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    Suunto Race S optical heart rate sensor accuracy

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Suunto Race S
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    • R Offline
      RdoubleC
      last edited by

      I just bought a Race S and am having problems with the heart rate accuracy, it seems to read double my actual heart rate when resting. I use an external sensor for activities so not sure how it would stand up then, but the resting rates are often way off. Shown here alongside the Pace 2 that I was upgrading from which is reading accurately.

      I’ve tried everything I can find, soft reset, hard reset, toggle 24/7 monitoring, tighten, loosen, move watch, downgrade firmware to previous version, nothing seems to solve it. Do I have a faulty watch, is it a software issue that will hopefully be solved at some point, or is it innate to the sensor and will likely always be like this?PXL_20250209_165600690.jpg

      G T 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 2
      • G Offline
        gerstlauer Bronze Member @RdoubleC
        last edited by

        @RdoubleC I don’t think yours is faulty, mine has always been absolutely junk as well. Last night reading 85-90bpm when my actual HR was in the 40/50s.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
        • TieutieuT Offline
          Tieutieu Platinum Member
          last edited by Tieutieu

          Even if some OHR may work better here and there, also in other brands, this is an infinite debate.
          On me I’ve never found from now any good OHR for intense activities. For daily use, sleep tracking… it works very fine.
          Whenever I want accuracy (trail running, cycling…), I use the HR belt.

          But regarding Suunto OHRs, they’ve been improving over years (S9b <<< Sv < Srs). On me the SRs works better, but Not a very big difference with my SV.

          Suunto’s devices at home :
          Vertical titanium solar
          Suunto Race S
          S9pp titanium sand
          Suunto Wing
          S9B titanium Ambassador edition, A3P, X6

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • Brad_OlwinB Online
            Brad_Olwin Moderator @dariof
            last edited by

            @dariof The Apple Watch is supposedly the best OHR out there. For me an AWU works OK on easy, sustained runs. I always have some OHR dropouts and on intervals AWU is not good. Suunto OHR for me is worse. I always wear a belt for exercise. However for 24/7, sleep and not exercise I find Suunto and Apple identical.

            Vector/T6c/Ambit 3 Peak/S5 Copper/S3/S7 Ti/S9 baro Ti/S9P Ti/S9PP Ti/Vertical Ti/Race Ti/RaceS/Ocean/Wing

            T 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
            • W Offline
              wilfley.brad
              last edited by

              did you resolve this? I have the exact same issue - i can compare to my garmin or just check my own pulse and the Suunto is regularly 2 times actual…

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • sky-runnerS Offline
                sky-runner Silver Members @sky-runner
                last edited by sky-runner

                If Suunto is unable to provide a better WHR accuracy, then Suunto should at least support multiple sensors.

                Personally I can’t wear a chest sensor during longer events. I get skin irritation on the chest to the point of bleeding. I guess that is because of salt accumulating in that area and compression straps of hydration vest moving the chest sensor. I started using Coros armband HR sensor, and it is very good, but it doesn’t support ZoneSense. A good solution would be to use an armband HR sensor for longer events and a chest HR sensor for shorter runs and workouts, but that is impossible without constantly having to re-pair the sensor.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                • T Offline
                  TuanNT @Brad_Olwin
                  last edited by

                  @Brad_Olwin I have the same bad experience with OHR while running on my newly bought Suunto Race S and I just return to the dealer for checking. It give me the inconsistent heart rate data, sometimes it bump up very high and some times no heart rate signal while I still maintaining the steady speed on the flat road. This morning, while seating at the office, My heart rate should be in normal range 45-50 but it is bump up to 90 - 100 ad I cannot measure the SPo2 on my watch, I tried to measure SPO2 several times and it says it is only 70 which is super ridiculous. I feel sad then go to Suunto Vietnam directly after that, now i need to wait for their check.

                  sky-runnerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                  • T Offline
                    TuanNT @RdoubleC
                    last edited by

                    @RdoubleC May I know how is the heart rate on your watch now. I got the same issue as you and now I am waiting the answer from Suunto Vietnam after leaving my watch there one week for checking.

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                    • sky-runnerS Offline
                      sky-runner Silver Members @TuanNT
                      last edited by

                      @TuanNT said in Suunto Race S optical heart rate sensor accuracy:

                      This morning, while seating at the office, My heart rate should be in normal range 45-50 but it is bump up to 90 - 100

                      While reading this I decided to check what my Race S is currently showing as I am taking a coffee break at work. The watch is showing 120-140 while I am sitting still and my pulse is clearly about 50 - I have manually counted it. This is ridiculous!

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                      • B brechtvb referenced this topic on
                      • J Offline
                        johanboogaerts @sky-runner
                        last edited by

                        @sky-runner My first impression was that the heart rate accuracy was good. After buying the watch, I went on holidays and used the watch mostly for intensive hiking.
                        When back home, doing circuit training I noticed the heart rate sensor was displaying half of what I expected it to be. I ordered a new watch strap from Hirsch, model vocem, which better keeps the watch correctly positioned. Accuracy has well increased and I rarely notice heart rate drops

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