like Running Economy actually require the HRM 600 chest strap. So if those features are important to you, budget an extra $170 or so.
We may earn a commission when you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. How ShopSavvy makes money
How we researched this
Where this comes from: this answer draws on the product's published specifications and the reviews ShopSavvy collected for it, alongside prices from ShopSavvy's price data.
📚More About Garmin Forerunner 970
Considering the Garmin Forerunner 970?
Here's our "TLDR" Review
Download ShopSavvy App
Compare prices across tens of thousands of stores, set price alerts, watch for deals by keyword, and much more.
Install ShopSavvy Browser Extension
Compare and track prices automatically while you shop online at thousands of websites.
More Answers
If you're still curious about the Garmin Forerunner 970, here are some other answers you might find interesting:
- Is the Garmin Forerunner 970 worth the price?
At $749.99, the Forerunner 970 isn't an impulse purchase. Let me help you figure out if it makes sense for you. When the 970 IS worth every penny: If you're...
- How good is the Garmin Forerunner 970 display?
The display on the Forerunner 970 is, frankly, gorgeous. It's the best screen Garmin has ever put on a running watch. The specs: You're looking at a 1.4-inch...
- What are the known bugs and issues with the Garmin Forerunner 970?
Let's be honest here: the Forerunner 970, like a lot of complex smartwatches, launched with some bugs. The good news? Garmin's been pretty active about fixing...
- Is the Garmin Forerunner 970 waterproof for swimming?
Yes, you can definitely swim with the Forerunner 970. It's rated to 5 ATM, which means it handles pool swimming, open water swimming, and showering without...
- Does the Garmin Forerunner 970 have maps and navigation?
Yes! Full-color maps with actual turn-by-turn navigation. This isn't just a breadcrumb trail. You get real maps on that beautiful AMOLED screen. What comes...
- Can you make phone calls on the Garmin Forerunner 970?
Yep! The Forerunner 970 has a built-in speaker and microphone, so you can actually take and make phone calls right from your wrist. How it works: When your...
- Should I buy the Garmin Forerunner 970 or Fenix 8?
This is one of the most common questions I see, and the answer really depends on what matters most to you. Let's start with price: Forerunner 970: $749.99...
- Does the Garmin Forerunner 970 have a flashlight?
Yes! And honestly, this is one of my favorite features on the 970. The Forerunner 970 is the first Forerunner to include a built-in LED flashlight. Previously,...
- Is the Garmin Forerunner 970 good for triathlons?
If you're training for a triathlon, the Forerunner 970 was literally built for you. It's one of the best multisport watches out there. Ready-to-go multisport...
- Does the Garmin Forerunner 970 have an ECG feature?
Yes! The Forerunner 970 is actually the first Forerunner to include ECG capability. This was previously only available on watches like the Venu 3 and Fenix...
