heart rate monitoring kit from a bricks and mortar shop in Dublin

Calahonda52

Need to get this soonest, so bricks and mortar as opposed to online, as I am have some cancer-related surgery on 18th next and have just started a 2 week bootcamp to try and get me in better shape for post op recovery.
Just had the first session and they would like me to keep an eye on the old ticker while doing the homework!

I know its only two weeks but it helps keep the mind occupied.

Just took out the Polar stuff I had from yesteryear+ and it has perished...

Don't want any phone related stuff, I live in Swords so a brand and location would be most appreciated.
Thanks as always

C-Shore

Calahonda52 wrote: »

Need to get this soonest, so bricks and mortar as opposed to online, as I am have some cancer-related surgery on 18th next and have just started a 2 week bootcamp to try and get me in better shape for post op recovery.
Just had the first session and they would like me to keep an eye on the old ticker while doing the homework!

I know its only two weeks but it helps keep the mind occupied.

Just took out the Polar stuff I had from yesteryear+ and it has perished...

Don't want any phone related stuff, I live in Swords so a brand and location would be most appreciated.
Thanks as always

What are you looking for? Strap and watch, or a wristband?

Most wristbands will require a phone for full featured.

If you're in Swords then you could try Duff's in Santry, or 360 Cycles in Clontarf.
Richie's might do it, but not too sure.

Calahonda52

Getting sorted in 360 before they shut at 8pm, much obliged to you, thank you

C-Shore

Calahonda52 wrote: »

Getting sorted in 360 before they shut at 8pm, much obliged to you, thank you

I think Garmin would be a waste of money in the sense that you wouldn't use half of the features that you're paying for.

The only brand doing simple strap and watch HRM is polar from what i can tell. Maybe summer other lesser known brands, which are probably just as good as most of them are manufactured by the same place.

RobFowl

Richies has a good range of garmin stuff

Calahonda52

Thanks guys, picked it up just before they closed this evening, I agree maybe a little overkill but I have lots of other Garmin stuff so happy with what maybe a marginal overspend which in the over all scheme of things, right now, is nothing.
As my issue is a male issue, for the benefit of others I have a thread running over in The Gentleman's Club
(http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=99235755)

Thanks again, I am much obliged.

PS I deliberately have not said what I ended up getting as where my head is right now I don't need some thoughtless keyboard warrior coming on with, "thats a piece of crap, or similar":)

C-Shore

Calahonda52 wrote: »

Thanks guys, picked it up just before they closed this evening, I agree maybe a little overkill but I have lots of other Garmin stuff so happy with what maybe a marginal overspend which in the over all scheme of things, right now, is nothing.
As my issue is a male issue, for the benefit of others I have a thread running over in The Gentleman's Club
(http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=99235755)

Thanks again, I am much obliged.

PS I deliberately have not said what I ended up getting as where my head is right now I don't need some thoughtless keyboard warrior coming on with, "thats a piece of crap, or similar":)

Who cares what anyone else thinks. It's your money so all that matters is that it's worth what you think you should pay for it, and that you're happy.

Glad you're happy with it.

Hope things go well for you in the coming months, I'll keep an eye on your progress.

Calahonda52

Okay, am back, I would perhaps have my tail between my legs a bit but they cut that off as well back in May.:D

Am in the process of returning the 910 XT as it has given me a number of problems, the most common being spurious heart rates, HR drop outs and most irritating of all: not transferring the data: I started back on the bootcamp today, did my 40 minute session on bike, did the lap timings for the different effort levels etc and when I came back to PC, there was no data on the 910 XT, this is the 3rd time it has done this so its going back.

So while the shop, which is very understanding etc, is in the process of looking for a replacement, am open to suggestions, which need to produce the attached.
The six HIIT peaks can be seen, this was my last session before surgery so it was maxed out effort wise, the drop in 4 and 5 shows that and then I gave it a lash for the 6th and final high intensity interval.

Thanks as always.
Recovery going well, plumbing getting there, if I manage the liquid intake then can do 40 mins on the bike without a pitstop, whereas can do an hour on the X trainer before I need pit-stop.

H.E. Pennypacker

I've had similar HRM issues - I've no idea if this will help or not but here's a link that's worth a look:

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2012/12/annual-public-service-announcement-how-to-fix-heart-rate-strap-dropoutsspikes.html

Thanks for raising awareness of prostate cancer and the importance of checkups.

Calahonda52

Thanks for link and kind words.
Having read it, just wonder if the newer Fit type wearable stuff is any more reliable?

PaddyFagan

Calahonda52 wrote: »

Thanks for link and kind words.
Having read it, just wonder if the newer Fit type wearable stuff is any more reliable?

Not sure I can help hugely, but just my own experience:

• Bluetooth (lidl) strap HRM - got spikes
• Polar RC3 with strap HRM - no spikes, but found the chest strap uncomfortable
• FitBit Charge HR (wrist) - no spikes, but the downside is I can't see my hr while cycling (without a faff)

Now just for completeness, my Fitbit has developed a problem with the strap after 6 months use, but a replacement is on route from Fitbit.

Paddy

Ps I've been trying off load the Bluetooth HRM and RC3 for a while http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057619618 :rolleyes:

Macy0161

Calahonda52 wrote: »

Thanks for link and kind words.
Having read it, just wonder if the newer Fit type wearable stuff is any more reliable?

