HT204666: Your heart rate. What it means, and where on Apple Watch you’ll find it.

Learn about Your heart rate. What it means, and where on Apple Watch you’ll find it.
Smike242

Q: What external Bluetooth heart rate chest straps are recommended?

What external Bluetooth heart rate chest straps are recommended?

Apple Watch, iOS 8.3

Posted on Apr 25, 2015 3:26 AM

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Q: What external Bluetooth heart rate chest straps are recommended?

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  • Helpful answers

  • by lkrupp,

    lkrupp lkrupp Apr 25, 2015 9:56 AM in response to Smike242
    Level 5 (4,143 points)
    Apr 25, 2015 9:56 AM in response to Smike242

    What does a chest strap have to do with the Apple Watch? The watch already has a heart rate monitor built in.

  • by macleod2024,Solvedanswer

    macleod2024 macleod2024 Apr 25, 2015 1:26 PM in response to Smike242
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Apple Music
    Apr 25, 2015 1:26 PM in response to Smike242

    Only Bluetooth 4.0 compatible HR chest straps work with the Apple Watch.

     

    Here is a list of current bluetooth 4.0 devices. http://www.bluetooth.com/Pages/Bluetooth-Smart-Devices-List.aspx#Smart

     

    Hope this helps

     

    In response to your answer Ikrupp, the Apple watch connects to chest strap heart rate monitors. Chest straps are known to be far more accurate than a majority of Optical Heart rate sensors which even Apple admit has limitations. Also at the moment no one seems to have tested it at higher heart rates which is another area optical sensors fall down.

     

    Saying that, so far reviews of the Watch's sensor seem to be positive so here's hoping. Although one issue is that it takes a short time to display your heart rate when you glance when you're using the watch as opposed to instantly when connected to a HR chest strap. Also, at the moment I've seen that the watch only takes a reading every 5 seconds when using the on board sensors, not sure if it's continuous when connected to a chest strap.

  • by Smike242,

    Smike242 Smike242 Apr 25, 2015 1:26 PM in response to macleod2024
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 25, 2015 1:26 PM in response to macleod2024

    Thanks, good info.

    According to:

    https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204666

    "

    If you’re not able to get a consistent reading because of any of these factors, you can connect your Apple Watch wirelessly to external heart rate monitors such as Bluetooth chest straps.

    "

    So just wanted to see which are compatible and tested by apple.

     

    Thanks for your answer, it was helpful.

  • by macleod2024,

    macleod2024 macleod2024 Apr 25, 2015 1:36 PM in response to Smike242
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Apple Music
    Apr 25, 2015 1:36 PM in response to Smike242

    You're welcome.

     

    I don't think any are recommended or tested by Apple. But I know that Recode tested their Apple watch with a Wahoo Tickr and Consumertest.org (or whatever they're called) are testing theirs with a Polar H7. They seem to be the pick of the bunch.

  • by Davestan,Helpful

    Davestan Davestan Apr 25, 2015 3:54 PM in response to macleod2024
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Apr 25, 2015 3:54 PM in response to macleod2024

    I can confirm the Polar H7 works with the Watch. You get a continuous readout from the heart rate glance.

  • by clb0713,

    clb0713 clb0713 May 4, 2015 6:49 AM in response to Davestan
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 4, 2015 6:49 AM in response to Davestan

    I also have the Polar H7 but do have a question on it if you can help!  I've paired it to my watch but where does the info go from it?  As in where can i find the info the H7 is recording on the watch?

     

    Thanks!

  • by JLBMedia,

    JLBMedia JLBMedia Oct 31, 2015 10:41 AM in response to lkrupp
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 31, 2015 10:41 AM in response to lkrupp

    lkrupp,

     

    Chest strap HRMs are much more effective than any wrist monitor, unfortunately! They are kind of a pain but if you are an athlete, trying to lose weight, etc., having the most accurate HR matters.

  • by Jarhead1775,

    Jarhead1775 Jarhead1775 Jan 19, 2016 6:11 PM in response to macleod2024
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 19, 2016 6:11 PM in response to macleod2024

    Do you know if the H7 can be used with the iwatch WITHOUT carrying your phone?  I would like to be able to use a strap to get better readings but don't want to have to exercise with the watch and phone.

  • by Jonathan UK,

    Jonathan UK Jonathan UK Jan 20, 2016 1:49 AM in response to Jarhead1775
    Level 7 (30,158 points)
    Apple Watch
    Jan 20, 2016 1:49 AM in response to Jarhead1775

    Jarhead1775 wrote:

     

    Do you know if the H7 can be used with the iwatch WITHOUT carrying your phone?

     

    Yes, it can.

     

    First unpair the monitor from any other device that it may previously have been paired with (such as your iPhone), then:

     

    • Wear the Polar H7 (which turns on by being snapped to the strap and turns off when unsnapped).
    • On Apple Watch, go to Settings > Bluetooth.
    • Wait until the Polar H7 is displayed, then tap on it.
  • by Loretta5ue,

    Loretta5ue Loretta5ue May 26, 2016 5:42 AM in response to Jonathan UK
    Level 1 (4 points)
    May 26, 2016 5:42 AM in response to Jonathan UK

    I've been having trouble with mine, do you have any tips when it looses the connection? Mine just kept searching the other day.