Polar heart rate monitor - help?

TaraJx4
TaraJx4 Posts: 89 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm thinking of getting a heart rate monitor. I've narrowed it down to a polar, but there are so many! I've seen a lot of people on here talk about the FT4, FT40, and FT7, and I saw a FA20.

Currently I'm doing videos at home such as the 30 day shred. Soon I'm going to start the c25k, and am hopefully going to join a gym for some strength training as well. So which would my best option be? I'm new to all of this, and it's confusing lol!

Replies

  • maryjaquiss
    maryjaquiss Posts: 307 Member
    I've got a Polar FT4 and it seems to work pretty well - quite comfortable and easy to use. I've only been using it for a short while though. (And remarkably, I've found that I burn MORE calories than MFP gives me - like double for my weekly horse-riding lesson! - except for 30 Day Shred, which is considerably lower...)
  • medavidcook
    medavidcook Posts: 129 Member
    I have the ft7 and it seems to be very accurate to what MFP has and also other device like Jawbone and Fitbits.
  • benol1
    benol1 Posts: 867 Member
    I have an FT7 which I use nearly everyday at the gym. It is excellent and I love it.

    My advice to you is to go onto the Polar website. There should be a decision matrix there to help you select the right product for your needs.
    Something to keep in mind is that Polar doesn't sync with MFP. Having said that, it only takes me a couple of seconds to manually enter my calorie burns into MFP.
    kind regards,

    Ben
  • todayis4me
    todayis4me Posts: 184 Member
    I have the FT 7 and love it.....
  • emilytimeidie
    emilytimeidie Posts: 8 Member
    I recently bought the FT40 and definitely think it's worth the price. After using a few different heart rate monitors, this one has never failed me yet! It's comfortable, easy to use and the set up was a breeze. I finally just had to change the battery last night on the transmitter and it only took a few minutes.

    I would say you're safe with any sort of Polar option!
  • scottaworley
    scottaworley Posts: 871 Member
    FT40 here. I like it. You really can't go wrong.
  • AglaeaC
    AglaeaC Posts: 1,974 Member
    It depends on what you want from it. I really just want to know what my estimated amount of calories burned and time worked out are, no uploading of information anywhere, as I have too much other kind of syncing going on between devices as is. It's just quicker and easier to handle the information manually. But if you want graphs and what not, you need a fancier model. I have the F7 and bought it a few years ago, changed its battery the other day.

    Also pay attention to water resitance; some models aren't and with mine you can at least take a shower, swim, run in the rain without having it break. I'm not into diving of any form, so it's not relevant to know what pressure it tolerates.
  • alisam567
    alisam567 Posts: 34 Member
    I love my FT4 Polar. I was at the same stage as you some eight weeks ago (although I cancelled my Gym membership in favour of more out doors work and invested in some weights for home and the Insanity box set), I bought a Polar HRM, and together with MFP these are now my bibles!

    I wore my HRM for the night whilst I slept to understand my true AT REST calorie burn, from which I have used as a baseline for an ave. Day. From that I have reduced the daily burn by 20% to give me a daily calorie intake, then use my HRM to determine my exercise calories to eat back! This of course does not take into account the calories I burn whilst I am awake and undertaking normal life activities - but these just add to the overall effect.

    Rather geekily I have been able to plot this information in a spreadsheet to estimate my weightloss and I update with actuals every week! with the exception of only one week where I lost more than I had estimated - this has been pretty bang on. I am losing at approximately 1lb per week now and eating 1500 net calories a day which can equate to as much as 2200 on days of heavier exercise!

    Without my HRM, I am not sure I would have been able to keep to this - added to the food data base in MFP I think I have finally changed my life!! So yes - I can recommend the polar - i think its accuracy is great and being able to look back at previous sessions and weeks to see how you have done makes it even more motivational. I wear my watch without the HRM through the day as it reminds me when I get home - to get up off the sofa and earn some cake!!!
  • TaraJx4
    TaraJx4 Posts: 89 Member
    I went to the comparison tool, and it seems like the FT4 and FT7 are pretty similar, the main difference being that the FT7 can connect to the polarbeat app. Is that true, or am I missing something?

    Also, both say they are waterproof to 30m. Has anyone worn them in the water, does it work well and still work afterwards? I love swimming. I don't go diving, most of my swimming is surface swimming or just below water level
  • medavidcook
    medavidcook Posts: 129 Member
    I have used mine on a swim and dive to 20m and it works and still working now after 5+ dives.

    To connect to polar beat app u need the bluetooth hrm i think but dont quote me on that.
  • TaraJx4
    TaraJx4 Posts: 89 Member
    When you buy it, do you have to buy the chest strap separate or does it come in the box with the watch part?
  • scottaworley
    scottaworley Posts: 871 Member
    When you buy it, do you have to buy the chest strap separate or does it come in the box with the watch part?

    Comes with it
  • table19
    table19 Posts: 8
    I've got a Polar FT4 and it seems to work pretty well - quite comfortable and easy to use. I've only been using it for a short while though. (And remarkably, I've found that I burn MORE calories than MFP gives me - like double for my weekly horse-riding lesson! - except for 30 Day Shred, which is considerably lower...)

    I have the FT4 and noticed the same thing.. If I used an elliptical at high resistance, my burn was higher than MFP calculated. For 30ds it was lower.
  • JenniferM1Hill
    JenniferM1Hill Posts: 1 Member
    They work well in the water (I have an FT7) until the first time you change the battery on the transmitter (the component that clips to your chest band). I swim three to four days a week and it worked well for about a year when I had to change both the watch and transmitter battery. When you order the new battery online, it comes with a new watertight ring. I installed it accordingly, but my HRM has pretty much given up life in the pool. I'm awaiting a new band in the mail (the T31C) that does not require changing batteries. I'm going to judge battery life on that one. I know the Polar site says to get Polar to change batteries, but as I would have to send away to get that done, I don't think it's cost- or time-effective.

    And remember, this does not sync to MFP. However, the HRMs do give you a calorie burn that you can enter manually.
  • kcragg
    kcragg Posts: 239 Member
    I have an FT60F, which works really well. I use it for running, wlaking and strength training. It is a lot better than my last one. It has many useful features and looks quite stylish, I wear it everday as a watch.

    I really wanted a Fit band flex but I researched many diffrent types and decided the Polar FT60F had more features. I have received notification that polar are Loop, similar to the Flex which looks interesting/!!

    I would recommend Polar, it is a good piece of kit!
  • YorriaRaine
    YorriaRaine Posts: 370 Member
    I have an ft7 and I love it. :)

    Would definitely recommend polar, which watch you want to get kinda depends on your needs.

    FT4 and FT7 are almost identical but ft7 can sync with something given on polar website, however I do not use this. It also tells you different "zones" your in, though it only has two while most websites give you like 4 zones. FT7 has fat burning and then fitness. I think it has you enter fitness at 70+% but don't quote me on that.

    FT40 and above have different bells and whistle's such as vo2max test. They have more a bigger hard-drive to store your workouts. That kinda thing.

    Just go to polar website, it has a compare feature built into it.

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