Heart Rate Monitors and Fitbits (recommendations?)

wyhone

Hi Everybody,

I'd like to invest in a device I can wear that will give me a more accurate representation of my calorie expenditures and heart rate for cardio but there are so many of them out there. I know a lot of people have fit bits but I've seen a lot of other brands as well that do seem to do all kinds of different things. Can anyone recommend something that I can wear that is fairly easy to understand and operate that will allow me to better track this kind of information? I'm on a bit of a budget so something that isn't crazy expensive or super complicated to use would be great. I'm not a super techy person either so it can't be too hard to use or understand. I'd like to stay under $200 but that's my max so if I can find a good one for less then so much the better.

stanmann571

Wahoo chest strap
Garmin Vivoactive

tahxirez

I have a fitbit blaze and before that I had a flex. Both worked great and I lost about 50# with their help. I've heard great things about Garmin products as well. When this one goes I'll shop more but I do not agree with those who hate on Fitbit. The only thing with fitbit is the bands on the charge and charge HR are terrible and split open pretty quickly (my bf has had both.) I'd recommend the blaze though for sure and they have a new flex out.

subcounter

I find fitbit charge 2 to be not too accurate to be honest compared to my scosche rhythm+. fitbit is nice to track your steps, and HR during the day but with heavy workouts that involve a lot of sweat, I would recommend scosche. So I guess you could combine those two?

stanmann571

subcounter wrote: »

I find fitbit charge 2 to be not too accurate to be honest compared to my scosche rhythm+. fitbit is nice to track your steps, and HR during the day but with heavy workouts that involve a lot of sweat, I would recommend scosche. So I guess you could combine those two?

My wife uses a Scosche and is relatively happy with it. I guess it's differently uncomfortable than a chest strap.

Tacklewasher

I like my VivoActive HR, but it's a bit more than $200. Looks to be $250 US. I use it with a Polar chest strap. They don't talk to each other though, the Wahhoo noted above does. But I find there is little difference between the calorie burn reported by both so don't really need the Polar except to watch my HR in real time.

stanmann571

If you have a target nearby, they're clearancing Last years Misfit, Garmin, and Jawbone lines. I picked up a spare misfit shine(speedo) for $25 and 2 Garmin Vivoactive for under 100. I also got Jawbone 3s for the whole family... parents/inlaws at $25 ish.

wyhone

Thanks so much for all the recommendations. I appreciate having some good starting points to research from :-)

jenjam27

I have a Mio Alpha Heart Rate monitor...I love it, tracks my heart rate and calories burned and saves my workouts on an app on my phone. I have used different Polar models but didn't like wearing a chest strap, it would often shift and no longer log my heart rate. The Mio is just a watch has to be worn pretty snug but it really has helped me achieve my goals. The Mio is also about $200.00 but I found it to be the most accurate

KatieJane83

I love my Garmin Vivoactive non-HR. I wear it all the time, and then pair it with a Garmin heart rate chest strap only when doing purposeful exercise (running, zumba, etc).

rainbowbow

i love my garmin forerunner 235.

Emily3907

I only use an activity monitor when I am working out. I use the Polar FT7, so does my husband. We both love ours and feel that it is accurate. It does require a chest strap, but I have never had any issues with shifting or losing the heart rate.

NorthCascades

wyhone wrote: »

Hi Everybody,

I'd like to invest in a device I can wear that will give me a more accurate representation of my calorie expenditures and heart rate for cardio but there are so many of them out there. I know a lot of people have fit bits but I've seen a lot of other brands as well that do seem to do all kinds of different things. Can anyone recommend something that I can wear that is fairly easy to understand and operate that will allow me to better track this kind of information? I'm on a bit of a budget so something that isn't crazy expensive or super complicated to use would be great. I'm not a super techy person either so it can't be too hard to use or understand. I'd like to stay under $200 but that's my max so if I can find a good one for less then so much the better.

What do you do for cardio?

ms_smartypants

I got my garmin vivosmart HR on amazon for 100.00 I absolutely love it

SezxyStef

unless you are consistently doing steady state cardio a HRM is of no use.

