Before I start telling you about my experiences with the HRM-FIT heart rate monitor for women, allow me to tell you a little about myself.
After all, the test does have a certain kind of history for me. For many years now, I have been running, but always ‘only’ using a sports watch, as I am unable to wear a conventional heart rate monitor chest strap. I find the pressure of the sensor on my bony ribcage very uncomfortable and even painful after an hour. After that, unfortunately, I also couldn’t wear a sports watch for a while since the devices couldn’t guarantee a dropout-free recording in view of my tattoos, which had grown larger and were now extending to my wrists.
However, the sensors in current watch models are now so good that the problem no longer exists. If you’ve been doing your runs with a watch for years, you’ve probably become somewhat entrenched in your habits. Fortunately, at some point, I had Daniel, our product manager for Garmin, standing in front of my desk, placing a small Garmin box on my keyboard and saying, ‘This is just what you need’ . After a brief moment of incredulity, I thought to myself: Well, the worst that can happen is that it will not work.
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The first impression: unpacking and setting up.
When I unpacked it at home, I was somehow puzzled by the term belt, because somehow it’s not really a belt. Or maybe I just think of a belt as something else. The HRM-FIT heart rate monitor for women is a sensor that can or rather must be attached to the bottom of a sports bra using three clips. I threw on my favourite running gear, attached the Garmin device to my sports bra and connected it to my phone via the Garmin Connect app. Boy, was that easy. And if I can do it, anyone can 🙂 . Linking it to Strava was no problem either, and that’s how it should be in 2024. I’ve been keeping track of all the kilometres I’ve run or cycled with Strava on my iPhone for quite some time now. At this point, I’m probably not very flexible or open to new things. After all, it’s nice to be able to brag about your achievements at the end of the year.
Practical experience: Jogging and cycling.
After five weeks and about 120 km of jogging and 180 km of cycling, I am simply thrilled with the Garmin HRM-FIT heart rate chest strap. I never even notice it. It’s really great. It couldn’t be more comfortable for women. The extra data has also made a big difference. There is a noticeable difference in the way my burned calories are calculated, and in my opinion it’s more accurate and easier for me to understand.
Since my boyfriend is a Garmin user with Fenix and 1050, we also connected the belt to the bike computer as a sensor. I didn’t do the setup myself, but it didn’t take a minute. So that wasn’t a problem either. The Garmin HRM-FIT heart rate monitor for women transmits data in real time, so you can see any changes, such as in your heartbeat, directly on devices like bike computers and smartwatches. It’s actually really cool. I could also imagine something like that for cycling. But for running, I’m more than happy with what I have now. I really don’t need anything more.
Conclusion: Perfect fit, high comfort and precise data for runners and cyclists.
This belt is my first Garmin product and it lives up to its good reputation. The quality and function are absolutely superb. I couldn’t find any truly negative points. The price might put some people off, however. Anyway, most people who are passionate about their sport and need to exercise, like me, will probably decide that it’s the right thing for them. Considering the hours I spend out and about every week, the price is quickly put into perspective. All in all, I can wholeheartedly recommend this Garmin bra sensor to every woman out there.
