HRMs and pedometers - advice please

tatasmagik

I know this has been done a million times already, but after searching the forums, I'm still not entirely clear on what it is I want and thus, should ask for my birthday!

Currently, my workouts consist of SL5x5 3x/week as well as daily walking at the park or gym treadmill. When I bring my BF% down, I hope to get more involved in cardio, perhaps running. For these activities, I would like a HRM. My requirements are that it's capable of continuous tracking (no long delays when heart rate changes), easy to read and operate, and ideally, records my activity so that I can review it post-workout. Programming target zones and waterproof in a backyard swimming pools are good features I'd like, but not necessary. GPS is completely unnecessary; I'm generally familiar with the distance I travel at the park and obviously, on the treadmill!

I find the pedometer bracelets very appealing because I rarely wear shoes or pockets, especially during the summer months, and I hate clipping my current one to the waistline of my pants (if I even remember to put it on). Sleep tracking is a bonus, but not completely necessary. I do want a pedometer that measures stairs taken as steps, too. Bracelets are not absolutely required as long as there is an alternative I can live with (not going into a pocket!).

Can someone please advise a totally fitness-tech challenged rookie? Thanks much!

tatasmagik

Bump

tatasmagik

Bueller?

__Di__

The Polar FT4 does all those things you requested, it does not have GPS though, but as you said that wasn't necessary all is good :happy:

It is easy to set up and I mean, really simple. When the batteries run out you can take the HRM to a jeweller to get them replaced instead of having to send it back to the manufacturer.

The HRM will store the last ten training sessions, the chest-strap can hardly be felt when wearing it, if felt at all!

It is a great piece of kit, I bought mine off Amazon, at the time it was £53.

It is waterproof, however, I have never used it in water myself.

GregJourney

I also just the polar FT4. I have been very happy with it.

jaz050465

Just to clarify. Do you want it to track all day or just for exercise?

tatasmagik

I imagine I'll use the pedometer for tracking calories/steps all day but switch out for HRM while at gym.

icimani

The Polar FT4 does all those things you requested, it does not have GPS though, but as you said that wasn't necessary all is good :happy:

It is easy to set up and I mean, really simple. When the batteries run out you can take the HRM to a jeweller to get them replaced instead of having to send it back to the manufacturer.

The HRM will store the last ten training sessions, the chest-strap can hardly be felt when wearing it, if felt at all!

It is a great piece of kit, I bought mine off Amazon, at the time it was £53.

It is waterproof, however, I have never used it in water myself.

I have the Polar FT4 and I love it. I never even notice the chest strap, and I like all the features. I have worn it while swimming - just don't press any of the buttons while under water. And I've also changed the batteries myself, although I think that's a feature of the newer ones (I think the earlier versions had to be taken to the jeweler).

It's not a pedometer though, and doesn't have any sort of GPS.

FindMyInnerAthlete

The Polar FT4 does all those things you requested, it does not have GPS though, but as you said that wasn't necessary all is good :happy:

It is easy to set up and I mean, really simple. When the batteries run out you can take the HRM to a jeweller to get them replaced instead of having to send it back to the manufacturer.

The HRM will store the last ten training sessions, the chest-strap can hardly be felt when wearing it, if felt at all!

It is a great piece of kit, I bought mine off Amazon, at the time it was £53.

It is waterproof, however, I have never used it in water myself.

Agreed! ^^^^

I have the Polar FT4 as well and it's pink! I love it!

jaz050465

If you want all day tracking you could look at the bodymediaFit or many people use HRM for exercise and a Fitbit for all day activity.

dchief30

I have a Garmin ours are fr60 but there are newer ones know but I would not trade it for the world you can used it online too

DesdemonaRose

I do the HRM and Fitbit thing that a poster mentioned above. I also have the FT4 that everyone else likes. Mine is ugly (it was cheaper on Amazon) but I don't care. I only use the HRM when I am doing something my fitbit won't track or I'm walking up steap hills. Fitbit will track elevation, but because it just notices changes in airpressure it's not always accurate. Rainy weather can throw it off. I would guess that most elevation measuring devices do the same.

As far as the lack of pockets... I wear my fitbit on my brastrap, if your pedometer is meant to be worn in your pocket you can probably do the same. I have the Fitbit One and it is pretty small. I never notice it during the day. I even check for it now and again just to make sure I didn't forget it. It's like my cellphone, if I forget it I feel sad (not that sad). The fitbit webpage will let you log driving and I think a couple of other activites that will take away accidental steps recorded by the fitbit so you can get a pretty accurate number. Fitbit is pretty good about not picking up driving steps, but where I work/live there are some older bumpy roads and those will throw it off.

schnarfo

I have a fitbit flex for my daily activities but override the data when I'm in the gym by putting in the readings from my polar ft4 so farts working for me and I love it

ivinzi

I use the polar ft2 because i only needed a constant heart rate check to make sure im doing a good cardio workout and a basic report afterwards. if you want detailed analysis that you can download to your computer and sabe the ft4 is the right choice. Polar are a really good brand for hrm's.