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11 Heart Rate Monitors To Track Your Data (2024)

Heart Rate Monitors

Looking for heart rate monitors in the UK?

We don't blame you. After all, having instant access to your heart rate is a must when you're on the go, as is the ability to track and monitor it post-workout.

A good heart rate monitor will give you useful insights on performance as well as helping you to analyse peak activity. 

Luckily for you, we've researched hundreds of products available on the market, and shortlisted the strongest contenders here for your benefit!

Want to kick-start your career in fitness? If so, have a quick look at OriGym's Diploma in Personal Training or download our free course prospectus guide before we jump straight in.

1. Jabra Elite 5  

Price: £119.00 

fitness heart rate monitors Jabra

While chest straps arguably offer the most accurate reading of your heart beat, they can really get in the way of your workout.

If you’re looking for heart rate monitors without a chest strap, then the Jabra Elite Sport 2 could be your answer!

Jabra are one of the first audio companies to create an in-ear heart rate monitor along with an integrated app that allows you to analyse your fitness levels and, most importantly, analyse your heart rate. 

There is an advanced fitness analysis on recovery that predicts your race pace, and also includes in-ear audio coaching which helps you to reach your peak in every workout! 

Another great note on this strapless heart rate monitor is that it’s sweat and water-resistant. Even though it’s an in-ear earphone, it will not affect or compromise sound. The headphones are designed for high energy workouts and also come with a handy 3-year warranty if your earphones break due to sweat. 

There is also a portable carry case that provides two recharges of your earphones. The case will give you an extra 9 hours of battery life, perfect for any long-distance runs. All you would need to do is to pop them back in the case when you have finished with them or when you are on a break. 

Another great thing about this product is that it’s cord free! The device is comfortable and secure which is ideal for runners, you can either wear one or both of the ear buds at the same time. 

You don’t even need to take it out when you recieve a call. All you would need to do is double tap the right ear bud so you can still hear external sounds! 

The product is suitable for all smartphones, so you can enjoy wireless sounds and calls on almost any device. 

In terms of price, it’s currently on offer at £119.00 . If you’re looking for relatively cheap heart rate monitors on the market, then this may be your go-to option...

2. Polar H-10 

Price: £76.50 

H-10 Polar heart rate monitors uk

If you’re looking for heart rate monitors with a chest strap, especially in regards to accuracy and connectivity, then this device is for you. 

You will be able to monitor your heart rate with great precision and also connect it to various training devices with bluetooth and connecting programmes such as ANT+. 

Another great thing about the Polar H10 is that you can download software updates to keep improving the accuracy of the device, making it sustainable in the long-term. 

The Polar Pro strap is made out of a soft textile material with high-quality electrodes. This will ensure that your heart rate is measured accurately without any interference. The actual material is very comfortable to wear. There are silicone dots and buckles to help keep the strap firmly in place. 

There are plenty of connectivity options to get the full use out of the Polar H-10. From gym equipment, smart watches and other training devices. There are plenty of options for you to choose from. 

You can even connect your Polar H10 to two bluetooth devices at the same time. To do so, you connect your device to a fitness app and a smartwatch or whatever suits your workout the best. This has to be one of the best heart rate monitors in the UK for it's usability! 

The Polar H10 has built-in memory for heart rate data from one training session. The data can then be transferred to Polar’s free fitness training app called 'Polar Beat'. 

If you are an athlete or a personal trainer client, you’ll be able to share your training data with your coach or personal trainer by using the free programme called 'Polar Flow', which is specifically designed for coaching services. 

This brings us to our next point about 'Polar Flow'; your PT or coach will be able to plan your session using this tool, which is great for both of you. 

In terms of price, it costs £76.50, and comes in a choice of 4 colours.

3. Garmin HRM Run 

Price: £79.99 

Garmin Heart rate monitors run

This heart rate monitor from Garmin is one of the most advanced running metrics. The strap is seamlessly comfortable and easily adjustable, and the product is small and lightweight which is perfect for individuals who don't want their monitor to be too bulky! 

If you’re looking for one of the most unique heart rate monitors in the UK, then the Garmin HRM-Run may be your answer. With six, yes six advanced metrics systems you can track. Stride length, vertical ratio, ground contact balance, ground contact time, cadence and oscillation. 

You will be able to connect this device to the Garmin Connect app, which will open a graph for any metric you would like to view. You would need to do a bit of research in understanding the graphs and metrics on the app however, but it will help you long-term with reaching your fitness goals. 

In terms of price it costs £79.99 and with its in-depth metrics, it’s a relatively cheap heart rate monitor to buy! 

