What's the best HRM that you've found/used?

oneallmama
oneallmama Posts: 108 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Im looking to buy one in the near future, but I'm unsure which company to purchase from...

Replies

  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Polar FT4 is what I have.
  • shellsy0424
    shellsy0424 Posts: 127 Member
    Polar FT4, had it for years and love it.
  • SwindonJogger
    SwindonJogger Posts: 325 Member
    Mio alpha. No more annoying chest strap.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    I'm a polar ft4 too ...but it's the only one I've ever used so I can't say whether it's the best

    But it does what it's supposed to with no hassle so I'm happy
  • Patti1023
    Patti1023 Posts: 78 Member
    Zephyr HxM. I like it because it works with my phone & Endomondo.
  • lemonychild
    lemonychild Posts: 654 Member
    how do HMR differ from fitbit? or is it essentially the same thing
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    lemonychild wrote: »
    how do HMR differ from fitbit? or is it essentially the same thing

    They have different purposes. Fitbit counts steps, heart rate monitor monitors how fast your heart is beating. It's especially helpful if you are training by heart zones, to know when to speed up or slow down.

    I use Polar ft4 too, it's a no fluff device, replaceable battery, very fast heart sync, and fairly cheap for such an accurate heart rate monitor.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited November 2014
    lemonychild wrote: »
    how do HMR differ from fitbit? or is it essentially the same thing

    I use both

    I wear my fitbit constantly ..have MFP set to sedentary..

    I swap to my HRM when I work out and then log the calories burned into MFP by the time of my workout ...this then synchs with fitbit and overwrites

    My fitbit overwrites my TDEE on MFP with actual activity so I get a more accurate calorie defecit ...early in the day if I have a lazy start it reduces my calories as my negative calories are enabled ..which is a good prompt to get my lazy-*kitten* moving

    I also I get from fitbit an average TDEE over different time frames so when I hit maintenance I can estimate what my maintenance calories will be and work up to the.
  • lemonychild
    lemonychild Posts: 654 Member
    the heart rate monitor, counts calories burned.. does fitbit use hmr to calculate calories?
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    lemonychild wrote: »
    the heart rate monitor, counts calories burned.. does fitbit use hmr to calculate calories?

    The new ones will by pulse point but I'm waiting till the rush to market slows down and there's a winner in that particular race with solid recommendations before investing in one
  • mrprytania
    mrprytania Posts: 17 Member
    If you want quick HR values I see a lot of people using free apps on their smartphones. You just press on the screen and it gives you a reading. Nifty and no new equipment. I would guess they are at least ok given the number of people using them.

    I use Polar. Most cardio equipment in the gym can pick up the Polar heart rate signal and so optimize your workout time when using certain programming. I use the Polar model RCX5. I like that unit because it gives more than average and maximum values. It records every few seconds your statistics and then graphs them with summary statistics. I have found that invaluable to make adjustments to my workouts as I get used to them.

    There are a few books and websites that discuss how to use HRMs to maximize your desired results (either fitness or weight loss). I kept ignoring the Polar computer's training advice thinking I knew better. But once I decided to follow it I really saw improvements in my fitness and it was much easier than my boneheaded notions of "muscling through" a workout.
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    I used to use a Polar4, but now I use a Jawbone Up wrist tracker, which measures output at the pulse point. It has different activities listed and exertion levels. You just have to be honest about how much energy (moderate, in the zone, difficult) you're exerting. I tend to underestimate for safety, but I notice that it's pretty close to what the hrm measured.
  • ChrisM8971
    ChrisM8971 Posts: 1,067 Member
    I bought a cheap (£12.99) chest strap HRM from Aldi and it seems to work fine for me. The set up is a little basic but was ok for what I wanted at the time.

    I have been thinking of upgrading and am considering the Suunto M5, very close in reviews to the polar but to me it just looks a little better if being worn all of the time as a watch
  • lemonychild
    lemonychild Posts: 654 Member
    i'm trying to see which one is better for me, hmr or fitbit?
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    edited November 2014
    oneallmama wrote: »
    Im looking to buy one in the near future, but I'm unsure which company to purchase from...

    Best for what? All the name brand ones will be equally accurate for measuring heart rate.

    A FitBit is not an HRM.
  • lemonychild
    lemonychild Posts: 654 Member
    i know Mr. knight, i want to deal with calorie burn --- aka calorie deficit, hmr helps to see (ultimately) calories burned during work out, [ among other things ] - the fitbit calculates calories burned, does it not?
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    lemonychild wrote: »
    i know Mr. knight, i want to deal with calorie burn --- aka calorie deficit, hmr helps to see (ultimately) calories burned during work out, [ among other things ] - the fitbit calculates calories burned, does it not?


    the new ones do - but I'm waiting to see how that pans out for the early adopters

    see my post up there - I use both at the moment for different reasons


  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    Patti1023 wrote: »
    Zephyr HxM. I like it because it works with my phone & Endomondo.

    Second this. I like that the Zephyr works with a bunch of different apps, and those apps can tell me my heart rate and zone in my earbuds so I don't have to take my eyes off what I'm doing and look at a watch. I take my phone to the gym or when running/walking anyway. The apps have more and better reporting and tracking than a watch, also.
  • pinkiezoom
    pinkiezoom Posts: 409 Member
    Polar T4 for me too. I love it :)
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    oneallmama wrote: »
    Im looking to buy one in the near future, but I'm unsure which company to purchase from...

    How do you anticipate using it, what sports do you do?

  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    edited November 2014
    lemonychild wrote: »
    i know Mr. knight, i want to deal with calorie burn --- aka calorie deficit, hmr helps to see (ultimately) calories burned during work out, [ among other things ] - the fitbit calculates calories burned, does it not?

    HRMs don't measure calorie burn. They measure heart rate and then guess - usually badly - at caloric burn. FitBits don't measure calorie burn, either, they do math to guess at it.

    There is no advantage over using the MFP database, because they're doing the same math.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    [HRMs don't measure calorie burn. They measure heart rate and then guess - usually badly - at caloric burn. FitBits don't measure calorie burn, either, they do math to guess at it.

    There is no advantage over using the MFP database, because they're doing the same math.

    Some HRMs, such as the Suunto and Garmin models that use Firstbeat's algorithm, appear to be a lot more accurate than MFP's database, which is based on the MET expenditures in the Compendium of Physical Activities. I have found that my Garmin Edge 800, which combines heart rate data with not only weight, height, and age, but also conditioning level, bicycle speed, and terrain grade, produces a much more accurate estimate of calories burned than MFP's database. (It's also much lower.) I judge accuracy based on the correlation of estimated calories expended and my weight loss records over the last 22 months.

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