Garmin soft strap v3

londoncommuter

As well as not putting out enough power, it seems I don't produce enough electricity as I've never been able to get on with Garmin heart rate monitors. I've tried the first two versions of the Garmin soft strap and even resorted to the older rubber one but just get high readings as soon as the wind picks up. I've tried Bah-bump gel and wetting the straps etc etc but in the end I just gave up.

Maybe being a sucker for "new and improved" but has anyone tried the newer V3 soft strap and is it any better than the earlier versions? It's the one with the grey strap:

https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/shop-by ... 15490.html

eddiefiola

is it just the strap you need? I had problems with my Garmin HRM but it was just the strap at fault not the actual sensor, I borrowed the wifes Polar strap and hey presto all good, cheaper than buying a whole new unit to see http://www.amazon.co.uk/Polar-Chest-Strap-Soft-keine/dp/B007XCLU66/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396275462&sr=8-1&keywords=polar+heart+rate+strap

londoncommuter

Thanks for that. Quite a lot of people do seem to rate the Polar strap.

I'm afraid when I gave up I sold them all so I now need both the sensor and strap. Decathlon have a couple of ANT+ models for £30 which I was tempted to try but I'm being fooled by the marketing hype that all is good with the new Garmin version....

themogulman

I got the newer strap after lots of spikes etc with the old and polar straps.Its been spot on. Highly recommend.

Jon_1976

I've no experience with the older garmin model, but I do have the new version and haven't had any problems with it so far. Only had a couple of months though. I did previously have one of the Decathlon monitors and it was fine 99% of the time I had it. The only 'problems' I had was:

1. on one ride, it started spiking very high HR readings and kept doing it for 5 minutes but then settled down. I put that down to the fact I didn't wet it before going out.
2. On 2 rides it de-synced from my Garmin. The first was on a 7 hour ride with a 20 minute break (which I assume caused it to desync), reconnected fine on Garmin reboot. On the other occasion, it was a short 15 mile ride and it dropped out after about 5 minutes. I didn't notice until I got home and upload ride to Garmin connect, as I using the course navigation screen during the ride.

Thats only 3 slight problems in the 4 months I used the Decathlon one, but I'd pay the bit extra and get the Garmin if I was in that situation again.

Calpol

My original soft strap started playing up . I bought the polar one from Amazon for £12 and it works great. Might even buy another as a spare

FatTed

Maybe this article will help
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2010/08/solu ... pikes.html

the_cyclist_of_catan

Is the version 3 strap machine washable? In addition to its reliability and fit, I find this to be a key advantage of the Polar strap over the previous Garmins I had.

themogulman

I give the strap a hand wash, but on the instructions it says to rinse and then machine wash every 7 uses!

MattC59

I've had the soft strap (called the premium strap I think ?) that I got with my Garmin 800. I've been using it since August 2011 and haven't had an issue; no issues with connection and no spikes. Best way to get a good connection ? Lick the pads !

napoleond

My soft strap is cack! always dropping out, especially when I'm sweating. I've reverted back to my 6 year old one I got with my 705.

Diamant49

I got the new Garmin after getting massively frustrated with the previous version. It worked perfectly once, the first time I used it of course....

As NapD says, after that it was cack - only used it on turbo but once I build up a bit of sweat the connection starts to go and then gives up completely, usually after about 30mins. Might be better out on the road, but can't be bothered with it any more.

bernithebiker

Garmin soft straps are well known for being useless. Mine last about 9 months, and then Garmin replace it for free.

They say the new one has resolved their problems - it hasn't.

doolie

Calpol wrote:

My original soft strap started playing up . I bought the polar one from Amazon for £12 and it works great. Might even buy another as a spare

^This

Diamant49

wilo13 wrote:

A top tip that somebody posted on DCrainmakers webpage is to cut a 1cm gap in the middle of the strap in between the two slots that the ant+ sensor clips into. This seems to eliminate spikes, no matter how sweaty you get.

+1!

Tried this with V2 soft strap, which I hadn't got to work for ages now - and it lasted all the way through Sufferfest Local Hero! It seems that electrolytes (salt from sweat) builds up in the fabric and shorts out the two connectors (or something like that). Even with regular washing this can happen over time - the Polar straps are reported to last longer but can become susceptible over time. Also would explain why the plastic straps with no fabric can be more reliable.

Back to the V3 strap now - have to confess I didn't wash it after the 1st ride (only used 3-4 times), just wiped the back clean - but the fabric on the front is the problem - not so sure how easy it would be to remove the fabric, and cutting it would leave plastic ends that could rub. Garmin seem to have missed a trick here - maybe just having a plastic band with no fabric in this area would make it more reliable?

Anyway, its just one successful ride - so might be claiming success too soon!

Omar Little

I went through a few garmin soft straps, switched to the polar wearlink one (with the garmin unit) once garmin stopped replacing the straps free of charge.

Only had a couple of issues with heart rate spikes with the polar one in the last year or so - both times fixed by putting in the washing machine

defride

The Cyclist of Catan wrote:

Is the version 3 strap machine washable? In addition to its reliability and fit, I find this to be a key advantage of the Polar strap over the previous Garmins I had.

They recommend washing after every 7 rides for the new ones, just need to detach the sensor. I've had mine since Christmas without issue.

Bordersroadie

The Cyclist of Catan wrote:

Is the version 3 strap machine washable?

I use both a Garmin soft strap and a Polar one, swapping the garmin clip-on sensor each time. I used to hand wash them but then got lazy...each now gets regular machine washing, after 2 or 3 wears, with no adverse effects in either case.

neeb

Just for the record since it seems to be contrary to most people's experiences, my garmin soft strap has been 100% reliable for a couple of years, whereas i had no end of troubles with the polar one i had before that... Maybe one or other is better depending on the ph of your sweat or something...

Miles253

Sorry to revive an old thread

Why haven't people just been buying the older straps, you know, the plastic one? Does this have it's own share of problems? I am happy to go Polar strap and Garmin sensor but I was wondering all the same.