Rhythm Heart Rate Monitor Armband - Optical Heart Rate Armband Monitor with Dual Band Radio ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart

This is the best heart monitor I've had that wasn't a chest strap. I paired it with my iPhone 6 Plus, and was glad to see that it worked with the Apple Health app. I've mainly used it with IRunner on ios, and it displayed my heart rate changes as I started running and slowed down to walk, indicating that it was indeed closely tracking my heartrate. To get a good reading I've had to find the Rhythm Plus' sweet spot: with the sensor near my elbow, over a vein for the optical sensor. I also made sure the band was snug and tight, but not too constricting. Fortunately the band is very soft, comfortable to wear and easy to adjust. The battery life has been fine so far, my workouts have been around 1 to 2 hours, and the workout app has been registering solid readings throughout, no flakiness in the data. But I think all of that depends on how you position and tighten the monitor on your arm. Different apps (like myfitnesspal) use the heart rate data to calculate your calories expended automatically, which is really nice. I think this was definitely a great purchase because it's accurate, works well with many ios apps, and is easy to adjust and comfortable to wear. ** Update 10-18-2015 ** I verified the Scosche Rhythm Plus with the grip heart rate monitor on the Merit 725 T Plus treadmill. Throughout my 2.8 mile run, the differences between the readings were never off by more than 1 to 2 beats per minute - which is exceptional, considering they use 2 completely different methods to measure heart rate (Scosche uses optical measurement, the Merit treadmill uses skin electrical conduction). I now have complete confidence that the Scosche is accurate, and all the apps that use that data are getting accurate results. Very glad I can trust these results and don't have to use a chest strap heart rate monitor on my runs!!! I do recommend that you do use a second source (treadmill heart monitor, chest strap, Apple Watch, etc) to verify that you are positioning the Scosche sensor correctly, and that your heart rate numbers are very closely agreeing. ** Update 10-25-2015 ** I did intervals for the first time, pushing my heart rate to 90% and higher. The Rhythm Plus was able to keep up during all my interval running. And I checked my reading with the treadmill HR monitor every few minutes, and again they agreed within 1 to 2 bpm's. This was a critical test because I tend to over-train and burnout, and now I can see (via my training app) how hard I need to push, and when I need to rest, rather than going by how hard I "felt" I was working. I also found this out while doing intervals: when your bpm goes to 160 bpm or higher, the light on the sensor changes from blinking violet to blinking red, giving a visual indication that you're above the "target" heart zone. Very clever. Since I was running and pumping my arms quickly, I had to make sure that the band was a little bit tighter so that it wouldn't loosen up when my arm was flailing. The band being tight (not too tight mind you) didn't affect my circulation, and helped the sensor give readings that were consistent with my treadmill's heart rate monitor.

This device is much more accurate than any other heart rate monitor on the market, to even include blood pressure cuffs and pulse ox monitors at the hospital. There are many other types of monitors, they typically take your pulse rate at your wrist or fingertips but this spot is nowhere as accurate as this device on your forearm. I don't know why or how, but it just is. Also, if you do not have a normal sinus rhythm then those other devices quicky become confused and give erroneous readings. I had to go to the cardiologist for a stress test with the O2 mask and 12 lead EKG. I asked the cardiologist and tech if I could wear this device and compare it to the pulse rate displayed by the ekg and other monitors. They were ok with it and very interested in how it would do. After 20 minutes it crushed this little test. It was spot on for my resting heart rate, max heart rate and only slightly lagged the EKG by a second or two. This is phenomenal and it is hard to relay how wonderful this is, as every other device I've used (to include fitbit and chest heart rate monitors) were unable to accurately measure my heartrate as it changed under different levels of cardiac stress. They did ok for my resting heart rate but could not give accurate and/or instantaneous readings of my actual heart rate while working out. The doctor was blown away, he stated that he had never seen a device on the market as accurate as the scosche, let alone a heart rate monitor that could accurately give instantaneous readings of people with arrhythmia's. I've been an athlete my entire life. I did crew and soccer in high school and college. I've done marathons, triathlons, 100 mile rides...etc. I've tried countless heartrate monitors, polar, suunto, Fitbit...etc and none could come close to me measuring my carotid pulse for 6 sec and multiplying by 10. (Or an entire minute) This device delivers, it's simple and accurate. It doesn't slide down like chest straps do when you do long runs, I don't have to apply any gel to leads. It just works and I know it's as accurate as a 12 lead EKG. It may not tell me that I have a t-wave abnormality or preventricular contraction but it continuously and accurately gives my pulse rate. The battery lasts about 5-7 one-hour workouts. After that, the pulse rate isn't as accurate. I know what a pulse rate of 140 feels like for me, so when my watch or phone displays a pulse rate of 90, I check my pulse and realize the device is not relaying correct data and I need to charge it. Once it's charged, it's good to go again. It syncs to most devices quickly as it uses standard ANT+ and Bluetooth. Bottom line-this works so well it surprised my cardiologist and I trust it with my life. I actually wouldn't workout without it anymore.