Not sure about the less expensive models, but when I was upgrading my gps watch, I was looking at the fenix 3HR , I didn't go for it as it got a lot of bad write up's about the reliability of the HR data from the optical HRM (well that and the cost, I went for the 920xt ultimately). I think strap is still the most reliable.

I'm finding the new style garmin HR straps much more reliable than the older style ones that had the clip on plastic bit. With the old ones I used to have drop outs (didn't notice spikes as much), particularly on the bike. I've both the HRM-Run, and HRM-Tri, and haven't had any issues so far. I have my old 310xt on the bike (so I can keep the 920 on my wrist), and it gets the Heart Rate data fine from the new straps.

Only bad thing is that the new Garmin straps aren't machine washable, just hand rinse. I haven't noticed any issues (but one of the reasons I kept the HRM-Run rather than off load it when I got the Tri and Swim straps, so I could swap them around more often), but maybe hygiene may be more of a consideration for you.

ThisRegard

Macy0161 wrote: »

Only bad thing is that the new Garmin straps aren't machine washable, just hand rinse. I haven't noticed any issues (but one of the reasons I kept the HRM-Run rather than off load it when I got the Tri and Swim straps, so I could swap them around more often), but maybe hygiene may be more of a consideration for you.

For which monitors exactly? Only the ones with a non removal unit can't, which new straps do you mean? Those with a removal unit are recommend to be machine washed after every 7 uses.

http://static.garmincdn.com/pumac/HRMSS_Care_ML12.pdf

Macy0161

ThisRegard wrote: »

For which monitors exactly? Only the ones with a non removal unit can't, which new straps do you mean? Those with a removal unit are recommend to be machine washed after every 7 uses.

http://static.garmincdn.com/pumac/HRMSS_Care_ML12.pdf

If you go to page 2 of that document, my old one was the one on the left, which you could unclip the plastic yoke. My new ones are the same as the one on the right, with the non removable module, that are hand wash only. Not sure when they were introduced, but they're the latest ones afaik.

ThisRegard

Cheers, I thought all their current range, Run, Tri etc had removable modules.

Calahonda52

Thanks for this, hand wash is fine for the straps.

The loss of data on the 910 XT watch is a bigger problem as when I do the stuff at home on a bike where the electronics are clapped out, I need to be able to send the data to DCU, otherwise I could be watching TV

The more I read about this stuff I think I will just keep the 910 xt and the trip HRM strap and get another rig, maybe the 920 with another HRM strap and just use both.
I presume once one HRM strap is paired with the 910 that it will stay like that and just pair another HRM strap with the 920
Any thoughts?
Thanks as always.

Macy0161

Calahonda52 wrote: »

I presume once one HRM strap is paired with the 910 that it will stay like that and just pair another HRM strap with the 920
Any thoughts?
Thanks as always.

I think so, yes. You may have conflicted if you have two HRM monitors on, both paired to the same device.

You could also pair the one HRM with both watches. It's what I do on the bike - same HRM is paired with my 920xt on my wrist and the 310xt which is mounted on the bike. I don't generally download from the 310xt, but during rides it definitely gives the reading (Heart Rate and Distance is pretty much what it's there for!).

H.E. Pennypacker

I had issues before where my Garmin Edge 500 would pick up other cyclists HRMs if I wasn't wearing mine. I think that the later models (810 & 520) use a sensor ID so that they only pick up sensors that they are paired to. It might be worth making sure that both your 920xt & 310xt will only pick up paired sensors so that you don't pick up the other if one drops for some reason.

Calahonda52

Thanks again.
The shop will first replace the strap and then if that fails, they will replace the watch.

In passing, does any of the Garmin stuff we are talking about here actually easily display the time of day!

Had a session just now in gym, all splits etc picked up and transferred.
Made a few changes to the set up

1. wore HRM to left side as suggested in the link above.
2. did not wear the in ear cans with the iPod
3. put the gym access electronic gizmo in the bag, normally wore it around the neck on a lanyard as easy for reaching out of car window.
4. closed my eyes to the lissome chicks with their spray-on gym gear doing their stretches and other distracting moves on the floor mats:D

The last one is about all that is left in that department as the nerve sparing surgery put pay to all that stuff: no lead, no pencil, no dreams, (wet or dry!)

Macy0161

Calahonda52 wrote: »

In passing, does any of the Garmin stuff we are talking about here actually easily display the time of day!

920xt does - I wear it as a my daily watch. You can have the time as one of the screens in any of the activities too (I normally have a few screens on the go, and auto scroll, and there's an option for full screen time as one of those).

310xt also has it as one of the data fields available for activities, so I'd be surprised if the 910xt didn't at least have that.

Calahonda52

Thanks, just read the manual in detail:) yes its possible, its called Time of Day Doh

The manual is attached if anyone is interested.

Calahonda52

Okay, just to say I got a new HRM fro 360, I must say their customer service is top notch, its a simpler version than the original one which was a Tri.

Calahonda52

Am going travelling away from the desktop in a few weeks and now realise that the Garmin Forerunner 910XT does not have Bluetooth so can't use it with Garmin Connect App on my Android.
These are some of the planned activities so would be nice to get some data
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telescope_Peak
http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-angels-landing-trail.htm

There is a long list of bluetooth enabled Forerunner kit listed as compatible with the Android App so am looking for a recommendation please, it needs to work with the chest strap HRM so not a wrist based one and have GPS.

Much obliged as always