Coros has launched a new heart rate monitor strap accessory, which can be used with its running watches, and other apps and smartwatches.
The Coros Heart Rate Monitor is designed to live on the upper arm, rather than the chest, for improved comfort and accuracy.
It uses a PPG sensor, just like most running watches. However, the upper arm is more stable and a better place to take a heart rate reading than the wrist. And because of that, Coros claims it can boast the same accuracy as EKG chest straps.
It’s not the first of its kind. The Polar Verity Sense also works in much the same way and can be positioned on the upper or lower arm. We’ve also seen the Wahoo Kickr Fit, which also works from the arm.
So what’s so special about the Coros Heart Rate Monitor? Well, it comes in at a competitive $79.99, and the battery life certainly stands out. It's only available in the US for now.
Wareable
In terms of connectivity, it’s Bluetooth-enabled, although there’s no ANT+. Most devices will pair a Bluetooth heart rate monitor these days, but some older bike computers or watches may not support it, so it’s something to be mindful of.
Coros claims that the lack of ANT+ allows for better power consumption, and estimates 38 hours of tracking, and 80 hours on standby. That means there’s a much better chance of it being ready to go when you are.
Squirrel_12863302
But it means the Coros Heart Rate Monitor can be paired to pretty much any brand of sports watch, running watch, Peloton, bike computer – or even just to a smartphone, so it can be used to track biometric data in apps such as Strava.
We’ve already taken the Coros Heart Rate Monitor out for a spin – and it’s certainly easy to use and the data held up against a Garmin HRM-Pro.
It’s really comfortable to wear and the nylon strap is super comfortable – far more so than a chest strap. And if you’re into things like functional fitness, CrossFit or even yoga, it works well.
Our full review will be live next week.
How we test
James is the co-founder of Wareable, and he has been a technology journalist for 15 years.
He started his career at Future Publishing, James became the features editor of T3 Magazine and T3.com and was a regular contributor to TechRadar – before leaving Future Publishing to found Wareable in 2014.
James has been at the helm of Wareable since 2014 and has become one of the leading experts in wearable technologies globally. He has reviewed, tested, and covered pretty much every wearable on the market, and is passionate about the evolving industry, and wearables helping people achieve healthier and happier lives.