Tracking down your heart rate is crucial for better p90x results. 

And not only that, a good heart rate monitor can also be used for many different activities such as calisthenics, running, weight lifting, different types of cardio, swimming, etc. You can also use it just for your overall health. 

With the help of the best heart rate monitor for P90X, you can easily find the right intensity for your physical activities and fast track your results. 

Sadly, buying a good heart rate monitor isn’t an easy task because there are many things to watch for if you don’t want to find it in the trashbin after a few weeks. 

In this article, you are going to find out what are the top 5 best devices that can help you accurately track your heart rate. 

You are also going to learn what are the 8 most important features you should look for before you order one and call it a day.

Let’s get into it!

Are you in a hurry?

If you don’t have the available time to read my whole article and are just looking to find the best monitor for the buck I recommend you take a look over my personal favourite – the Willful Fitness Tracker.

It has accurate built-in heart rate monitor, a ton of useful features, good battery life, great price, and many happy customers.

Click Here to check the latest price on Amazon

Top 5 Best Heart Rate Monitors for P90X

So you are looking to find the best heart rate monitor for p90x but don’t have a clue where to start? 

Don’t worry, I have done the hard work for you and already made a list with the top 5 best products in today’s crowded and competitive market.

Here is the list:

	Preview	Product	Details
1		Willful Fitness Tracker	Battery life: 7 days Recharging time: 2 hours Heart rate accuracy: High
2		Fitbit Inspire	Battery life: 5 days Recharging time: 2 hours Heart rate accuracy: High
3		Polar H10 Chest Strap	Battery life: 400 hours Recharging time: Uses battery Heart rate accuracy: Very High
4		LETSCOM Smart Watch	Battery life: 10 days Recharging time: 3 hours Heart rate accuracy: High
5		Garmin HRM-Dual Chest Strap	Battery life: 3.5 years Recharging time: Uses battery Heart rate accuracy: Very High

All 5 models are tested and approved by hundreds of happy customers worldwide. They also pass my test and have all the important features I’m going to talk about next.

And the cool thing is that all monitors are very reasonably priced so don’t worry if that’s something that is important for you.

Enough talking, let’s jump in and check them out…

1. Willful Fitness Tracker with Heart Rate Monitor – Best Overall

The first and probably the best heart rate monitor on the market is made by a company named Willful. 

I truly believe this is the best heart rate monitor for p90x and above because of the super low price, huge amount of happy customers and all great features that are also included.

The thin display, lightweight design, and rubber strap make wearing this watch very convenient and comfortable for long periods of time. This model is offered in 5 different colors and has a very simplistic but stylish design. 

People share that even in explosive type of training the strap holds well and everything stays in one place. The heart rate sensor is very accurate compared to similarly priced options and it does it’s job well 24/7. 

This multifunctional fitness tracker does come packed with a lot of very useful features. Some of them are – you can track steps, calories, distance, pace, duration, hours of sleep and much more. 

This watch can easily connect with both iOS or Android devices via Bluetooth. It also comes with a free app that can connect to your phone and show you everything on your phone’s display as well.

Because of the way it connects the wrist device can also receive calls, messages or calendar alerts so you can be aware of important news all the time without having to look on your smartphone. 

What I find somewhat unique is the fact that it can also show social media notifications. 

It does also come with a silent vibration alarm that your spouse will certainly enjoy having in the morning and a remote camera capture options you can use when there is nobody to take pictures of you from distance (know that feeling too well..). 

The battery life is little better than the Fitbit watch and it can last for about 7 days with only 2 hours of charging via the included USB cable. 

Even if the display is not great in direct sunlight and the instructions are not the best I’m very sure you won’t regret if you decide to buy it. 

For the number of things you get the price you pay is very small…

With your purchase, you are also getting a 1-year warranty and 30-day refund policy. You won’t have any problems using them because Willful has good customer service. 

Quick Summary:

Low price doesn’t always mean low quality. Willful has destroyed all myths about such thinking and has even beaten bigger and way more expensive models with this great fitness tracker.

It has everything you really need – an accurate heart rate monitor, long battery, slick design, many good features, and an awesome price. And everything is backed with many happy customers worldwide.

2. Fitbit Inspire Heart Rate Monitor – Smallest Design

The second monitor I’m going to review is actually very well known and I believe it’s a great heart rate monitor for p90x. 

Fitbit Inspire is liked by the majority and it’s a good product made with proper quality and sold at a reasonable price. 

What I like about it is the very small, lightweight and stylish design. 

