Optical HR hurt in the cold.... (Read 143 times)

is there anything cold can't ruin? At least, here is what I'm wondering: does anyone know if optical hr sensors are cold-sensitive? I tried one out yesterday and it didn't work for me at all while running (well, to be honest, I also wasn't otherwise impressed as it only seemed to work while I was sitting very still, but it got worse and worse the longer I was outside.) I feel like I've read that they don't work well when it's cold, or can take longer to get an accurate reading, but it was a balmy 42 Fahrenheit yesterday - hardly arctic conditions. Could it have been the temperature anyway?

The other possibility is that it just didn't fit well enough on my wrist/forearm. Very possible, since as mentioned, it only seemed accurate when I wasn't moving at all :/ and it was a model that's gotten decent reviews, so I was expecting it to, you know, function as advertised.

Anyway, I'm trying to figure out whether it's worth trying a different optical hr watch: if the problem is that they only work in warm weather, then forget it. All ideas and tips welcome. Help me escape the tyranny of the hrm chest strap!

I can't imagine that it would get cold enough to not function properly.  If it is against your skin then you are going to keep it warm.

Glancing back through my log I found a 27 degree and 34 degree run and my optical HRM worked fine on those.  Socshe Rhythm+.

Fit is very important on the optical HRM in my experience.  Too tight or too loose and you are going to get false readings.  I have to wear mine on the inside of my forearm, since I've started wearing it there I haven't got a since false reading.  No spikes, drops, flutters, nothing.  Way more dependable than my old chest strap that would freak out with technical shirts and dry cool weather.

Thanks guys! It was actually a mio alpha. I tried all sorts of wrist/forearm locations, tightened it, loosened it, turned it off and on, but nothing doing. It spiked up and down like crazy, then insisted my hr was in the 50s while running and refused to budge. Wish I knew what happened, but really, for the price it better be idiotproof and work right out of the box.

Npaden, I'm thinking of retrying the scosche strap - that was my first option, but my garmin didn't pair with it. Maybe because my garmin is about 9000 in technology years? I swear I'm not as incompetent as this thread makes me sound.

R+ works fine for me in California weather (down to maybe high 30's).  Sometimes, though, it appears to lock to my running cadence for the first couple minutes but then it locks to HR for the rest of the run.

I've noticed that my old-fashion chest strap monitor won't work properly in the cold, because any perspiration quickly evaporates in the cold, dry air, especially when I'm riding my bike; however, once I get a decent sweat built up all is back to normal.

As for Optical HR monitors, I don't know, buy you may find this article on that subject interesting, but they don't really address the cold air. Also a very interesting video on this link:  http://www.cnet.com/news/how-accurate-are-wristband-heart-rate-monitors/

I haven't paid much attention to these, but after reading the cnet article it appears that they simply sense your blood flow. So, if  you have a condition like Raynauds syndrome or for any other reason the blood vessels in your arms constrict, then it won't work right.