HRM Watch Suggestions

[Nomadmax]

I'm looking for a HRM watch that has the following:

Current HR (I don't want to use a chest strap)
Stopwatch
Time of day/date

I have absolutely no use for anything else and frankly don't want to step over a bunch of stuff I'll never use to get to the three things above. The only thing that's important to me is that the HR display be accurate. Anything out there fit the bill?

[AngryScientist]

get the lowest level garmin forerunner.

they have the best wrist based HR, but i have found wrist HR to not be as reliable as chest strap.

[Ozz]

I bought a Polar strap for $60 and downloaded the free PolarBeat app to my phone.

I don't think you need a Polar strap for it, just any blue-tooth strap that can connect with your phone.

Sorry...just saw you don't want to use a chest strap.....nevermind.

[trener1]

I dont think you can get anything (reliable) for less then this, $45
https://g.factoryoutletstore.com/cat...xoCZxQQAvD_BwE

[tmf]

I had a Garmin Vivoactive HR before I got an Apple Watch, and a Forerunner 225 before that. I definitely preferred the smaller profile of the Vivoactive. I recently sold the Vivoactive HR for $50, so the $45 is fair.

[Nomadmax]

Thank you very much. I like the profile of the Vivo models but the whole raise your hand or shake it to see HR is a bit of a buzzkill. I looked at the Garmin Forerunner 35 but can't find any data regarding "always on display" HR readings during workouts. I'll dig into it further.

In the end, if not being able to see HR "always displayed" is just the way it is I'll probably opt for the slimmer Vivosmart series. The older you get, the more help you need regarding even the simplest technology. Anybody need help repairing an old typewriter or want to know how to rebuild a carburetor????

[buddybikes]

Ever since wearing HR monitors, and my wife auditing a company that made EKG electrodes. I have always wondered if a disposable electrode with HR clips could be made. Use once, connect to chest with standard glues/tapes used for diabetes pump sensors. Then the strap is not needed and the reading would probably be more accurate, since it wouldn't move around.

Someone here develops it, all I want is 10% !

[Nomadmax]

Dredging up my old thread.

Since my original post, I started using a Garmin Edge 130 Plus on my bike along with a Garmin Varia radar unit. As a devout tech hater, I have to admit being wrong. These things are game changers, and surprisingly easy to set up/use. So that leads me to my original question with a twist.

I walk a few times a week and would like to have some of the same metrics I get with my Edge 130 but in a watch. I'm looking at the Garmin Forerunner 45 and Forerunner 255.

Anyone have opinions/knowledge of these two? Or other Garmin watches that might fit the bill? I'm not afraid to spend money, but don't want to buy something so featured that I can't figure it out or use said extra features.

[JMT3]

Not cheap but I do like it and have compared my Garmin Venu 2 plus to a strap. The heartrate accuracy is spot on.If you own a iWatch there is an app that will broadcast heart rate. The only issue with that is everytime you go to use it you have to set it up. I like simple.

[fourflys]

you said you didn't want a chest strap, have you considered a armband HR monitor? That might be an option for you, depending on why you don't want to the chest strap.. https://tinyurl.com/2rdm3fvk

also, there is a new Wahoo Element watch that I know zero about, but is on sale for 50% right now.. https://tinyurl.com/y9ee8hzm

[Gummee]

I've been on a quest to find the 'one computer to rule them all' and haven't found it.

A 935 is closest but it's hard to see speed/hr when riding. The no chest strap is good, but when it's winter, the watch gets in the way of the layers.

The 530 I have is great, but it's hard to see speed/HR when running cause you need a wrist adaptor that I don't have. If you're doing a workout, on the bike it's easy to see where you're supposed to be power-wise

I switch between the 2 based on what I'm wearing or doing.

M

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by Gummee

I've been on a quest to find the 'one computer to rule them all' and haven't found it.

A 935 is closest but it's hard to see speed/hr when riding. The no chest strap is good, but when it's winter, the watch gets in the way of the layers.

The 530 I have is great, but it's hard to see speed/HR when running cause you need a wrist adaptor that I don't have. If you're doing a workout, on the bike it's easy to see where you're supposed to be power-wise

I switch between the 2 based on what I'm wearing or doing.

M

I'm just the opposite...I prefer purpose built tools... I love the Garmin 830 on the bike and the Epix on my wrist for everything else, including sleeping, running and kayaking.

Oh, and this worked out particularly well when, on the second day of the PMC charity ride, my 830 battery died (forgot to charge it overnight). I started the cycling mode on my watch for the last segment of the ride and afterwards stitched the two data files together for a single view of the ride.

With regard to one computer -- yea, one combined dashboard on Garmin Connect!

[Nomadmax]

I'm leaning toward the Garmin 255 or the 255 S version. I don't have hulking wrists so I need to figure out if the full size version is too much.

[benb]

I’ve got an instinct Solar and I’m curious how much better the new ones are. Love it in general but I still feel like the HRM has a long way to go.

It certainly works for day to day and it’s nice to have it automatically monitor your resting HR and put it in your training log.

But it sure seems to have massive lag on intervals, smaller hills, stuff in the gym compared to a chest strap.

It’s actually so slow to register my HR to come down that it makes it look like I’m out of shape or overtrained and I have to remind myself it just misreads high for a while.

[quattro]

You've probably done your homework but in case you haven't just be aware if you are monitoring HR due to any heart rate issues, I have SVT, and need a more accurate measure, when cycling or running with a wrist based HR monitor, using the optical heart rate sensor, it is not even close to being as accurate as a chest strap HR monitor recording by electrocardiograph logging your heart's electrical activity. When my HR spikes from 160 bpm very quickly up to 225 bpm using the HR optical HR sensor on my Garmin Forerunner 945 it never registers through the optical sensor. However, when using my chest HR monitor synched to my Garmin Forerunner 945 or Edge 830 it does register correctly. So, if accuracy in monitoring your HR while working out is important and/or if you have some type of heart beat abnormality, I would strongly suggest monitoring your HR with a chest strap while doing physical activity, cycling, running, etc. I'm not a Dr. nor doI have medical training, I just know this from experience monitoring my HR overman years. Good luck.

quattro