So my second Garmin Soft Strap has packed up, the actual sensor, not the strap bit. They usually last about 13 months from what I've heard so a bit reluctant to but another now.
I use the HRM during 24/12 to pace myself so need one reasonably quickly but it seems there are loads out there, but none that I can find that everyone raves about.
Ideally I'd want one with Bluetooth as well as the required ANT+ for my garmin so I can use if for other things.
Any recommendations? I could have sworn they weren't £40 last time!!
Ta
Do Polar HRM straps do ANT+?
I got a cheap Lidl one, it packed up, got a Polar one and it's been faultless since. More than a year anyway, maybe less than 2 though.
No. Polar only work with Polar kit.
Decathlon do a cheaper ant+ strap. It's ok for heart rate but I can't tell you if it is capable of the fancier vo2max stuff if your watch does that. I still like the garmin soft strap but I'm not a heavy user
My garmin chest strap is about 8 years old (bought around the Beijing Olympics) and all it seems to need is a battery change once a year to keep it going.
Tom KP
I haven't got a better suggestion than the Garmin; but just to check, have you tried giving your strap a good wash through? I often find it gets a bit gunked up but a proper wash through (just water is fine, no detergent) might sort it out.
Are you sure it is the sender unit? Mine gave up due to bad connections to the trap, so replaced it with the [url= http://www.wiggle.co.uk/polar-spare-elastic-soft-strap-1/ ]Polar strap[/url] and it has been faultless ever since.
Wahoo Tickr. Not cheap but Ant+ and Bluetooth, also has some fancy jiggery pokery that allows other people who understand these things to do clever things with the data.
I also surprised they're dying on you so often. My current one (three year old HRM-Run) does 6 workouts a week split between running and cycling. I sweat buckets and all I need to do is change the battery once a year. The strap itself goes in the kit wash once a week.