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Heart-rate monitor

874 views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  sladnas 
#1 ·
I bought a Suunto t1 heart rate monitor today. I needed a watch and I already have a garmin for my altitude rate of ascent decent etc. Monitoring my heart-rate, calories burned etc. was the only information I was missing and while I probably won't use it much it's just as well to havel. Not to mention I do love the look of this watch. But I digress.

Do all of the heart rate monitor watches force you to wear a transmitter around your chest to get this information? It's not that it is uncomfortable but I don't exactly enjoy wearing it. I can still take this thing back for one that could get my heart rate say...through my wrist. That would be sweet. Thanks in advance.
 
#4 ·
I am not familiar with the HRM you mention, so I am not familiar with the design of the strap. But I know that Polar (the industry leader and initial developer of consumer HRM's)

has three things going for it's latest generation of HRM straps:
  1. The "Wear Link" style of strap is soft all the way around (no hard plastic across your chest for the contacts) except for the 2"x1" transmitter right in the center. So it is very comfortable.
  2. They are coded - which means that they are less susceptible to interference from other HRMs and power lines, etc.
  3. The Wear Link transmitter will work with most professional gym equiptment so when you are in the gym the machine you are on will also pick up your HR from your strap.
 
#6 ·
mrm1 said:
Do you have model examples? I am not familiar with models from those makers that take it thru your wrist.
Me either. They do have models that allow you to check your heart rate by touching your fingers to two metal spots on the watch face though. I don't see those as being nearly as useful as getting constant readings from the chest strap.

I have a Polar model with the older style strap and I hardly even notice that I'm wearing it.
 
#7 ·
I am also not a great fan of the chest strap but Polar's WearLink is very comfortable. I also wanted to use my Polar for swimming but the transmitter does not work in the pool I am using (this is actually mentioned in the small print of the manual)...something to do with amount of chlorine used although my pool does not seem to use much.
 
#8 ·
As far as I understood it, the models that don't require you to wear a strap do require you to stop and press the watch against your wrist to get a reading which IMHO makes no sense :confused:
 
#11 ·
bvibert said:
Me either. They do have models that allow you to check your heart rate by touching your fingers to two metal spots on the watch face though. I don't see those as being nearly as useful as getting constant readings from the chest strap.

I have a Polar model with the older style strap and I hardly even notice that I'm wearing it.
Also, I have read that the presure point HRMs are not nearly as accurate. OTOH, I know that the Polar units are as close to medically acurate as a consumer product can get.
 
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