Wahoo Trackr Review
An accurate, easy-to-use heart rate monitor
Verdict
The Wahoo Trackr is an accurate, easy-to-use heart rate monitor that strips back the software extras of previous Wahoo monitors and focuses on delivering where it matters for a bit less than the competition.
Pros
- Comfortable to wear
- Battery life is very good
- Good connectivity with range of devices
Cons
- No onboard memory
- Not designed for swimming
- Cheaper alternatives available
Key Features
- Rechargeable batteryUp to 100 hours battery on a single charge
- Connectivity and Sensor optionsBluetooth and ANT+ connectivity plus ECG sensor
Introduction
The Wahoo Trackr sees Wahoo launch its first heart rate monitor chest strap since the Tickr and Tickr X, which landed in 2020. The Trackr looks to replace the Tickr as the brand updates its monitor line and makes some important changes too.
Replacement is the key word here as Wahoo moves to a rechargeable battery setup, moving away from the coin cell battery approach used by Garmin and Polar on their chest strap monitors. MyZone uses a rechargeable battery on the MZ-Switch, so Wahoo’s not the first to do it.
It’s going against HR monitors like the Polar H10, which is considered the gold standard in accuracy and monitoring heart rate from the chest. So does the Trackr do enough for a little less than the competition? I’ve been strapping it on for workouts indoors and outdoors to find out if this is the best heart rate monitor to buy.
Design and Comfort
- Wahoo reverts to the side clasp design
- Uses proprietary charger
- Not suitable for swimming
When Wahoo last launched a heart rate monitor chest strap it opted to do things differently when you needed to put it on, using a front-facing clasp instead of placing the clasp on the side of the strap like other monitors. It’s moved to that style of strap design, with the strap offering a nice stretch, a good quality metal clasp and a bonus that you can wash it by hand when it gets sweaty.
Up front are the ECG electrodes which the sensor pod simply clips into and as a package it weighs 51g, so that’s lighter than the Polar H10 chest strap. The only other redeeming feature on the sensor pod is an LED status light to indicate when the sensor is successfully paired to a device.
It carries an IPX7 water rating, which means it can be submerged in water up to 1 metre depth for 30 minutes, though isn’t designed to track your heart during swims. At the base of the sensor pod is a magnetic port to plug in the proprietary charging cable, which interestingly is the same cable used on the latest Shokz headphones, but nonetheless is another proprietary cable you’re going to have to own.
I’ve used the Trackr for indoor and outdoor runs, a race and gym workouts and as someone who has worn all of the leading chest strap monitors, this is one of the most comfortable I’ve worn.
Features and Performance
- ECG sensor delivers great accuracy at high intensity
- Odd connectivity issue
- No onboard memory
Wahoo gives the Trackr the option of connecting to devices to share or transmit heart rate data over Bluetooth or ANT+. If you’re using Bluetooth, then there’s the ability to pair
up to three Bluetooth devices at the same time.
I’ve successfully managed to pair it with apps like Strava, multiple watches from Garmin and an Apple Watch Ultra 2. I also used it with a smart rower but did encounter one connectivity issue on one of my test rows.
Unlike previous Wahoo monitors, you’re not getting any onboard memory, which means it must paired to a device. Wahoo has its own dedicated smartphone app where you can record workouts and is the place to go to check the battery status of the monitor.
Wahoo has opted against including the advanced running and cycling metrics it offered on its Tickr X monitor. Wahoo told us it hasn’t ruled out bringing those features back, though also suggested it wasn’t a highly adopted feature.
So it’s really all about its ability to accurately track your heart rate during exercise and it does this exceptionally well. I’ve used it for a range of workouts at a range of intensities, including high intensity when I wore it for a race and it was pretty much nailed on to the data captured on a Garmin HRM Pro+ chest strap monitor. I was very happy with what the Trackr delivered.
Then there’s also the performance on the battery front, where Wahoo says it should last for over 100 hours in ‘optimal conditions’. For an hour of tracking the battery dropped by 1%, so it looks like Wahoo is pretty spot on with those promises.
There’s no way to view the battery status on the monitor itself, so you’re relying on the app to let you know when it’s time to charge it up. However, you won’t be doing that for some time at least.
Latest deals
Should you buy it?
You want an accurate heart rate monitor
The Wahoo Trackr delivers where it matters most, providing reliable heart rate for a range of workouts
You want the most feature-packed heart rate monitor
You can pay a little more for some desirable extras like memory and more waterproof design that you don’t get on the Trackr.
Final Thoughts
The Wahoo Trackr is a more stripped back heart rate monitor than Wahoo’s previous monitors, focusing on providing accurate data from a comfortable design and a battery setup you shouldn’t have to think about charging for a while.
Compared to the slightly pricier competition though, the Polar H10 (£86.50/$99.95) has some built-in memory, a stronger waterproof rating and a comfortable fit too.
You can also look at the Polar H9 (£56.50/$59.95), which is cheaper than the Trackr and most notably lacks the multiple Bluetooth connectivity support you get on Wahoo’s monitor.
So if you really prefer a rechargeable setup, go for the Trackr. If you’re not fussed, you can go for the cheaper Polar or the slightly more expensive one and get some useful extras.
How we test
We thoroughly test every heart rate monitor we review. We use industry standard testing to compare features properly and we use the HRM in question as our main device over the review period. We’ll always tell you what we find and we never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Worn as our main HRM during the testing period
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FAQs
Yes, this will work with both systems.
Jargon buster
HRM
An abbreviation of ‘heart rate monitor’, used to describe a device that can track the beats per minute of a user’s heart.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
