Fitness watches with HRM and GPS

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  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
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    i just started using the polar H7 with my cheapo polar FT1 and the map my fitness app. so far, i'm happy with the combination, which includes GPS via my phone and map my fitness, although i was also very tempted by the polar FT60...
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    My biggest piece of advice when buying new workout toys is to think about what data you really want to track before dropping the money and doing the homework to see what devices best match your needs and price points. DC Rainmaker is a site I still frequent and I'm not in the market for a new device any time soon.

    If your phone's GPS meets your accuracy requirements, just get a HRM strap and call it good ... a lot of our C25K participants and intermittent runners fall in this end of the spectrum. If you need a little more accuracy, look at the Tomtoms and entry level Garmins with HR compatibility. If you do a lot of swimming, that's a different set of devices to meet your specific needs. For our more cycling intensive members, a cycling computer with HR compatibilty might be a better option for their money. Then there are the higher end triathlon specific watches for those with activities that justify the cost and need the level of detail and features those products provide ... the Garmin 910, Polar v800, etc.
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
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    Thank you all for the helpful information. I was leaning toward a garmin because I want the HRM for working out but I wanted the garmin for hiking. Looking at some of the reviews (even at the suggested link on the womens list) Garmin after some useage has some issues not aquiring satelites for the GPS.

    The Forerunner 220 and the 660 (it's more expensive fancy cousin) both save GPS satellite position on the watch so you typically get a lock within 10 seconds. Every time you connect to Garmin Connect it downloads fresh data. It downloads a weeks worth of data if you use the USB connection and it downloads 3 days worth of data via the phone bluetooth connection. Earlier versions of the Garmin didn't have this feature and it's true you could be standing around for a few minutes waiting for a GPS lock.
  • hermann341
    hermann341 Posts: 443 Member
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    Thank you all for the helpful information. I was leaning toward a garmin because I want the HRM for working out but I wanted the garmin for hiking. Looking at some of the reviews (even at the suggested link on the womens list) Garmin after some useage has some issues not aquiring satelites for the GPS. Some of the amizon reviews said that the customer support wasn't any help with the problem. Has any one that has a Garmin seen that issues or had a Garmin for over a year and not had any problems? I really like the features of the Garmins but if it is going to stop aquireing satelites in 6 months that is half the purpose I was getting it for.

    Second question:
    Once I get something that gives me my heart rate while I am working out what do you do with the information? I know there is a range and I know how to calculate thoses ranges for myself. Is it as simple as staying in that range during your work out or is there something else that you are trying to do, like some of the schools of thought now say vary the intensity levels to your body doesn't learn and adapt and become more efficient thus making the workout less effective?

    Here's another vote for Timex. I have a Global Trainer I've been using for about 2.5 years. It's been very reliable and very accurate. I also like the 5 screens of customizeable data. In thoery, I could monitor 20 different data streams (4 per screen) while I run, but mostly I monitor HR, total time, distance and pace. I also have it display split times every half mile and I have a screen with a pacer, to tell me if I'm ahead of or behind my goal time for a given distace.

    As for what to do with the data, I use my Timex as my only source of calories for my aerobic activities, including running outdoors, Nordic Track skiing, and treadmill running. Indoor activities require a foot pod, but it only seems to work on the treadmill, as there doesn't seem to be a sharp enough accelaration when my foot changes direction on the Nordic Track or elliptical machine to monitor my cadence and distance travelled. I also use my Timex to monitor my distance and pace and determine my heart rate "sweet spot," or the highest heart rate I feel I can use to complete a marathon (which is about 140 for me). Using tempo runs and progression runs, I have increased my endurance and speed, and my long runs have helped increase my endurance.

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