Bluetooth HRM Chest or Wrist

[silkman]

I'm a novice who has been advised to get a HRM.

As the title suggests- please advise on pros and cons of using a chest or wrist HRM,

Thanks

[SlicedSilver]

The chest heart rate monitor will be more accurate. I hear that the wrist heart rate monitors are accurate enough for resting heart rate measurement but leave a little to be desired when exercising. (I'm talking about the smart-watches like the apple watch, samsung gear)

 

I personally use a Polar H7 bluetooth (chest) which can link with gym equipment, polar watches and your smartphone. You don't even need a polar watch since you can connect via bluetooth and use the free polar beats app or link to something like strava. Its certainly worth considering.

 

Some reading:

http://www.livescience.com/44170-fitness-tracker-heart-rate-monitors.html

[silkman]

Thanks man. Where did you get yours from

[Rudi Pollard]

I've got a garmin edge 810 with the chest strap for cycling and a forerunner 225 with wrist based HR for running.

 

I tested them against each other on my IDT session last week and the two were within 1 or 2 beats from each other for the entire workout of an hour and 15 minutes.

 

I have read that the smart watch ones are not as accurate though...

[Rudi Pollard]

Thanks man. Where did you get yours from

Get the wahoo strap. It works with Bluetooth and ant+. Costs about a R1000 last time I checked

[silkman]

Will check it out. Thx bro. The polar is also R1000 from sportsman warehouse

[Wez-O]

I have a Garmin HR chest strap and Mio HR wrist band. The chest is far more accurate and cheaper!

[Rudi Pollard]

Will check it out. Thx bro. The polar is also R1000 from sportsman warehouse

Polar only does Bluetooth as far as I know... Useful to be able to connect to both if you're going to spend a R1000

[silkman]

Both meaning ANT?

[Rudi Pollard]

Yip ant+ and Bluetooth. All garmin devices uses ant+ for example. Nice thing about the wahoo is that it will work on all devices. Garmin, polar, suunto, your smartphone, gym machines etc. If you get the polar it will only work with Bluetooth devices...

[Fisan]

Wrist HR monitors are still in the early stage. Some activities that are wrist-intensive - like typing on keyboards, or just doing any handy work throws the sensors off. Also, the sensors doesn't work with dark people (no jokes - their skin is too dark).

 

The only advantages is comfort, aesthetics (if you like err...running shirtless) or if you need a water capable HR monitor (which Suunto and Polar found a workaround for).

 

I say give it at least a year - especially if you consider getting an integrated unit like the Forerunner 225, iExpensive, TomTom (also - their software is bit shaky for now) or Samsung gear.

[silkman]

Cool thanks

[Christian van Zyl]

Will check it out. Thx bro. The polar is also R1000 from sportsman warehouse

Hello Silkman, 

 

Please note that the TICKR form Wahoo has both ANT+ and Bluetooth. This means you can run both your phone and a bike computer I.E Garmin, Wattbike, Gym Bike simultaneously. 

 

Wahoo builds this feature into all their tech making their devices a bit more future proof. 

[GP du Randt]

Yip ant+ and Bluetooth. All garmin devices uses ant+ for example. Nice thing about the wahoo is that it will work on all devices. Garmin, polar, suunto, your smartphone, gym machines etc. If you get the polar it will only work with Bluetooth devices...

Not true. I have the Polar H7 and it works on both my Polar CS100 and CS200, and on gym devices. The H6 on the other hand only works with Bluetooth.