No more chest strap, heart rate watch recommendations?

[Morrey]

I am looking for a new heart rate watch, minus the chest strap this time as find them a little restrictive particularly on the erg.

I have looked at a couple from TomTom; the runner 2 and the multisport.

They are all aimed at runners and/or tri-athletes and I'm unsure how well they will operate on the erg and the water without trying a few myself (expensive!) has anyone got any experience of a heart rate watch?

Reviews, recommendations welcome!

[thecrashton]

I don't have a heartrate model as I got mine a few years ago, but I own a TomTom Runner Multisport and it's been great. Provides accurate results while running and the GPS is pretty spot on. I don't use it rowing as I just view my heartrate on the PM (i use a chest strap) but I've paired it with my chest strap and that works fine.

Overall I like the design because the big button underneath the screen is easy to press in any direction if just trying to quickly slap it while running or moving otherwise.

The software it runs is good and I never experience any crashes or freeze-ups. I like the "race a previous run" function and I often use the "zone" training to keep myself in a particular zone based on pace, HR, speed, etc.

[Carl Watts]

With the right strap you don't know your wearing it, I use a Garmin.

Really not sure how well the new watches work by themselves and communicate with the monitor, but unless you can get the heartrate up on the monitor its pretty useless trying to look at it on a watch.

Perhaps other cvan post what they have found to work well. I can tell you however there is nothing more annoying that a heartrate signal that comes and goes, you need a rock solid connection and stable display.

[bisqeet]

Sort of depends on what accuracy you want.
They are all sub optimal at rapid Rate changes as experienced on circuit training, interval training and so on.
A stable endurance row shouldn't cause a lot of deviation compared to a chest monitor, but running a 10x500 will be inaccurate.

I believe the garmin vivosmart is one of the better models, plus you have the advantage of being able to broadcast the hm via ant to the pm....

Dcrainmaker does great reviews on this kind of tech. I would recommend checking out his site....

[jadomatis]

Perhaps nothing really here, but something to consider:
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/01/0 ... cking.html

[Carl Watts]

Perhaps nothing really here, but something to consider:
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/01/0 ... cking.html

Yep use a Garmin chest strap if you want decent results.

Clearly the two massive electromagnetic pads these use either side of your heart cannot be matched by anything stuck on your wrist.

The Fitbit watches appear to be "Cool" but a bit of a toy. False readings, pin particular low readings are potentially pretty dangerous to those without exercise experience where they can at least count on their perceived effort to backup the readings they are getting.

[Citroen]

Perhaps nothing really here, but something to consider:
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/01/0 ... cking.html

Only in America would someone bother doing that, your legal system is screwed up beyond all recognition. Here in Europe we'd send it back under warranty as "not fit for purpose".

[Bob S.]

Perhaps nothing really here, but something to consider:
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/01/0 ... cking.html

Only in America would someone bother doing that, your legal system is screwed up beyond all recognition. Here in Europe we'd send it back under warranty as "not fit for purpose".

Hey! I never thought of that. For years I have been getting really flukey HR results from the treadmills at a local fitness center equipped with 2-hand contact detectors. The readings are often just about double what I figured they should be. I ignored them, of course - I hadn't thought about the possibility of making a few bucks off of them. Thanks for the tip, Dougie. Unfortunately, the machines are old, so it is no longer the manufacturer's fault, just a lack of maintenance. So it is the fitness center owners who are the responsible parties, and they are not exactly in the deep pocket category - also I regard them as friends, so a lawsuit is not an option. I guess I will just have to stick with griping about it with my fellow treadmillers as we work out. At least it is a convenient conversation piece.

[jackarabit]

Been a while since Doug had his nose in Dickens' Bleak House!

[Citroen]

Been a while since Doug had his nose in Dickens' Bleak House!

I have never willingly read any of Dicken's scrap paper nor do I have any desire so to do. I have unwillingly read Great Expectations.

[bisqeet]

I personally favour
"Tale of two titties"

[Bob S.]

I personally favour
"Tale of two titties"

Sale works better. That makes it a spoonerism - my favorite kind of pun.

[bisqeet]

I personally favour
"Tale of two titties"

Sale works better. That makes it a spoonerism - my favorite kind of pun.

And as the OP mentions chest in the title, very nearly OT...

[adkerg]

I've been using the Apple Watch since October. It's measurements are accurate, though it does struggle a bit with big shifts in HR during faster interval workouts. But overall the measurements seem pretty accurate.

-- Mike

[bisqeet]

well - i thought i would update this.
this is my take, and i've tried a few.

the polar was ver inacurate compared to the H7 polar strap. on longer rows it was ok, any quick changes (sprints / intervals) confused the monitor - it just could nt react fast enough.
I sent it back after a week.

i have a garmin vivosmart HR now.
it seems pretty good, longer rows are accurate (ish) and after a firmware update the sprints / interval are also following the same trend. its still not as accurate as its counterpart (both the garmin strap or the polar h7), but its ok. i will try and do a longer row and some sprints and show the charts from both.

my personal easons for buyin the garmin hr.
1) its (in my opinion) the most accurate.
2) its waterproof to 5 ATM (i do a fair bit of swimming)
3) I do a decent amount of biking and it connects to all my garmin devices seemless (virb camera, power meters, cadence meter, GPS)
4) and probably the best for C2 users; you can broadcast the HR to the PM5 (i only have a pm5, but it should work with all ANT compatible devices)

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