Originally Posted by
John_V
An HRM that uses a chest strap works by picking up transthoracic electrical impulses and does not rely on the vascular system or muscle density. As long as a good connection with the skin is maintained, dropping heart beats is less likely to happen. They work on the same principal as an ECG. While a chest strap may be uncomfortable to many, it is more accurate and more reliable.
Maybe it's just that Garmin can't make a strap worth a damn or the fact that we just can't rely on them if we live in cooler, drier climates, but I've
never found any Garmin strap to work reliably unless it's hot outside. It often takes 2-3 miles or so for a Garmin strap to pick up a reading for me in colder weather, so in my book that's not very accurate.
I totally understand what you're saying about the different design capabilities and flaws, but to me missing signal for 2-3 miles is a lot worse than dropping a few beats. I've also done side by side comparisons and found the Mio worked as well or better than my Garmin HRM strap.