When we are going to do any physical activity, it is worthwhile to be well prepared: clothes, equipment and some other things, such as a heart rate meter. Those that work best for reliability and precision are the pectoral bands (heart rate monitor) and in this article we are going to tell you everything you need to know so that you never have a problem that could literally cost you your life.
Best bands with heart rate monitor
| The best |
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COOSPO H6 Band... | See features | 8.903 reviews | View deals |
| Price quality |
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Garmin HRM Dual, Monitor ... | See features | 27.025 reviews | View deals |
| Our favorite |
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Magene H303 Monitor... | See features | 2.005 reviews | View deals |
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Lotbun Elastic band... | See features | 17 reviews | View deals | |
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Soft elastic band... | See features | 1.576 reviews | View deals | |
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Polar H10 Sensor... | See features | 30.287 reviews | View deals |
Garmin HRM Run
This Garmin chest strap is the best on the market, a safe bet. The strap is softer than in previous models, which translates into greater comfort, fixation and also precision. In addition, it is able to offer extra data, such as step counter, foot contact time on the ground and vertical oscillation.
This Garmin heart rate monitor, specially designed for running, is very worthwhile, especially if we use it together with a device of the same brand. It is a little more expensive than other simpler ones, but also can measure HRV, something important for the most demanding users.
CooSpo Heart Rate Band
If all you need is a chest strap to measure your pulse without frills and you don't want to spend a lot of money, you have to take a look at the CooSpo heart rate band. For half the price of popular brand bands, we will get one with a soft tape that we will hardly notice we are wearing.
And if you are thinking that you are going to sacrifice a lot for the price, you are wrong: this chest strap supports Bluetooth 4.0 and ANT +, which means that we can connect it to all kinds of devices, such as smartphones and some cycle computers. Nor will we sacrifice endurance, since it is waterproof (IP67).
Polar H7
The Polar H7 is a chest strap that is compatible with many applications thanks to its support for BLE. In addition, its design and its 5kHz transmission will allow us to use it while swimming, making it one of the best options if our favorite sport is swimming.
It is important to mention that, although it does what it does very well, it is a device with a few years behind it. Therefore, it has some shortcomings, such as that does not support ANT +.
Polar H10
The Polar H10 is the evolution of the H7 and includes many improvements, starting with the design of the band that is now more comfortable and precise. For a higher price than its older brother, in the sense of antiquity, it will offer us greater versatility and precision, among other things.
It is important to mention that among the updates that have been included in the H10 we have to support for ANT + has been included, which will allow us to connect it to gym machines, cyclocomputers of all kinds and other compatible training devices.
Onlyesh CooSpo H6
The CooSpo H6 is another heart rate monitor for those who just want to measure their pulse without leaving their wallet on their purchase. Its most important specification, considering its price, is that it supports ANT + technology, which will allow us connect it to all kinds of training devices such as compatible gym equipment or cycle computers.
In addition, in its low price it also includes water resistance, which will allow us to stop worrying about too much humidity during our physical activity.
What is a heart rate monitor for?
A heart rate monitor, also known as a chest strap, is a device that used to measure heart rate in beats per minute. Once put on, and connected to a compatible device that will show the data, it will help us to know how fast our heart is beating, with which we can know the amount of effort or stress to which it is subjected and if we need to lower the intensity of the exercise or, conversely, we can keep up.
The current chest bands are the evolution of the older heart rate monitors, which also means that they are the best and most reliable option if our training requires precision because, simply, they have been studied for longer. In part, the precision is determined by where the measurement system is placed, a few inches from the heart. Nowadays there are good watches for measuring the pulse, but even a mediocre chest strap offers greater precision than that offered by activity bands or smart watches.
How to choose a heart rate monitor band
Band or ribbon type
An important component of the pectoral bands are their bands, of course. It is what will be attached to the body and we have to take into account what they are like before opting for one heart rate monitor or another. The most modern chest bands are all an elastic band where it is mounted on the sensor, but the quality and comfort of said tape will depend on the chosen item. It is worth avoiding some tapes where there is a lot of rubber part and choose a more modern one in which the tape is all fabric except the part in charge of reading the information.
On the other hand, and as with any wearable item, we have to look at the size. The most common is that they are standard size but, especially if we are very large, we have to choose one whose size will look good on our body. To do this, we only have to look at the length of the belt and check that our chest is going to enter it.
Wireless protocol
Another thing to keep in mind is their compatibility. If we buy a chest strap that comes with a device, it is likely that we will not need to connect it to other devices. But if we want it to communicate, for example, with watches or smartphones, we have to choose a chest strap that is at least Bluetooth compatible. If we want the compatibility to be higher and consume little power, we have to make sure that your wireless technology supports BLE and ANT +.
