Omron HR-100CN Heart Rate Monitor Review

Can Omron Actually Stick To It?

The more I dive in to fitness devices, the more I think that simple is better for me. I mean, there are some that offer really great features that would be totally worth it if you want the big picture and really detail-oriented information, but I’m usually plenty happy with current information. The more I learn, the more I realize that you don’t have to sync everything to your computer to get a great workout. The option is nice if that’s what you want, but I’m not sure that I need it.

Omron HR-100CN
See it at Amazon

Basically Basic. And That’s Totally Ok.

Omron HR-100CN is just a heart rate monitor. It has a chest-mounted tracker that watches your heart rate, and it updates the wrist device that just looks like a watch. Real time heart rates get sent to the wrist via cords that go back and forth. It’s really pretty simple. You can program it for the ranges that you want to stay in, and it comes with instructions that tell you what ranges you should try to stay in for your desired result.

If you go outside of the desired range, regardless whether you’re above it or below it, the Omron HR-100 CN makes a few small beeps to let you know. It updates with information so frequently that you won’t be outside of it for long before you get an update.

Basically Fits. Basically Runs

I didn’t see a lot of complaints about the chest transmitter’s fit and feel, and that’s a good thing. Some of them are known to be uncomfortable or bulky, and people don’t want to wear something that looks funny.

Another good thing is that the batteries on both devices are replaceable. No plugging in to charge, and no sending back to the company to get them to switch out the battery for you. You shouldn’t have much down time due to battery issues. That way, your workout always comes first.

Basically Not Sticky Enough

The biggest concern, it seems, is the actual adhesion of the heart rate tracker to the chest. Some of these devices require you to wet the contacts before you stick it to your skin, so that’s not unheard of. This one, however, requires not only a lot of water or sweat to stick, but also to be wet again sometime during your workout in order to stay. I don’t think I want to have to stop everything I’m doing and lose my momentum to get my heart rate monitor working again.

Also, radio interference can actually be an issue. Other heart rate monitors as well as gym equipment can get in the way of how it reads and cause it to give an inaccurate reading. There isn’t a lot of hope for getting away from electrical equipment at the gym unless you’re only taking a class or lifting weights, so this may not be so effective for gym bunnies.

It’s just finicky enough about how it sticks to skin and how it works with other machines that I’m not sure that you’ll get the impact that you need from it. The only thing that a machine has to do to make me happy and keep me happy is to do the things that I bought it for. If the Omron HR-100CN Heart Rate Monitor
interferes with gym equipment, then it probably won’t be able to. However, if you run on the pavement or don’t mind taking the time to reapply contacts during breaks in your workout, then you may not have the same issues.

If you’re ready to get heart healthy and think this is the way, Amazon makes it available by clicking here.

Further Information

• Omron HR-100CN Heart Rate Monitor