AW 10. Heart monitor just cuts out.

[Foilguy]

I’ll clean HR sensor, wear the watch snug, and even shave the hair on my wrist where the sensor is, but the sensor will just intermittently start and stop recording for certain simple activities like walking where my arm is barely swinging compared to running. For road or stationary bike riding it’s more consistent. See attached results. No wrist sweating involved. When it is recording, the numbers seem reasonable. I’m a 66 yr old guy, 6 ft, 161 lb with pretty skinny wrists.

Any ideas on what I might be doing wrong or is this a common shortcoming of the sensor?

 

[nattK]

Was it an outdoor workout in the cold? The Apple Watch's optical heart rate sensor really struggles in cold weather.

 

[Foilguy]

Was it an outdoor workout in the cold? The Apple Watch's optical heart rate sensor really struggles in cold weather.

Temp in the 30’sto low 40’s (Fahrenheit) so coldish but not Canadian cold. Watch is under my glove and coat sleeve. If I get on my cruiser bike in the same temps the HRM seems to behave much better. I should mention that my SE2 did the same thing. Maybe my wrist doesn’t put out a strong pulse signal🤣

 

[tomstone74]

Same here with an AW6 as my daily driver since it's release. Yesterday, running at 12° celsius, thus far away from being cold. Intermediate drops of HRM data. Isn't new for me though, but seems to got worse over the last 2 years or so in training modes starting at certain heart rate maybe, cause low heart rate "workouts" like walking outdoor shows no issues, even below 0° celsius.

Perhaps something crippled in watchOS or it's simply the result of my body aging process where blood flow / veins degrade slowly over time. Just another theory, but perhaps not a bad one, as I typically have cold fingers the whole day.

 

[Foilguy]

Same here with an AW6 as my daily driver since it's release. Yesterday, running at 12° celsius, thus far away from being cold. Intermediate drops of HRM data. Isn't new for me though, but seems to got worse over the last 2 years or so in training modes starting at certain heart rate maybe, cause low heart rate "workouts" like walking outdoor shows no issues, even below 0° celsius.

Perhaps something crippled in watchOS or it's simply the result of my body aging process where blood flow / veins degrade slowly over time. Just another theory, but perhaps not a bad one, as I typically have cold fingers the whole day.

Interesting. The weather here has gotten a bit warmer (also around 12 C) and now my AW10 is recording the walks more consistently. I’m still wearing the watch really snug and under a sleeve so it’s warmer than being exposed. So maybe some truth to the sensor temperature sensitivity. Overall, still very happy with the watch

 

[Jackbequickly]

My HR sensor on both the S10 and U2 does the same on cold walks in the morning. I constantly reposition until is starts again. Sometimes I find that loosening the watch instead of tightening will get the sensor restarted. Works great in warm weather. Apple needs to update its HR sensor!

 

[MarkX]

Optical heart rate sensors are renowned for struggling to get a reading due to vasoconstriction in the cold.

It's a limiting factor of the technology!

 

[Jackbequickly]

Optical heart rate sensors are renowned for struggling to get a reading due to vasoconstriction in the cold.

It's a limiting factor of the technology!

I expect Apple to step up and innovate! The HR sensor is likely the most important sensor on the Apple Watch.

 

[Thirio2]

I admit I don’t check my HR often when walking, but I don’t notice problems in the cold. My average HR when walking in single digit (F) weather is between 105 and 115 which seems reasonable. My problems seem to be more related to very hot weather when my U2 sometimes goes wonky.

 

[MarkX]

I expect Apple to step up and innovate! The HR sensor is likely the most important sensor on the Apple Watch.

Until they do get yourself a chest strap if heart rate is that important in the colder weather.

For me though the heart rate sensor isn't important as it's not reliable enough, as a runner I use the Polar H10 hence my reference to a chest strap.

 

[Foilguy]

I expect Apple to step up and innovate! The HR sensor is likely the most important sensor on the Apple Watch.

Sort of agreed but certain technology hurdles are always gonna be a big challenge until some outside breakthrough comes along.

To me the most useful watch feature is the GPS tracking and things like the accelerometer that can enable lap swim tracking. And most of the time the HR works pretty well, and from the reviews I’ve seen, it’s not too far off from a chest HR monitor. Compared to what existed even 10 years ago, it’s pretty amazing

Until they do get yourself a chest strap if heart rate is that important in the colder weather.

For me though the heart rate sensor isn't important as it's not reliable enough, as a runner I use the Polar H10 hence my reference to a chest in

Until they do get yourself a chest strap if heart rate is that important in the colder weather.

For me though the heart rate sensor isn't important as it's not reliable enough, as a runner I use the Polar H10 hence my reference to a chest strap.

I have a chest HR monitor but for me the wrist monitor works well enough for dry land activities. The chest monitor isn’t worth the extra effort but o could see others wanting precise consistent numbers. I actually got the chest monitor for open water swimming (under a rash guard) since the wrist monitors really don’t work at all in water.

Even the chest monitor doesn’t work all that well while swimming without a rash guard to help keep it in place, especially in the pool where flip turns will completely dislodge it no matter how tight you make it🤣

 

[MarkX]

Sort of agreed but certain technology hurdles are always gonna be a big challenge until some outside breakthrough comes along.

To me the most useful watch feature is the GPS tracking and things like the accelerometer that can enable lap swim tracking. And most of the time the HR works pretty well, and from the reviews I’ve seen, it’s not too far off from a chest HR monitor. Compared to what existed even 10 years ago, it’s pretty amazing



I have a chest HR monitor but for me the wrist monitor works well enough for dry land activities. The chest monitor isn’t worth the extra effort but o could see others wanting precise consistent numbers. I actually got the chest monitor for open water swimming (under a rash guard) since the wrist monitors really don’t work at all in water.

Even the chest monitor doesn’t work all that well while swimming without a rash guard to help keep it in place, especially in the pool where flip turns will completely dislodge it no matter how tight you make it

I just use the chest strap as I train by heart rate and they are quicker to respond when doing internals or faster pace stuff.

If and when I stop that the optical will be enough. I don't need to know what my heart rate is when walking in the cold, it's not something I'd even check tbh!

 

[Foilguy]

I just use the chest strap as I train by heart rate and they are quicker to respond when doing internals or faster pace stuff.

If and when I stop that the optical will be enough. I don't need to know what my heart rate is when walking in the cold, it's not something I'd even check tbh!

Understood! Due to back and knees I don’t run anymore but I do include pretty fast paced hill climbing and even stair climber machines into walking. I can get to VO2 max quickly with that. Even a fast paced level walk can get me to Zone2 if I’m at it long enough

 

[Jackbequickly]

I don't need to know what my heart rate is when walking in the cold, it's not something I'd even check tbh!

Not all of us are Olympic shape like you are. Some us have to walk!😡