Heart Rate Monitors

A heart rate monitor (HRM) is a small health monitoring device that measures and displays your heart rate, most commonly used while the body is in motion or exercising. Whether you’re recovering from an injury and need to track your heart rate or just want to measure your heart performance during a workout to optimize athletic performance, the best heart rate monitors will be able to display and store your data so you can better understand your heart and body. When it comes to health, fitness and personal care, a heart monitor watch or a heart rate monitor chest strap can come in a variety of styles, sizes and prices to match your needs and both types are generally easy to integrate into your activities. Many are also FSA and HSA eligible. Heart rate monitors do much more than just track your activity, like an activity tracker does, by offering data measured in heart beats per minute (BPM) that provides insight to quantifying the intensity of your workout and optimizing your training.

If you train more intensely, a chest strap model might be the best heart rate monitor for you, as they are generally more accurate than a heart monitor watch because heart rate monitor chest straps are designed like a thin belt for your chest, wrapped around your body for the most targeted and accurate BPM. Heart rate monitor chest straps pair with a watch to display your metrics. If you’re using a heart rate monitor chest strap, it might be worth investing in wireless sports headphones to keep the cords from catching in the chest strap.

A wrist-based heart monitor is one of two types of HRMs. Designed similarly to a smartwatch, most wrist-based heart monitors display information on a heart monitor touch screen and are discreet and comfortable enough to wear during your workout. Your pulse is detected through the wristband, so while the comfort factor is a major benefit of a heart rate monitor watch, it may not be as accurate as a chest strap model because it’s further away from your heart. These heart monitor watches are highly durable and meant to withstand sweat, water and other outdoor elements.