4. Fitbit Charge 3

Price: £129.99 

heart rate and blood pressure monitors for wrist Fitbit Charge 3

Fitness watches with heart monitors used to be difficult to find, up until the Fitbit Charge 3 was released. 

This fitness tracker is the current market leader, and why wouldn’t it be? It has a large touchscreen on which you can view stats, notifications, or the time. 

This product also comes with a battery life of up to 7 days which is ideal for a strapless heart rate monitor, especially if you’re using it during the night. You will also have the 24/7 heart rate tool to help track calorie burn, optimise workouts more efficiently and most importantly, give you guidance to achieve your fitness goals. 

What’s interesting about this product is the resting heart rate feature. The device records your heart rate all through the day, and during the night, meaning that you’ll notice trends over time and be bale to accurately follow your progress. 

The Fitbit will also record the number of calories you burn, this includes workouts so you can stay on track to reach your fitness goals. 

You can choose over 15 different exercise modes, from running to yoga, it’s definitely one of the heart rate monitors without a chest strap to think about! You can even swim with it as it’s water resistant up to 50 metres. 

The Fitbit Charge 3 can connect with your phone’s GPS to see your pace and distance on screen during runs and rides. You will be able to use your stats to improve on your runs each time. 

You would be able to get a better understanding of your fitness level and you can see over time how much you have improved with your personalised cardio fitness score. 

If you’re looking for fitness watches with heart rate monitors , this product is the personalised reminder to keep you active throughout the day and will send you reminders to exercise to get your steps up! 

The Fitbit Charge 3 can sync to more than 200 android, IOS and Window devices so you can show off your stats to your friends and family!

So if you’re wondering are heart rate monitors worth it, with all the additional data you are able to collect from this device, it’s definitely worth investing. 

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5. Garmin ForeRunner 645 Music 

Price: £349.99

Garmin Heart rate monitors run

If you’re looking for strapless heart rate monitors in particular, this product from Garmin might be for you! The GPS running watch can download up to 500 songs onto the smartwatch, you’ll be able to connect your wireless earphones or headphones for phone free listening. It can be annoying having a tight armband with a phone inside, so this solves the issue!  

The ease of transferring music from your computer to your watch has never been easier! You can listen to your favourite playlist as the music is right there on your wrist. As well as that, the Forerunner 645 music which features the Garmin Pay Ready Contactless payment method. This lets you pay for water or even a bite to eat after your run. 

The wrist heart rate monitor will be compatible with most smartphones, and once connected, you’ll be able to receive and respond to text messages and also view social media updates and emails. Another interesting feature is that you can use it to find your phone! 

Similar to the HRM Run product, you would be able to measure running metrics. This includes measurements such as: ground contact time and balance, vertical oscillation, vertical ratio, cadence and stride strength. 

Of course the accuracy may not be as good as the HRM however, as it’s a fitness watch/heart rate monitor hybrid, you can take advantage of these features in both cycling or swim training. 

The Forerunner 645 Music will help monitor your training and recovery whether it would be for a race or event. There is a monitoring tool called Training Status which will automatically evaluate your exercise history, and enable you to check how productive your current training routine is. 

There are a number of built in activity profiles to narrow down what exercise you are currently doing. For example: running, swimming and strength training. 

If you’re looking for one of the best strapless heart rate monitors with changeable bands, then you are in the right place. The Forerunner comes with up to 7 days of battery life as a smartwatch, in GPS mode it lasts for 5 hours so it’s the perfect running partner for you! 

The Forerunner 645 Music provides you with extra safety and tracking features. If you pair it with your smartphone, you would even be able to send messages with your real-time location to your pre-loaded emergency contact. 

The smart watch also comes with incident detection, this would automatically send a message to your pre-loaded contacts if an incident is detected during any outdoor activity such as a walk, run or bike. 

In terms of price, there are two models, one with the music installed which retails at £349.99 and this product comes in a choice of 4 colours. The other model is without the music and it costs £299.99 and comes in a choice of 2 colours. 

6.Tickr Fit Heart Rate Armband

Price: £64.99

Tikr Fit heart rate monitors for cycling

If you’re looking for one of the best heart rate monitors in the UK, then Wahoo Tickr Fit armband might be for you! 

This product uses optical heart rate technology to provide an accurate heart rate and calorie burn data to help you analyse your performance. 

Even though in comparison to the strapped heart rate monitors on the market, the Tickr Fit Armband still does a very good job. Compared to some fitness watches with heart rate monitors, some wearable tech did have a reputation to be inaccurate.

