Dive Deeper: Best Heart Rate Monitors for Swimming 2025

Among chest straps, Garmin’s HRM 600 is a strong pick for swimmers who want store‑and‑forward heart‑rate data without babysitting a watch. During our review, the rechargeable module went weeks between charges, and the 5 ATM rating plus detachable design made post‑workout rinsing and strap washing easy. It can record standalone sessions and sync later, which is great for drills. The catch is price—higher than basic straps—and some advanced metrics only show up with compatible Garmin watches.

If you want a do‑it‑all swim watch with a brilliant screen, the Forerunner 965 stood out in our testing. The AMOLED display is crisp underwater and battery life stretches to about 31 hours in GPS and weeks in smartwatch mode, with 5 ATM water resistance for pool or open‑water sessions. Wrist‑based HR works for swims, but our experience shows a chest strap is still more accurate. The higher price and a case that’s prone to scuffs mean a screen protector is a smart add‑on.

For swimmers who train on land too, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 impressed us, combining WR100 water resistance and Oceanic+ support with everyday smarts. Apple rates battery life up to 42 hours, and the multi-band L1/L5 GPS proved highly accurate for outdoor workouts during our review. Optical heart rate is solid in steady efforts but can show occasional inaccuracies at high intensity or with variable pacing. The 49mm titanium case can feel large on smaller wrists, and at $799 it's pricey, but the breadth of features and data feels unmatched.

On the premium end, Polar’s Vantage V3 pairs a bright 1.39-inch AMOLED with dual‑frequency GPS and offline maps, plus rich training tools like Recovery Pro and FitSpark. Battery life is solid—up to 16 days in smartwatch mode and as much as 61 hours with GPS—though always‑on display and heavy navigation will cut that down. In our experience, optical wrist heart rate can wobble at high intensity, especially during fast sets. At $700 and 5 ATM water resistance, it’s a capable all‑rounder if you value coaching features.

Looking for rock-solid swim data? In our testing, the Polar H10 delivered exceptionally accurate chest-based heart rate in the pool, and its built‑in memory lets you record an entire session without a paired watch or phone. The swim‑proof design and roughly 400 hours of battery life make it easy to train for weeks between coin-cell swaps. Just note that some users report strap wear or sensor reliability over the long haul, so occasional strap maintenance or replacement may be needed.

Garmin’s HRM 200 is a reliable, budget‑friendly chest strap for swim training if you’re in the Garmin ecosystem. We found HR and HRV accuracy notably better than wrist sensors, and the CR2032 battery can run for about a year; plus, the strap is machine‑washable once you remove the module. Setup can be fiddly—Open vs Secure modes and pairing quirks trip up some users—and live heart‑rate support varies with phone apps. With a 3 ATM rating and no underwater heart‑rate tracking, it’s not ideal for deep or prolonged swims.

Among chest straps, the Garmin HRM-Pro Plus stood out in our testing for store-and-forward swim memory that syncs heart rate to a compatible watch after your session. The user-replaceable CR2032 and tool-free battery door deliver around a year of life at an hour per day, and it broadcasts via ANT+ and Bluetooth to multiple devices at once. While solid overall, some swimmers may notice strap slippage on hard push-offs and occasional dropouts, but if you want reliable underwater HR without charging, this 5 ATM strap is tough to beat.

For swimmers who want chest‑strap precision without vendor lock‑in, the Suunto Smart Heart Rate Belt impressed us with reliable readings and broad Bluetooth Low Energy compatibility. In our testing, the user‑replaceable CR2025 battery lasted around 500 hours, and the swim‑proof sensor can cache short sessions (about 3.5 hours) for later syncing. You’ll need good wet contact and careful placement to keep data consistent in the water. Note there’s no onboard GPS, so pace and distance depend on your paired watch or app.

Comfort-focused swimmers appreciate the Polar Verity Sense; in our testing it was easy to wear on the arm, forearm, or clipped to goggles. It records underwater heart rate to onboard memory for later sync, offers about 20 hours of battery life, and supports Bluetooth plus ANT+. Live HR doesn't transmit while submerged, Polar Flow can feel clunky to manage sessions, and we saw drops or spikes in longer or high-intensity efforts. If you want a light, swim-ready sensor with generous storage and no chest strap, it's still a strong pick.

