Wahoo recently announced their latest generation of chest-strap heart rate monitor, named the TRACKR HEART RATE. This is the third generation of Wahoo’s TICKR line, and as the only chest strap HRM in Wahoo’s shop it replaces the 2nd generation TICKR and TICKR X. (Wahoo also sells the TICKR FIT optical armband HRM sensor.)
I’ve been a fan of Wahoo hardware for years, and that includes the original TICKR which impressed me so much that I wrote a post back in 2018 explaining why I was replacing my failed TICKR with another TICKR. (Spoiler: it’s because it lasted for 1000+ rides.)
But in recent years, I’ve been unimpressed with the second second-generation, having gone through three of them in short order before turning to another brand.
Will this new generation from Wahoo fix the sins of the previous generation? I sure hope so. Let’s dive into all things Wahoo TRACKR HEART RATE…
What’s New/Different?
Here’s how the new TRACKR HEART RATE differs from the 2nd-gen TICKR:
- Battery: Rechargeable battery (TRACKR HEART RATE) vs coin cell
- Strap Closure: Hook-closure strap vs button-closure
- Battery Life: 100 hour between charges for TRACKR HEART RATE vs 500 hours per coin cell for TICKR
- Size: the face size of the TRACKR HEART RATE is noticeably smaller (see photo above) than the TICKR – 30mm tall vs the TICKR’s 35mm. It’s also a few mm narrower.
- Weight: TRACKR HEART RATE is 12 grams with a 28-gram strap by my measurements, while the TICKR is 16 grams with a 32-gram strap
- Price: TRACKR HEART RATE retails for $89.99 while the TICKR was $49.99
Additional Features
Like the TICKR, the TRACKR HEART RATE features ANT+ and Bluetooth connectivity and supports up to three concurrent Bluetooth connections. The LED at the top-center of the HRM indicates battery status and whether the TRACKR HEART RATE is paired to devices/apps, and an IPX7 rating means you don’t need to worry about wearing the TRACKR HEART RATE in rain or sweat since it can be submerged up to 1 meter for 30 minutes.
And it’s all supported by the Wahoo app, which can deliver additional metrics like average HR, Max HR, and Total Calories.
What’s In the Box?
The TRACKR HEART RATE is a simple device, and comes in a simple package containing a simple instruction manual, the USB 3.0 charging cable, the HRM pod, and the chest strap.
Getting Set Up
After unboxing my TRACKR HEART RATE, I decided to charge it so it would be ready for testing later in the day. That’s when I ran into my first hurdle: the charging cable requires a USB-C port! I’ve got a pile of USB ports to plug into here in the office, but they’re all the older “standard” Type-A plugs. (Oddly enough, I’ve never needed a USB-C port, until the TRACKR HEART RATE arrived in my mailbox. That’s because I’m a PC guy and not a Mac guy.)
After poking around a bit, I found that one of my desktop computers had a USB-C plug in the back. Whew. No need to buy an adapter. We were in business, and with a snazzy magnetic attachment to the HRM to boot! (Charger trivia: the charging cable that ships with the TRACKR HEART RATE has the same connectors as the cable that ships with Shokz bone conduction headphones.)
After charging the unit, I strapped it on for my first test session on Zwift. That’s when I noticed the next thing: the TRACKR HEART RATE’s strap is shorter than the TICKR strap. That’s one way to save weight, I suppose! My chest is around 36″ in the area where I would strap on a HRM, and the old TICKR strap had around 6″ of extra adjustable room once when I wore it, while the new TRACKR HEART RATE strap has around 3″. Maximum length of the TICKR strap (without stretching it) is 39″, while the TRACKR HEART RATE is 35″.
It’s actually a good change if you’re a small enough human, since it saves a bit of weight. But larger riders may run into issues.
Usage Notes
I’ve used the TRACKR HEART RATE on upwards of 20 rides so far, both indoors and out. Overall I’ve found that it connects quickly and works as advertised. I’ll discuss a few particular sessions, though, as they each are illustrative in their own ways.
First: here’s a Zwift session where I recorded HR on my Scosche Rhythm R+2.0 armband as well as the TRACKR HEART RATE: https://analyze.dcrainmaker.com/#/public/bd485e3b-5f45-4b54-4f00-0710b8f90743
The TRACKR HEART RATE is in blue, while the Rhythm is in black. As we typically see with armband monitors, the Rhythm lags behind the TRACKR HEART RATE by 1-3 seconds. You don’t notice this with steady state work, but when you’re doing 30/30s like I am above, the two will often be separated by 1 or 2 beats.
