Gear of the week

The latest kit, ridden and rated by our experts

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Garmin HRM - FIT £139.99

Garmin's HRM-FIT is a women-specific 13in heart rate monitor featuring a neverbefore-seen backless chest strap with buckles that clip onto the front side of a sports bra's elastic chest band. It aims to solve the issue of 'hot spots' and chafing that can occur when wearing a regular heart rate monitor with a sports bra.

Overall it was simple to put on and connect before heading out the door. It's Bluetooth and ANT+ enabled, meaning you can connect it to a variety of smart devices.

I did have some minor trouble getting the two electrode pads to lay flat on either side of the centred sensor. The fix was a matter of pressing the strap down to be flush with my skin and then securing the buckles one by one. I was immediately impressed with how secure the buckles felt.

After I began my ride I promptly forgot I was wearing the HRM-FIT, which should tell you all you need to know about how comfortable it is. It was lovely to not feel the itchiness of a sweaty HRM strap across my back as I moved from an aero position to the bar extensions and back.

There was no detectable movement on my chest during my three-hour outdoor ride and true to its promise, I suffered no chafing despite the chilly, dry conditions outside. I had a similar experience indoors on the trainer.

On both rides, the readings appeared accurate based on my rate of perceived exertion (RPE), terrain and prescribed interval.