polar FT4 V FT7

andreaie

Hey guys
I'm just looking for advice on which one to buy, I have been going to the gym the past 4/5 weeks Ive Been doing 2 body pump classes every week and spinning 2-3 times a week, and I have decided its time to purchase a HRM to see what kind of calories and burning. I'm hoping this in turn will make me want to push my self more each time to try and improve.
any advice would be really appreciated
TIA

watchursize

Hello, I just got FT4 last month, its brilliant to see how much calories you have actually burnt, not estimated.

jerseyjenus

love my FT4!!

AmyMgetsfit

I have the FT7 and love it. I got mine on Amazon for a really good price.

TdaniT

What are the differences?

Mokey41

The FT7 synchs to Polar's website and the FT4 doesn't. The FT4 has all the basic functions that the average person needs who just wants to get an estimation of calorie burn from steady state cardio.

pinkakira1

I have the FT7 and love it... its litterally the best thing I have purchased ever. I guess I am getting too excited but I seriously love it and don't know what I did without it. It really pushes me.

gercker5

I"ve had my FT4 for a few years now and love it! The FT7 has a few added perks, but the FT4 is a great basic HRM that does what it's supposed to do and is easy to program. You can usually pick it up on Amazon in the $50-60 range. They have a lot better color choices now too than when I got mine (I have the blah copper color).

TdaniT

I"ve had my FT4 for a few years now and love it! The FT7 has a few added perks, but the FT4 is a great basic HRM that does what it's supposed to do and is easy to program. You can usually pick it up on Amazon in the $50-60 range. They have a lot better color choices now too than when I got mine (I have the blah copper color).

So really for me only wanting it to calculate true calorie burn during T25, the FT4 is the better way to go? I have resisted getting one but I have no idea how to guesstimate my calorie burn with T25.

janicelo1971

my ft4 loses the heart rate signal often and OVER estimates calories....wouldn't recommend it

paula1509

my ft4 loses the heart rate signal often and OVER estimates calories....wouldn't recommend it

Hi there, I have an FT4 and love it but now am concerned, how do you know it over estimates the calories?

Thanks
Paula

gercker5

I"ve had my FT4 for a few years now and love it! The FT7 has a few added perks, but the FT4 is a great basic HRM that does what it's supposed to do and is easy to program. You can usually pick it up on Amazon in the $50-60 range. They have a lot better color choices now too than when I got mine (I have the blah copper color).

So really for me only wanting it to calculate true calorie burn during T25, the FT4 is the better way to go? I have resisted getting one but I have no idea how to guesstimate my calorie burn with T25.

I would go with the FT4 if you just want it for calorie burn and not to track on the Polar site. Whenever mine starts to lose my heart rate, it is usually time to change the batteries, or it isn't wet enough on the contacts.

bkyoun

I have the FT7, my wife has the FT4. They are basically the same thing so just go with whichever one you can get the best price on.

CheeksBryant

Hello, I just got FT4 last month, its brilliant to see how much calories you have actually burnt, not estimated.

^^This

janessanessa

I have a pink FT4, and have been using it consistently for 14 months now. The only problem I've had is needing to replace the battery (just this month after using consistently 5-6 times each week, also note the batteries can be tricky to find sometimes, make sure to check the jewelry counter at Walmart, I found the one battery I needed hiding there on a display near the floor). It's great because it accurately measures heart rate, and calculates your calorie burn based on your age, sex and weight. I have no use for the FT7 features personally, since I am already on MFP daily, and manually entering my calories consumed, I don't find it hard to also enter my calories burned. The price is good as well!!

jenns1964

I love my Ft4!

SoCalWoman

I have a pink FT4, and have been using it consistently for 14 months now. The only problem I've had is needing to replace the battery (just this month after using consistently 5-6 times each week, also note the batteries can be tricky to find sometimes, make sure to check the jewelry counter at Walmart, I found the one battery I needed hiding there on a display near the floor). It's great because it accurately measures heart rate, and calculates your calorie burn based on your age, sex and weight. I have no use for the FT7 features personally, since I am already on MFP daily, and manually entering my calories consumed, I don't find it hard to also enter my calories burned. The price is good as well!!

I don't find the batteries hard to find..but I find the chest strap unit/transmitter IMPOSSIBLE to open! Have you done it yet?
The watch I can open and have changed the batteries a couple of times.
Other than that I love it!

cwolfman13

Hello, I just got FT4 last month, its brilliant to see how much calories you have actually burnt, not estimated.

FYI, it's still an estimate...just a better one and a generally better option than relying on a database. At minimum, you'd want to knock off your BMR calories. Also, the further away you get from a steady state cardio activity like running or cycling, the less accurate any HRM is going to be for calorie burn.

Your HR itself doesn't determine your burn...if it did I'd just have someone come and scare the **** out of me every 5 minutes or so...your HR is just used in an algorithm so that the HRM can determine what % of VO2 max you are working at (w/ VO2 Max being that of the average Joe/Jane of similar stats as yourself). Even for steady state cardio I used to knock off about 20% which was basically my BMR calories give or take.

neonemesis

FT7 can hold 100 previous workout FT4 can only hold 10 if memory serves me right. i have the FT4 and love it.

in terms of heart rate monitors their accuracy is truly best when you are in the zone. light workouts i noticed that it does over estimate.

for instance my FT4 has my range at 125 - 165 when im not in that zone i find the calculations seem too high or too low

KB1ofaKind

My FT7 has started doing this same thing. But I'm going to try replacing the batteries since its been over 6 months, and hopefully that will fix the issue.

janessanessa

I don't find the batteries hard to find..but I find the chest strap unit/transmitter IMPOSSIBLE to open! Have you done it yet?
The watch I can open and have changed the batteries a couple of times.
Other than that I love it!

It's a bit of a pain....bit flathead screw driver, with some down pressure as your turning, just be careful not to strip out the grove on the back of the transmitter. You can wrap the end of the screwdriver with a bit of Kleenex, worked for me better when I did that.

janicelo1971

Hello, I just got FT4 last month, its brilliant to see how much calories you have actually burnt, not estimated.

FYI, it's still an estimate...just a better one and a generally better option than relying on a database. At minimum, you'd want to knock off your BMR calories. Also, the further away you get from a steady state cardio activity like running or cycling, the less accurate any HRM is going to be for calorie burn.

Your HR itself doesn't determine your burn...if it did I'd just have someone come and scare the **** out of me every 5 minutes or so...your HR is just used in an algorithm so that the HRM can determine what % of VO2 max you are working at (w/ VO2 Max being that of the average Joe/Jane of similar stats as yourself). Even for steady state cardio I used to knock off about 20% which was basically my BMR calories give or take.

this

I also knock off about 20 percent of the so called calories burned...especially if I really wasn't in zone much....really overestimates..atleast mine does

andreaie

Thanks so much for all your replys guys I really appreciate all the advice,it looks like the pros out weigh the cons, think I'll go for the ft4 at least it has to be more accurate than an estimate from the treadmill machine
Thanks again
Andreaie