HR Data With Pool Swimming

[the5krunner]

I've just reviewed the garmin 910xt http://the5krunner.com/reviews-1/2012-garmin-910xt-review-benefits-triathlon-duathlon/ and one of the annoying things for me is that the hr data did not seem to be picked up with ant+ .... apparently it is impossible.

is that correct?

then i had a call from polar about the rcx5 and apparently that CAN do HR data in the pool...is that right? (ie right in the sense that it works well) that would be cool as it would give lots of useful stats in this plugin and also a more comprehensive set of hr stats for TRAININGLOAD.

if that is right then why does everyone shy away from the polar stuff?

are there any other gps watches that can also support HR and hence be useful for triathlon training and maybe also racing

[ksherman]

Polar does work in the pool, it does not use ANT+ to do this, instead it uses it's own (WIND I think). The problem with trying to capture it is keeping the strap and hence the contacts in place. I have an 725x which I use occasionally in the pool, typically only if I have a trisuit on. Without some sort of top on the strap just moves too much. Maybe some tape would work. But I usually just estimate mine at 130 bpm for active laps and use that for Training Load.

[dirk66]

the garmin HR signal is lost because of the frequency about 2,4 ghz. Which is absorbed by the water. At least that's told to me.

[the5krunner]

thanks ksherman, any ideas if the Polar S625x or S720i are waterproof and would work underwater (I have them in a cupboard somewhere)?

I am reviewing at the moment a loan copy of the Polar RCX5 and I can confirm that the HR data works quite well underwater. My first ever good stats on HR-water! I'm having a few issues combining them into the pool swimming stats from the 910XT but i'll probably make a separate post on that if i can't figure it out.

I'll also post on the training load forum some info on HR data when swimming and hr zones for swimming compared to other sports....i think there is quite a bit of that info there at the moment anyway.

[the5krunner]

the old polars do indeed work.

I guess OMB will find it a PITA to cover the often used scenario of users wearing a 910AND a polar (for the HR) and to incorporate HR data into pool swimming.

[ajhoff]

the garmin HR signal is lost because of the frequency about 2,4 ghz. Which is absorbed by the water. At least that's told to me.

Indeed, that's the problem. Polar uses 2 frequencies to communicate with the belt. One above and one under water. As far as I know no Polar cobines heart rate recording under water and built in GPS.

[the5krunner]

I thought the new rcx3 did?

[ajhoff]

Not to my knowledge. RCX5 does record heart rate under water.

[the5krunner]

oh i'm surprised. I knew the rcx5 did as I reviewed one. quite nice apart form the armband!

so I guess the rcx3 does not use one of the channels mentioned earlier???

I've got a really old polar watch s720i cycling watch I think...even that works underwater. (not gps obviously)