Best, most reliable HRM

Deena_Bean
Deena_Bean Posts: 906 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
The HRM I have/had worked sometimes, but it never stayed consistent. It seemed like when I would run for more than 5 minutes it would just stop reading my heart rate. It was a watch with a chest strap and I changed the batteries, etc. It's just not a good one (it was not a top name brand, so I'm not shocked). What are your recommendations for an affordable one? I don't want to spend a fortune, but I also want something that stays consistent and continues to record my heart rate (and calorie burn). I've read that Polar is a good choice. Experiences with those or others? Thanks!
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Replies

  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
    I love my Polar FT4!

    They are a lot cheaper now since newer models have come out. I have had mine over a year and the battery is still going strong and it has never stopped transmitting during a workout!
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    Polar is pretty reliable and one of the more accurate ones. I have a Polar FT60 and an H7 that I use. I used to have an FT7 and it was good too.
  • Deena_Bean
    Deena_Bean Posts: 906 Member
    Thanks for the input, I suspected I was going to hear more Polar supporters. I'll be on the lookout for a shiny new one :)
  • dramallamaduck
    dramallamaduck Posts: 97 Member
    Following because I was getting ready to post the same question!!
  • tristaj90
    tristaj90 Posts: 330 Member
    I love my Polar FT7, not that expensive on amazon either!!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    Just a note:

    If one is purchasing an HRM to observe calories burned during "steady state" CARDIO,with some intervals thrown in, then the reading would be pretty accurate.
    Outside of that, using an HRM to try to determine calories burned with weight lifting, yoga, etc., would give one an exaggerated burn.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    Just a note:

    If one is purchasing an HRM to observe calories burned during "steady state" CARDIO,with some intervals thrown in, then the reading would be pretty accurate.
    Outside of that, using an HRM to try to determine calories burned with weight lifting, yoga, etc., would give one an exaggerated burn.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    Agreed.
  • racnsdd
    racnsdd Posts: 31 Member
    I have a polar as well. I don't know if they all do it but I like that it syncs with the machine at the gym so you can see your heart rate on the screen
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Polar FT7 user and not that impressed with reliability!
    Ease of use is good and the watch is "normal looking" so I wear it as my everyday watch.
    Compatible with most exercise equipment.

    Battery life is poor and transmitter frequently loses signal. I've recently been using it with the chest strap from an old Polar FT1 and it works much better.
    It's also missing a VO2 max setting which would be useful for me as my VO2 max isn't average for my age.
    Overall it's adequate but when it stops working I'm going to buy a more sophisticated one.

    (Polar FT1 is complete rubbish by the way!)
  • MissJacquelineN
    MissJacquelineN Posts: 175 Member
    I love my Polar FT7, not that expensive on amazon either!!



    ^^^^^^ EXACTLY. Just bought one off of Amazon for $76.00. I do not want to live without it now! Excellent user reviews on several sites as well.


    ^Agreed! I love mine and I feel weird not having it on the rare occasions I forget it at home. :)
  • andielyn
    andielyn Posts: 233 Member
    I've had my Polar for several YEARS, just changed the battery and it's like new. I always found it reliable and consistent. I priced new ones on Amazon in case I couldn't get my old one up and running and like someone else said, the prices have dropped quite a bit since I bought mine. Depending on your needs you might not need one with a lot of bells and whistles on it. They are a great investment, IMHO.
  • TheBrolympus
    TheBrolympus Posts: 586 Member
    Make sure the strap is tight (making contact) and that you wet it before you start. I dry strap can have issues reading your HR correctly or even at all. I use a conductive gel on my strap to make sure it works correctly.
  • emmanap91
    emmanap91 Posts: 300 Member
    Replying to come back later (I need a good HRM too)
  • TAsunder
    TAsunder Posts: 423 Member
    I use the H7. It was < $50 and coordinated with my apps directly.
  • dimplz1965
    dimplz1965 Posts: 105 Member
    Make sure the strap is tight (making contact) and that you wet it before you start. I dry strap can have issues reading your HR correctly or even at all. I use a conductive gel on my strap to make sure it works correctly.

    I realized I have to actually soak mine in the sink while I am getting my workout clothes on and then it works like a charm. Sure, it's a little (well a lot) wet when I put it on, but since I've been doing that I have not had any issues with it not reading my heart rate.
  • Deena_Bean
    Deena_Bean Posts: 906 Member
    I did wet the contacts each time and it would start to read and continue for 10 or so minutes, but then just drop off. Can you really soak it in the sink without it getting ruined? I'd have to put the entire thing in the sink to get the contact to soak...that doesn't seem good. Anyhow, I think I'll try the Polar (one of the older models). I don't need a super fancy high tech version, so I'm fine with the 50-100 dollar one. Thanks again :)
  • dmkoenig
    dmkoenig Posts: 299 Member
    Polar has worked well for me as well. I have used the FT-60 model which comes in both men's and women's size/styles. It comes with a pretty comfortable heart sensor band. I think the readout is a bit bigger than the FT-7 and a couple more features, about $100 so still reasonable.

