Heart Rate Monitors - Dumb Question

tabulator32

The three commonly known ways to measure one's pulse is by checking the heart on the chest, the pulse in the neck, and the pulse in the wrist.

Why do they make HRM's on watch bands that fit around one's wrist and then link it via bluetooth to a strap around one's chest?

Why not an HRM on a wrist strap that measures the pulse in one's wrist?

Is that too complicated?

Is there such a thing?

BR3ANDA

They do have them, I've tried both, the chest strap gets a more accurate continuous reading, so all you have to do is look at your wrist monitor and you HR is right there, I have one from Suunto. The wrist monitor I had was more like a monitor that you have on a treadmill, I had to hit a button and wait for it to calculate, thats kinda hard when your trying to do Zumba or jog.

thefreebiemom

I wondered that same thing when I looked at HRM's. I haven't seen one that calculates by wrist pulse. I have seen strapless ones that you have to touch your fingers to the pads on the front of the watch for it to read them, kind of like the handles you grab on machines to check your HR.

Melonhead

I prefer my Polar with the chest strap. Found it to be more accurate.

wellbert

the chest strap reads the electrical signals in your body. It's really only strong enough right there

strongnotskinny121

I wondered the same thing, and seen some of the wrist ones when I was shopping around, but had bad reviews. It seems logical to me that the chest strap would get a better, continuous reading.

I have a FT7 Polar and I love it!

entropy83

Pretend that your chest strap is your way of learning of how women feel putting a bra on everyday:laugh: Is it really that difficult to work with a chest strap. I'm not sure why people want to avoid it aside from them costing a bit more.

tabulator32

Thanks for all the replies.

I guess it makes sense!

rolyh

Pretend that your chest strap is your way of learning of how women feel putting a bra on everyday:laugh: Is it really that difficult to work with a chest strap. I'm not sure why people want to avoid it aside from them costing a bit more.

Yeah, but... try swimming 2k of laps on a hot day with a strap on, and explain to your teenage daughters why Dad has a bikini tan.

propskat

I've been looking at HRMs too, and I also have a dumb question: Do you have to use electrode gel?
When shopping on Amazon, it usually comes up in the "Usually purchased with" section.

And I discovered that Amazon currently has an OMRON HR-100C Heart Rate Monitor on sale for 34.99, usually 59.99. Seems like a pretty basic model, but OMRON is a good brand of other medical type equipment, so it should be decent quality.

firefly171717

I prefer my Polar with the chest strap. Found it to be more accurate.

Exactly

PayneAS

I love my Polar FT7. You don't have to use electrode gel, just wet the strap.

reaolliemama

I have a Sportline HRM that is an mp3 player that links to a chest strap. A voice breaks in on the music and audibly tells you when you reach target heart rate, if you need to step it up or if you need to slow down and periodically tells what your HR is...I like it a lot because I don't have to look at anything, it also shows on the display screen if I did want to SEE it and it gives a workout summary including how long you worked out, how long you were in max zone, average HR, etc... I don't have to use any type of gel or whatnot to make it work...as far as I can tell it's accurate, how would I know if it wasn't?

courtneymal17

I've been looking at HRMs too, and I also have a dumb question: Do you have to use electrode gel?
When shopping on Amazon, it usually comes up in the "Usually purchased with" section.

And I discovered that Amazon currently has an OMRON HR-100C Heart Rate Monitor on sale for 34.99, usually 59.99. Seems like a pretty basic model, but OMRON is a good brand of other medical type equipment, so it should be decent quality.

I'm sure they differ by brand/model, but I have a polar ft7 and you do not need electro gel. I wet my chest strap with water and it works perfectly well.



and as far as tan lines? Try having bathingsuit tan lines all the time :P welcome to 1/100th of our pain lol

wellbert

I love my Polar FT7. You don't have to use electrode gel, just wet the strap.

Very, very wet the strap or it reads funny.

Gel is bad for the textile sensors in the FT7. But it can be useful on models with plastic sensors.

courtneymal17

I've only had mine about 4 months or so, but it's never been an issue w/ reading funny...I just run it under water once through, never had to excessively wet it

rherington

I have the Polar FT4 and don't wet or gel the chest strap and it always seem to register. Is it right......... I am just accepting that it is.