Review on 🔴 Optical Heart Rate Monitor Armband Replacement Strap for Scosche Rhythm+ by Randy Gunnmann

I bought this strap to replace the original strap that came with my Scosche heart rate monitor. The layer of fabric on the strap that stuck to the original (about 2 years old) on the velcro is peeling off, no longer holding the monitor securely on my arm. The heart rate monitor and strap were used frequently (running or cycling 5 or more days per week) during these two years and the strap was hand washed after each use. Overall I think this is a reasonable lifespan for a fabric product given this level of use. If my new belt lasts that long, I'll be happy. The new bracelet arrived on time and well packaged. I ordered yellow because I like to be as visible as possible when riding or running. It actually comes with two straps, one presumably for larger hands and the other for smaller hands (or at least I think the sizes are based on that). I've used the strap once so far and it did the job of keeping the heart rate monitor securely on my upper right bicep during a 90 minute bike ride. But I have two concerns/questions (one of which was also related to my original strap). The first is purely cosmetic and doesn't really bother me, but doesn't seem to make any sense. If you want to make a strap in a light color (or any other color), why design it so that the color is on the inside of the strap where it's not visible? The only visible part of the paint is the Velcro straps that wrap around the monitor and attach from the outside. Second question/question: why are the straps so short and not made of a more flexible fabric? No one will ever accuse me of having big biceps, but even with the big strap, there aren't enough extra straps (in my opinion) to provide the best Velcro possible. When the strap and velcro are new they are pretty secure but over time as the velcro lost some of its "stickiness" I opened it up and one day it actually fell off my hand while running. It's not that much of a problem when cycling since I wear the monitor under my jersey sleeve. But even then, during the ride, the old strap came off and I lost track of my heart rate (very annoying). Ideally, I think the large strap should be made an inch or two longer with a slightly more flexible fabric. In most cases, when my arm was flexed, the strap would come loose, resulting in a slight enlargement of the biceps, causing the velcro to separate from the strap. The strap should be snug (but not too tight) to ensure a good connection to heart rate, but if you then flex your biceps (like you do when you reach into a back pocket of a jersey) there's a chance it will one of the Velcro straps comes loose, especially if the strap has already been used. Don't get me wrong, overall I'm happy with my Scosche monitor and when it finally dies I'll probably buy another one. The velcro loosening is annoying but doesn't happen often, and I've learned to take extra care to ensure the velcros are snug against the fabric when tightening (but a longer, more flexible strap will solve this problem). For me, the Scosche heart rate monitor is more comfortable, especially on long journeys, and doesn't irritate my skin like my chest strap heart rate monitor. So I recommend this strap (and heart rate monitor), but its use requires knowledge of its limitations and special care when putting it on to reduce the chances of it coming loose. I purchased this product myself and have not received or been promised anything from Revain or the seller in exchange for this review.