Best Heart Rate Monitors: Best HRM chest straps and arm straps tested and rated

Welcome to The Run Testers. In this video we’re talking heart rate monitors, chest straps and arm straps. While most running watches now pack built-in optical heart rate, if you want to improve the accuracy of your running, training and recovery metrics, it pays to invest in a heart rate monitor.
Heart rate monitor prices range from £40 up to £140 and from basic BPM trackers to sensors that offer extras like tracking running form metrics.
Here at The Run Testers, we’ve tried and tested all the latest chest straps and arms straps for accuracy, comfort, connectivity and the additional features. And we’re here to help you find the one that’s right for you.
So from Garmin, Polar and Wahoo to Myzone and Scosche,
and now COROS, Here’s our guide to the best heart rate monitors you can buy right now. Including our best chest straps for accuracy, best budget chest straps and best HRM armstrap. Enjoy.
JUMP STRAIGHT IN:
0:00 - Intro
0:56 - Best Chest Straps
13:07 - Best Arm Straps
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[@CannabisTechLife]

Shout out to Garmin. My HRM Pro died and they immediately sent me an HRM Pro + replacement. No questions asked.

[@tadejdanev5030]

which country? doubt warrantyy is so good on all countries?

[@CannabisTechLife]

Good point. This was United States @@tadejdanev5030

[@Catcrumbs]

@@tadejdanev5030 They did the same for me in Ireland. I was swapping out the battery and I wasn't sure if I had the O-ring in right. I asked them about it and they immediately opened an RMA. They obviously consider the HRM Pro (vanilla) to be flawed and they're prepared to replace them at a moment's notice.

[@dave3130]

My Myzone hrm broke on 5th run , just saying .

[@johnyen3620]

I have had a coospoo for over a year 0 issues. Kicks ass and works every time.

[@Criticalmaze]

Shout out to coros customer support for answering my call right away and answering all my questions while also carrying a conversation about running shoes 😊

[@cgarby]

Appreciate these reviews. Thx

[@rubarb1275]

This was really useful, thanks for sharing. I try to base my training on heart rate and am just using my Garmin forerunner watch for this at the moment. Might go for the Coros arm strap I think.

[@trix-4656]

Thank you for the info. Excellent!

[@cdh79]

When I bought the Garmin 935 tri-bundle it came with the HRM-tri and the HRM-swim.. while I have upgraded my watch to the EPIX pro sapphire by now, I still use those straps (mostly the HRM-tri)

[@regstoy]

Have a Polar H9 sensor module and picked up a replacement H10 strap, best of both worlds, considering the strap is always the weak point and fails first. Garmin for me, shot themselves in the foot by not allowing the module to be separated from the strap.

[@mikewarrentube]

Great video guys. I love the back and forth conversational style - really good - please do more of these for other reviews

[@emmag00]

Love the Garmin chest strap. I'm a triathlete so great that I can wear it for swimming too. I like the running dynamics, although not entirely sure how to actually make use of all the metrics!

[@user-eo1dv5gn6z]

it's useful if you have an inury. I used it afer I hurt my ankle, I could get life feedback while I ran to determine if I was spending more time on mt better ankle.

[@ilegor365]

What is missing from this excellent overview? Arm strap heart rate monitors with LED color indicator for heart zone training. No watch required for HR display. No need to rotate wrist during run or cycling to read HR number on watch, and no need for reading glasses for us oldies. Simple and effective and affordable. I wear mine just below the elbow, in plain site. Love it.

[@VideosFromKandA]

What brand / model is it?

[@T29RAG]

I’ve got the Polar and Garmin. I’ve had the Polar for about 5 years but found it unreliable as it would often not work. I’ve recently bought the Garmin HRM plus which is so much better and connects to my phone with no problems. I also bought it for just under £80 from Amazon.

[@dcutl]

I use Polar H10 for intervals and progression runs. For long steady runs I use the Polar OH1. Both connect to Garmin 735XT.

