I am 72 and 6 months ago got a Vivosport to help me get in better cardio shape. According to my cardiologist my target range should be 120 -130 bpm. While the Vivosport has been great for helping me meet step goals for 171 days, and stair goals, intensity minutes, and resting HR, it is totally useless for exercise HR. I use a chest strap on the treadmill and the Vivosport drastically underestimates my HR for at least 15 minutes and sometimes never gets close. When I am outdoors it is often stuck at 100 when I know I am 130 from checking my pulse. I have tried all the suggestions regarding placement, high, low, under, other wrist, tightness, shaving, cleaning to no avail often fiddling with it while on treadmill. Some days it will eventually lock on and actually track very well, but I can't count on it. I can "guess" my pulse much more accurately.
I just just ordered a Vivoactive 3 because I am in the Garmin ecosystem now and because I like the somewhat larger display, and also "as an added incentive to keep up the exercise" and because I get so frustrated with the Vivosport HR. I am not convinced the Vivoactive 3 will work well enough in my narrow HR exercise range, but unlike the Vivosport it can take a chest strap or armband. I kind of figure I will need a chest strap for my outdoor walks and also for hiking a bit where I worry about over exertion cardio wise. It doesn't take a lot to push my HR to 150. I don't need anything fancy. I don't "run." Will the HRM1 work fine? Is there any advantage to the HRM3 other than the soft band? Or should I consider something else. Thanks.
