Waterproof, affordable heart rate monitor?

missbossypants
missbossypants Posts: 42 Member
edited February 2016 in Fitness and Exercise
I currently have a fitbit flex, which is neither waterproof, nor does it have a HRM, but I like it for day-to-day. I'd also like to be able to strap on some sort of HRM, either wrist or chest strap, not sure, to track my water boot camp sessions, and maybe use it for "dry" activities as well. Is there one that is reliable, affordable, and has an app that gets along with MFP? I am an android phone user, if that makes a difference as well.
Thanks for your input!

Replies

  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    garmins are generally waterproof
    i like my vivosmart, they also have a vivofit.
  • scorpio516
    scorpio516 Posts: 955 Member
    Water as in submerged? That's a problem. The transmission protocols measure their transmission distance under water in millimeters... So, that leaves you with a couple options: a wrist based optical hrm, which have poor accuracy when you are exercising; a swimming hrm ($$$), or Garmin makes a hr strap that saves your hr and transmits it when your out of the water. Problem with that one is that it only works with their most expensive watches...
  • shinycrazy
    shinycrazy Posts: 1,081 Member
    Garmins vivofit 2 has and optional heart rate monitor to go with the wrist tracker. I'm currently researching and considering getting one for myself and my husband. Best buy has a bundle for the tracker and hrm for $130.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    Finis is developing a swim HRM ... still not released. The Wahoo Tickr X stores HR data then uploads it later which works for in water use. Neither Bluetooth nor ANT+ protocols transmit effectively through water.
  • sheermomentum
    sheermomentum Posts: 827 Member
    edited February 2016
    Polar H7 chest strap paired with A300 wrist watch. Not cheap. About $150 altogether. Polar A360 is the only device that I know of that claims to have a wrist-based heart rate in water- or at least where the company pushes it as a device for swimming with an optical HRM. $200. I actually have the A360 and so far it seems to read my heart rate about 1 to 3 beats off from the H7 chest strap, which I would say does not suck out loud for a wrist device. But be aware the Polar products only sync with MFP via an iPhone.
  • Pocket__Cthulhu
    Pocket__Cthulhu Posts: 134 Member
    I have a Garmin forerunner 235, and It's water resistant to 50 meters, but it was not cheap. However, the slightly older Forerunner 220 has most of the same features and is steeply discounted because it's last year's model...if you can find one. Shop around! CleverTraining.com has some good sales on activity trackers now and then and their customer support cannot be beat.

    I think if you're looking for something that is going to be accurate and play nice with MFP, you can't go wrong with a Garmin device. They have a wide range of devices at good prices. I saved up for mine and use the price tag as a reminder to use all the fancy features as often as I can. Sometimes, it is worth it to spend an extra 50-100$ on yourself to make sure you get the -right- device that will help.

    I had a fitbit for a long time and I liked it, but the mileage wasn't accurate and it would consistently fall off my wrist. I ended up losing it at work when it fell off and I failed to notice. I was trying to save myself money by telling myself I could live without the features I really wanted (because I don't make a lot and live in a high-cost of living area.) If you do the research and find the perfect device with the right features...it might be worth waiting and saving to get it.

    Right now I'm training to pass a police exam. Running has always been a real struggle for me and I can't tell you how much easier it is to gauge my progress with a GPS that's accurate versus a step counter that's just 'close enough.' The extra 100 dollars I paid over my second choice isn't something I regret, ever...just that I had to wait about 4 more extra months to buy it.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    Pocket__Cthulhu wrote: »
    I have a Garmin forerunner 235, and It's water resistant to 50 meters, but it was not cheap. However, the slightly older Forerunner 220 has most of the same features and is steeply discounted because it's last year's model...if you can find one. Shop around! CleverTraining.com has some good sales on activity trackers now and then and their customer support cannot be beat.

    I think if you're looking for something that is going to be accurate and play nice with MFP, you can't go wrong with a Garmin device. They have a wide range of devices at good prices. I saved up for mine and use the price tag as a reminder to use all the fancy features as often as I can. Sometimes, it is worth it to spend an extra 50-100$ on yourself to make sure you get the -right- device that will help.

