Beets BLU heart rate monitor review.

I was given this Beets BLU to review by my Papi, Chris from FaithHack. He had received them as a sample to test/review for BeetsBLU.

First impression:

When I first got it i though it was decent looking, it's small and unobtrusive. Wearing it the first time was different and it took a couple tries to get it sized just right. On the inside of the chest band are the two electrodes to pick up the hearts electrical signals. I've found placing it just below the breast line in the 5th rib space sits well and gets good pickup. 

Set up:

BeetsBlu uses Bluetooth smart which means it doesn't connect through the traditional Bluetooth functions. You must connect it from one of their approved apps (I use RunKeeper and the BeetsBLU app), as soon as you figure out you have to use the app first it is easy to setup. 

Running:

Running with BLU was easy. It took maybe another 20 seconds to get it turned on and set up. While running I found it was relatively accurate. When I went full blast and was up in the 180-200bpm range it really wasn't that happy... but nether was I. When I did my normal running pace it was niceto be able to just peek and check if I was in the right range. I stopped a couple times and checked it compared to my radial pulses and they marched out with about a 5 second delay from pulse to app. My only complaint is after about 2 miles of pounding pavement the monitor had slipped down my chest a little. It was still picking up a signal and worked appropriately but I was more concerned it would fall down later. I did have to adjust it after getting my hands over my head for a little air break.

Yoga:

After my running experience I was concerned that moving in any way other than a gentle run would displace the device. So I tried a half hour yoga session with it on. It actually stayed better than I thought it would. I never had to adjust it even after major twist and turns. With the Bluetooth smart I was able to keep my phone on the table and out of my way. It is rated for a stable connection up to 10 meters (33 ft). 

Would I buy it?

If I wasn't a poor college student, yes. I found the device worked well, it's low profile and light weight make it reasonable to keep on while running. I liked being able to track how well I was doing and keeping my heart rate controlled. I could also see using it for meditation exercise to see if your getting the biologic responses you're looking for. Anyways, at $39.95 it's not a bad deal at all.