What are the benefits of training with a chest-strap heart rate monitor?
Recent times have seen the rise of the optical wrist-based heart rate monitor, known for its practicality. But the chest-strap version has enjoyed a renaissance, promising greater accuracy. Here’s what you need to know…
Accuracy
This is where chest straps continue to rule over wrist-based heart rate monitors. Chest straps work by dampening the electrodes and pressing them against the skin, which then utilises electrocardiography to detect the heart’s electrical activity. According to a 2017 study published in the Journal of Medicine and Sport and Exercise, the Polar H7 chest strap proved to be 99.6% accurate when compared to
the gold standard of an ECG (electrocardiogram).
Their wrist-based siblings work via a method called photoplethysmography (PPG) to measure heart rate. Essentially, this involves shining light through the skin to read fluctuations in bloodflow. These are more practical but less accurate as the results can be skewed by a variety of factors, including letting light into the sensor, skin tone and even moles. A 2019 study published in the Journal of Sport Science found wrist-based accuracy varied between 1 and 13.5%.
Comfort
Most chest straps score highly in the comfort stakes as, at their heart, they’re a soft, breathable, pliable fabric. Where discomfort might strike is the sensor part. This tends to be a firmer strip of material because it’s cradling the chest sensors. That’s understandable but, when it comes to comfort, a slightly more pliable material is what you’re after. A Polar H10 chest strap is a good example. Just remember that you’ll need it tight enough to record an accurate reading but not so tight that it’s restrictive and uncomfortable.
Connectivity
Chest-strap heart rate monitors are the data collectors. But you’ll need a watch or smartphone to display the information. That’s where connectivity comes in, which is via Bluetooth or ANT+. In our experience, both are reliable.
Price difference?
The key difference between chest strap monitors is breadth of features. The majority offer heart rate and might record the data for download later. However, more expensive chest straps, like the Garmin HRM-Pro Plus, offer extras like running dynamics, which measures vertical oscillation, ground contact time, stride length, vertical ratio and more. More expensive chest-strap heart rate monitors tend to be lighter and more svelte, too, which is something to consider if you’re planning to slip yours beneath a form-fitting tri-suit.
kkalarickal
Mischief Maker 