Fitbit offers this model in 3 different colors – black, white and pink. A very clever but important thing is that this heart rate monitor comes with 2 separate wrist bands – one small and one large. 

That way no matter what your wrist size is you can wear it comfortably without having any problems. 

We know that the accuracy of the heart rate you get is extremely important and many people confirm that Fitbit does a very good job regarding this data.

In addition to that it also has the ability to track your heart rate 24/7 so you can check your heart rate many times during the day.

One of the biggest benefits you get from wearing a wrist device is the big amount of extra features it comes with. Fitbit doesn’t stay behind on that and offers some very useful additions. 

Their watch can track many things such as: the number of burned calories , number of steps, traveled distance, active minutes, amount of sleep, hour activity and many more. 

I believe that the data is fairly accurate because the device uses your phone’s GPS to get the exact location. All that data is transferred on your phone with the help of the Fitbit app and the Bluetooth 4.0 connection. 

A thing to notice is that you can connect it to both Android or iOS so you can have the ability to get call, text and calendar alerts while doing something else.

A big downside similar wrist heart rate monitors have is the poor visibility you get when the display is faced directly against the sunlight. 

Surprisingly it is confirmed by many that Fitbit has handled this common issue quite well making it a great outdoor option.

The battery life is pretty decent and can last about 4-5 days with a single 2 hours charge via the provided USB cable. 

Even with the fact that some customers are having problems with the battery I still believe this product is good because of all the good features you also get.

The whole design is waterproof and sweatproof meaning you can shower, sweat and even swim with it as much as you want. 

Even so, please don’t try to dive below 50 meters with it. That’s it’s maximum capacity.

Fitbit is offering a pretty solid 1-year manufacturer’s warranty and it’s fairly good with returns and overall customer service so you don’t have to worry about any unwanted issues that do occasionally happen.

Quick Summary:

Even if the price of this heart rate monitor is not one of the cheapest and there are some issues found I still believe it’s something worth having.

The device comes with a good warranty, big amount of useful features and fairly accurate heart rate monitor. Everything can be connected to your smartphone for extra convenience. Overall this is a good product worth checking. 

3. Polar H10 Chest Strap Heart Rate Monitor – Very Accurate

The third product I’m going to review is quite different from the previous 2 options. Even so, it’s still as effective as them or even better if you are looking for a very accurate heart rate monitor. 

The chest strap made by Polar is designed for only one purpose – to measure your heart rate. And it does it in an amazingly accurate way. One of the big benefits of using a chest strap instead of a wrist device is that chest straps are usually more accurate for measuring your HR. 

The product price is reasonable and you are getting exactly what you pay for.

Another thing I want to mention is that a chest strap is great option for many exercises in which you need to wear wrist wraps so you can’t use a wrist device.

I know that it’s a common thing to hear that wearing a strap around your chest is really uncomfortable but people share that Polar has done a great job and fixed this common issue. I believe the reason behind this is the strap they use. 

The strap this monitor uses is adjustable, quite stretchy, and it’s made from soft materials that are easy on the skin. Additionally, you can also machine wash it when needed. 

The whole device is also made pretty compact and lightweight so it can easily be worn and hidden under clothes. 

Because it has only one main feature the battery life is very good and can last up to 400 hours only with one coin you have to replace.

I know replacing a battery is not as convenient as plugging the device into the USB port of your computer but as you can see this product’s battery can hold a lot more than the average USB charging option.

You can connect the chest strap to multiple devices simultaneously using both the ANT+ and the Bluetooth connection. 

A good plus is that this product works fine with both Android or iOS. That way you are going to make sure you have real-time heart rate data on the spot. 

Another great feature I like is that the whole device is made with water and sweat-resistant materials. You can even swim and do laps wearing it. You won’t have to worry about damaging it because it can withstand up to 30 meters underwater as well. 

Everything is backed up with a 2-year warranty on electrical defects and a 6-month warranty on the strap.

I know that the biggest issue this item has are complaints that it suddenly stops working but I believe that with the help of these 2 warranties you can easily get a free replacement if that, unfortunately, does happen. 

Even with this problem I’m still convinced this is an excellent choice for people looking for a good heart rate monitor they can use for their p90x workouts.

Quick Summary:

If you are looking for a simple and accurate way to measure your heart rate while keeping your wrists free than this might be a good choice for you.

This chest strap monitor has a good price, long battery life, and a compact and comfortable design. It can connect to many devices using ANT+ or Bluetooth so you can have real-life data during and after your workouts. 

4. LETSCOM Fitness Smart Watch with Heart Rate Monitor – Biggest Screen

The next multifunctional device I’m going to check out has a good price, many great features and a ton of happy customers. 

