Soft Heart Rate Straps that WORK long term???

[Tri Girl]

Fortunately, I bought my first one from REI using my dividend and they keep them in stock so I can exchange as necessary. Sigh.

THAT'S a good idea!!! I might use my dividend for a new strap next year... and then keep replacing if it wears out. You are smart!!

[OakLeaf]

I saw all the horror stories on the Garmin website - lots of people can never get theirs to work at all, never mind six months. Yeah, the hard strap chafes occasionally on runs over three hours in temperatures over 85. Never on the bike. Never on shorter runs. Never in cooler weather. And not even most of the time on long hot runs, and not that badly when it does happen. I just deal with it, myself.

[tangentgirl]

Never had a problem with my Polar strap. When you say soft, you mean like cloth or elastic, vs. plastic?

If you're the diy-type, maybe you could create a strap cover out of some sort of soft material that goes over everything except the conductive part? I can't sew for diddlysquat, don't look at me.

[amb]

I bought my Polar HRM in Sept of '11 and it still works like a champ. I use it 4-6 times per week for Zumba, boot camp and cycling. It is the FT40 with the soft strap. I put the strap in the washer (with the "transmitter" removed) when I remember...maybe once every few weeks. I have had no trouble whatsoever with this HRM. I had another one previously (Polar) that I did have trouble with but one I started washing it as described, I had no trouble.

[SadieKate]

THAT'S a good idea!!! I might use my dividend for a new strap next year... and then keep replacing if it wears out. You are smart!!

I'm not really that smart. I just stumbled into the deal because yellow was here on her annual "no sales tax in Orygun and I'm here with my REI dividend" trip and she kinda pushed me into trying an HRM again since I hated the regular strap.

Yeah, the hard strap chafes occasionally on runs over three hours in temperatures over 85. Never on the bike. Never on shorter runs. Never in cooler weather. And not even most of the time on long hot runs, and not that badly when it does happen. I just deal with it, myself.

I personally can barely deal with the twin holes that are periodically dug into the undersides of my breasts during long runs. I can still get it better adjusted than the regular strap.

Never had a problem with my Polar strap. When you say soft, you mean like cloth or elastic, vs. plastic?

Wide soft elastic.

Of course, dcrainmaker has a solution. The man is a total geek - and we love him dearly for it.
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2010/08/s...utsspikes.html

I may try this just because.

[Blueberry]

Of course, dcrainmaker has a solution. The man is a total geek - and we love him dearly for it.
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2010/08/s...utsspikes.html

But he's now a total geek who lives in Paris I think the flaws can be forgiven for photos!!

I use there regular strap. I tried the soft one (generation one), and had sporadic failures after ~3 months. Sometimes it's fine. Sometimes it's not. It's random and annoying.

[OakLeaf]

Of course, dcrainmaker has a solution. The man is a total geek - and we love him dearly for it.
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2010/08/s...utsspikes.html

You will notice that he's got his heart rate up to 142 just doing the stupid conversion. That suggests it's not as simple as he depicts.