[@deshkanagrikhoon]

I have the Garmin HRM dual for over 1.5 years now,i have replaced the original strap with a third party strap and its soo much comfortable now while running.😊

[@tanokiller23]

Which one did you get? I have the same

[@OdanUrr87]

Timing! I bought the HRM-Pro Plus today and did a Base run on the treadmill. Thought it was gonna loosen at first, but it didn't and I barely felt it during my run. HR was about what I expected, perhaps a bit more stable than what my 255 records, though pace seems slower. I'm keen on doing a lactate threshold test to calibrate my training zones. I wonder, can you do this indoors on the treadmill or does it only work during an outdoors run?

[@truman4956]

Had a polar when they were the only game in town, now that there are multiple strap makers, what watches do you recommend for these straps for running, cycling and workouts?

[@AirwaveMustang]

1st thing I care about is a chest belt that does not fail due to leaks. Wahoo Tickr got sweat inside and Garmin HRM-Dual too. Garmin battery drained overnight.

[@alanorcharton8855]

I have the polar H9 and H10 - both seem to be very accurate however the H10 supports 2 Bluetooth connections which is nice for some non AnT+ gym (or other) equipment

[@ckspark2]

Im a cyclist and have worn chest strap HRs for years. But over the last few years I developed a swollen cyst gland on my back, right under where the HR strap would be. I had it operated on and removed but it has returned. I can not confirm it is down to the chest strap but it seems coincidental and I was guilty of not washing the strap very often. I am now going to try a arm HR for a while.

[@SparkesIsRunning]

I’m so excited to get my COROS HRM. Ordered last week! I can’t wear a chest strap due to chest surgery and too much scar tissue.

[@danielrubenstein6919]

How do you like it?

[@portzblitz]

Thanks, Run Testers. Just a couple of nice guys, cool but not acting cool, communicating the actually relevant facts, and doing it conversationally- relating the pretty obvious experience they have with not just the one product but against the genre, current and past. I'm a worrier with very shallow pockets, and maybe i get a little TOO concerned about my purchases. I watched a few channels' videos specifically covering a couple of the models shown here, but it was after this fairly simple, dressed-down review video that i actually felt comfortable making a purchase. Feeling pretty confident i got the right one for me. Thanks guys. Easy subscribe. Have a great summer! 👏🏾 👍🏾 Ps. Not trying to be wishy-washy pedantic, i just thought you might like an honest, first-impressions take. The video feels like i'm sharing a pint with a couple of buddies who are helping me finally catch the run bug 👟 🤜🏾💥🤛🏼 (i've had a couple cups of coffee too so that might have something to do with it too 😅)

[@TheRunTesters]

Thanks! That's a really nice comment to read, hope whatever HRM you went for works out for you!

[@cerianthus]

Still rocking the old Garmin HRM-Run with removable pod.

[@TheRunTesters]

If it ain't broke....

[@laurenmillyx]

I do mainly distance running with time on the arc trainer and bike for additional aerobic hours. Would you say there is a big difference between the coros arm and polar verity sense? And if so which is best? Is the verity sense worth the extra $20?

[@connorcgs]

Hello, I'm starting up running again at work so s couple years off but I don't have a running watch. Can I buy a chest strap and still go running with it without a watch? I only want to do a lot of zone 2 training for health benefits but I don't wear a watch.

[@theundead1600]

Hear because my wahoo tikr chest is near wrecked since the battery back is soft plastic. Even with a coin I’ve nearly stripped the back out lol. I liked wahoo for it linking up with my bike computer and zwift.

[@missbutts85]

This video is right on time. I have an Apple Watch and was looking for a chest strap to help my battery last longer on long outdoor runs. Don’t want to buy a garmin watch because I use all the other smart features on my Apple Watch. Just found the HRM Pro plus on Amazon for $97

[@mrbartuss1]

Did you noticed any problems with this combo (AW + Garmin HRM)?

[@missbutts85]

@@mrbartuss1 I can follow up later this week. Just ordered it after watching this video especially since found a great price on it

[@missbutts85]

@@mrbartuss1 I’ve seen people use other HRM without a problem. I just like that this one can connect to the garmin app

[@mrbartuss1]

@@missbutts85 I would be very grateful

[@missbutts85]

@@mrbartuss1surprisingly it was on my porch when I left out so I paired it with my watch for my strength training this morning. Heart rate read well and it connected easily. Apparently you can set it up with the garmin app but I haven’t gotten into all of that yet.