    I had a fitbit for a long time and I liked it, but the mileage wasn't accurate and it would consistently fall off my wrist. I ended up losing it at work when it fell off and I failed to notice. I was trying to save myself money by telling myself I could live without the features I really wanted (because I don't make a lot and live in a high-cost of living area.) If you do the research and find the perfect device with the right features...it might be worth waiting and saving to get it.

    Right now I'm training to pass a police exam. Running has always been a real struggle for me and I can't tell you how much easier it is to gauge my progress with a GPS that's accurate versus a step counter that's just 'close enough.' The extra 100 dollars I paid over my second choice isn't something I regret, ever...just that I had to wait about 4 more extra months to buy it.

    Water resistant and accurately reading and recording HR data under water are separate things.
  • ZeroDelta
    ZeroDelta Posts: 242 Member
    missbossypants wrote: »
    I currently have a fitbit flex, which is neither waterproof, nor does it have a HRM, but I like it for day-to-day. I'd also like to be able to strap on some sort of HRM, either wrist or chest strap, not sure, to track my water boot camp sessions, and maybe use it for "dry" activities as well. Is there one that is reliable, affordable, and has an app that gets along with MFP? I am an android phone user, if that makes a difference as well.
    Thanks for your input!

    I have a Polar H7. It cost ~$55. It talks to all of the LifeFitness treadmills at Planet Fitness. It works for me. :smiley:
  • granturismo
    granturismo Posts: 232 Member
    Mio wrist HRMs are water resistant to 30m. Cheapest is about 99USD. Mine links to endomondo and then to MFP.
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
    Mio Fuse. I found mine on sale for $99. Very accurate heart rate monitor, and waterproof to 30 meters.
  • sheermomentum
    sheermomentum Posts: 827 Member
    ZeroDelta wrote: »
    missbossypants wrote: »
    I currently have a fitbit flex, which is neither waterproof, nor does it have a HRM, but I like it for day-to-day. I'd also like to be able to strap on some sort of HRM, either wrist or chest strap, not sure, to track my water boot camp sessions, and maybe use it for "dry" activities as well. Is there one that is reliable, affordable, and has an app that gets along with MFP? I am an android phone user, if that makes a difference as well.
    Thanks for your input!

    I have a Polar H7. It cost ~$55. It talks to all of the LifeFitness treadmills at Planet Fitness. It works for me. :smiley:

    The H7 on the chest strap is waterproof BUT it needs to "talk" to something in order to be useful. That could be an app on a phone or many of the machines at gyms, but since the OP wants to use it in the water, she'd need another Polar device to wear with it in the pool in order to see the data the chest strap is recording.

    I had read some reviews that said that the MIO devices weren't very accurate in the water. They are waterproof, but I'm not sure if they are good for reading heart rate under water. Maybe that's old info. I dunno. Worth researching more if you have a particular desire to get heart rate in water. I like to track my heart rate but I do take it with about a dozen grains of salt when it comes to using heart rate to compute calorie burn.
  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
    Polar FT40. The 40W is for women.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    ONCE AGAIN, NEITHER BLUETOOTH NOR ANT+ TRANSMIT THROUGH WATER.
  • greghenley1
    greghenley1 Posts: 90 Member
    brianpperkins wrote: »
    ONCE AGAIN, NEITHER BLUETOOTH NOR ANT+ TRANSMIT THROUGH WATER.

    You are correct sir. However, Polar's gym link protocol does and it is used on the H7 and either A300 or V800. Also, Suunto's Smart Belt HRM records heart rate data while in the water and then transfers via Bluetooth to the Ambit3 or Ambit3 S later.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    gsh0824 wrote: »
    brianpperkins wrote: »
    ONCE AGAIN, NEITHER BLUETOOTH NOR ANT+ TRANSMIT THROUGH WATER.

    You are correct sir. However, Polar's gym link protocol does and it is used on the H7 and either A300 or V800. Also, Suunto's Smart Belt HRM records heart rate data while in the water and then transfers via Bluetooth to the Ambit3 or Ambit3 S later.

    Now look back at how many H7 to a phone, ANT+ systems, or devices that aren't designed for submerged activities were recommended.

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