I’ve had a heart rate strap strapped across my chest for as long as I can remember. Back in high school, when everyone else was just going off “feel,” I was the guy checking the numbers. Watches, rings, all those gadgets? Cool, but honestly, they’ve never stacked up to the accuracy of a chest strap. That’s always been my go-to, because when you’re serious about training, the data matters.
For most of my adult life, I stuck with Garmin. I’ll give credit where it’s due — those things worked. My first one lasted me years, until I finally wore it out. Got another, same story: solid performance, until it gave up after enough miles, sweat, and the kind of abuse that comes from a guy who doesn’t exactly baby his gear. I’d still recommend Garmin to anyone. But eventually, my last one broke down, and this time around, my wallet was feeling a little too light for comfort.
So I took a chance on something new: the COOSPO H9Z Heart Rate Monitor. I’ll be honest, when I first saw the price, I was skeptical. Cheap usually means “cheap” in all the wrong ways. But the reviews looked solid, and I needed something fast. I figured if it gave me even half the performance of my old strap, it’d buy me some time until I could spring for another Garmin.
Turns out, it didn’t just hold its own — it actually impressed me.
When It Proved Itself
The first week I strapped it on, I went into a heavy workout block: cardio, weights, a mix of everything. I tracked it through my fitness apps, and the numbers were right where they should’ve been — no weird spikes, no dropouts mid-set. But the real test came during one of those gritty outdoor sessions where I ended up slipping, catching myself, and basically putting the strap through some punishment. Normally, that’s the kind of abuse that starts messing with the readings.
The COOSPO H9Z? Didn’t flinch. Heart rate stayed locked in. The Bluetooth 5.0 connection synced perfectly with my phone, and when I pulled up my calorie burn data afterward, it was exactly the kind of detail I rely on to track progress. That was the moment I realized this wasn’t just a “budget backup” — it was the real deal.
One Thing to Be Aware Of
Compared to my old Garmin, I did notice one little quirk: once my heart rate creeps past about 150 bpm and into the higher zones (160–190), the COOSPO sometimes lags a bit. It’s not that it flat-out fails — short bursts like sprint intervals usually track fine — but if I spike way up and drop back down in just a couple of seconds, the readings can stumble. For me, it’s not a dealbreaker because I rarely train that high outside of interval work, and for steady sessions or calorie tracking, it’s spot-on. Still, worth knowing if you’re living in those red zones every workout.
Final Thoughts
I didn’t expect to like this strap as much as I do. For the price, the performance is honestly impressive — accurate tracking across normal training ranges, rechargeable battery, and a solid build that stands up to tough sessions. If you’ve been in the same spot I was — burned out on replacing expensive straps but still needing accurate, reliable data — this thing is absolutely worth a look.
👉 Check out the COOSPO H9Z Heart Rate Monitor here.
It might just surprise you the same way it surprised me.