What Is Your Heart Rate Monitor Going To Be Used For?

It's no wonder you're slightly at a loss when it comes to trying to decide what heart rate monitor to purchase - there are literally hundreds of styles, all with different functions and sports applications which range from a basic heart monitoring aid at entry level to an on-board computer suitable for monitoring performance of world-class sports people.

What Is Your Heart Rate Monitor Going To Be Used For?

When assessing what heart rate monitor you're likely to need, it's essential to think beyond the most obvious factor - price, and to consider instead what your sporting goals are now and are likely to be in one years time. There is nothing worse than investing in a $50 monitor with basic functions for jogging around your neighborhood,

Cons

Chest strap heart rate monitors rely on maintaining a good contact between the electrodes on the strap and the user's chest. Some activities such as swimming prevent this constant bond and as a result the heart rate reading is obstructed.
Analog chest straps may be prone to "crosstalk" interference when used in close proximity to other users i.e your signal may be interfered with when others are also using HRMs at a distance of less than 3ft/1 metre from you, e.g in a gym or during a race. There is less risk of this happening with coded transmitters.
While most HRMs are water resistant 20-100 metres, this only means that they will not be damaged by being worn in water. They cannot be used to continuously measure heart rate whilst swimming because the water interferes with the transmission of analog radio waves.
If you need continuous monitoring of your performance while under water, you should consider purchasing the Suunto Smartbelt, which when used with Suunto software can store and relay an accurate reading of your workout without a wrist monitor being