MIO LINK HEART RATE MONITOR (bluetooth /ANT+ compatible)
Mioglobal.com £89.95
Look what arrived this morning my Link from Mio. Couldn't wait to open, so lets have a look in the box.
In the box we get the charger , the Link, a quick start guide (multi language) warranty, and a simple illustration guide to how/where to wear the link and how to charge.
The first thing I noticed when holding the band was wow this is soft! I was expecting a rigid plastic band which I think was down to using heart rate chest straps, bit this band was a soft silicon like rubber band, nice and comfortable and lightweight. The wrist band comes with two prongs to secure the band at the correct size and two studs which fasten any loose ends.
Further exploration of the strap finds that the actual working part of the watch is a removable chip containing the sensors and LEDs used to measure heart rate.
This photo shows the top of the chip with the power on/off switch in the middle and the indicator light at the top(more on this later)
This photo shows the bottom of the chip, with led lights and the red sensor at the center. As you can see by the logos, the Link is Bluetooth and ANT+ compatible.
So onto the wrist it goes, really comfortable, and it doesnt have to be overtight against the wrist, next question, how easy does it connect to devices? Whilst im downloading the Mio Go app, I try to link with my Garmin forerunner 220. A quick trip to settings and sensors menu on the watch, add sensor, and there it is as easy as that. A quick power on/off test and as soon as the Link is switched on, it is picked up by the watch, and reading my heart rate.
The Mio Go app also connects really quickly to the Link, and just requires a few details, name, date of birth, height, and weight, then your away. In the app I can see an instant/constant heart rate.
I am also able to select training zones in 2 modes.
1 zone setting indicates training on/above/below target zone,
5 zone mode allows customisation of 5 zone levels such as rest zone, aerobic zone, 50-60% max, all changable to suit your needs.
Current zone level is indicated by a flashing LED on the wrist strap which changes colour as your zones change.
The charging clip is clever as it uses magnets to fasten to the band, holding securely in place (this has been an issue with some of the GPS watches I have used). simply attach the stap and connect to your usb socket and its as easy as that.
OK so thats pre use testing complete, got to say im impressed with the quality so far, so its off on a run I go!
My first run using the link was a nice easy paced (or so I thought) 10 mile run with a group of friends. I am really impressed with the comfort of the Link, compared to the old chest strap heart rate monitors, I didnt feel the need to keep adjusting the monitor, and if im honest, I completely forgot I was wearing it, so super bonus points there. There was no indication on the band of my actual heart rate, however, that wasnt the purpose of using it (there are watches available for that) I wanted to be able to connect to my Garmin watch which this did and all the data was recorded there. I had my band set to 5zone setting which meant the flashing LED indicator changed progressively from light blue through dark blue, green, yellow, purple to red, giving me an idea of which zone I was training in, this will be better when I get better aquainted with the levels and colours.
One thing I did notice the following day when using the Mio Go app was that there was a useful battery indicator, showing me I had 2 bars, this follows approx 3 hours of testing, 2 hours out and about on the run and an hour showing off to the family and getting used to the kit, so not a bad battery life from such a small unit. Not suitable for 24/7 monitoring, but perfect for training/event monitoring.
Update- I have now been using the Mio Link for 3 weeks, and really could not be without this, the information I am getting is fantastic, linked to my garmin app and my strava app, I get feedback on my heartrate during my runs, based on training zones, and I can look at how different conditions, terrains and activities affect me during sessions, allowing me to adapt my training accordingly, most interesting is looking at recovery rates especially during those high intensity interval sessions.
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| feedback graph from Garmin Connect linked to Forerunner 220 |
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| feedback chart from Strava, showing time in training zones |
As a PE teacher I would be interested in introducing these to pupils within my classes, who have always struggled with the old heart rate chest straps, not least it being embarrassing even putting the straps on. Mio really have struck gold here.
VERDICT
Pros:-
Comfortable soft rubber wrist strap (available in 2 sizes)
Easy to use (1 button on/off)
Easy to clean
Bluetooth/Ant+ meaning you can connect to virtually any app/watch
Quick and easy charging no long tangled wires
Cons:-
Hard to think of any! Battery life limited upto 10hrs but is that really a problem!
If you serious about training, go out and get one of these, Im going out and buying one now, thanks to Mio for the review sample.
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