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|[[File:Garmin and Polar HRM TxBuhBump.jpgJPG|noneright|thumb|x400pxx300px|The Polar Buh-Bump and Garmin Duct Tape can fix your Heart Rate Transmitters, showing the similarity in connectorsMonitoring woes.]]|[[File:Garmin and Polar StrapsGarminDuctTape1.jpgJPG|none|thumb|x400pxx300px|The Polar and Garmin straps, along with Apply the duct tape to the lower edge of the back side of the Garmin transmitterstrap. The older Garmin strap has Don't cover the electrodes or you won't get a signal, but you'll need the connectors tape to be on the end, and is even worse than the latest Garmin straplower edge to get good adhesion. You will need a strip of duct tape about an inch wide.]]|[[File:Garmin and Polar Straps BackGarminDuctTape2.jpgJPG|none|thumb|x400pxx300px|The back Fold the duct tape up over the front of the various strapsstrap. You can see stick it to the Polar has absorbent electrodes that work remarkably welltransmitter as shown in this picture, where the Garmin straps use a hard plastic electrode. The Polar strap is also more comfortable than either of the Garmin strapswhich gives it good adhesion.]]
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=Superman mode=Another approach to reducing chaffing is to wear the chest strap over an [[UnderArmour HeatGear]] top rather than underneath. You'll need some gel to get contact initially, but this should not be a problem if you're sweating enough. (I call this "superman mode", as that fictional character wears his underwear over his trousers.) [[File:Superman HRM.jpg|center|thumb|300px|]]=Fixing other problemsOther Fixes=There are a number of problems you can still get with the Garmin Heart Rate Monitoring* Make sure you dampen the strap, the electrodes and the contacts between the strap and the transmitter. Just water should work fine, though you can buy [http://go.fellrnr.com?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=BestWatch&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FBuh-Bump-2-5-Ounce-Heart-Monitor-Electrode%2Fdp%2FB000HZD2NU electrode gel]. The Polar strap should not dry out, unlike the original Garmin strap. If you have the Garmin strap, you can always apply a little spit to wet it while on the run. * Unlike the Polar system, the contacts on the Garmin transmitter tend to rust, so it's important to disconnect the transmitter from the strap after each use. You can see a little of the rust in the picture above.
* If you do get rust on the transmitter connecters, then a wire brush can fix the problem. I used these [http://go.fellrnr.com?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=WireBrush&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Fproduct%2FB005XASFSG small brushes] that worked well for me.
* A low battery can result in bad reception, and the watch does not always report a low battery condition properly.
* When replacing the battery, insert the new one upside down for a few minutes to short out the contacts. This will reset the monitor and may prevent some reception problems. (I've had to do this with both Garmin and Polar systems.)
* A [http://support.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.faces?caseId={acd36fa0-7ac5-11e2-65d0-000000000000} factory (master) reset] of the watch may be required. I found this fixed a number of problems with my 310XT, including heart rate monitoring.
* The straps can be damaged by washing and require careful hand washing, not machine washing. If you damage a strap, it needs replacement.
* Interference from overhead power lines used to be a problem, but the modern systems have reduced this dramatically.
* All of the soft straps require periodic replacement, so you may need a new one.
=Garmin's HRM4=
Garmin has introduced an updated form factor for their heart rate monitors which makes them much less likely to chafe. I upgraded to the [https://www.amazon.com/Garmin-HRM-Run-Black-Red-Size/dp/B01708T7NA "HRM4"], and it's greatly reduced my issues.
[[File:GarminHRM4.jpg|center|thumb|300px|The HRM4 at the top, the older style Garmin HRM, and the Polar H7.]]
=Testing a Heart Rate Monitor Strap=
Based on some empirical testing, I've found that the resistance between the popper contacts and the electrode pads is typically about 1.0-1.2 KΩ. A higher resistance suggests that the strap is worn out or damage and faulty readings are more likely. If that's the case, there's no fix that I'm aware of and it's time for a new strap. I typically find my straps last about a year or so.
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|[[File:HRM Testing (1).jpg|none|thumb|300px|Test the resistance between the contact for the HRM transmitter (the popper) and the electrode that touches your chest.]]
|[[File:HRM Testing (2).jpg|none|thumb|300px|Here's another look at the two places to test.]]
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=Using the Polar Wearlink Strap=
You can get a fabric [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000F7F64I Polar Wearlink Replacement Strap] that works nicely with the Garmin transmitter. However, Polar replaced the Wearlink strap with the Wearlink+, so the original design is hard to come by. (The new Wearlink+ is nearly identical to the Garmin strap and not worth the upgrade.)
<gallery widths=300px heights=200px caption="[[Heart Rate Monitor]] Straps" perrow="3">
File:Garmin and Polar HRM Tx.jpg|The Polar and Garmin Heart Rate Transmitters, showing the similarity in connectors.
File:Garmin and Polar Straps.jpg|The Polar and Garmin straps, along with the Garmin transmitter. The older Garmin strap has the connectors on the end, and is even worse than the latest Garmin strap.
File:Garmin and Polar Straps Back.jpg|The back of the various straps. You can see the Polar has absorbent electrodes that work remarkably well, where the Garmin straps use a hard plastic electrode. The Polar strap is also more comfortable than either of the Garmin straps.
File:PolarStrapMod.JPG|The Wearlink+ Polar strap has plastic surrounding the attachment clip that stops the Garmin transmitter clicking in place fully. Simply trim off the extra plastic with scissors and the Garmin will connect solidly. This picture shows the excess partly removed.
File:Polar Wearlinks.jpg|At the top you can see the newer [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007XCLU66 Wearlink+] and the older [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004RCLGHI/ Wearlink] on the bottom. The Wearlink has pads that are absorbent so you don't have a problem with them drying out, but the Wearlink+ seems to be slightly more reliable.
</gallery>