I currently wear a Jawbone (think they are going out of business tho) and I won a Fitbit (one) and wearing that to see if I like fitbit...I find they are both fairly decent for my work outs which include lifting, running, walking, sports etc.

It all depends on what you want it for really...

stanmann571

SezxyStef wrote: »

unless you are consistently doing steady state cardio a HRM is of no use.

I currently wear a Jawbone (think they are going out of business tho) and I won a Fitbit (one) and wearing that to see if I like fitbit...I find they are both fairly decent for my work outs which include lifting, running, walking, sports etc.

It all depends on what you want it for really...

Actually, knowing your RHR has a number of benefits. and an always on HRM will help you get a good approximation of your RHR.

SezxyStef

stanmann571 wrote: »

SezxyStef wrote: »

unless you are consistently doing steady state cardio a HRM is of no use.

I currently wear a Jawbone (think they are going out of business tho) and I won a Fitbit (one) and wearing that to see if I like fitbit...I find they are both fairly decent for my work outs which include lifting, running, walking, sports etc.

It all depends on what you want it for really...

Actually, knowing your RHR has a number of benefits. and an always on HRM will help you get a good approximation of your RHR.

if you think a HRM in a bracelet is accurate...well..I have some land to sell you.

stanmann571

SezxyStef wrote: »

stanmann571 wrote: »

SezxyStef wrote: »

unless you are consistently doing steady state cardio a HRM is of no use.

I currently wear a Jawbone (think they are going out of business tho) and I won a Fitbit (one) and wearing that to see if I like fitbit...I find they are both fairly decent for my work outs which include lifting, running, walking, sports etc.

It all depends on what you want it for really...

Actually, knowing your RHR has a number of benefits. and an always on HRM will help you get a good approximation of your RHR.

if you think a HRM in a bracelet is accurate...well..I have some land to sell you.

It's quite accurate.. At Rest.

There's plenty of references from folks who've run them against chest straps for an extended period of time.

You can't do motocross on a moped and you can't track vigorous exercise with a wrist hrm. Tools have specific uses. When you try to drag them out of their envelope they fall. It doesn't make them useless

Try again

Grammytryingtogetfit

I love my Garmin Vivoactive HR. I have even gotten into some challenges with other Garmin users.

Runwithit24

I have the Fitbit cardio charge 2. I love it! $130 on Amazon and very easy to use.

Christine_72

If you want something simple and easy to decipher, I'd go with a Fitbit. I have the fitbit Alta, it does not have a HR monitor which would be pretty useless for me as the majority of my exercise is walking.

getupforchange

I used to have a couple of different Jawbone bracelets and I loved them for tracking steps but would never use them to track actual workouts as all it does is measure time spent doing something really and an estimate when it comes to the burn. For real workouts I use a Polar HRM with chest strap and I never have any problems with it shifting or not picking up my heart rate.

NorthCascades

stanmann571 wrote: »

SezxyStef wrote: »

stanmann571 wrote: »

SezxyStef wrote: »

unless you are consistently doing steady state cardio a HRM is of no use.

I currently wear a Jawbone (think they are going out of business tho) and I won a Fitbit (one) and wearing that to see if I like fitbit...I find they are both fairly decent for my work outs which include lifting, running, walking, sports etc.

It all depends on what you want it for really...

Actually, knowing your RHR has a number of benefits. and an always on HRM will help you get a good approximation of your RHR.

if you think a HRM in a bracelet is accurate...well..I have some land to sell you.

It's quite accurate.. At Rest.

There's plenty of references from folks who've run them against chest straps for an extended period of time.

I have a Garmin Fenix 3 HR. The wrist/optical monitor is closer to a roll of the dice than it is to my chest strap.

SezxyStef

stanmann571 wrote: »

SezxyStef wrote: »

stanmann571 wrote: »

SezxyStef wrote: »

unless you are consistently doing steady state cardio a HRM is of no use.

I currently wear a Jawbone (think they are going out of business tho) and I won a Fitbit (one) and wearing that to see if I like fitbit...I find they are both fairly decent for my work outs which include lifting, running, walking, sports etc.

