HRM 2?

[cosme.costa]

In the Sapnish forum there is a picture from UTMB with lots of new boxes of a new Suunto Smart heart Rate 2, it seems that will be using battery because then it can be used with diving devices.

[GratefulDeadpan]

@cosme.costa oh interesting!

[aiv4r]

@cosme.costa oh so interesting. But I read somewhere that it is still chest strap. I was expecting Sunnto to come up with something like Coros HRM, since it way more comfortable for running at least.

[cosme.costa]

@aiv4r said:

@cosme.costa oh so interesting. But I read somewhere that it is still chest strap. I was expecting Sunnto to come up with something like Coros HRM, since it way more comfortable for running at least.

I really do not know, I do not have any relation with Suunto other than me buying their watches but from what i have read and guessed Suunto is going to release at least two devices, one is the chest strap already leaked and an armband or a health band (like Whoop and others).
Regarding the chest strap seems that is going to be noticeably improved. I find logic that Suunto releases a new chest strap taking into account ZoneSense.

[aiv4r]

@cosme.costa True that, it kind of makes sense when you think about ZoneSense. I guess let’s see, will have to stay with Coros HRM for now

[cosme.costa]

@aiv4r I’m using the Coros HRM as well and I’m very happy with it, very comfortable, very good battery life and I love the fact that you do not need buttons to turn it on or off, 40% of the times I left my Polar Verity Sense turned on wasting battery. I only use the chest strap in very specific ocasions were I want the ZoneSense information.
If suunto makes an OHR armband it has to be pretty good to be better than the Coros.

[Speed Man]

@cosme.costa An optical sensor can never measure ECG because it measures blood volume changes, not the heart’s electrical activity.

Personally, I think an OHR armband would be a bit redundant. The optical sensor on the wrist is already accurate enough for most everyday training, so moving essentially the same technology to the upper arm doesn’t add much.

If the goal is ECG-level accuracy and access to data such as HRV R-R intervals and ZoneSense, you really need to measure the heart’s electrical signal from the chest. That’s where a chest strap makes much more sense.

[aiv4r]

@Speed-Man Depends I guess from person to person, but wrist based OHR is definitely way worse than placed on bicep in my case and it is almost identical to Suunto chest strap recordings.
Especially in harder efforts.

[GratefulDeadpan]

@Speed-Man I usually rely on the wrist ohr but when it’s cold out (like it gets here in Sweden) I prefer not having any gaps in my clothing and therefore wear the watch over my jacket. Therefore I am really just looking for the most comfortable way to get my pulse which to me is the armband.

[Egika]

wrist heart rate from watch has some disadvantages, like the mentioned wearing over clothes, performance in cold temperatures, in some sports you cannot wear a watch, high impact sport or walking/running with poles, etc.
So there is definitely room for HR measurement on other parts of the body like upper arm, chest etc.

[cosme.costa]

@Speed-Man Maybe I haven’t explained myself clearly but I do know the diferences between both technologies, and as I said I do use the chest strap when I want to have the ZoneSense information, for the rest of the cases I use the OHR armband.

Previous to my SVTS the wirst OHR was very bad for me and the chest strap makes me a nasty sore during the hot months of the year, that in my area could be from April to October. With the SVTS the wirst OHR has improved greatly but it still fails a lot of times for me, the armband is very comfortable and convinient for me.

Regarding the accuracy, bpm values are at par with the chest strap in most of the ocasions except in interval sessions where it lags behind the chest strap, not in the values but in the responsiveness.