These 3 reasons are why it deserves a place on this list. Even if this smartwatch is not specifically designed to measure HR it still does a pretty decent job with its pretty accurate sensor that continues to work 24/7 giving you all the data you need. 

Before I review what features lay inside let’s see what Letscom has to offer on the outside. 

A few things I like about this specific product is the fact that it weights only 39 grams and has a very compact design which comes with a complete touchscreen display. You are going to enjoy the good colors and brightness options even in a very sunny day. 

As you can see from the photo this model uses a little wider screen than the competition and I find that to be a plus because wider and bigger screens tend to show more useful data at the same time. I’m talking about things such as time, date, battery life, calories, heart rate, etc. 

The length of the strap is universal and it comes in 2 colors – black and blue. Except for the good heart rate monitor, this smartwatch is also packed with great number of additional features. 

We are talking things like auto sleep monitoring, GPS tracking, calories burned, number of steps, distance, etc. 

You can easily connect and sync it to it’s simple and effective App using Bluetooth 4.0 on both Android or iOS devices in a radius of about 10 meters or 33 feet. 

With the help of this connection, you can receive notification about recent calls, messages, calendar notifications, etc. You can also have additional music controls or even have the option to reject a phone call if needed. 

This model has one of the longest battery life I have seen. It can be used for about 10 days with only 2-3 hours of charging.

That’s pretty awesome and is something that does really separate Letscom from the majority of similar products. 

I like the fact that it can withstand water to some extent. It can hold off sweat and rain but you won’t be able to go for a swim wearing it. 

I know this is going to be a big downside for some of you so if that’s true check out the other models from this list which are swim-proof. 

Finally, let’s wrap this review. Even with the tracking steps and swimming issues, this watch has way more pros making it one great watch worth investing into. 

It also comes with a 12-month warranty and good customer service.

Quick Summary:

With it’s compact design, touchscreen display, good built-in HR monitor and many convenient features I do believe this product deserves a place on this list.

And for the price, you also get a very strong and durable battery you can use for 10 days with a single charge. Overall this is a good product that has all the needed features to help you with your p90x workouts.

5. Garmin HRM-Dual Chest Strap – Longest Battery Life

I am going to wrap this list with another good option for people looking for a comfortable chest strap that uses a highly accurate heart rate monitor. 

The final product made by Garmin is extremely affordable and well designed. 

For a low price, you are getting everything you need to measure accurately you HR during your P90X workouts. 

This is another great option for people preferring accuracy over features. Users share that this product is easy to use and comfortable to wear.

This model also uses a thin, soft and adjustable holding strap that is also breathable at certain places. With its help you can be sure that you are going to keep the whole device secure. 

The strap is also machine washable so you can clean it regularly without having to manually rub it. 

Because of the compact size and small weight (only 54.4 grams), you will have easy time wearing and hiding this HR monitor under your clothes during the day.

It has the biggest and most amazing battery life I have seen – 3.5 years. And that is achieved with only 1 replaceable coin battery. 

I don’t know how they do it but this is absolutely stunning and it does really separate them from the crowd. For example, the previous Polar strap has about 400 hours which is about 1/3 of the amount of what Garmin has to offer.

The device uses both ANT+ and Bluetooth to connect to many different devices. We are talking about things such as GPS wearables, bike computers, etc.

No matter if you are using Android or iOS you can still connect in a radius of about 3 meters. I know it’s less than the 10-meter standard but it would be enough for most people. 

The Garmin HR chest strap is sweat and water-resistant to some extent. You can use it in rain, shower or snow but you won’t be able to swim and dive with it. 

I know this is a bummer for some of you and if this is a really important feature for you go check out the Polar product above. 

I’m pretty aware that this product is not perfect but even with its issues I still believe it’s a good chest strap worth checking. 

Quick Summary:

If you don’t enjoy recharging or changing batteries often and you still want to be able to track your heart rate accurately for your p90x workouts this device is something you should check out. It’s very affordable, lightweight and comfortable to wear. It has some downsides but even with them, it’s still something to consider. 

8 Features to Look for When Buying the Best Heart Rate Monitor for P90X

Before you make your final choice and buy a product I highly recommend you to take a look and familiarise yourself very well with every feature I will share with you below.

That way you are going to be informed and well prepared in order to make the best decision that you won’t regret later on.

Here we go…

1. Heart Rate Accuracy

If you are reading this article this is the most important feature you should look for in such type of a product.

