Garmin’s new heart rate tracker pairs nearly perfectly with sports bras

Finally, a thorax strap that doesn’t marque maine consciousness similar a python is crushing my ribs. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Finally, a thorax strap that works with my sports bra — not against it.

Sports bras are a indispensable evil. I’m not the bustiest runner, but adjacent I request a high-support bra to neutralize the laws of physics. Adding a thorax strap to the mix, however, often feels similar I’ve signed up to tally 13 miles with a python squeezing my chest. Which is wherefore the $149.99 Garmin HRM-Fit thorax strap is simply a changeable of genius.

To get wherefore the HRM-Fit is truthful great, you request to recognize however regular thorax straps neglect sports bra wearers. Traditional thorax straps are typically an elastic loop that wraps astir your full assemblage with electrodes connected the underside. Because the electrodes request to support bully interaction with your skin, you person to tighten the loop specified that it doesn’t slip. Stick that nether a medium- oregon high-support sports bra — which is already beauteous constrictive — and it’s a atrocious time. Add underboob sweat to the mix, and keeping my Polar H10 cleanable is simply a full job.

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Three clips — 1 successful the halfway and 2 connected the sides — unafraid the strap onto your sports bra band.

It mightiness not look similar a immense change, but the HRM-Fit doesn’t wrapper afloat astir your chest. Instead, determination are 3 clips that latch onto your sports bra band. There are besides 2 electrodes connected the underside. I cannot overemphasize however enjoyable the HRM-Fit was to usage due to the fact that of that elemental plan change.

The clips marque it truthful there’s nary further pressure. I often forgot I was adjacent wearing it. Conversely, I’m ever acutely alert of my Polar H10. Also, with the HRM-Fit, cleaning the strap is casual due to the fact that underboob sweat wasn’t arsenic overmuch of an contented due to the fact that determination isn’t a ton of cloth touching my skin. I went from dreading putting connected my thorax strap to not minding it astatine all.

Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge It works champion connected medium- to high-support sports bras.

I’m each for a thorax strap that doesn’t inquire radical with tatas to sacrifice immoderate comfort, particularly since thorax straps assistance radical who either can’t usage smartwatches oregon for whom smartwatches aren’t the champion option. (Have you tried putting a boxing mitt implicit a smartwatch? Not fun.) Plus, they’re much close than optical bosom complaint sensors since they really measurement your heartbeat via electrical signals alternatively of airy reflected disconnected your skin. That makes them large picks for radical with tattoos and much melanated skin.

That said, it’s not perfect. Because it latches onto your bra, you request the close benignant of sports bra. Garmin has a small guide, but it works champion if you person a bra with a medium-width band. I recovered that if the set was excessively narrow, the HRM-Fit wouldn’t laic flat. That ruled retired a fewer of my favourite sports bras. Another bummer is that it’s not recommended with front-zip sports bras. It tin besides beryllium tricky if you usage sports bras with underwires. I was fortunate that the HRM-Fit mostly worked with the bulk of my sports bras, particularly since replacing them would beryllium truthful damn expensive. But depending connected your sports bra preferences, the HRM-Fit whitethorn not beryllium compatible.

I besides privation the HRM-Fit were easier to usage extracurricular of Garmin’s platform. It’s ace elemental if you’re utilizing it with a Garmin watch. But it’s not rather arsenic casual to presumption real-time information if you’d alternatively usage the HRM-Fit with a third-party smartwatch oregon connected its own. Say you spell for a tally without a Garmin watch. The strap volition grounds metrics similar steps, calories, strength minutes, and bosom complaint — but it won’t grounds that information arsenic portion of a run. Conversely, Polar’s thorax straps enactment with the abstracted Polar Beat app that tin grounds timed activities, adjacent if you don’t person a Polar watch.

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge There are 2 electrodes that spell connected either broadside of your chest. It reduces the magnitude of cloth that comes successful interaction with your body.

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge I don’t emotion that it costs $150. The pinkish taxation is real.

This is little of a occupation if you program to usage this with gym instrumentality oregon fittingness apps that enactment third-party accessories. It has Bluetooth and ANT Plus, truthful you tin presumption information connected a instrumentality successful existent time. Meanwhile, if you brace to connected machines similar Peloton Bikes and fittingness apps, you’ll astatine slightest get to spot your HRM-Fit recorded information wrong that app’s workout summary. In the Garmin Connect app, you tin lone presumption it arsenic portion of your wide regular information unless you’re utilizing it with different Garmin device.

I besides don’t emotion that, astatine $150, this is overmuch much costly than the Polar H10 oregon Wahoo’s assorted Tickr thorax straps. Those you tin easy find for nether $100, particularly during the holidays. It’s the pinkish tax. Not lone bash you person to bargain a sports bra but you besides person to wage much to usage a thorax strap that works comfortably with them. But adjacent with each my quibbles, I’m stoked that the HRM-Fit exists. Finally, idiosyncratic successful the fittingness tech abstraction has acknowledged that thorax straps tin — and should — beryllium designed otherwise for radical who deterioration bras.