Food and autonomy
As for power and like many other devices, there are two options: the battery and the battery. Each of them has its pros and cons, such as the following:
- Pila: the best thing about the battery is that, once it is finished, we can replace it with another. The heart rate monitor is more durable, since we will not have to replace it as we would in one that uses a battery because it has lost capacity. The downside is that we will have to buy batteries in 6 to 24 months.
- Battery: They are a minority, but there are also heart rate monitors with a rechargeable battery. The good thing about them is that we won't have to buy batteries, but the bad thing is that they will last less time; when the battery stops working, we will have to buy another heart rate monitor.
Water and sweat resistance
Using a heart rate monitor would not make much sense if we are going to be still. We use heart rate meters when we do sports, which means that, at the very least, they are going to have to work alongside our sweat. For that reason, it is worth buying one that is waterproof, at the very least. If possible, we should buy one that is also sweat resistant, which means that you are more protected because there is also some "dust" in your sweat, more specifically salt, which could damage the device.
Few heart rate monitors are not waterproof today, but it's worth making sure they have at least IP56 certification. The 5 indicates that it supports dust and the 6 that it supports very powerful jets of water. If your favorite sport has more contact with humidity, you will probably be interested in one with IP68 certification: the dust cannot enter under any circumstances and we will be able to carry out full dives.
Precision
Pectoral bands are accurate in and of themselves. There is no specification that indicates the precision of this type of meter, so to know if one is accurate or not we will have to rely on other things, such as if it is from a reliable brand or if your band is made with a good design and material that allows it to fit well to the body. It is true that there are some brands that are known to manufacture and sell heart rate monitors that can measure more than just heart rate. For example, the most recent Garmin models are capable of measuring HRV as well (Heart Rate Variability), something that is only possible if the sensor is more accurate.
How to put on the heart rate monitor band
To properly place the chest strap heart rate monitor, we have to follow these simple steps:
- We adjust the chest band so that it is fixed, but does not tighten. It is bad that it squeezes too much, but it is more bad that it moves. The exact measurement will be given to us by an experience (use) in which we will check if it has moved after an activity, if we have been comfortable and if the pulse measurement has been regular (without strange peaks).
- The chest strap, or the area where the measuring device is, has to be on the sternum. It is the bone that we have in the center of the chest and where the ribs end. The position is just below the chest.
- As an optional step, we will make sure that the rubber area on the inside is wet. This will be especially important in winter, since chest strap heart rate monitors work best when wet and in winter you sweat less.
Is it worth buying a heart rate monitor with a chest strap?
Yes, definitely. And this is told to you by a not very demanding user who does bike routes from time to time. Why is a chest band worth it? To begin with, we must talk about smart watches or quantifying bracelets: they are not accurate. The system they use to measure the pulse is related to light and can lose precision for many reasons, such as temperature, skin type or even tattoos. They will also lose precision if it is not possible to keep the wrist still, something that happens in sports like cycling.
On the other hand, it is worth using a heart rate monitor, be it band or any other type (although we recommend band), to control our effort, which will help us to progress, and to protect our life, literally. When we go out to play sports, there may be a time when we are pushing too hard and reaching dangerous limits. I am not lying when I tell you that I decided to buy a chest strap when, after uploading a port and not being able to consult the information in real time, my pulse was over 195ppm. That same day, if I had the device that I have now, I probably would have stopped earlier. If the effort were a bit bigger and I had kept it up, it could have put my life in danger. Therefore, it is worth using a heart rate monitor for safety.
Best brands of heart rate monitor bands
Garmin
Garmin is one of the biggest brands in the outdoor activities industry. Are famous mainly for their GPS devices, but they also create watches, cyclocomputers and heart rate monitors, both in watches and chest bands. Their chest bands are among the best on the market, so much so that their precision allows their devices to measure HRV. Garmin is a safe bet, something that is also true of its heart rate measurement systems.
Polar
Polar is a brand specialized in sports equipment. In its catalog we find a lot of clothes, but also electronic devices such as cyclocomputers and smart watches. On the other hand, they are also responsible for some of the most reliable heart rate monitors on the market, among which we have those for the wrist and those for the chest bands.
Decathlon
Decathlon is a brand whose popularity is mainly due to its stores specialized in sports equipment. On the other hand, it also sells products with its own brands, among which we have clothing, accessories of all kinds and heart rate monitors. We will find the heart rate monitor and other running items with the brand Kalenji.
Decathlon's most up-to-date heart rate monitor (Kalenji) supports BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) and ANT + technologies, which means that it is initially compatible with all types of devices, including smartphones and cyclocomputers such as those of Garmin.
Bryton
Bryton is a brand specialized in bicycle accessories. In their catalog we find, above all, cyclocomputers, but they also sell sensors and brackets, among other things. Among the sensors we have those of heart rate, chest straps that offer great reliability with good value for money.