    I have had success buying through heartratemonitorsusa.com. Prices are usually a bit cheaper than Amazon. Earlier this week I purchased a new HRM for my wife and I was able to use a 10% off coupon code HR10 (> $100 purchases). They also had a 5% coupon code HR5 for > $50 purchases and I saw another general 5% coupon code CYBER5. For most products they also offer free shipping.

    Happy shopping!
  • glassgallm
    glassgallm Posts: 276 Member
    Garmin FR60, which is an older model. The newer one is FR70.
  • scubasuenc
    scubasuenc Posts: 626 Member
    I did wet the contacts each time and it would start to read and continue for 10 or so minutes, but then just drop off. Can you really soak it in the sink without it getting ruined? I'd have to put the entire thing in the sink to get the contact to soak...that doesn't seem good. Anyhow, I think I'll try the Polar (one of the older models). I don't need a super fancy high tech version, so I'm fine with the 50-100 dollar one. Thanks again :)

    I don't see why soaking it in the sink would be a problem. I wear mine while swimming all the time. The only time I've had problems with my FT4 has been when it has dried out. I usually just dampen, but if it is going to be a while from when I put it on to when I build up a sweat, then I soak it.
  • Tiff050709
    Tiff050709 Posts: 497 Member
    I love my Polar FT4!

    They are a lot cheaper now since newer models have come out. I have had mine over a year and the battery is still going strong and it has never stopped transmitting during a workout!

    I have this one and I love it!!! Easy to use as well.
  • crashj
    crashj Posts: 21 Member
    I have a Polar HR7 chest strap that has been very reliable and easy to use. I got mine from Wal-Mart online for about $70.

    I use it on the elliptical primarily, but sometimes use it if I go for a power walk at work. The software is great on iOS and you can sync it up to the cloud, if you switch between your iPhone and iPad on your workouts. The software is free but has some add-on options to help with training, which I haven't tested yet.

    It was hard to get used to wearing a chest strap at first but then I realized I had it on way too tight, you also have to put water on it before you use it so it can read your heart rate through the strap.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    I have found my polar FT7 to be reliable and consistent.
  • PeteWhoLikesToRunAlot
    PeteWhoLikesToRunAlot Posts: 596 Member
    I've only had experience with the Garmin HRMs. Similar experience to the OPs, Sometimes they were fine, other times I could have up to 50% error rate. What I found is that some of the dropouts/spikes can be a result of static on your shirt, especially non-cotton technical/running shirts. I found that even running the shirt through a dryer for a few minutes with no heat but with a fabric softener would help. Also, getting some conductive HRM gel helped as well. Either one would help cut down the error percentage during any run, but doing both would typically get me down to under 5% error.

    Just a thought. Good luck.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    I did wet the contacts each time and it would start to read and continue for 10 or so minutes, but then just drop off. Can you really soak it in the sink without it getting ruined? I'd have to put the entire thing in the sink to get the contact to soak...that doesn't seem good. Anyhow, I think I'll try the Polar (one of the older models). I don't need a super fancy high tech version, so I'm fine with the 50-100 dollar one. Thanks again :)

    soaking it won't hurt it a bit. You can actually put the strap in the washing machine.
  • Just_Sha
    Just_Sha Posts: 61 Member
    I did wet the contacts each time and it would start to read and continue for 10 or so minutes, but then just drop off. Can you really soak it in the sink without it getting ruined? I'd have to put the entire thing in the sink to get the contact to soak...that doesn't seem good. Anyhow, I think I'll try the Polar (one of the older models). I don't need a super fancy high tech version, so I'm fine with the 50-100 dollar one. Thanks again :)

    soaking it won't hurt it a bit. You can actually put the strap in the washing machine.

    Don't forget to remove the sensor before putting the strap in the wash
  • TAsunder
    TAsunder Posts: 423 Member
    It explicitly says not to put mine in the washing machine. That said, I've accidentally done it with no adverse results.
  • Kargicq
    Kargicq Posts: 72 Member
    Interesting thread... I've recently ordered a Polar FT4, which should be delivered soon. I know that HRMs are most accurate for steady-state cardio, which is fine by me (I jog a lot), and pretty useless for pure resistance/weight stuff. I'm guessing that for mixed circuit training (e.g. Jillian Michaels DVDs) I should view them as "better than the MFP estimates but not entirely correct."

    I also know that they log gross calories (i.e. including the calories that would be burnt even if I were just watching TV) -- but, on the other hand, there's a mild afterburn effect from a good workout. Does anyone have a feel for whether these are close enough just to ignore the net/gross difference?
  • TheBrolympus
    TheBrolympus Posts: 586 Member
    soaking it won't hurt it a bit. You can actually put the strap in the washing machine.

    Some HR straps don't have a removable sensor, so you would be putting the entire sensor and battery in the washing machine too. I don't think it's recommended that you wash those type of straps.
  • TheBrolympus
    TheBrolympus Posts: 586 Member
    BTW: I use Garmin HRMs with GPS and love them. Currently using the 910xt, very pricey but worth it.
  • Gilbrod
    Gilbrod Posts: 1,216 Member
    Ive had my Polar FT4 for 2 years. I have yet to replace the battery on either the watch or chest strap. Even better, is the fact that the treadmills, ellipticals and stair climbers are all compatible with them. It tells the machines what my HPM is. Makes it eaiser when I want to do cardio with a certain heart rate.

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