[@radoslavstoev4550]

Is there any way to know what battery percentage you have on the polar H10?

[@thani7963]

H10 work with everything specially Gym machines. But the HRM-PRO is a powerhouse that the only downside you have to connect to some machines manually.

[@juanjaviercoka7406]

will the coros arm band work well with Apple Watch?

[@darrensyzling4395]

Does the Coros heart rate monitor (arm strap) work with the Garmin 935? I understand Coros only supports bluetooth and Garmin's pages suggest the 935 works with 'some' bluetooth devices. I wondered if anyone had tested this combination?

[@harveyhenry8082]

If i use a coros HR strap with a garmin watch will it do a VO2 max estimate based off the coros HR data?

[@robd7934]

As someone who's had chest straps and arm straps, I much prefer arm straps. Arm straps are much more comfortable, stay in place, and don't poke through your shirt like a chest strap.

[@eulogyforadream]

I got the HRM Pro+. However, I can't use it anymore. It keeps irritating my chest. I'm wondering if there's an issue with my monitor or if my skin is just sensitive.

[@warrencusick1775]

Hi im looking to buy a chest strap im jst a basic runner nothing else and training for a marathon which would you recommend im thinking about either the polar H10 or the coospo H9Z any help would be appreciated thank you 👍

[@Panos_79]

Polar H10 is considered the industry standard, but unfortunately I had bad luck with mine, problems with its readings and the strap after a few months hardened and started to irritate me. I went for the simple Wahoo Tickr about 8 months ago and it has been great. Consistent readings, great strap, and you can usually get it for as low as 43 euros.

[@Ivesy85]

I’ve also had a lot of probs with h10

[@gsmittysSanD]

For some reason my Polar H10 has had so many problems keeping connection with my Garmin 965. Tried even replacing it and still had the same problem. Guess I’ll go with Garmin.

[@adrianomartorana2560]

If you go around Reddit you’ll se that around the 7th-8th month of usage the H10 just starts failing on people, I am one of those people. Garmin is next for sure

[@Neilveg]

I have the Polar Verity sense arm band and it’s superior to my Garmin pro +. The Polar connects straight away while the Garmin chest band gives incorrect readings for the first 20 minutes of my sessions because even though i’ve moistened the sensors they dry up and fail.

[@ZawirRunner]

Same with me. Just hit 12months with H10, and suddenly the reading absurdly low. Upon reading online, it is a common issues apparently. The strap just died. Altho I'm following all the tips when using it.

[@mitchdNUFC]

Would the Garmin Pro Plus be compatible with a Samsung Galaxy watch?

[@dave3130]

My Myzone broke on 5th run , app not great. Probably go with Garmin next .

[@user-cd7jx2td8n]

I'd like to know if anyone - other than a cyclist or a runner - has tried out the Polar H10 for proper fit? My circumference, below the pectorals, is 47-inches (118 cm). The range given for their XXL model is 26 - 36 inches (66 - 91 cm), so I'm wondering just how much the chest strap will actually stretch?

[@hmudesign]

I just find it so crazy that one needs an extra device to get accurate heart reading, on one’s state of the art watch. Whats the point in having a heart rate sensor in your watch if it’s not accurate? Anyway, thanks for the run down of the devices :)

[@podgoore]

In case you forget the HR belt, or don't care about super precise measurements. Also for tracking resting HR during sleep.

[@hmudesign]

@@podgoore Yeah sure I understand, I just find it crazy that most of the time, your HR isn’t accurate then. All your other times you are not westing your HR strap, is possibly inaccurate hahah.

[@moggy992]

Which would be the best device for karate .

[@milanpintar]

what about the frontier x2?

[@juanjaviercoka7406]

I got the polar h10 thinking the garmin wasn’t going to friendly with my Apple Watch

[@i.p2088]

Does the Garmin Pro give you the distance and map if you don't have the watch with you?

[@Dazdigo]

The garmin strap doesn't have GPS so no mapping without smart watch or bike computer.

