I have been using a Polar heart rate watch for years and continues to work flawlessly. The same can’t be said about heart-rate monitor chest straps. After some time (even with proper care), I find they become inconsistent at detecting my heart rate and need to be replaced.

This is the third iteration of Polar’s chest strap that I have used and this soft strap is by far the best in terms of design and comfort! The strap easily picks up my heart rate and keeps accurately connected. I have used it with a variety of gym equipment along with my watch and it has not exhibited some of the crazy heart-rate spikes that ALL of my other straps did. That in itself makes this a great buy! With the older straps I found I often had to get them wet (more than damp) in order for them to pick up my heart rate but even then it would often drop its readings and my watch would say my heart rate was “0” (HELP, I died)! Also, this new design is much thinner so it’s more comfortable to wear and easier to clean.

I should note that all of my old Polar straps worked for a while too. Eventually, they all started to give spotty readings and then because unreliable altogether. I suspect all these Polar straps have the same type of lifespan, but I don’t know for sure.

If you’re looking to replace your chest strap, THIS is definitely the one to consider before all others!

My Garmin heart rate strap was worthless. It never really worked well and only got worse over time. I did a 13 mile training run and it showed my average heart rate was 230 bpm. That’s when I decided to get this Polar strap as I heard it worked with the Garmin and actually showed the correct heart rate. Sure enough, it fits and works perfectly! It’s also very comfortable. I can find no fault in this strap and can confirm it works without an issue with the Garmin monitor (just snap off your old Garmin strap and snap on this Polar strap. As the Garmin strap got much worse over time, I’ll post a follow-up after 6 months or so on how it works over time.

I lost my old strap and have to admit that the “soft strap” is a significant step up from its predecessor. Compatible with all the polar transmitters it’s great.