Heart Rate Monitors

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TLC7613
TLC7613 Posts: 86 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm thinking about getting a HRM for the first time, but I have no idea which brands are good or which ones to stay way from. I'm mainly looking for one to keep track of calories burned while doing activities I can't regulate, like hiking etc. I would prefer one that isn't to pricey because I'll be requesting it for a birthday gift lol I've came across a polar ft7 and it seems to have everything I want.
Any thoughts?

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  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    I have an FT7 which I love but I mainly use it to monitor my running intensity and to help pace myself the calories are a usefull add on for me. If you just want a basic one that counts calories go for the FT4 as it's cheaper and does what you want. I had one before and it's reliable and does the job
  • jammerz21
    jammerz21 Posts: 1
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    I got the Polar H7 for Christmas. It's relatively cheap ($80) and I swear by it. I was doing insanity beforehand and logging on MFP as circuit training, which yielded around 450 cals burned. When I actually checked on the Polar H7 app, I found that the calories burned were more than double!

    The Polar H7 is a chest band, not a wrist band. I feel that this gives you the most accurate measurement of your HR. It connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth and to a free app that monitors your HR through your workout and gives you feedback on the amount of time you were in zones which correspond to heart rate intervals. It's the best tool I've purchased for health fitness!
  • frank6666
    frank6666 Posts: 48 Member
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    Same here. I have the FT7 and I like it a lot.

    I also have a Garmin ForeRunner 10 that calculate my calories burned based on speed and distance but I find it a little bit off compared to the FT7 with the chest strap.

    The FT7 really helped me with my fitness plan. I use it everytime I workout
  • themickster215
    themickster215 Posts: 2
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    I have a PolarFT4
    Wear the watch, and it synchs up to a heart monitor your wear around your chest.
    What's more, the cardio machines at Planet Fitness pick up the heart rate too -- automatically -- which is awesome.
    REALLY easy to use. The watch keeps track of your workouts, including time spent and calories burned.
    I researched FitBit, Jawbone, and Nike Fuelband, and they just had too many features that I would never use. I just wanted an accurate calorie count from my cardio workouts, and to make sure I was maintaining a heartrate in the upper area of my target zone.

    ONE DOWNSIDE: I'm a guy with a big chest, and the chest band ripped. I had to buy a new one. Not a big deal, but I wear the new one a lot less tight now.
  • whoajulie
    whoajulie Posts: 15
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    Polar FT4 is where it's at! I got mine for Christmas and it works well for all my classes and circuit training.

    I am just happy to get a more accurate reading of calories burned, since it's hard to log things like Boot Camp in the MFP.
    The chest strap is adjustable, and there is a watch that goes with it - you chose the color you want. I asked for it because of the positive reviews on Amazon. I would definitely recommend it! :bigsmile:

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