- Joined
- May 6, 2007
- Messages
- 6,999
- Reaction score
- 9,259
I don't see an arm band from Garmin. What's a good one?
Pretty much any armband sensor will work, they all connect via bluetooth and a standard called ANT+. Right now the leading armband sensor is the Polar Verity Sense:
But before getting another sensor, I would see if you can't just wear your watch higher up on your forearm so it doesn't interfere with your strength training. I would also make sure you don't like the chest strap - that's the standard form factor because it's the most accurate.
Some more history. Garmin (and Magellan) used to be the "GPS guys." They made handheld and car mounted GPS units. Polar was the "HR watch guys." They made watches that could pair with a giant rubber band chest strap with two metal diodes that had to remain in contact with your skin. You had to smear contact gel on the diodes and on your chest before putting on the strap and then feel like Robocop as you looked at your watch to see HR being displayed while you ran. And that was it, no HR history, metrics, speed or anything else.
But when GPS watches became a thing, Garmin added HR tracking to their GPS tech and Polar added GPS tracking to their HR tech. At least initially, Garmin's HR tech was inferior to Polar and Polar's GPS tech was inferior to Garmin. But they've pretty much evened out and now they're both good at both.
These days, chest straps are WAY more comfortable than the old ones. It's really not a big deal unless you're constantly banging shit against your chest during your workout. I like the armband sensor better but that's just personal preference.
But FWIW I'm with @maximus__ that tracking HR during strength workouts is just a curiosity and kind of a PITA. The only reason to do that is if you REALLY want that data incorporated into your cardio algorithm for VO2 max and recovery status.
If you want to research sensors and HR tech, look at DC Rainmaker. Dude is a hobbyist runner and biker who started a blog and is now the Ryan's Toy Review of HR watches and sensors. On his site he has in-depth comparisons of pretty much everything on the market:
Polar Verity Sense (Optical HR Sensor Band) In-Depth Review
Polar has launched an updated version of their standalone optical HR sensor, taking the existing Polar OH1 and adding new features and capabilities, and re-branding it as the Verity Sense. For those familiar with my reviews & testing, you’ll know
www.dcrainmaker.com
Last edited: