[drakonka]

I thought the wrist-based heart rate monitoring techniques were very flawed and inaccurate, and were not useful if you want exact heart rate data (but could be used for relative comparisons over time for example). This is why I've stuck with the uncomfortable and more fiddly chest strap based monitor. Has the technology improved in the last few years?

[runjake]

As a person who's done hardcore HRM training, I think that the rants against wrist-based HRM are over-hyped.

Yes, it's less accurate than a chest strap, but it works fine for 99.999% of what pretty much anyone wants to do with it. Assuming you don't have mutant wrists, for best results, make sure the strap in snug, but not too snug, against your wrist.

And wrist-based HRM has improved quite a bit in recent years.

[Raed667]

Newer Garmin models are pretty accurate. You will know in which zone you're and if you're just sitting around or doing basic cardio it's more than accurate enough.

[drakonka]

Thanks for the input, maybe it's time to budget for that Fenix after all...