HRM GEL

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tigerlily8045
tigerlily8045 Posts: 415 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I was just reading that you could use KY instead of the spendier gels for ultrasounds on the HRM. I have started having problems with mine not giving good readings and thought that I needed gel. Has anyone used KY for the HRM?

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  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    I just run mine under the tap to get it wet before i put it on. I always joke that you can tell a true athlete if they can slap that cold wet strap on without flinching!

    If your HRM is over a year old you might want to check the battery. Mine never seems to last much longer than that and then it starts doing strange things & not transmitting.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    No gel should be needed. Water only (at least that's what Polar recommends). If you're having issues, check the battery, and make sure you're washing the strap appropriately. You should be rinsing the strap under tap water after every workout (and disconnecting the sensor from the strap to save battery life). You should also be machine washing the strap after every 5 workouts or so (which reminds me mine is overdue LOL). Let the strap air dry after washing.
  • George1567
    George1567 Posts: 107
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    I recently had some issues with my Polar FT80 and sent it in for service. The chest strap was about 8 months old. After they inspect everything they were very animate that the chest strap was worn out???? so I purchased a replacement which was Polar's new design.....I think they call it the soft strap. This new strap looks completely different in the contact area and does not require any wetting or gel.

    If your current strap has some age, it might be worth the simplicity of looking into a new strap. Should be less than $20.
  • shgreenw
    shgreenw Posts: 194 Member
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    The manual that came with mine says to wet it with saliva. I also wash mine and hang it on my towel rack to air dry after every workout so it's not gross to lick it. Lol
  • nml2011
    nml2011 Posts: 156 Member
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    I lick my finger and then rub it on the sensors.
  • tigerlily8045
    tigerlily8045 Posts: 415 Member
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    Mine says nothing about washing the strap. I have a Pyle.I wet it with water each time, I may just need to clean off the sensor area. Thanks!
  • kellyscomeback
    kellyscomeback Posts: 1,369 Member
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    I try to clean the sensors with a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a q-tip and I use my saliva to make a connection.

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