Having inaccurate data will slow down your progress and is going to make your purchase useless because you won’t really know what’s your true heart rate. 

And isn’t this the whole point of investing in such device?

Depending on what accuracy you are looking for you have 2 most known options to choose from – fitness tracker (smartwatch) and chest strap.

Let’s check them out.

Smartwatch / Fitness Tracker vs Chest Strap

So now you are probably wondering which one is the better option for you and why…

To help you the best way I can let’s see both their pros and cons so you can have a good understanding of their main differences and what is going to fit your needs the best.

In the end, they are both good and can do what you want in such a product but there are some things, you should know before we continue.

Let’s find them out…

Option 1: Smartwatch / Fitness Tracker

This is a multifunctional device you simply put on your wrist and you are done. It’s not specifically made to measure heart rate but it has a built-in sensor that is fairly accurate and does the job right. Even so the sensor is not as accurate as of the one you can find on the chest strap.

Using a fitness tracker is way more convenient and comfortable to wear than a chest strap and it usually offers a lot more useful features you can use daily. 

The battery usually lasts only a couple of days and you will have to recharge it via a USB cable which is included.

The price is relatively low for most brands making this type of monitor a good option to measure your heart rate for your p90x workouts.

Option 2: Chest Strap

It is proven that chest straps are usually more accurate than smartwatches.

I believe that is the case because this is a device specifically designed to do only one thing – to measure accurately your heart rate. 

You wear it right below your chest using a strap. As you can guess this product won’t win an award about convenience or comfortability but it does work.

A good thing about this type is that they are designed to be very compact and lightweight so you can hide them easily under your clothes. 

They don’t have other many features and I believe that’s the reason why they are less popular than the traditional fitness trackers.

A good side of that simplicity is the far longer battery life you get compared to the previous type.

One downside is that these types of products usually work with a replaceable coin battery you have to go and buy after the previous one stops working.

So which one is better?

I don’t believe there is a definitive winner because some people want to get the most accurate results while others are looking for big number of features, etc. 

Depending on your personal needs and wants pick the type you will benefit the most from for your P90X workouts.

That’s why I have included models from both types in my top 5 list above so you can get what you seek for.

Whatever one you pick make sure it offers everything you want and it’s going to help you get where you want to be.

2. Comfortable & Waterproof Design

No matter what type of product you choose – a chest strap or a wrist model make sure it is going to be comfortable to wear for a long period of time. 

You can easily find out how comfortable a certain product is just from reading some of the customer feedback you can find on the products page. 

For starters, you don’t want something that is going to slip, fall or move freely around your wrist or chest when you are working out.

And as the opposite, you don’t want the strap to be too tight so it stops your blood flow. In order to achieve that make sure to pick a model that has the right size for your wrist or chest.

You also don’t want the inner material to be rough and hard causing skin irritation or to become slippery right after it becomes a little wet.

Make sure the strap is skin-friendly, soft and preferably washable.

Finally make sure the whole device is sweatproof and waterproof from at least rain, sweat and snow.

If you are going to swim and dive wearing it check if it could hand such thing.

In the list above there are some models that can be used for both swimming and diving.

After you have found a product that matches all those things then and only then you should check out designs and color you like.

Many models come in a few different colors to choose from and from what I have seen all the designs are pleasant and well done. 

3. What other features does it offer?

Even if this is not really mandatory to have the more useful features you get except for the obvious heart rate monitor, the better.

Make sure they are things you are going to really use and need.

Some wrist trackers come with a ton of different features. 

We are talking about things like counting burned calories, save the daily distance you have run or walked, tracking your sleep duration, helping you decline phone calls, get a text or call alerts, can be used as an alarm clock and many more.

Different products come with different total number and type of features. Find out what is important for you and buy a product that can meet those demands.

Additionally, if you are looking to get the best offer for the money you are paying go for a model that offers the biggest number of features.

4. Does it connect to your smartphone?

I believe it’s important to know the device compatibility with different operating systems before you buy it because you don’t want to own an Android device and buy a heart rate monitor that can only connect with iOS right?

So before you open your wallet and pay make sure that the selected product is 100% compatible with your smartphone or device you are going to use with.

To make things easier for you I have followed this feature strictly and all products above have connectivity with both Android and iOS.

Connecting to your smartphone does come with its perks.

Firstly depending on the device and features it comes with you could be able to receive important text, calls or calendar notifications directly on your wrist. In some cases, you even have the ability to decline phone calls, control your camera and songs. 

That way you can easily receive notifications no matter what you are doing – exercising, walking around or doing something else, etc.

