Best quality heart strap?

So, i dug out my Powertap Joule cycle computer today after not using it for several months and it seems as if the heart rate strap unit is dead/not functioning.

I've changed the battery and paired it many times but it just won't display my heartbeat even though the device is seen by the head unit?

Internet reading tells me that heart rate straps seem to be fallible especially just after the warranty expires so it looks like i'll have to buy a new one. Any ideas? It it needs to be ANT+ and last more than one season.

Basic, rather plastic Garmin is best. Avoid the luxury soft straps from Garmin and Polar like the plague - they are VERY unreliable.

Are you sure your heart is working?

I second the Garmin basic strap - It's the only one I've ever used and have no complaints. Wet the contacts before strapping up and ensure the strap is tight enough and you should never have any reading errors.

I never had any issues with the plastic Garmin strap, however it's annoyingly bulky.

I've got the Garmin HRM-Run strap, it's very comfortable and (so far!) immune to 240 bp spikes that generally indicate a lack of conductivity.

It also provides some clever additional metrics for runners - which may of course be pointless for your use case.

I could only find two Garmin straps, the one above and this one here. Is this the plastic job you are referring to?

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If you are training by power why do you need HR?

Fignon - yep.

I don't have a power meter. The Joule GPS is a cycle computer that is made by the same company.

Try taking the battery out, reinserting it upside-down, closing the cover (holding it on for 20 secs).

It sounds like I'm pulling your leg but this can reset by (apparently) reversing the polarity. It's worked for me a couple of times.

Also wash the strap. Salt is conductive (yuk).

I'm surprised you're not using an optical hrm already.

I have a garmin one(whichever comes with the 510 double bike kit), it's ok but you have to have it bordering on uncomfortable tight to keep it reading well.

newer Garmin run strap much more comfortable than the older plastic one, and never misses a beat, (ha!).

Tried one, not that happy with it.

What additional features does the running HRM have over the HRM I got with my Garmin 800? I thought they were identical and lent it to a mate!

Well, i reversed the polarity captain and it seems to have done the trick.

The powertap strap is a soft strap so it may well fail anyway, I'll keep an eye on the situation for now, maybe see if I can get a Garmin plastico cheaply somewhere.

Thanks for the tip.

No worries.

I suspect there is not much to separate the models in reliability but obviously haven't tried them all (just Garmin and Polar). They're probably from the same factory.

The garmin run strap has a built in accelerometer. So it measures running cadence, as well as ground contact time. Possibly other clever things I have not idea why I need to know.

Resurrecting this old thread as my Wahoo Tickr died a death and wondering whether it’s a case of same again or if there’s any reason for me to look elsewhere to either spend less or get more? Likely the former since it did the job just fine as far as I could tell..!

I stopped using wahoo hr after I went through about 3 in 18 months. I got one of amazon for half the price and it has been solid for 6 months so far.

Decathlon have one for £30. Worth a go?

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/dual-ant-bluetooth-smart-heart-rate-monitor-belt/_/R-p-128085

I had an old Garmin one that lasted years, then got a Wahoo and it was terrible. Now using a Polar and not had any issues.

I just got another Decathlon one after old one died after three or four years. The sensor bit is identical to Wahoo Tickr, the OEM model number printed on it matches the Tickr.

Handy thread. I've been through 2 wahoo tickrs in 18 months. They just don't seem to last, and I'm not particularly sweaty. Will try the polar.

I've found it's just the wahoo strap that fails and the unit itself is normally fine.

I've been using the same tickr for about 3 years with a Polar strap. Just need to shave a little rubber off the mount on the polar strap.