What Heart Rate Monitor

These are the most frequently used type of heart rate monitor. They detect heart rate via a chest sensor worn around the chest and use wireless technology to send the data to the viewing monitor and/or a PC for analysis. The strap will often be included as an integral part of your bundle when you purchase the "watch" part of your heart rate monitor.

Chest strap heart rate monitors give accurate ECG continuous heart rate monitoring throughout a session. They are available in both analog and digital forms.

 Able to relay your performance data to popular makes of gym equipment for on-screen viewing. The downside is that as they become more popular, you may suffer from "crosstalk" interference when you use your chest strap in close proximity to other users. This means that your signal may be interfered with when others are also using heart rate monitors at a distance of less than 3ft from you, e.g in a gym or during a race. There is less risk of crosstalk happening with coded transmitters, such as those made by Polar (Polar FS2C, F6 and above, RS series, and S series (except S120 and S15)).

Analog straps are also vulnerable to electrical interference from high voltage power lines and wireless networks.

Highgear Pulsewear Solo

Nike Traix c5

Polar FS1

Give out a stronger, more reliable signal, with less risk of interference, but will not interface with gym equipment.

Benefits

• The wearing of a strap means that your monitor can provide you with constant information about what your heart is doing.
   

• Analog models can be used to interface with your gym equipment i.e the information from the cheat strap can be relayed wirelessly to your treadmill, stepper or stationary bike for on-screen viewing.

Cons

• Many people simply don't like the idea of wearing a strap around their chest whilst running. It should be said that the vast majority of people generally experience no problems running with a chest strap, becoming so used it that they are unaware of its presence. This has greatly been helped by the development of chest strap technology, such as the Polar WearLink Strap which is encased in (washable) fabric and the Polar Heart Bra for women, which is a sports bra with hem into which a chest strap is placed. Both ensure that a chest stap can be worn without risk of chafing or pinching.
   

• Chest strap heart rate monitors rely on maintaining a good contact between the electrodes on the strap and the user's chest. Some activities such as swimming prevent this constant bond and as a result the heart rate reading is obstructed.
  
  While most HRMs are water resistant 20-100 metres, this only means that they will not be damaged by being worn in water. They cannot be used to continuously measure heart rate whilst swimming because the water interferes with the transmission of analogue radio waves.

  If you need continuous monitoring of your performance while under water, your best option is Suunto Smartbelt, which when used with Suunto software can store and relay an accurate reading of your workout without a wrist monitor being used.

Sigma Sports PC3

Will provide an on-demand reading when you place your finger(s) on the monitor sensors. For accurate reading, avoid the cheaper motion/optical monitors which take a reading merely from blood pump, opting instead for a calibrated monitor which takes an ECG reading of your heart rate via the electrical circuit set up between your fingers, the watch and around the chest.

Strapless monitors do not provide constant reading, so they cannot be used to compile accurate data about your overall workout.  It is possible to purchase dual mode monitors which can be used in both strap and strapless modes...e.g Highgear Pulsewear Duo.

Benefits

• Don't require hassle of wearing a chest strap
   

• Can be used for spot heart rate readings whilst swimming

Cons

• Can't be used to gather complex data across your whole workout, therefore not suitable for serious fitness/sports training.

Highgear Pulsewear Duo

Having difficulty identifying which heart rate monitor is the right one for you?

HDO Sports have an excellent heart rate monitor search tool to help you narrow down your choices when deciding on what heart rate monitor to buy