I've always hated chest strap HRMs, so I've been looking for something I can wear on my wrist or arm. I've been a Fitbit fan since its first days, so I thought I'd pick up a Charge HR in addition to the Charge I already wear daily. Unfortunately no matter how I adjusted it, I couldn't get a reliable HR signal. I'd bought the small (fits my wrist just fine), but doesn't have enough length for me to wear it much higher on my arm. I also discovered it doesn't work all that well with my Samsung Galaxy S5. So I returned the Charge HR, continued my research and happened upon the Scosche Rhythm Plus. This thing is fantastic! It works great with Sports Tracker Pro (my fitness app of choice) through Bluetooth. The app (and my phone) have Ant+ too, but I haven't been able to get the Scosche to keep a connection after I leave the settings page on the STP app. It's either user error or something with the app, I'm sure, so I'll figure it out eventually. In the meantime, it maintains a solid connection with Bluetooth and seems very accurate. I can still use my bluetooth headset as long as I connect it prior to launching STP and connecting the Rhythm Plus. I've been using it for good form fast walking but intend to use it while biking and working out on the Total Gym too. It's important for me to wear a HRM not only for motivation, but to keep me from overdoing and injuring myself, as I have lung disease. This is a GREAT, comfortable HR monitor! Update Nov. 8, 2015: A couple weeks ago I noticed a hairline crack on the sensor side of the Rhythm+. I'd never dropped the unit or otherwise abused it, so I assume it was a stress crack. I emailed Scosche support, and I got an almost immediate response with an RMA request form attached. I shipped my Rhythm+ the next day, and about a week later, the replacement was in my mailbox. The replacement's working great, and I'm hoping it lasts longer than the original.

UPDATE: 5 weeks in I am now reducing this review to one star. I feel very lucky when this wristband actually syncs. It's becoming a rare event these days. This was a purchase I know deeply regret and the return period is over. Please pay attention to the negative reviews. This product really is garbage. UPDATE: A week after writing the review below, I am removing two stars. The Scosche continuously connects and disconnects during my Peloton ride. This is kind of alarming given the fact that the rider wearing the device is right on top of the Bluetooth connection. I have thrown away the packaging so I don't know if I can return this, but I don't think I can confidently recommend this anymore. Many Peloton users are recommending POLAR brand instead. ============== I advise anyone looking to get a Peloton to save some money and not buy the ESSENTIALS package with the mat and heartrate monitor. You can do better for less. I have already reviewed a great mat that you can look at if you click on my username. The Scosche Rhythm+ has been wildly recommended by Peloton users for its compatibility with the bikes. However, Amazon reviews are all over the place as far as the accuracy and long-term reliability of this device. You can imagine that I wasn't exactly comfortable with this purchasing choice. So far, the Scosche Rhythm has been working rather well for me. I do like the fact it's an armband and not some uncomfortable device that goes across the chest (as is with the Peloton heart monitor) I can't tell you if this thing is accurate or not as it has become my sole tool for determining my heart rate during spin class. I will say that it does connect without any hesitance every time I turn on my Peloton bike screen. This is a big sigh of relief for me because I don't need to be fiddling around with a connection every time I want to exercise. The heart rate shows up in a big indicator block on the Peloton screen. Connection is always solid. No dropouts. My only complaint would be the lack of any charging indicator on the device. You also need to learn how to do a long or short press to turn the Scosche device on or off. The first time I used it I forgot to turn it off and the battery was dead upon second use. I would have hoped the Rhtyhm+ would turn itself off automatically when not in use, but that does not seem to be the case. Charging the device is very simple. It snaps into a plastic charger. It only needs 2 hours of charging time. There are also extra arm bands included. In all, I am happy with this purchase but I am concerned by the negative reviews. If this thing konks out on me you can bet I will be back to update this review. In the meantime, based on my initial impressions, I would recommend this for Peloton users!