This product uses both ANT+ and Bluetooth technology for connecting bike computers or phones. The Tickr Fit comes with an adjustable band that’s designed to be adaptable for all types of fitness exercises such as running or cycling. If you have an Apple Watch, you will also be able to connect your watch to the heart rate monitor to track your fitness progress. 

You will be able to see your workout data whilst you exercise, this includes vital metrics such as heart rate and calorie burn if it’s connected to a smartphone or ANT+ device. It’s important to note it doesn’t serve as an ANT+ bridge. There is also visual confirmation when the Tickr Fit is powered and connected. 

There is a USB rechargeable battery with up to 30 hours of battery life depending on usage. This heart rate monitor is also compatible with a number of third party apps such as Zwift and MapMyRun. 

In terms of price, the product costs £64.99 and although it only comes in the colour black, it comes with a 2-year limited warranty. As stated on the website, if you are not satisfied with the product you can return it within 30 days and there’s free economy shipping. 

7. Polar Vantage V

Price: £439.00

If you’re looking for the best heart rate monitors without a chest strap then the Polar Vantage V is one of the best on the market! With it, you can train like a professional athlete.

It comes with cutting-edge technology which allows you to collect accurate data that you can use to maximise your performance. You could even pair it with the Polar OH1 optical heart rate sensor which is a great alternative as a strapless heart rate monitor. 

The product has sensor fusion technology. This innovation combines optical heart rate measurement and other sensor technologies to rule out any interference which could disturb the heart rate signals. 

You can measure your running power with the Polar Vantage V from just your wrists. You don’t even need foot pods or any other additional sensors. The programme is called running power and the programme responds to changes in intensity rather than your heart rate. 

It’s ideal if you have regular interval or hill sessions. The Polar Vantage V uses Running Power to calculate your muscle load, which is broken down to what joints are being used in a particular workout.

This device helps you to not only train like a professional athlete, but to also recover as well. The Polar Vantage V helps you find the right balance between training and rest. The training load will be adjusted accordingly to help you stay injury free. 

If you’re looking for the best heart rate monitors then the Polar Vantage V may be for you, as all your training data will be conveniently available on just the one platform. You will also be able to use different services like TrainingPeaks to sync your training data. 

You will also be able to share all your data with the coach and get instant feedback through the platform. 

In terms of price, it is pretty expensive at £439.00. However, due to the usability of the all in one platform Polar Flow, you really get an insight into how you’re performing. 

8.Galaxy Fit E

Price: £35.00 

wrist heart rate monitors samsung galaxy fit E

If you’re looking for one of the best strapless heart rate monitors, the Galaxy Fit E features a compact and simplified display, which will enable you to clearly see how you are progressing in each run! 

Due to its durable lightweight material, you can rest-assured that it will not weigh you down. The Galaxy Fit strap can easily be changed! 

The product also has an optical heart rate sensor, accelerometer and gyroscope. Even though the heart rate monitor doesn’t have a built-in GPS system, it can automatically track workouts such as: walking, running, cycling and rowing. If you want to specialise your exercise even further, you can manually enter up to 90 different activities.

Fitness watches with heart rate monitors can be hard to come by however, this device will monitor and record your sleep. Within the Samsung Health app you will be able find you total time asleep, the app will also record the different sleep stages as well! This includes: REM, light sleep, deep sleep and time awake. 

You would also be able to see how many calories you’ve burned throughout the night and sleep trends overtime. This is very useful when it comes to improving your sleeping habits.  

If you’re thinking of using the Samsung Health App and purchase the Galaxy Fit E, there is a process that you would need to follow in order to start tracking your fitness progress properly. 

Here’s how:

Step 1 - Galaxy Wearable: This will enable you to match your smartphone to your strapless heart rate monitor which will allow you to change the device settings like notifications. 

Step 2 - Galaxy Fit Plugin: The app will allow you to transfer data between your device and your smartphone. 

Step 3 - Samsung Accessory Service: The Galaxy Wearable app prompts you to download the app immediately after you install the Galaxy Fit Plugin app. 

Step 4 - Samsung Health: This is the main app that you will use to track your fitness and health metrics. 

The Samsung Galaxy Fit E is great for individuals who are specifically looking for cheap heart rate monitors. The light and durable build with sleep tracking and overall accuracy of health and fitness tracking makes it a great well rounded device. 

9. Scosche Rhythm 24

Price: £49.99

Fitness watches with heart rate monitors

If you’re looking for wireless heart rate monitors, you have come to the right place! This product from Scosche will help maximise your workouts. This really is the next generation of armband heart rate monitors. 

