Optical heart rate or chest strap – which is right for me?
Because optical heart rate measurement and chest strap heart rate measurement use different technologies, they are not directly comparable; rather, they are two different ways of reaching the same goal, and suit different uses.
How accurate is optical heart rate compared to chest-strap based heart rate?
Based on our own validation studies, our optical heart rate readings are very similar to ECG-based readings in many of the most popular sports, such as running and cycling.
Choose a tool for the job, not a job for the tool
Here's a list of the different heart rate tracking technologies with a few ideas on how to use them:
Wrist-based optical heart rate
– Running with a steady state tempo.
– Casual bike commutes or the occasional cycling workout.
– Keeping an eye on your night-time heart rate.
– Tracking your heart rate 24/7.
– Minimizing workout gear while you travel.
Arm-based optical heart rate
– Tracking your heart rate at the gym.
– Tracking heart rate while playing volleyball, soccer or basketball.
– Putting on a sensor without lifting your shirt up at the fitness club.
– Tracking your cycling workouts with a bike computer.
– Wearing your sports watch on top of your sleeve because you live in a place where it gets cold during winter time.
Chest strap with a heart rate sensor
– Tracking heart rate during interval training.
– Tracking your heart rate at the gym.
– Wearing your sports watch on top of your sleeve because you live in a place where it gets cold during winter time.
– Tracking heart rate while playing sports where you hold a stick or a racquet.
– Using Recovery Pro.
– Tracking HRV to put into a HRV analysis app.