It all depends on what you want it for really...

Actually, knowing your RHR has a number of benefits. and an always on HRM will help you get a good approximation of your RHR.

if you think a HRM in a bracelet is accurate...well..I have some land to sell you.

It's quite accurate.. At Rest.

There's plenty of references from folks who've run them against chest straps for an extended period of time.

You can't do motocross on a moped and you can't track vigorous exercise with a wrist hrm. Tools have specific uses. When you try to drag them out of their envelope they fall. It doesn't make them useless

Try again

I never once said it was useless...I said unless you are doing steady state cardio it's of no use...RHR can be found easier and more accurate by the "old fashioned way" as you cannot guarantee the HRM on a wrist strap is touching the points it needs to the entire time...

NorthCascades wrote: »

stanmann571 wrote: »

SezxyStef wrote: »

stanmann571 wrote: »

SezxyStef wrote: »

unless you are consistently doing steady state cardio a HRM is of no use.

I currently wear a Jawbone (think they are going out of business tho) and I won a Fitbit (one) and wearing that to see if I like fitbit...I find they are both fairly decent for my work outs which include lifting, running, walking, sports etc.

It all depends on what you want it for really...

Actually, knowing your RHR has a number of benefits. and an always on HRM will help you get a good approximation of your RHR.

if you think a HRM in a bracelet is accurate...well..I have some land to sell you.

It's quite accurate.. At Rest.

There's plenty of references from folks who've run them against chest straps for an extended period of time.

I have a Garmin Fenix 3 HR. The wrist/optical monitor is closer to a roll of the dice than it is to my chest strap.

then there is this...

Try again...

PS I am not arguing against them they have their uses to track things like trends maybe...but I wouldn't buy an activity tracker that has a Wrist HRM and expect it to be accurate...it even says on the package it's not medical grade and Fitbit got sued (didn't lose) due to their poor readings...

sort of like those body fat scales...really of no use...but people keep buying them.

gdsmit1

I have a Garmin VivoSmart HR+ I really like it. I was mainly looking at Garmin since I already had a lot of data in the Garmin ecosystem.

tinkerbellang83

I just researched a load of these, I've gone with the Garmin Vivoactive HR, it tipped to the top of the pile over the fit bit for being waterproof and under £200.

Tacklewasher

I run on the treadmill with my VivoActive and a Polar HRM. They don't talk to each other. The calorie burn difference in minimal, maybe 10 cals on 300 (the VAHR is more). So I ignore the Polar results and just use the VAHR linked to MFP. I use the Polar to be able to see my HR live, as I don't know how to do that with the VAHR and have it displayed on my tablet.

jamierobinson12

The charge hr from fitbit is their best selling product of all time. It's a simple, no nonsense fitness tracker that's really user friendly. As with all bands if you're weightlifting they won't accurately track your HR and you'll need a heart strap but for cardio this a very inexpensive and popular tracker.

hlektra28

I have fitbit charge 2 I have find it very inaccurate In 24hours tracking ( I mean it counts almost every hand movement as a step ex. doing desk job....) but I find it easy to use and it tracks sleep.

ashleighs148

I have a polar ft60, got it for around £50 on ebay last year. There's a lot more newer models out now but it does the job. I love the chest strap, the bikes in spin class and the machines in the gym pick up on it and display your actual HR and I find the calorie count to be quite accurate from session to session. Personally I didn't want something like the fitbit that you wear constantly as I feel they're a bit of an eye-sore and I read so many reviews saying how inaccurate they are, I wanted something that you put on when you're exercising and click start and had a chest strap. But there's positives and negatives to them all, it just depends on what sort of exercise you do and what you want it to track.

flatlndr

I have a Fitbit HR, and after using it for a while, I stopped using the HR function. I found it inaccurate, and it drained the battery quickly (have to charge every other day with HR active, once a week with it off).

When I want accuracy, I've gone back to my Polar H7 chest strap, which I have linked to my phone via an app from Polar. Very happy with that. I've seen it for about £45 in the UK, $80 in the US, and you can probably get a better price if you shop around.