Opinions on HR Monitors please!

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SoxyKitten
SoxyKitten Posts: 80 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
It's my birthday soon (40th) & my work mates want to club together & get me something decent. I've never had a HR monitor before. In fact I don't even know if I'm calling it the right thing. But, I want something to measure calories burnt, distance covered, time etc for when I'm out hillwalking, biking & running. I also strength train with weights in the gym but unsure if there's anything suitable for measuring calories burnt in that situation. Any help or recommendations would be much appreciated!
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  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    A HR monitor is useless for strength training. They're only for workouts with an elevated heart rate. I bought one when I was a beginner and thought I needed all the cool gadgets. I haven't used it in years. I am not a cardio bunny and I don't feel they're very useful for anything other than knowing your heart rate. If you do decide its for you however - the polar brand is very good.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    If you ant to be able to measure distances etc you're looking at a GPS watch. I've been a big fan of the Garmin Forerunner series (they make models in a very wide range of prices) for years. (most have built in HRM so you can get distances, pace, heart rate, calories expended and if you're a real data junkie you can get a foot pod for cadence etc)

    HRMs are useful for steady state cardio only when it comes to estimating calories expended (you can certainly use one to track your heart rate during strength which may be an interesting metric)
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
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    What kind of phone do you have? I'm assuming a smart phone.. then I would suggest a Polar H7. It's a chest strap, so it's more accurate (imho) than a wrist device, and it works with both exercise equipment and bluetooth on phones. Pair it with their app or any other app that supports bluetooth HR monitors and you're good to go. However, the above responses are right, it really does no good for weight training unless you're doing something like cross fit, or doing very little rest between sets. Even then unless you get your HR above 100 and keep it there the HR monitor is somewhat useless for that sort of burn. However, I use mine for walking/jogging/cross training/etc. paired with my favorite apps that also sync with MFP. Works quite well.

    I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of wrist-mounted HR devices such as fitbit, or even some of the trackers they have out now that look like a smart watch. I've tried blood pressure and HR monitors over the years that were wrist mounted and found them all to be inaccurate, and were highly susceptible to the position of your arm. My iPhone and a H7 have been the best combo I could ask for over the last 1.5 years.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
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    I find
    BrianSharpe wrote: »
    If you ant to be able to measure distances etc you're looking at a GPS watch. I've been a big fan of the Garmin Forerunner series (they make models in a very wide range of prices) for years. (most have built in HRM so you can get distances, pace, heart rate, calories expended and if you're a real data junkie you can get a foot pod for cadence etc)

    I find a Garmin Fenix 3 GPS watch. Love it. Knowing my HR is useful when I run, it's a better way for me to pace myself than knowing my actual pace. I like not having to fumble with my phone when I run and ride.

    I'm not very happy with Garmin's wrist-based HRM though.
  • SoxyKitten
    SoxyKitten Posts: 80 Member
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    Thanks for the replies. I did suspect that weight training would be hard to record. So primarily it would be for running & cycling. Garmin is the one I've heard spoken about the most.
  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
    edited September 2016
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    Another vote for Garmin. I currently have the Vivoactive HR. Been happy with their customer service also regarding other devices I've owned from them.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited September 2016
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    Yes, I'm in the club of buying one as a noob to running. It's good for training, but unnecessary for calories if you have a smartphone(runtastic app) or can do simple math with the equation for calorie burn.. Both will give you the same read out and cost nothing.

    That being said polar is decent though I know many people have compained of odd readings after changing the battery out.
  • SoxyKitten
    SoxyKitten Posts: 80 Member
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    What's the difference between Vivoactive & Vivoactive HR?
  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
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    SoxyKitten wrote: »
    What's the difference between Vivoactive & Vivoactive HR?

    I had the non HR one for about a week. Besides not being a fan of how it looked or felt. The non HR I had to wear the chest strap. The HR model is on the wrist although you can wear the strap as an option. I would check out the reviews on http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2016/05/garmin-vivoactivehr-review.html and compare. I'm still familiarizing myself with the features. There's about $100 price difference also.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    edited September 2016
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    i have the garmin forerunner 230 (i don't use optical heart rate, only straps). my boyfriend has the fenix 3 hr.

    I cannot possibly recommend these enough. if you want a review:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiFcQnEhBXY

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGUhsao9mPA

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7e26MK1Q8E
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    SoxyKitten wrote: »
    Thanks for the replies. I did suspect that weight training would be hard to record. So primarily it would be for running & cycling. Garmin is the one I've heard spoken about the most.

