Relevant thread: Wahoo Tickr / Apple TV4K constant drops - #12 by Otto_Destruct
I’ve owned “all the HRMs”. Quite literally, everything from the Garmin HRM1G (hard plastic) strap, to a variety of no-name or unknown brands, armband optical HRMs, Polar H10, Garmin HRM3, HRM-Run, now the HRM-Pro+, and a Wahoo Tickr.
Wahoo has connectivity issues and I wouldn’t touch one with a barge pole. I returned mine as it wouldn’t stay connected from the get-go.
Garmin are great until they aren’t - the four-screw battery door is awful. Yeah, some people don’t have problems. Mostly though, Garmins HRMs are on borrowed time after a battery swap. The HRM-Pro+ may by an exception as they redesigned the battery door to be a tool-free, twist lock. I bought one and am putting it through its paces.
TL;DR: buy a Polar H10 (or H9) if you want a reliable HRM that’ll last years. The Garmin has some additional metrics if you’re already in the Garmin ecosystem or if you need a footpod - it actually acts as a footpod that’ll work with Zwift, as well as a Running Dynamics pod and step counter if you’re in the Garmin ecosystem. (also does swimming with their watches) Both the Polar and Garmin support multiple BLE connections as well as ANT+.