Whether you’re seeking extra insights into weekly runs or trying to maximise your triathlon training, picking a proven heart rate monitor could be key to getting more out of your exercise. Before you decide, though, you must choose your fighter carefully: will it be a standalone chest strap or a multi-purpose watch that you can wear around the clock?
The data collected from the optical heart rate sensors in wrist-based devices is, by default, slightly less accurate than straps. In the simplest terms, this is because a chest monitor’s sensors are measuring the electrical pulses close to the heart, whereas wrist monitors rely on LEDs to refract light from the blood flowing through the wrist.
So, the key question to ask yourself is whether you require the near-perfect accuracy of a chest strap or are more suited to a watch’s solid measurements and added convenience.
To help you figure out which heart rate monitor can help elevate your training, we’ve tested six of the best. Our picks include options for hardcore trainers, weekend warriors and more casual users, as well as those who plan to take trips underwater.
What is the best heart rate monitor in 2021?
If you’re simply looking for the best heart rate monitor available right now, our gold medal goes to the Polar H10 chest strap (£65). It combines tip-top accuracy with affordability, comfort and a super-long battery life, meaning it’s a perfect option for intermediate and serious trainers who require heart rate monitoring without hiccups in running, cycling, swimming and more.
The triathlete-focused watch harnesses Garmin’s Elevate algorithm, finishing as the most accurate wrist-based heart rate monitor in our test. It didn’t quite manage to report large heart rate fluctuations in the same speedy manner as the straps, but, generally, the data matched up very favourably.
Its heart tracking package is much more than just beats-per-minute. The Forerunner allows you to train easily in heart rate zones through alerts, as well as broadcasting that data to other devices using ANT+. It can be used for swimming, since the design is waterproof, but you’ll need to pair with a Garmin chest strap to receive reliable heart rate figures from underwater.
Outside your training, heart data is used for other measurements. Garmin’s Training Effect (used to guide you on when to train and rest), heart rate variability, VO2 Max and other estimates all lean on the optical sensor and help you develop a much clearer overall picture than you receive from just a strap.
This is without digging into the rest of the feature list, which includes offline playback for Spotify, GPS tracking, sleep monitoring, Garmin Pay and the ability to track more types of exercise than you even knew existed.
Naturally, this wild amount of functionality comes at a price — and a lofty one, at that — but it’s the ideal solution for those who want a more complete package at the expense of a little accuracy.