I bought this HRM as an alternative to chest straps, which are still considered the gold standard, but can be a little awkward at times(I wear an HRM at the gym as well as cardio, so the chest pod can get compressed during certain exercises) and can chafe even if you keep in clean, use gel, etc. Overall this a pretty strong device: It syncs well with my Garmin FR230. It is comfortable (I wear it fairly tight and still do not notice it during workouts), fairly flexible in wear (based on your size and which strap you choose you can wear it on a forearm, bicep, wrist, and probably even an ankle if that suits you), and pretty accurate. I have used it interchangeably with a Garmin chest HRM and an chest worn Accuro HRM304 and get about the same numbers on each device. Why don't I give it 5 stars?: It is not perfect. The light-based HRMs are getting better but still seem a bit slower and less accurate than chest-based ones. If you're mostly into steady state cardio, this could be the perfect device for you. If you do a lot of interval training, you may find it lagging in accuracy. I have used it for sprint intervals on a treadmill and it struggled to keep up with the changing pace. Another con: once in a while, it will be wildly inaccurate. I am not sure what triggers the flaw, but it will basically "bury the needle" on your HR regardless of your activity level. Example: I took it on a trip where I had access to a nice trail and didn't want to pack the chest strap and electrode gel. I did several early morning 4 mile runs with it and it was rock solid. One afternoon my wife suggested we walk the trail. I turned on the Rhythm+ so I could track my calorie burn and it started just fine, but a mile in, I looked down and it said my HR was 195. I was clearly not sprinting so that was about 2x of what it should have been. I stopped for a few minutes and it dropped as low as 190 but clearly was stuck. I tried to power cycle it, but still was not wanting to read (and yes I manually checked my HR just to make sure I was not having some issue). I gave up and finished the walk. The next morning's run it was working just fine. I have only experienced that about 5 times in a year, but still it is often enough that I tend to not trust the device for running anymore and tend to use it only at the gym. Bottom line- this is a good device, but if you want the best accuracy, stick to the chest strap. My suggestion for the best chest strap is the Accuro HRM304. It is a small company and I took a gamble on buying it, but it is the only device I know of that syncs with Ant+, Bluetooth, and Analog all in one, so I can use it with my Garmin watch while simultaneously sending a signal to the gym equipment or my AirDyne Pro at home.

I bought a Scosche HRM over 6 years ago. It still works, but after heavy use (6X a week), it no longer holds enough charge for my multi-hour bicycle trainer rides. I've been otherwise completely satisfied with it. So, when I decided to buy a replacement, I chose the Scosche Rhythm R+2.0. I've worn it (on my bicep) for several rides, including four, 3+ hour rides this past week as part of a 500km cycling challenge. Its performance has been perfect. Its accuracy is identical to my older Scosche and another brand's chest strap HRM. The newer style armband feels more comfortable and seems to provide better sensor contact than the older Scosche armband. Once it's on your arm, the band also provides a more secure fit and, because it doesn't use Velcro closures, it's less likely to accidentally pop open from incidental contact. The 2.0 charges faster than the previous Scosche, even when my previous one was new. And finally, I was very impressed with the price. I'm pretty sure it was less expensive than the one I bought years ago. That doesn't happen much anymore. The only complaint I have with the 2.0 over the previous Scosche is that it takes a little firmer, and seemingly longer, push on the front of the HRM to turn it on and off. But that's so minor, that it's barely worth mentioning. If you are like me, and don't like wearing a chest strap HRM, then I recommend you give the Scosche 2.0 a try. It's an accurate, comfortable, secure, and affordable way to measure your HR during your workouts.

