Is there something wrong w my heart or does every HRM suck?

[simpsonn]

I've had good luck for several years now using a hybrid setup. I use a Garmin sensor snapped onto a Polar Pro strap (most comfortable strap IMO). It fits without any modifications. After every ride, I take off the Garmin sensor, rinse the Polar strap, and hang to dry.

I'm using an older ANT+ Garmin sensor so I can't speak to if the newer Garmin dual HRM sensor will fit but it looks pretty similar in size.

[Kyle h]

This is why I’ve always said HR is a horrible metric for training. The technology is just too inconsistent and variable to provide reliable insight in an endurance sport scenario.

[madsciencenow]

Originally Posted by Kyle h

This is why I’ve always said HR is a horrible metric for training. The technology is just too inconsistent and variable to provide reliable insight in an endurance sport scenario.

I've never thought that a chest strap was inconsistent. I hear you on the optical sensors but not the chest straps. I see way more variability w/ re to my PMs and the new optical sensors seem like they are getting pretty good (think of my apple watch 7). YMMV.

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by Kyle h

This is why I’ve always said HR is a horrible metric for training. The technology is just too inconsistent and variable to provide reliable insight in an endurance sport scenario.

RPE never lets me down.

[Kyle h]

Originally Posted by madsciencenow

I've never thought that a chest strap was inconsistent. I hear you on the optical sensors but not the chest straps. I see way more variability w/ re to my PMs and the new optical sensors seem like they are getting pretty good (think of my apple watch 7). YMMV.

Maybe it’s my body build but the only way I ever got chest straps to stay when doing triathlon was to have them so tight it felt like it was limiting chest expansion. Optical sensors bounce around a lot but it is improving. I use optical sensors on patients on a daily basis during PT sessions and still find sensor placement to be finicky.

[Ozz]

Originally Posted by Kyle h

Maybe it’s my body build but the only way I ever got chest straps to stay when doing triathlon was to have them so tight it felt like it was limiting chest expansion. .....

Definitely your body build....maybe try one of these!

[Old School]

My wahoo straps all ended up in the garbage. Fastest and most reliable for me has been Sigma.

[Flinch]

Gotta say after trying many chest straps, with crappy results, that I finally landed on the scosche rhythm+. Flawless so far, and I really like that it straps to my forearm, out of the way, and also tracks cadence (if you want it to).

Funny story re odd hearbeats: In 2018 I had an AFIB event with atrial flutter (age 66), and in the ambulance the tech said my heart rate was 250, (max rate is 157). All I could think about was, "I wonder how fast I could ride uphill at 250 bpm?". Well, I thought it was funny... No AFIB since, by the way. Cardiologist, who was also a exercise physiologist, said the AFIB was probably the result of years of endurance miles.

[R3awak3n]

Dude its the new garbage put there.

I had a firs gen wahoo, was amazing and lasted for year and a bazillion miles. It finally broke after basically replacing the strap 3 times. Bought anew gen one, would not connect for 10 plus minutes sometimes, the readings were erratic. So they sent me a new strap, same crap. They eventually sent a arm band one because they said they were having problems with the chest ones (this was a year ago), the arm band one is definitely better but lately I have not been wearing any

[Tim Porter]

Garmin HRMs have been solid for me, but occasionally one will take a while to connect to the 1030 head unit I use. I've found that they snap back into shape if I use a soft toothbrush and some isopropyl alcohol on the both parts of the snaps on the sensor unit and strap itself. Seems elementary, but it also seems to work . . . . Probably can't hurt to try to make sure there's good contact between the sensor and the strap. HTH, Tim

[bigbill]

Second on the Scosche monitor. I've had mine close to ten years after having poor experiences with the Garmin straps. On the trainer, I wear it on my forearm, and since losing a ton of weight, I wear it above my bicep when riding outdoors. I'm on the third or fourth strap, but still using the original rechargeable sensor.

[R3awak3n]

come on guys, you know wearing HR monitors on the forearm does not look pro

[mjf]

We use Polar h10's in the lab, since they're the gold standard. They're obviously a bit more expensive, but you're paying for the validated accuracy and precision.

For myself, I have a garmin instinct watch, and occasionally use a wahoo chest strap. I've never found either of the above to be far enough out of spec where I'm having any issues or concerns, but YMMV.

That being said, if I were looking for a new watch/HR monitor, I'd probably end up buying an Apple watch. Apple watches have been tested pretty heavily and the level of agreement between the Polar H10, and the HR sensor is the Apple watch is more than enough for me to be confident that the measures that I'm getting are accurate. I'd have to go with the Ultra for the battery life, but there's obviously nothing wrong with the regular models.

https://www.jsr.org/index.php/path/article/view/662 - No significant difference between Polar H10 and Apple Watch
https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/49/1/128 - 0.99 Pearson coefficient between Polar H10 and Apple watch, very strong agreement between the two devices.

[KJMUNC]

another data point: I swapped to a Wahoo about 18mo ago and since then I've had two straps die on me. One was clearly corroded on the inside (although I'd never opened it) and 2nd had similar issues.

both time Wahoo sent me a new one, but was annoying to wait the 2-3 weeks without one, especially for someone with a history of heart issues.

No issues on my 3rd strap, but by comparison, I rode my Garmin strap for at least 10yrs with no issues whatsoever.

[Sarhog]

I know nothing about chest strap heart monitors, but based on the responses here, I have a question… Does the strap have something to do with proper function? My arm band strap’s only function is to hold the HRM in place.
Thanks.