Best HR strap

[usr]

I seriously dont understand how buying a hrm is so damn difficult

I guess it's all about lack of performance metrics. Some grade of "good enough" is apparently easy to achieve and beyond that devices are either sold based on price or sold based on esoteric add-on features like running metrics, none based on "will sense correct heart rate in situations others falter".

[raisinberry777]

I just picked up a Magene for $16 off AliExpress. I'm more than happy with their power meter so I figured I'd pick it up as a backup. Of course my Garmin started having a ton of issues as soon as I bought it. The Garmin was fine for 2-3 years but started just eating through batteries; a new one would last a week. Then it started to drop out halfway through a ride and wouldn't recover. I opened it up and it looked wet inside so I think the water seals weren't working.

So far with the Magene I'm happy. Seems to track perfectly well with my Apple watch. And the strap is the same so I have a few extra straps now. Hard to beat at $16 a pop.

Similar story for me the other way around on Magene (I've been happy with their HRM so have taken a dive with the PES power meter). Have been using one for just over a year now. Killed one putting it through the washing machine (started reading erratically after that), replaced it with another and they've both been absolutely fine - sensible numbers and stable connection. Before that my experiences with Garmin and Wahoo were pretty negative.

[MrCurrieinahurry]

Has one of the guys who tests the hrms compared some of the more wallet friendly options to the bigger brands?

Basso Diamante eps 12

[pushpush]

For those with battery drain problems: Watch out for HRMs paired to multiple devices and then forgotten. I was experiencing a problem (one of many) with a Wahoo strap and after removing the pairing from my iPhone the battery drain stopped. I removed the pairing from the app, and also deleted the device from the system Bluetooth settings.

I think that some devices/apps will periodically try polling for available sensors which prevents the sensor from staying asleep. It seems like the sort of thing that should be fixable in software but apparently not.

I have not tried any of the cheap alternatives, but Polar H10 and Garmin have both worked well for me overall. I prefer the garmin strap clip, but the need for a tool to remove and reinstall 4 microscopic screws in order to change a battery is stupid. The Polar battery cover snaps on and off without any tools. As my straps fail they are all going to be replaced with Polars. I just bought another while they were on sale.

[MrCurrieinahurry]

I went with a H10 btw. Been solid so far.

Basso Diamante rim Campagnolo EPS 12 Bora WTO 60's

[naavt]

I went with a H10 btw. Been solid so far.

Basso Diamante rim Campagnolo EPS 12 Bora WTO 60's

Another vote for Polar H10.

Had several dropouts from Garmin and Wahoo HR monitors. Don't know if that was due to heavy sweating or not.

No issues with Polar. Using it at least 3 times a week for about 3 years now.

[jekyll man]

My H10 started eating through batteries at the rate of 1 every 2 days if i didn't take out of the transmitter between uses.
It also wouldn't uopdate the firmware through the beat app.
Despite Polars 2 year guarantee, they tried telling me its because of the strap "wearing out, they dont last forever", or its your brand of battery; or its because you leave the transmitter on the belt when not in use (i don't).

The poxy thing is only 11 months old...

After 3 months to-ing and fro-ing, Polar finally accepted there was a problem with it, and have issued me with a code to get a replacement from their website.
UK users note, that they are closing the uk service centre ( if they havent done so already), so all issues are dealt with via mainland europe.

[Juanmoretime]

I recently ditched the strap. I now have a Garmin Venu 2 plus and it broadcasts the heart rate to my Garmin Edge 540. Side by side with my strap I find the watch very acurate with heartrate. The watch also tells me that this almost 67 year old is 58. I'll take it!

[pushpush]

I just had my Garmin Dual fail to work for the first time. Even a battery change wouldnt revive it right away. I wore both straps and mid-activity the garmin decided to work again. I think the end is near. I don't know if it is the sensor or the strap that is the problem but I don't have any desire to waste the time figuring it out.

[usr]

I don't know if it is the sensor or the strap that is the problem but I don't have any desire to waste the time figuring it out.

Yeah, that's the most annoying thing: you never know if it just messed up today because of particularly difficult conditions, or if it has been bad for quite a while and you never noticed, or if the strap is simply done. Would be much better to assess if there was some form signal strength metric included.

[pushpush]

There is definitely room for improvement with the currently common HRM design.

[MrCurrieinahurry]

Tons of room...

Basso Diamante rim Campagnolo EPS 12 Bora WTO 60's

[usr]

Unfortunately, I don't really see how marketing would work for a truly improved sensor. Once you start considering that question, you quickly arrive at that kind of overoptimistic algorithmic health improvement claim that is already flooding the market (whoop et al). Once you're there, you quickly realize that all those marketing strategies would work just as well without a better sensor

[MrCurrieinahurry]

I'd want a fully sealed (so it's actually waterproof) wireless rechargeable unit which shows battery life and signal strength on my wahoo head unit and screen for zwift.


Basso Diamante rim Campagnolo EPS 12 Bora WTO 60's

[pushpush]

I'd want a fully sealed (so it's actually waterproof) wireless rechargeable unit which shows battery life and signal strength on my wahoo head unit and screen for zwift.

+ status codes that indicate something like "HRM OK. SENSOR FAIL." or "HRM OK. SENSOR OK." so we know when to replace the strap.

Take my money! I'm in for 2.