Overall, though, the two monitors tracked each other quite nicely.
Next, let’s look at the one odd anomaly I’ve had with the TRACKR HEART RATE. It was on an outdoor ride, and I wasn’t wearing a second HRM, so I suppose I can’t prove that these readings were wrong. But as I chugged along at a steady low zone 3 tempo, I was surprised to look down and see my head unit displaying a heart rate in the 190s! (My max HR is right around 189.)
This happened twice, for 1-2 minutes at a time. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary – not my position on the bike, my sweat level, my effort level. There was nothing I could point to that would cause the readings to be so far off. (And no, my heart rate was not in the 190s. That would have certainly been noticeable.)
But like I said, I’ve only had that happen once. Every other activity has shown accurate heartrate as expected. Here’s one from yesterday, in fact, in which I rode up a solid climb, then took a dip in a freezing pond while wearing the TRACKR HEART RATE (for science) before coming back downhill fully chilled.
Lastly, I should mention that battery performance seems to be within specs. After charging the battery up to 100%, I’ve checked it in the Wahoo app after each ride. It seems to be dropping by around 1% per hour of use, which is right in line with the claimed 100-hour rechargeable battery life.
Comparisons and Conclusions
There are basically three big-name chest strap makers in the market today: Polar, Garmin, and Wahoo. Polar and Garmin both sell HRMs that are slightly cheaper than the TRACKR HEART RATE, and they also have more expensive versions or same-priced versions with more features, like onboard memory. (Notably, both Polar and Garmin use replaceable batteries.)
The only other chest strap HRM with a rechargeable battery that I know of is the COOSPO H9Z, although there could be others. Like other “off-brand” HRMs, the COOSPO is much cheaper than the big-name brands.
The $89.99 price point for the TRACKR HEART RATE seems quite high for what it is, especially when you consider that it replaces the $49.99 2nd-generation TICKR. Why such a massive price increase? This is the biggest weakness of the TRACKR HEART RATE, in my opinion. With the long-term durability of the TRACKR HEART RATE yet to be seen, it’s hard to recommend it above the more feature-rich and proven Polar H10 ($90 but often on sale) or even the Polar H9 ($60).
While no HRM lasts forever – especially chest strap HRMS – the second-gen TICKR earned a reputation for poor durability. I’m hoping the lack of a battery door will help the TRACKR HEART RATE to live much longer. But, as all the reviewers below agree, that remains to be seen. Here’s hoping Wahoo learned a lesson from previous TICKR versions and have released a durable HRM in the TRACKR HEART RATE.
More TRACKR HEART RATE Review Videos
GPLama
DesFit
The Run Testers
Questions or Comments?
What do you think? Will you be considering a TRACKR HEART RATE? What’s your favorite HRM, and why? Share below!
I have 3 TICKRS in my drawer, they lasted less then a year each. I ride 90% indoor rest MTB. I also had the peak heartrate with them, over 180 where my max is about 170!
Recently switched to the Polar H9, no peak problems and better/quicker connectivity to laptop windows Zwift.
Sad because I’m a Wahooligan.
I too have been faithful to Wahoo for years, but the TICKR v2 has been very troublesome and short-lived. I’ve had at least 2 fail, although the most recent was replaced by Wahoo Customer Service FOC. I’ve made a point of keeping the delivery note and packaging for the replacement in anticipation of another failure.
I’ve been through two TICKRs – both were fine til the battery needed replacing and then they never really worked properly/at all after that. I changed to a COOSPOO H9Z about 16 months ago. I use it almost every day (like the TICKRS) and it’s been faultless. I’ve never run it completley out of battery since it’s so easy to stick it on charge when it feels like it’s been some time since you last charged it! And it was 30% cheaper than a replacement TICKR would have been. Not sure why I would pay more than double for a TRACKR.
I am also unimpressed with the Wahoo HMs. I’ve been through four of them already and I’m done. Two years ago I bought a cheap Coospo armband HM on Amazon and I’m pretty impressed. I used to clean the contacts on the Wahoos all the time to make sure they would charge. Not on the Coospo. I love Wahoo products and I am a fan of them all, except their HMs.
