Until rather recently I stored all my various sports gizmos and gadgets in a simple Rubbermaid container. Well, mostly. They kinda spilled out all over the place, so it was more like the Rubbermaid container plus a 6 foot radius.
After a recent Ikea trip (including the 99 cent ice cream cones), a much better solution was found. This solution allowed me to organize the different gadgets by sport (Swim, Bike, Run, Health, Random Stuff) – pure awesomeness!
However, while this was great for product boxes and misc parts, it was not so great for heart rate straps – which I iterate through depending on specific products I’m testing. For example, if I’m using a cell phone to track heart rate, I may use the Zephyer Bluetooth Strap for some apps, but the Polar Nike+ strap for others, or one of the Garmin ANT+ ones as well. Because I find that I remember HR straps at the last possible second when I’m trying to run out the door for a run/ride, I tend to be in a rush and so things get really messy as I frantically try and find a specific strap. Thus, it looked like this:
But, after some pondering one day – I found a solution. A simple $9 solution. It started just like this:
And after a couple of quick minutes, ended up like this:
Pure brilliance!
Now I’ve got them all organized by vendor and then subtype within each vendor. When I (or a friend) need a strap it’s easy to find and I’m quickly out the door.
Enjoy the weekend, and thanks for reading!
Hey DC,
I don’t know how to tell you this gently… but most of us only have 1 (or maybe 2) “active” HRM straps at any one time. But the problem isn’t with you, it’s with us…
Hope you’re enjoying your honeymoon!
DROOOOOL!!!!! Just seeing that you HAVE that many to keep track of is insane. My 1 is a pain for me, but I like the simple idea of the wall hook. Will have to try that to keep track my measly single strap.
And what about units? How are they stored? Attache to straps?
I thought that this was a really cool solution to a problem that I share (albeit not quite to the same degree). I showed your solution to my wife . . . she just shook her head and told me that all triathletes are insane. C’est la vie.
Hell with Insanity…to the wall with heart rate straps!
LOL
Cool! When will we get to see your Ikea solution??
Man I wish there was a standard. I only have two heart rate straps but I wear them both while on the trainer -#$$%^ !!!!
looks like garter snakes
How many are redundant and/or interchangeable? Do some work with multiple brands?
Hi Rainmaker,
with so many Heart Rate Straps you could make an outstanding “Heart Rate Devices Accuracy In Depth” test.
I just have two heart rate sensors, my classic Garmin says 240 (after chancing already three batteries), while my adidas strap seems to work right.
But with 15 straps, it would be really interesting who they perform when you are doing different activites…
…how they perform…
Sorry, i am just an austrian guy with poor English, surrounded by Alps!
For what do you use Zephyer Bluetooth Strap?
The main (and really only) use is for connecting to phones. All of the major phone variants have apps that support a Bluetooth HR monitor (Blackberry, iPhone/iPod, Windows 7 Phone, Android, etc…) – so this is a way to get HR data to a phone and/or Bluetooth device that doesn’t support either ANT+ or older analog HR straps (since almost none do).
Polar actually has one as well that’s in the mix there. Battery life is a bit better than the Zephyer one.