This product is great to use with smartphones, tablets, smart sport watches and even exercise equipment. Scosche Rhythm 24 is compatible with Bluetooth and ANT+ to ensure you will get the full usage of this product. 

This wrist heart rate monitor has a 24 hour battery life so it will allow you to workout continuously! It has 3 LED light battery indicators so you will know how much battery life you have left before charging the device again. 

The Rhythm 24 measures your blood flow and body movement to ensure accurate and clear data. There is a handy dual mode radio system so you can simultaneously transmit your heart rate data to other devices.

You can even workout wirelessly up to 100 feet away from your mobile device! Or you could go offline and leave your mobile device behind as this product records your workouts and uploads data to your device later. 

As mentioned earlier if you’re looking for wireless heart rate monitors, this product would be perfect for you because the material is soft, breathable, and most importantly stretchable. Many people find running with a chest strap uncomfortable and if this is you, this product could be your answer. 

The Rhythm 24 is also sweatproof and waterproof because of its IP68 construction. This would be perfect for individuals who go through dry and wet conditions on race days. 

This product is compatible with over 200 apps, you would be able to stream your fitness data in real time! 

In terms of price, it costs £49.99, and comes in a choice of 6 bands (so you can personalise your purchase!). 

10. Polar OH1

Price: £69.50

OH1 Polar heart rate monitors

This product from Polar has an optical heart monitor which combines comfort and simplicity. You can either pair it with fitness apps, sports watches and smart watches or you could use it just with the device by itself. 

If you decide to upgrade the OH1 + product package which also includes a swimming goggle strap clip which is easy to use in the pool. It’s also water-resistant up to 30 metres! 

Compared to strapped heart rate monitors around the chest, the Polar OH1 is a lot smaller and compact. Since you are looking for Bluetooth heart rate monitors, the connecting options of the Polar OH1 are fantastic, you can use the ANT+ and Bluetooth connections at the same time so you can get your heart rate data streamed to different devices in real time. 

The OH1 is compatible with the Polar sport watch series and even cycling computers. If you would like to workout without a watch or phone when you train, the device has an internal memory storage which can store up to 200 hours of training data! 

You can wear this device on either your upper or lower arm, and it’s very easy to take on or off as well. You can also customise the armband to different colours to make it your own!

The Polar OH1 also has downloadable updates, which is great to know so that you can rest-assured that your tracking data will be accurate. 

This product also has a very long battery life, as you can train up to 12 hours on just a single charge. All you have to do is simply charge it with the USB adapter. 

11. MyZone MZ - 3 

Price: £129.99

Fitness heart rate monitors MZ

If you find wrist heart rate monitors not being accurate enough then look no further! The MyZone MZ - 3 has multi-functional features to help track workouts, and helps you stay motivated and set realistic goals to help you gain maximum results from each workout. 

Like with many Bluetooth heart rate monitors, this device can of course connect to other Bluetooth and ANT+ devices so you can monitor your heart rate stats and improve your workouts. 

As you share data in real time, you will be able to share it with your friends and family so it can help friendly competition in your workouts. 

In the competition, MyZone will reward you by converting your heart rate performance into a point system called MEPs. This will ensure you and your friends, whatever the fitness level will be on a level playing field. 

The MZ-3 is sweatproof and also comes with a washable strap so it can always stay fresh! It's also waterproof which means you can use it during swim training. 

There’s also a rechargeable battery which can last up to 6 months per one charge! All you need to do is plug the charging cable into the computer if the battery is running low. 

There’s also built-in memory to ensure that you don’t have to take your smartphone out with you. All you would need to do is to sync the data after your session! 

Before you go! 

We hope that you find the right product from our list, whether you're leaning towards heart rate monitors with a chest strap or fitness trackers!

Well into your training, and interested in turning that passion into a fitness career? Go check out our L3 PT Diploma, or download our FREE prospectus here to find out what you could be learning! 

 

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Written by Zac Yeo

Fitness Content Executive, OriGym

Join Zac on Facebook at the OriGym Facebook Group

With a BA (Hons) Politics and International Relations from Kingston University and previous experience working in the finance sector, Zac’s passion for fitness brought him to OriGym, and ultimately led him to become a qualified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Specialist. With a keen interest in developing consumer trends, Zac enjoys the creation of deep, insightful content catering to new trends and has contributed to various publications including the Daily Star. Outside of work, Zac can be found watching football, either in-person supporting Charlton Athletic or virtually on Fifa.

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