I have been, and still am a Wahoo HRM fan. I went through 2 units after V1.0 (which lasted the longest) and was quite disappointed with the connectivity with apps and head units. My previous purchase was thru Amazon and I decided to buy an extended warranty. I’m glad I did as it paid for my 4th unit in 5 years of use altogether. Hopefully there will be a solid justification for such a price point compared to other units and features available in the market.
Extended warranty. That’s a solid HRM strategy!
I have had more success with Amazon cheap branded heart rate monitors than all the top brands.
gone through garmins and wahoos far too quickly over the years.
if this Amazon cheap brand lasts roughly the same then I can buy 3 of these for the price of one major brand.
let’s see what the reviews are like in 6 months
Me too! My conspiracy theory: American companies ship all their designs overseas to save on manufacturing costs. The foreign companies reverse engineer the product and create competing production lines. The foreign-labeled production line gets all the design improvements and better QC controls while the American-branded production line builds inferior goods. Bottom line–buy the knockoff. It’s cheaper and better (except the English translations on the instructions can sometimes be hard to follow).
Amazon cheap branded HRMs have been working for me really well! And have been lasting longer than prior Wahoo ones, despite costing a quarter of the price.
@Eric Schlange everything has been going to USB C since the iphone 15 came out and abandoned lightning chargers for USB C…
Yeah, but I bet those phones came with a USB-C wall plug, right? The TRACKR assumes you have a plug… and many people will not.
I think what you are trying to say is that you never had to use a USB-C port / plug on the charger side, correct? And herein is one of the big drawbacks that I see in this product (and that is something many similar products suffer from): the proprietary charging port on the device side. If at all possible this should be a USB-C port – this magnet looking thing is just prone to become loose and not charge well, or as well as a USB-C connection would.
To be honest: that is also not very common these days, not sure why that is, the chargers that have a USB-C connector that I use I had to buy seperately (and I use them often, so I have four USB-C chargers between 5W and 60W and some combo USB-A / USB-C chargers).
I am hard pressed to believe that you never used a USB-C port or plug before at all, which is sort of what I read in your original article… I mean, just the Zwift Play controllers have USB-C ports to charge, right? The cable that came with it has a USB-A / 2x USB-C plug combination, and there was also no charger in my Zwift Play controller box.
USB-C has been the most-common connector in mobile devices for about five years now, and the connector has become the staple charging connector in just about every other chargeable device since about 2021 (numbers are more difficult to find fo this compared to mobile phones). But, again, just on the side that is charged, not on the charger side. Here, in my observation, and just looking at the products offered in an electronics market, USB-A is still going strong.
Regarding the “those phones came with a USB-C wall plug” statement: Some phones today still come with a charger, while others will not have one. My latest Xiaomi came with a 120W USB-A charger and a USB-A to USB-C cable, and most Android phones will still have a USB-A to USB-C cable – on the other hand my other phone, a Samsung Flip, only came with a USB-C to USB-C cable and no charger / plug. So, if I had not bought the USB-C chargers mentioned, I would have been in the same situation – or NOT, because I have many, many USB-A to USB-C cables that I could use, and that is actually how I charge my Samsung phone as well. The issue, as stated in the very beginning, arises through the use of a proprietary connection, which is exactly what USB-C was supposed to counteract.
So, to Wahoo: sorry, you failed miserably. What are you thinking to introduce a rechargeable electronic device that is NOT using a USB-C charging port? After we all (humans, that is) finally and somehow, even over the stupid and power-driven games that Apple played, agreed to have a general connector, you come up with something new?
That’s the real kick(e)r in this story (pun intended!) – that and the fact that we are not even noticing it, or mentioning it, of course!
Henry, you are clearly much more passionate about this USB-C topic than I am. 😜
Sure, I’ve used cables with USB-C on the device side. As you said, it’s quite popular these days. I’ve just never had a device that ships with only a charging cable, and that cable is USB-C on the charging side.
OK, and I absolutely get that, and I find it bothersome as well! So we agree here ✌️🍻, and yes sometimes, as we say in Germany, “I have to get worked up about something”, nothing bad meant from my side if it came across like that. Quite the opposite, I really like your work and think that being diligent in every area will only make it better and more respected. ✌️
Having said that, and with the general issue on hand:
What is your take in the “not usb c on the device side” for the new TICKR, then?
