Forums >General Running>chaffing from Garmin heart monitor
gramapower
I'm using a Garmin heart rate monitor to train. Problem is as a large breasted woman the monitor strap rides up and takes my skin off. I wear it below my sports bra, fairly snug. Any women runners out there that have solved this problem? I see that Polar has a sports bra where the monitor can go into the bra, but I haven't seen one for Garmin.
carolynlaitsch
I go through phases of using the HRM and when I use it a lot I notice that I sometimes get some skin irritation where the strap rubs.
I know you can get sports bras that include a place to clip in your heart rate thingy (my wife has one of these) so that you don't need a separate strap - maybe one of those would work for you?
I would loosen it up a little. It doesn't have to be terribly tight. Also, try some Body Glide on the parts where you are getting irritation. With my Garmin 310 I have to actually use a Polar strap because the Garmin transmitter is faulty (known issue). The Polar strap isn't too bad, but I get a little irritation where the strap fastens together.
Out there running since dinosaurs roamed the earth
rectumdamnnearkilledem
I've been using a 305 for years and have never once used the HRM, because I'm assuming it won't play nice with the underwires in my sports bras.
Even if Garmin did offer a bra with the ability to insert the HRM, chances are it would only be for smaller busted gals. I think the Polar bras are only for A-C cups.
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I found the NuMetrex site where they sell the clip the heart rate monitor into the bra/shirt system. I found that my Garmin heart rate monitor will work with their sports bra system. The monitor pulls off the snaps on the strap and goes onto clips built into the sports bra (or shirt for you guys).The skin contacts are built into the bra/shirt. I ordered one to test. I'll get back with the group with a report. I did try wearing the monitor strap below my ribs on an 8 mile run today, and managed to wear off skin down my sides. I now have a lovely abdomen/chest full of scabs in a various state of healing.
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Interested to hear of any solutions. Wearing my Garmin monitor under the band of my sports bra not only chafes in the middle, but negates some of the usefulness of the bra itself since the band is not able to support in the way it should. Has anyone had better luck with the soft Garmin band vs. the basic, mostly plastic one?
I have the soft band, and it doesn't chafe, but I still get significant chafing from the transmitter itself.
I was using the Garmin soft strap, and got chafing under the breasts, on my sides and on my back. I was wearing it below my sports bra. The bottom of sports bra must be pushing against the monitor band. The scabs made my sports massage therapist wince today. I'm waiting for the sports bra with the built in pads and clips for the monitor. The web site says they are for up to size C cup. The "girls" may be crushed, but I'm going to give it a try. It's that or a plastic surgery. '
The NuMetrex sports bra with the cardiac monitor contacts and snaps for the monitor arrived. It was nicely made, but the bra made by Adidas is only stretch fabric with absolutely no support. I can't imagine a women larger than an A cup running with it on. Next try is a compression bra made by PureLime, and sold by Heartrate Monitors USA. I'll update when it arrives and I get to take it for a test run.
Imminent Catastrophe
I'm using a Garmin heart rate monitor to train. Problem is as a large breasted woman the monitor strap rides up and takes my skin off.
I have that problem too.
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The TrueLime sports bra with the heart rate monitor sensors and snaps for the monitor built in arrived today. It has great support, is comfortable, and the sensors worked great. It is more $ than I would normally like to pay, but I'm tired of losing skin. I'll take it on a test run tomorrow. I plan on ordering another if it works well on the run.
Have you considered just not running with the HRM strap? Just saying, I'll put up with a little discomfort, but chafing to the point of getting scabs sounds like it's not worth it for a training tool. You've got an option now you can use for some of your runs, there's certainly no need to monitor your HR on every run. It's fun to have data, but that sounds like it's going to seriously reduce your enjoyment of running.
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