While sports watches remain the easiest way to get heart rate measurements, if you want the most accurate results, a chest strap is the way to go. Wahoo’s heart rate strap has been the TICKR, but Wahoo engineers wanted to not only change to a rechargeable battery, but improve accuracy at the same time. With that, I have been testing the all-new Wahoo TRACKR HEART RATE chest strap on all the usual terrain and it’s been a signifiant improvement to the TICKR.
Wahoo TRACKR HEART RATE Chest Strap Features:
- Advanced heart rate detection algorithm
- Thin, flexible strap with wide sensor area
- Hook loop closure with double snap attachment
- Internal rechargeable battery with 100 hrs battery life
- Magnetic charging port
- ANT+ and multi-Bluetooth connectivity
- IPX7 waterproof rating (1m depth for 30 min)
- MSRP: $89.99
TRACKR HEART RATE — improved measurement and data sharing
While riding, I typically broadcast my heart rate from the Polar Pacer Pro smart watch. This has been a reliable and easy way to use the Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM V2 as the measurement hub on road and gravel rides. Sometimes it’s a little clunky to start and it creates a duplicate workout on my watch and the head unit. As an alternative, I have used Wahoo TICKR X extensively, but battery life was abysmal and always needed a new coin cell every time I hoped to use it.
It’s pretty obvious that the rechargeable battery is tops on my list of TRACKR HEART RATE features. Using a simple magnetic charging port, the TRACKR HEART RATE charges up with ease, but is yet another unique charging cable to keep around. They couldn’t just go with USB-C because of the IPX7 waterproof rating that allows it to be used while swimming. I have yet to attempt to test the full stated 100-hour battery duration, but it sips battery power and is easy to recharge.
As some commenters have noted, the new strap is about 2-inches shorter than the one found on the TICKR X. Keep that in mind if you have a larger chest.
To make it easier to use, the TRACKR HEART RATE pod features a multi-color LED that displays sync and battery strength indicators. With those LED’s, you can expect the following functions:
- Pairing: Blue slow flash, fast flash and solid
- Charging: Red/orange/green flash for various charged levels and green solid when fully charged
- Battery Strength: Orange or red LED when low
After topping it off, I went right outside to use it on my first ride. I attempted to find the TRACKR HEART RATE on the ELEMNT Roam V1 but it never appeared as an available device. I tried several times and gave up. But, because I didn’t want to completely un-kit myself, I just paired the heart rate from my watch and kept the TRACKR HEART RATE on to test how it feels on a ride. That initial ride was better than expected and I knew that once I sorted out the pairing issue, I would get along just fine with it on my chest. Deep breaths are natural and it sits nicely throughout a challenging ride.
Back home, I was determined to sort out the pairing issue, so I charged it up again and proceeded to pair it to the Wahoo iOS app. After that, I can now easily it with all Wahoo head units, Zwift and MyWhoosh. With the Wahoo App, I can also see the battery percentage as well, And, pairing it with multiple devices is simple and consistent.
When placing the strap on my chest, the LED immediately flashes blue, indicating it’s ready to be paired. I have connected it to a bike computer while flashing and also after it stops flashing (30 seconds) to save battery life. Just know that you don’t have to rush to pair it during that 30 second window only. It remains ready to be paired always.
The new TRACKR Heart Rate is built to do a singular task — measure heart rate. As such, don’t expect any onboard memory, pace tracking, steps or running power. In talking with the Wahoo team, the primary focus of the TRACKR’s development was accuracy. Knowing that, I have tested the Polar Pacer Pro’s wrist-based heart rate measurement against the TRACKR. After several side-by-side tests, the overall average and max heart rates captured with each are consistently identical or within a beat or two. However, through the course of a ride, the TRACKR HEART RATE measurments remain smoother and more consistent, as you can see below.
For both cycling and trail running, the TRACKR HEART RATE has proved to be an accurate and comfortable heart rate tracker. I have preferred using it for cycling, since it works well with the full Wahoo ecosystem with one exception. Using the TRACKR HEART RATE with the Wahoo app for activity tracking has resulted in a quickly-depleted battery on my iPhone 13 Mini. I’m told it’s a known issue with the iOS app that their engineering team is actively working on a resolution. Until then, I would not recommend activity tracking using the Wahoo iOS app. Outside of that, the strap is comfortable and measurement remains accurate and reliable.
Buy Now: Visit WahooFitness.com
The Bottom Line
The new Wahoo TRACKR HEART RATE chest strap is a simple, but powerful device. It sits comfortably while cycling or running and provides smooth, accurate measurements. I appreciate the comfort of the strap, but miss the ease of use afforded by the center snap on the TICKR. And, there's no hiding how much I appreciate that it's now rechargeable.
The Good:
- Easily-recharged with long battery life
- Comfortable to wear with a smaller unit
- LED's show pairing and battery status
- Simple magnetic charging connector
- Accurate heart rate measurements
The Bad:
- I prefer the center snap connection of the TICKR for ease-of-use
- Odd initial pairing issues
- Hold off using the Wahoo iOS App for activity tracking until it's updated
- Setup and Pairing
- Comfort
- Accuracy
9 Comments
The new wahoo trackr belt is too small for my body. I am totally disappointed. I weight 180 lbs and the trackr belt is much smaller that the tickr. Very poor design for a company whose product are really good otherwise. question is there a bilt for the trackr for large people?
Barton… that’s strange. I’m 5’11” and 175 lbs with a 38 inch chest and it fits me with tons of room to spare. Looks like I have about another 5 inches I could let out. What’s your chest size?
I also can’t fit the new strap. The old tickr straps were fine and comfortable. I am a larger guy (260 pounds) and the new straps are way too tight for regular use.
I just measured the TICKR X vs the new TRACKR HEART RATE and you’re right… it’s about 2-inches shorter in length. Sorry about that! I wonder if they might have an extender available or a longer strap as an option?
I’ve just bought the Trackr and also find the strap too tight. I’m 6 ft 2 and weigh 200 lbs and would not call myself particularly large. Poor design from Wahoo. My previous TIckr 2 strap fit perfectly with room to spare. ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!’ I’m disappointed. Costs twice as much and so far does not feel like an upgrade at all.
Sorry to hear that Tim! I’ll reach out to see if they have a pending solution.
I did get word that due to the larger contact area, they did need to reduce the sizing range of the strap. I’m told a larger strap will be available in early November.
I see tons of complaints all over the place about Wahoo heart rate monitors breaking on people. Needing multiple replacements. Plus odd pairing issues and don’t use the app and it gets a 9.3?
I’ve spent a bit of time today looking into all of these complaints and I’m not finding anything on Reddit or other forums. What are you seeing?
But, thanks for the reminder, I need to re-test the battery drain I saw last year when testing it initially. I don’t usually just pair it to the Wahoo Fitness app for run tracking, so while it was frustrating, I only did it as a test.
My normal activities are to pair it with Zwift or TrainerRoad Virtual for indoor training or with the Coros Dura or Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM 2 and all of those activities are superb. I still love the accuracy and find it to pair up nicely about 95% of the time — about the same as any other device pairing these days.