I had to read that one sentence over and over, and then do some research to make sure I did not misread it and also that it was no joke AND that I did not wake up in a parallel and “bizarro” universe this morning.
…”everything has been going to USB C since the iPhone 15 came out”??? seriously??
Apple was the company that did NOT want to go to USB-C and blocked it for years, and now all of a sudden they become the DRIVER behind the global move to USB-C? Sorry, but that is a complete misrepresentation of how USB-C has been introduced (and used) in the whole wide world outside of Apple and Apple’s continued resistance to USB-C usage despite it’s clear advantages over everything Apple tried to offer (or force on their users, to be more precise) as alternative.
USB-C has been the staple connector in non-Apple devices since at least 2019 (t.ly/R3FLn), the iPhone 15 came out in 2023 – so that is at least four full years of Apple trying to fight USB-C.
I really, really appreciate the insight we get in terms of device usage and such things here and I consider Eric an expert on these things, but please, everybody should try to represent facts when it comes to any areas we talk about or don’t make statements that, while they are not intended to do so, spread false information that people base their decisions on.
We are living in a time where spreading false information is a huge problem in our society, all the while it is so easy to research stuff – why don’t we stop to do that then?
I am a little (or highly) surprised that Eric has not had to use a USB-C port until now, but that is a whole different can of worms to open up, I think… (hint – it has NOTHING to do with not being an Apple guy – again, Apple users were about the LAST to switch to USB-C, even those that had USB-C early in the Apple ecosystem were LATE compared to e.g. Android or Windows Laptop users, so that statement is actually really, REALLY funny in a certain sense).
I am getting of my soap box now, hope not to have offended anybody (although I most certainly did), and if somebody is offended then so be it, I can live with that!
Coospo HRM = legend. Costs ~$25 and works better than any Garmin chest strap HRM I’ve used.
Unimpressed with wahoo lately. Tickr that I had died after about a year. Their flimsy claim they cant update the kickr v5 to work with the cog was the icing on the never buy from them again cake. Brand loyalty is as stupid as loyalty to an employer, they dont care about you at all.
Couldn’t agree more. After they sold us a bill of lies about the kickr v5 I sold my kickr, tickr and elemnt roam. I will not buy from them again.
I agree. I was a huge Wahoo person. I’ve own multiple KICKRs and now have a KICKR v5, KICKR Climb, adapter for race mode and two TICKR HR sensors. I’ve had to replace the TICKRs with Polar H9 & H10 due to them not being reliable. My Climb has been replaced three times (under warranty) and my kickr v5 has been replaced once under warranty. The entire line how KICKR v4 and v5 cannot support the COG, but somehow an older piece of equipment (KICKR Core) can is probably a lie for business reasons. I’ll buy Elite or something in the future.
It’s way too expensive. I gave up on Garmin straps after 2 failed in 3 years. I now use a Megane which was less than 20 quid and has been bulletproof for over 5 years. Supports both Ant+ and Bluetooth. If it goes ill not hesitate to buy another exactly the same.
I could get Polar H9 on Amazon for 40 €. Since then I’ve never look back. It works well and the strap itself is comfortable. HR readings are much faster and more stable than on my optical armband from Coospoo (especially when running outside). I mean, for indoor cycling and a bit of running I don’t need anything more than this. Price, quality and durability on point.
My original wahoo chest strap and armband were good although after the clip on the armband failed i went with a COOSPO HW807optical armband has been great for a year+
Rechargeable battery like the wahoo i would not pay wahoos premium prices right now.
I’ve had good luck with a Powr Labs HR for several years now. It’s cheaper and has been more reliable than the ones from Wahoo or Garmin. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081GH9RWC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Like many folks here wahoo hasn’t made it to a year for me. Coospo is rock solid.
I keep hearing people report issues with Wahoo HRM but I’ve never had an issue. v1 is still working, though I replaced with v2 to get multiple device connections. Had it about a year.
I’m back at the Polar H10 after two failed TICKRs. Paid $40 for each of them so it wasn’t too bad but not going to roll the dice for $90.
Besides the battery door the TICKR also had a huge issue with corrosion of the snaps that connect from the strap. Before the first TICKR failed on me I actually already had to replace the strap because of that.
