Best Heart Rate Monitors

The people behind the Polar H10 pride themselves on manufacturing and producing accurate, precise, and hassle-free monitors. With this device, these attributes are not only brought but polished to the max. First (and one would argue foremost), the soft textile strap features high-quality electrodes, making sure that the heart rate is measured with accuracy and without interference. Second, the easy-to-use buckle and silicone dots prevent the strap from skidding and sliding when you are on the move.

The model's compatible with most sports and smartwatches, from Android and Apple products to Garmin and Suunto and more. To that end, the device lets you choose between Bluetooth, ANT+, and 5 kHz transmission, offering multiple connection options and also allowing you to maintain two connections at the same time. Despite its high-end electrodes though, the model does not burn through batteries as fast as most models, giving you ~400 hours on one CR2025 battery.

Where the product to some extent drops the ball is the app with its bloated and clunky interface that takes time to get used to. Apart from the app's questionable UI, the Polar H10 is an excellent product. Plus, owing to its fully waterproof construction, the device can be worn while swimming, rowing, running, cycling, and training indoors.

The Wahoo TICKR FIT is an armband, not the massive chest strap that most monitors within this lineup are coming with. As you can imagine, the difference here is that, unlike these straps, the 'band is pretty easy to put on, easy to remove, and less restrictive. The downside is that the battery lasts around 25-30 hours tops, though it is rechargeable, so you will not be buying replacement batteries every two months. Because, shockingly enough, people have different arms, the device's shipped with two stretchable bands, measuring 10 and 15 inches. These bands are made from hypoallergenic materials, so people with sensitive skin can use them too.

In addition to monitoring the heart rate, the device can also track the workout duration and the calories burned, sending the data to the connected smartphone/tablet via the chosen training app. On that note, the model's compatible with at least 50 training apps and, selecting between Bluetooth and ANT+ connection options, the device can be paired with most smartphones, tablets, bike computers, and smartwatches.

To put it differently, the Wahoo TICKR FIT lands somewhere between fitness trackers and standard heart rate monitors, borrowing the best from both worlds.

The Garmin HRM-Tri is less about guesswork and more about precision. At this time, this is the smallest, most lightweight heart rate monitoring device from Garmin. What's more impressive though is that the product's designed featuring rounded edges yet without exposed seams, ensuring that the strap remains firm and comfortable throughout the entire workout, even when that workout lasts hours.

As you're cycling, running, swimming (the device's 100% waterproof), and rotating between different exercises, the bi-fold adjustment mechanism will be reducing elastic weight and making sizing pretty easy so that you're not wasting time adjusting the strap every 15 minutes. Unfortunately, the housing is not protected against pool chemicals though, which means you should probably avoid commercial pools.

Offsetting this insignificant downside is the module's accelerometer that, measuring torso movement, can track six running dynamics metrics, including cadence, vertical oscillation, vertical ratio, stride length, ground contact time, and ground contact time balance. To add more, the Garmin Connect app will also provide detailed swim metrics, from the heart rate graphs and the swim pace to the mapping, stroke type, and more. When you also count the integrated memory that lets you save no less than 20 training sessions (when the device is not connected to any gadget), you start seeing why Garmin is such a huge name on this market.

From certain perspectives, the Garmin HRM-Run is less complicated than its relative above. From different perspectives, this product is as complex. To initiate the conversation, what you receive here is two devices: the standard monitoring unit fitted inside a chest strap and a portable clip-on pod. Both devices are lightweight, with the chest module measuring 1.7 ounces and the pod 0.5. The chest strap, as you would expect, fixes around the chest, whereas the pod can be clipped onto the waistband. Just like the Garmin HRM-Tri model, this one tracks six running dynamics metrics.

First, you have cadence, as in the step count, as in how many steps you have taken in a minute. Second, the device measures vertical oscillation, which refers to the bounce degree in the running motion, displaying the torso's vertical motion (measured in centimeters for each step). Third, the ground contact time, counting how much time each step spends contacting the ground while as you're running (measures in milliseconds). Then, the device introduces ground contact time balance, displaying the time (percentage-based) you spend balancing on each foot (an example would be 54.1% pointing right, meaning that the right foot spends a little more time contacting the ground). Rounding these up are the stride length and vertical ratio metrics, with the former telling you the length of each stride from one footfall and the latter showing you the ratio between vertical oscillation and stride length.

Long story short, the Garmin HRM-Run is something that will interest hardcore running enthusiasts and pros first and foremost.

The CooSpo Fitness Tracker keeps things pretty simple. To begin with, the device comes hiding two wireless modules: Bluetooth 4.0 and ANT+. Between these two, the model's compatible with most fitness apps, smart gadgets, and various gym equipment pieces.

Not unlike most heart rate monitors, this one's shipped with an adjustable chest strap. You can attach and remove the device from the strap. You can also adjust the strap between 25.6 and 37.4 inches circumference-wise, fitting most torsos.

The strap is stretchy, soft, and forgiving towards the skin, so you do not have to worry about it rubbing and chaffing against the torso. What you do have to worry about is that the Bluetooth module's range here is pretty limited, meaning that you will not be able to keep the unit connected to some gadget lying 15 feet away from you.

On the bright side, with its IP67 class protection, the device does not dread dust and moisture. Also, because the unit's tracking nothing but the heart rate, one CR2032 battery will last around 365 hours before finally giving out.

To sum up, the CooSpo Fitness Tracker is not the most sophisticated device on this list but those who only want to monitor their heart rate and nothing else will find this product a much more sensible choice.