Versatility stands out with the Myzone MZ-Switch: in our testing we liked swapping between chest, forearm, and wrist placements depending on the workout. In the pool, wrist wear enables swim-capable heart-rate tracking, and battery life is outstanding—up to about 4,320 hours on chest or 1,440 on wrist. The trade-offs of optical sensing apply: accuracy drops with gripping or erratic hand movements, and some users report charging or battery-level inconsistencies. It uses Myzone's proprietary snap-in USB charger, not a standard cable, but the waterproof build and training-load insights keep it flexible.

If your Rhythm24 or Rhythm+ 2.0 band is looking tired, this replacement strap is a simple, swim‑proof refresh that stays put. During our review, the quick‑lock design kept the sensor securely attached through flip turns and hard intervals, while the stretchy, easily adjustable fabric fit comfortably on forearm, biceps, or triceps. Remember it’s only a strap—no electronics or sensors included. Our experience shows a few swimmers develop skin irritation with prolonged contact, so rinse and rotate wear locations if you’re sensitive.

The Suunto Vertical 2 shines as a training workhorse with multi‑band GPS that locked on quickly during our review and a bright AMOLED display that’s easy to read poolside. Battery life is excellent for long days—up to 65 hours in high‑precision GPS and far longer in power‑saving modes. That said, wrist‑based optical heart rate proved hit‑or‑miss in the water, and there’s no underwater HR tracking. It’s also fairly heavy and skips perks like onboard music or NFC, which some swimmers may miss.

As a rugged multisport tool, the COROS VERTIX 2S excels at durability and endurance with a titanium bezel, sapphire glass, and very long battery life for marathon training blocks. Dual‑frequency GPS kept tracks tidy around open‑water courses in our testing, and the 10 ATM rating inspires confidence. However, optical wrist heart‑rate accuracy can be inconsistent, and there’s no underwater HR tracking—serious swimmers may prefer a chest strap. The large, heavy case and limited music options are trade‑offs to consider.

For budget-minded athletes, the COROS PACE 3 impressed us with battery life up to 24 days in smartwatch mode and 38 hours of GPS. Multi-band GPS locked on quickly in our testing, and the training suite (VO2 Max, Recovery Time, Training Load, and more) punches above its price. It doesn't support underwater heart-rate tracking, so pool swimmers who want HR data will need another sensor, even though the watch is 5 ATM water resistant and lacks an AMOLED display.

Garmin’s Fenix 8 Pro AMOLED is a powerhouse for swim and multisport: underwater wrist‑based HR worked reliably for us, and multi‑band GPS drew crisp tracks around buoys. Battery life is strong—up to about 15 days as a smartwatch and 44 hours in GPS—though always‑on display, LTE, or satellite features will shorten it. It’s undeniably pricey, and we ran into the occasional software hiccup under heavy use. Still, 10 ATM water resistance and optional LTE safety make it a confidence‑boosting companion.

If you prefer a low-profile alternative to chest straps, the Polar OH1 impressed us in the pool when clipped to swim goggles or worn on the arm. Its detachable pod logs workouts to internal memory for reliable underwater heart-rate tracking without a paired device, and it's comfortable and swim-proof for everyday training. Battery life is around 12 hours, which we found adequate but shorter than chest-strap options, and some users may see intermittent Bluetooth pairing or dropouts with certain devices.

We liked how the Form Smart Swim 2 PRO Goggles deliver real-time heart-rate tracking while you swim, integrating the sensor directly into the goggles. During our review, the 14-hour battery covered multiple sessions, and swim-proof construction held up to regular pool use. You'll get core metrics like calories and pace/distance alongside HR, but fit and sensor placement must be dialed for reliable readings, and the field of view is narrower than traditional goggles. If you value in-the-moment feedback more than maximum peripheral vision, these make a convenient all-in-one training companion.