This is great option for people who don’t like to wear their phones while working out (I’m one of them).

With the help of the connection, you can also track your speed, number of steps, GPS location and much more.

Another benefit some devices come with is an app that you can download and install on your phone.

That way you can connect and sync both devices so you can have all important real-life data right on the screen of your phone. You can also, tracki it, save it, etc.

5. How long does the battery last?

If you don’t want to constantly watch the battery life and recharge it every day (like today’s most smartphones) go for a model that can last more than just a few days.

I don’t really recommend you go for anything below that because soon after that you are going to regret it…

Quick Note:

The longer time a battery can hold without the need to be charged, the better because it’s well known that rechargeable batteries do come with a lifespan and the more frequently you charge them the worsen the overall battery capacity gets.

The main reason why smartwatches do last shorter than chest straps is because of the greater number of features they have.

Usually, the more features a product uses at once the faster the battery is going to drain.

The display does also play a part in that. The bigger and brighter display is going to have a shorter battery life, etc.

If you are looking for convenience and don’t want to buy batteries go for a model that charges via USB cable and not a replaceable coin battery.

That way you are going to save time and a few extra bucks on buying batteries.

6. What is the overall size and how much does it weigh?

I know these details may sound something not really important to look at first glance but you are most likely going to regret skipping this feature once you have to do a lot of explosive movements.

Especially if you are wearing something bulky and heavy on your arm or on your chest.

When I workout I try to have the least amount of accessories I can. And wearing big and bulky devices can be very uncomfortable and annoying if I have to be honest. And to make things worse they can potentially distract you as well…

Having a smaller and lighter design is going to make sure your HR monitor stays in one place and doesn’t slide around with every movement you do.

That is going to be also very useful if you want to wear it beneath clothes.

That way you are going to make sure that the sensor does stay in contact with your skin all the time.

7. Is it worth the price?

This is the question you should ask yourself every time before you buy something.

With heart rate monitors the prices can vary a lot. 

They can start from around $40 and can go up to $300!

But is it really worth it to pay such a huge sum in order to get a decent product with helpful features and good quality? 

My honest answer is: No, it’s not!

From experience, I can easily tell you that you can find many great heart rate monitors under $100. Yes, they can cost 1/3 of the price of some models but they can do the same job as the overpriced versions or in some instances even better. 

So in order to be safe don’t buy cheaply made products below $40 that are not going to last long or overpay with products over $100. 

Aim for something in the middle that has everything you really need. Of course, make sure it fits your budget. 

All 5 picks from the list above have great reasonable prices so if you are looking for a great and useful heart rate monitor for P90X or just for something good with decent quality check them out.

8. How long and good is the warranty?

Having a good return policy, long warranty and good customer service is a crucial part of what every company should offer. 

Because you are buying an electronic device and that is the type of product that usually faces the biggest amount of problems you want to be backup up in case you have to face such problem.

Go only for products that offer at least 1-year warranty against electrical defects or workmanship issues.

Before you order a product see how long is the warranty, do they offer free replacements and refunds and how good is their customer service.

You can easily find all that information from reading what previous customers say...

Final Thoughts + Winner

As you have probably seen by know buying the best heart rate monitor for p90x is a really easy thing to do when you know what you should be searching for.

That’s why I highly recommend you to read the whole chapter above so you understand the 8 important features.  (if you haven’t!)

And trust me owning such a device can really be helpful in the long run because of the huge amount of benefits it can bring for your health and well being. And I’m not talking only about the training.

If you are looking for good products take a look at the 5 options above.

Even if they are not perfect (I don’t believe such a product exists) they are still the best of the best and have been chosen to be so by thousands of happy customers worldwide. 

If everything seems too overwhelming for you and you don’t know which product to buy I would recommend you go for our favorite – the Willful Fitness Tracker. 

It has everything you possibly need and fits all 8 criteria of my features list. The product is also very affordable and well made.

It’s a great simple device that could help you a lot. If you don’t believe me see for yourself what previous customers have to say. Use the link below.

Click Here to check the price and reviews on Amazon.

Side Note:

If you are really into P90X I would recommend you check out my other informative and useful articles. I have posts about P90X recovery drinks, adjustable dumbbells, resistance bands and much more. 

That’s all for this article. I hope it was useful and helped you make the right choice.

Thank you for the time it took you to read the entire thing from start to finish.

If you liked it and found it useful I would really appreciate some sort of feedback – a simple comment below or a share with your friends. It would mean a lot to me.

Again thanks and I hope to meet you again! More great things are coming ….

See you soon,

– Bozhidar