    If you want multi-sport functionality you can probably find some great deals on the 910XT as it's been discontinued
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    I find
    BrianSharpe wrote: »
    If you ant to be able to measure distances etc you're looking at a GPS watch. I've been a big fan of the Garmin Forerunner series (they make models in a very wide range of prices) for years. (most have built in HRM so you can get distances, pace, heart rate, calories expended and if you're a real data junkie you can get a foot pod for cadence etc)

    I find a Garmin Fenix 3 GPS watch. Love it. Knowing my HR is useful when I run, it's a better way for me to pace myself than knowing my actual pace. .

    A Fenix may be in my future when my 910 eventually dies.......

  • SoxyKitten
    SoxyKitten Posts: 80 Member
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    Many thanks guys. Much appreciated.
  • curlsintherack
    curlsintherack Posts: 465 Member
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    I use the polar m400 watch with the h7 chest strap paired for heart rate. I use it to calculate heart rate during lifting. Its not perfect but its a better guess at energy expended than a paper formula. for running its great.
  • curlsintherack
    curlsintherack Posts: 465 Member
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    I would have gone garmin but the appeal of a bluetooth heart rate monitor steered me to the polar unit instead.
  • simplymonicav
    simplymonicav Posts: 14 Member
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    I have a polar and I love it
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
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    lsutton484 wrote: »
    I would have gone garmin but the appeal of a bluetooth heart rate monitor steered me to the polar unit instead.

    FYI there are HRMs (Wahoo's, the Mio ones, and others) that transmit over Bluetooth and ANT+ at the same time.
  • scorpio516
    scorpio516 Posts: 955 Member
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    BrianSharpe wrote: »
    A Fenix may be in my future when my 910 eventually dies.......

    If you like the multisport features of the 910, look at the 735 too. If you just want to run or bike or swim but not all together, or want a bigger battery, the Fenix is a good idea ;)
  • bocedos2
    bocedos2 Posts: 13 Member
    edited September 2016
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    I was looking for a good heart rate monitor and went to best buy and the lady had told me to go with the samsung gear fit2. I was looking forsomething g that would track my heart rate and keep an accurate count of calories burned. As an andriod user this was so inaccurate. It would tell me i burned 300+ calories as soon as I woke up and had told me that I've walked 10 flights of steps at work when we have no steps. I returned it and for the polar m400. Best thing ever. so accurate and so comfortable. The dash board on the phone is so easy to use and understand. Polar all the way!
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    Spliner1969 wrote: »
    What kind of phone do you have? I'm assuming a smart phone.. then I would suggest a Polar H7. It's a chest strap, so it's more accurate (imho) than a wrist device, and it works with both exercise equipment and bluetooth on phones. Pair it with their app or any other app that supports bluetooth HR monitors and you're good to go. However, the above responses are right, it really does no good for weight training unless you're doing something like cross fit, or doing very little rest between sets. Even then unless you get your HR above 100 and keep it there the HR monitor is somewhat useless for that sort of burn. However, I use mine for walking/jogging/cross training/etc. paired with my favorite apps that also sync with MFP. Works quite well.

    I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of wrist-mounted HR devices such as fitbit, or even some of the trackers they have out now that look like a smart watch. I've tried blood pressure and HR monitors over the years that were wrist mounted and found them all to be inaccurate, and were highly susceptible to the position of your arm. My iPhone and a H7 have been the best combo I could ask for over the last 1.5 years.

    the only thing about the polar is it only measures heart rate. it doesnt measure distance and what not. the app might though.an HR monitor is only good for steady state cardio such as swimming,running,biking,etc cross fit I dont know if thats considered steady state cardio or not
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    bocedos2 wrote: »
    I was looking for a good heart rate monitor and went to best buy and the lady had told me to go with the samsung gear fit2. I was looking forsomething g that would track my heart rate and keep an accurate count of calories burned. As an andriod user this was so inaccurate. It would tell me i burned 300+ calories as soon as I woke up and had told me that I've walked 10 flights of steps at work when we have no steps. I returned it and for the polar m400. Best thing ever. so accurate and so comfortable. The dash board on the phone is so easy to use and understand. Polar all the way!

    could it have been like the fitbit HR ones where the calories burned while inactive(BMR) is included? which is probably why it showed you burned calories? and if its like the fitbit it will show you steps but it actually has to do with elevation more than steps

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