Heart Monitor and bra

[love2bike]

Hi!

I just took my first spinning class this week. I loved it! My instructor suggested that I get a heart monitor watch. I'm looking at the Polar F4, based on previous discussions here...

Has anyone here used the "Heart Bra" that Polar makes? I found it on Amazon. Also, I think there is another one out there, but I can't remember the brand at this point. I'm a 36D, and have used a monitor on a treadmill before and the strap was really uncomfortable for me.

Or is there a way that I can adapt a Nike or Reebok sports bra to accomodate the strap?

You ladies have given me such great advice in the past, I wanted to ask the question before I run out and spend a bunch of $$$$.

Thanks, Patty

[Bikingmomof3]

Patty,
I have the Polar F4 and wear the strap right under my sports bra. I have never had any difficulties. I bike, run, weight train, and do aerobics in it.

[mimitabby]

omg!

About a month ago DH decided to strap me up to his heart monitor.
I took off everything from the waist up and he tried to fit me. On his own very flat chest, he just puts the strap about an inch below his nipples. Doesn't work on me. So he tried putting it on me every which way. I could barely stand up I was laughing so hard... I didn't know either so didn't know how to advise him.
we finally figured it out.. the bra line.

[Bad JuJu]

Mimi--My and DH's HRM story is almost opposite of yours. I'd been using one for a while when dh decided to try it. He asked me where to put the strap, and my reply was, " I just tuck it under the edge of my bra." As soon as the words were out of my mouth, we looked at each other and cracked up--of course my advice was not the least bit useful for him.

[Steph_in_TX]

I've tried the Polar bra and it just doesn't work for me. I'm a 36C, in case that's important to the conversation. The bra works fine as a bra, but it doesn't hold the strap against my body so it doesn't read the heart rate. Regular sports bras work fine with the chest strap. I just put the strap under like everyone mentioned. You kind of just forget it's there after a while.


Also, Polar makes two different straps. One where the whole front part is hard plastic and one where only the transmittor piece is hard. Sorry, I can't remember what's it's called and I'm being too lazy to look it up. I like the softer one.

[Googlie Wooglie]

I don't have a problem with the chest strap but I was just looking at these in passing:

http://www.rei.com/product/47963115.htm

Supposed to monitor your pulse from the wrist . . . anybody used one?