[@Catcrumbs]

It doesn't. It will track HR and steps without a watch. It can use that data to populate your daily activity charts and if it loses connection to your watch, it can pair up the HR data to the watch's recording after the activity. It can't record activities without a watch running simultaneously.

[@neil1974uk]

I've use the Polar H10, my only issue with it is that is seams to stay connected to my Garmin Epix Gen 2 sometimes even when disconnected from the strap and this can result in excessive battery drain.

[@jamesanderson6856]

My polar broke after like 3 months. I emailed them. They was no help

[@JustBrowsing777]

The Garmin HRM Pro+ annoys me because it slips down my back unless I'm really sweaty already. I have to wet it properly for it to stay in place from the get go. If you have any lats at all and not built like a lamppost, you can expect that. Secondly, after about 8 months of use and taking care of it, it started smelling strongly like a chemical plasticky smell (not sweat) that's rather strong. Makes a room stink, and if it's hung near any clothing or a towel, they'll pick up that smell.

[@vpnconsult]

HRM Pro+ is just simply the best for a strap around your Chest. H10 is a good second best.

[@diktromdefilm]

The polar verity sense is really good but the strap is poor quality- it doesnt close anymore after 6 months. Closure system sort of died cause of sweat

[@dri1811ya]

Ditto here. Actually the Velcro strap gave out after only a few long-ish (sweaty) runs. I had to brush up on my sewing skills after that.

[@runcationsviajarycorrer]

H10 forever

[@porroco]

Hey is not fair, where is wahoo HR sensor?

[@Loc1792]

Wahoo tickr X?

[@kevinlindsay5255]

I have had two polar chest straps and both have failed. Polar support services is diabolical and I am being polite when I say this. Both chest straps keep loosing connection with the app and although I have followed all the instructions, reloaded the polar beat app, reset to factory settings and a multitude of different options it still won't connect. Out of pure frustration I just gave up with the polar support services as they take forever to answer stating they are very busy. One can only think they do not employ enough people or they have so many problems that the support can't handle the work load. So my advice is stay away from POLAR

[@richard_runs]

Polar H10 was bad. Sent 2 back. Poor battery life, frequent cut outs and really low readings.

[@Ivesy85]

I also get this

[@SoulOnTopJB]

Garmin HRD-Dual, it should be mentioned for novices like me, Garmin chest straps by themselves don't work, don't buy one and expect to connect it to an Android phone for example, it needs to connect to Garmin smart watch or other garmin add-on.

[@madsbp]

For anyone reading this comment, this isnt correct. At least the HRM Pro Plus connects to your phone no problem

[@moreybrown870]

No love for the Wahoo TICKR FIt?

[@samkonowitch4154]

In my personal testing, the Verity Sense lasts 2-3x as long and is easier to fit under layers. Wahoo works great, but Polar is a better value all around.

[@moreybrown870]

Good to know. When my TICKR FIT dies in a year or two, I’ll check out the polar. @@samkonowitch4154

[@Pipppetto]

Shame Garmin couples maybe the best overall HRM to the absolutely worst strap ever; and you can't change it. If I wasn't stuck into the Garmin ecosystem, after the first two in the trash can, I'd probably had switched to any other brand years ago. Anyway, Garmin has a top notch customer support, and after the fourth one, I've been able to have at least the last replaced free... I just wish I had figured it out before.

[@andreycamper5863]

Why are those cost so much? Smartphones cost the same, but need 50 times more work and materials for production. No way u buy heartrate monitor more then 5$. What is going on?

[@porroco]

Wahoo lifespam prob is 2 years

[@tadejdanev5030]

what about POLAR H9?

[@TheRunTesters]

We do mention that in the vid.

[@tadejdanev5030]

thank you. @@TheRunTesters

[@a.k.1351]

I am yet to find a wrist HR monitor that actually works accurately. Strap the watch on, do an all out training session. Laugh at your 80bpm heart rate as soon as you can breathe normally again. Absolutely inaccurate. No matter which company.

[@grantmckay7014]

My Garmin 935 is usually within 2 BPM of the chest strap at a constant pace. Just lags during intervals.

[@derspen]

The durability of the strap is very low.