At $90 the TRACKR is priced at the same level as the Polar H10 and the regular discount price for the Garmin HRM Pro. Not sure if they’ll find a huge market there.
Given the glut of complaints over the lack of durability of the most recent TICKr even if I was in the market for a new HRM at the moment I wouldn’t be heading to the TRACKr until it’d been on yhe market and durability tested for at least 2 years.
I’m currently 4 years into using my Polar H9 and haven’t had a single issue with it!
Fingers crossed though that their high.price point is a reflection of their confidence in its longevity and their expectations that they’ll make less from more frequent sales
OK, aside from the article which provides great insight as usual, one important question here:
Why do you say that being a “PC guy” was what prevented you from having to use a USB-C port until the TRACKR arrived?
I am a PC guy and have made ample use of the USB-C ports in my laptops (yes, plural), e.g. as Thunderbolt connector ports…
Just that USB-C is much more prominent on the Mac side of things… at least, that’s my experience here in the USA. Seems like the EU experience may be different.
Apple shipped more computers with more USB-C ports than PC manufacturers did here in the US market, from what I’ve seen. (Not basing this on empirical data, just my experience.) It feels like Apple was releasing USB-C only computers when the PC crowd was still saying “what’s this little round port next to all my USB ports?” 😜
We must agree to disagree then, my laptops have had USB-C ports since 2019.
If you are talking desktops, then OK, maybe it was faster adoption on apple side, my desktop PCs still don’t have USB-C ports I must admit, but even for laptops, windows PCs adopted USB-C much earlier. I could exchange chargers for USB-C immediately while Apple users still had their lightning or whatever else it was as connectors for charging… 🤷🏼♂️
Nearly a year down the line of switching to a Polar H10 after the last couple of Tickr’s were wonky and erratic in various ways. No regrets at all, it’s been flawless since the first day and can’t remember even one wonky peak or trough the whole time. I think I didn’t get a low battery warning, after several months of use, on my Garmin 530 is about as close to a “problem” as I’ve had. I’ve heard similar things about the older/cheaper H9 too so see myself sticking with Polar for the foreseeable future for now.
Wahoo was great about replacing defective Tickrs, but that got old. I’ve been using the Polar H9 for years now with no problem, once I realize you need to take it off the band to stop battery drain.
I love my Polar H9–Had 4 years now and it just works.
I’m still using my TICKR v1. I’ve had it for nearly five years, and it’s still working perfectly. I ride nearly every day (indoors or outdoors). I’ve only needed to change the strap a few times, and the battery once a year.
Regarding the HR jump you noticed in your testing of the TRACKR: Could it have been a bout of arrhythmia? I have MVP and can sometimes see these kinds of things in my HR data whenever it happens…
Have had a Polar H10 for 7 years, and used it ~1,500 to 2,000 times. Still going strong. My only issues have been the need to use Ultrasound Gel in cold weather to get a good signal, and to clean the terminals where the H10 connects to the strap occasionally with a cotton bud. I suspect the life of each button battery is reducing over time, but that’s only a suspicion. Having used various Polar tech for 24 years, it would be hard for me to be convinced to move elsewhere, but I will probably need to replace this H10 soon!
ABSOLUTE GARBAGE. Didn’t work at all, right out of the box. Spent 2 hours fiddling with it and I’m done. I’ve been using HRMs for years – I followed the startup instructions explicitly, but even after getting it to connect, it never transmitted a heartrate, and it constantly disconnected. Sticking with the TICKR FIT, the only HRM I’ve ever used that was reliable (I’ve tried Polar, Garmin and multiple other Wahoo chest strap units).
I have 3 dead Tickrs on my desk which Wahoo sent to me to replace my dead Tickr that last 6 weeks. Each of the 3 never worked. They have now sent me a Fit. Let’s see. They must know they have a dud to so readily replace- which I’m grateful for because otherwise it would have been a wasted purchase. Historically used Polar which was failsafe.
Can the new Wahoo act as a Bluetooth bridge for use with Apple TV?
Nope. None of Wahoo’s HRMs act as bridges.
I can confirm the strap size issue. I am 260 lbs and the strap simply won’t fit around my chest. I have had each of the other wahoo heart rate monitors. Each was great for 6 months then stopped working right. the new one I can’t even wear. 3 strikes and they are out.
Came here hoping for the list of features in Tickr X that I’d lose. Liked having cadence for my commutes.