How Tight Should The Band Sit For BEST HR Readings?

Hi,

My wrist is about 16,5 cm and I am wearing my instinct on the ninth hole. Will this result in the most accurate heart rate readings, or should I wear it tighter? I'm not wondering what's best for the wrist, but what will result in best heart rate readings.

0 GeoffR over 4 years ago

If you search through these forums (both Instinct and All), you will find plenty of discussion about the issues with OHR and suggestions for trying to get the best reading from your Garmin. For me (and many others), the OHR works OK for rest up to low-level activity but does not work well for higher intensity activities. I always wear a chest strap during activities where I want an accurate HR measurement.

That said, I get slightly better OHR results during some activities (walking, hiking) by wearing the watch snug, on the inside of my arm, about 2" above the wrist bone. For me, this does not work for higher intensity activities (running, cycling) as the watch eventually slips down my arm. I have wondered how the OHR would perform if the band was large enough to allow the watch to be worn above the elbow, like an armband OHR.

0 Odie21 over 4 years ago

One other thing that I really wish companies would put as a disclaimer with Wrist OHR sensors, is that they generally don’t work well with people that have tattoos on the wrist. I have 2 sleeves but one is higher than the other, so my OHR is on that arm.