Original review (2018): Really like this so far. I got it because it was annoying to wear a chest strap when biking. I wear this when riding outside or on Zwift or when checking HRV in the morning. Fits comfortably. Doesn’t slip. Seems to track accurately. Once it read very high initially but settled in quickly after i adjusted it on my arm. Haven’t had any of the problems referenced by other reviewers. The iOS app is fine but i only used it initially. I ordered 2 more for use in other locations. Update (2020) : I now own 4 of these for use in various places. I will never go back to chest straps again. I've used them road biking, mountain biking, and on indoor trainers & treadmills. They are reliable and last. I disagree with reviewers who say they aren't accurate or have dropouts. I've never had problems with either issue. If there is a drop out it is usually due to poor positioning on the arm (user error). Out of the 4 units that I have, one recently failed after ~2 years of use. I think it was a battery issue as it crapped out on a ride and then would not hold a charge (although the charging light blinked). After a few tries it wouldn't even show the charging light. I emailed Scosche via their website and they responded within 24 hours. They helped me resolve a firmware update issue with another unit (user error again; I stopped the app midway through a firmware update) and then, after I sent a requested video of the unresponsive unit, they sent a replacement which I received in a matter of days. I was super happy with the customer service accessibility and response. While waiting for the replacement I had tried a Polar OH1+, but I don't like it compared to the Scosche. The Polar is smaller & lighter but it is less comfortable as the strap presses the small circular monitor into your arm instead of being even and spread out like the Scosche. The Polar charger, while small and simple, is fiddly and easy to lose. The battery life on the Polar is 50% of the Scosche's as well. I'll be sticking with the Scosche.

I love the idea of a chest-strap free heart rate monitor and this seems to be a popular one, so I purchased it to replace an old Garmin chest strap. I had no trouble connecting it to a Suunto Ambit3 Peak watch. I'm rail thin and could not get a reading at all when attaching to my forearm but have had success when attached around my upper arm. The heart rate monitoring seems accurate enough, though I've never directly compared it to a chest strap running at the same time. All the information I'm seeing is in line with what I used to get from a chest strap and thus I am happy with the data it provides. A few beats of inaccuracy is acceptable. I've owned this thing for about 9 months, use it for a solid 12 hours running or cycling a week, and am starting to see issues with the battery. The unit has been dying abnormally quickly, usually within 30 minutes of starting during my past few activities. I figured this was an issue with buildup of sweat and dirt on the charging terminals causing it not to charge properly. I cleaned them as per the tech support instructions and attempted to charge the unit again, but still believe it not to be charging properly. After again contacting tech support, it now appears to be charging but the jury is out as to whether this is something that'll be sustained. If not, it's going back under warranty and I'll gladly accept a replacement. Overall, I'm happy with the unit. It's reasonably comfortable and works well, despite the occasional hiccup that every single heart rate monitor I've ever used has on occasion. It's a little disappointing that a full charge gives you roughly 8 hours of use in a single shot, so long distance endurance athletes that really care about heart rate data for their entire activity will have to look elsewhere. It also does not measure heart rate variance with great accuracy, making information from Firstbeat and the fancy recovery metrics from the higher end fitness watches inaccurate. If those two things aren't a concern for you, you'll probably be happy enough with this product.

For now I give 4 stars because I have no long term experience with it. I had a Polar H10 chest strap where I constantly had to change battery and it lost its water tightness. This is a plus with this product. It’s rechargeable although holds only for 24h but I don’t have to constantly buy batteries and therefore it remains watertight. Having it on the arm is also more comfortable than wearing a chest strap. Furthermore when getting dressed with cycling bibs and jersey it’s easy to put it on after. With a chest strap you have to get undressed again in case you forgot. In case of itch you can reach it and scratch or reposition. Not so with a chest strap. Also there are multiple positions to wear it. The price is good too.

Excellent product. Goes well with my Garmin Fenix watch.

La pila dura bastante

Muy practico y facil de colocar en el brazo. Lo apago despues del ejercicio, cuando lo enciendo de nuevo, de inmediato conecta el GPS, cosa que no pasaba con mi reloj Huawey que constantemente se desconfiguraba el GPS

Love this! It's accurate and comfortable. My only gripe is that it slip down from time to time, might just be that I haven't got the strap just right as yet. Right on particular with my H7.