Recommend a Heart Rate Monitor?

AJCM
AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
It's time for a new one...

Can anyone recommend a great heart rate monitor that will do all the basics, plus count my calories burned?

Polar? Models? Mio - without the chest strap?

Thanks!
:flowerforyou:
«1

Replies

  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    It's time for a new one...

    Can anyone recommend a great heart rate monitor that will do all the basics, plus count my calories burned?

    Polar? Models? Mio - without the chest strap?

    Thanks!
    :flowerforyou:
  • timisw
    timisw Posts: 391 Member
    I have had my Mio Ultimate for over 1.5 month now. I really like it! It has all the basic features for under $100 on Amazon or eBay! If you have any specific questions about it, let me know!

    Tim
  • pam0206
    pam0206 Posts: 700 Member
    Hi!

    I have a Polar f4 and it does everything that I want. It does come with a telemetry strap. It shows a constant heart rate as well as calories burned, but you can change it to show heart rate range or time of day. I found it here at a sporting goods store, but have seen them online, too. GL. It was well worth the $90 that I spent on it. :flowerforyou:
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    I have had my Mio Ultimate for over 1.5 month now. I really like it! It has all the basic features for under $100 on Amazon or eBay! If you have any specific questions about it, let me know!

    Tim

    Thanks Tim... so, it doesn't have a chest strap? I'm used to a chest strap, however I up for not having to wear it! Does it give you a continuous read? Could I wear it all day to find out how many calories, exactly, that I'm burning in a day?

    Thanks!
    Amanda
    :smile:
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    Hi!

    I have a Polar f4 and it does everything that I want. It does come with a telemetry strap. It shows a constant heart rate as well as calories burned, but you can change it to show heart rate range or time of day. I found it here at a sporting goods store, but have seen them online, too. GL. It was well worth the $90 that I spent on it. :flowerforyou:

    Thanks Pam!

    Is this the one where you enter your weight, and then you can wear it all day to find out what you burn in a day?

    Thanks!
    Amanda
    :flowerforyou:
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
    I've heard great things about all the Polars, but I adore (in a practically unnatural way) my F11. It was pricey, but I consider it money well spent. They're considerably more here (Canada) than they are in the states.
  • ohthatbambi
    ohthatbambi Posts: 1,098 Member
    I have Polar f6. I like it a lot. It has a strap. I ebayed it for 82.00 (with shipping). It retails for 110.00
  • timisw
    timisw Posts: 391 Member
    You have to have the chest strap on for continous reading.

    However, you can get an ECG accurate (I compared it at the medical on base) heart rate in about 2 to 5 seconds by touching your fingers on two places of the watch. This can be used in liu of the strap during workouts, by taking readings at different times. However, I am sure it doesnt come close to comparing to continuous readings (I have not tried that yet).

    The watch is great though to get an idea of what your heart rate is just waking up, sitting at a desk, recovery, etc... and its nice not having the strap on for those!
  • timisw
    timisw Posts: 391 Member
    As per finding the calories used in a day.... As long as the stop watch is on, its counting. If you are doing the same activity (siting in a desk), you wouldnt need the stop watch cause you could just touch the two point every 15 to 20 minutes. However, if your job is full of ups and downs (movement), you would need the chest strap for any accuracy.
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    As per finding the calories used in a day.... As long as the stop watch is on, its counting. If you are doing the same activity (siting in a desk), you wouldnt need the stop watch cause you could just touch the two point every 15 to 20 minutes. However, if your job is full of ups and downs (movement), you would need the chest strap for any accuracy.

    Thanks - I appreciate it! You've answered my question - I HAVE to get one with a chest strap! My old one had one, but didn't do calories, just heart rate.

    Thanks again :flowerforyou:
  • wanderinglight
    wanderinglight Posts: 1,519 Member
    I had a Polar F6 but returned it for a Suunto T3, which I LOOOOVE.

    I didn't like that the Polar wouldn't let you do intervals that counted down, and I didn't care for the look of the Polars (they looked a bit cheap and cheesy to me).

    I found the Suunto has a bit more of a learning curve but it's worth it.
  • pam0206
    pam0206 Posts: 700 Member
    Hi!

    I have a Polar f4 and it does everything that I want. It does come with a telemetry strap. It shows a constant heart rate as well as calories burned, but you can change it to show heart rate range or time of day. I found it here at a sporting goods store, but have seen them online, too. GL. It was well worth the $90 that I spent on it. :flowerforyou:

    Thanks Pam!

    Is this the one where you enter your weight, and then you can wear it all day to find out what you burn in a day?

    Thanks!
    Amanda
    :flowerforyou:

    Hey Amanda!
    Sorry, I've been a little out of it this week. Yes. You can enter your weight on the F4 and you could wear it all day to find out what you burn. I've worn it while cleaning my bathrooms and scrubbing my floors. Let me just say, WOWSA!:noway:
  • VanessaC
    VanessaC Posts: 126 Member
    Does anyone have a Nike heart rate monitor. I just ordered one off of ebay but haven't received it yet. Just wondering what you think of yours?
  • PrincessLaundry
    PrincessLaundry Posts: 2,758 Member
    You have to have the chest strap on for continous reading.

    However, you can get an ECG accurate (I compared it at the medical on base) heart rate in about 2 to 5 seconds by touching your fingers on two places of the watch. This can be used in liu of the strap during workouts, by taking readings at different times. However, I am sure it doesnt come close to comparing to continuous readings (I have not tried that yet).

    The watch is great though to get an idea of what your heart rate is just waking up, sitting at a desk, recovery, etc... and its nice not having the strap on for those!

    I bought one without, but wish I had known to buy one which can do both. I'm dumb, didn't listen, now when I'm riding I have to slow down, check my heart and sometimes by the time I get a read, I'm back to slower breathing. I get cheated out of a heart rate, it messes up the pace of my workout, and it reads as if I have burned less calories. And when you're going for a scoop of ice cream with chocolate sauce on top...I do NOT want to be cheated out of calories!!! LOL
  • alf1163
    alf1163 Posts: 3,143 Member
    I have the Polar F4. I bought it for $65 at the military store. I like it. I had the Mio but I did not like the fact that you have to take your heart rate when it increases and decreases in order to get an accurate reading. I returned it after 2 wks of using it. I had bought it at Wal Mart for about $38. Now, the only thing I don't like about my polar is that I cannot save the last workout summary. If I don't write it down or log it in I tend to forget how many calories I burned...but that is old age :laugh: :laugh: :flowerforyou:
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    I have the Polar F4. I bought it for $65 at the military store. I like it. I had the Mio but I did not like the fact that you have to take your heart rate when it increases and decreases in order to get an accurate reading. I returned it after 2 wks of using it. I had bought it at Wal Mart for about $38. Now, the only thing I don't like about my polar is that I cannot save the last workout summary. If I don't write it down or log it in I tend to forget how many calories I burned...but that is old age :laugh: :laugh: :flowerforyou:

    Thanks Alf! It looks like the Polar F4 is a good one to go with! I loved my last Polar, although I want one with some more bells and whistles this time!

    Thanks to everyone who posted!
    :flowerforyou:
  • studentRN
    studentRN Posts: 440 Member
    I have the Polar F4.

    Now, the only thing I don't like about my polar is that I cannot save the last workout summary. If I don't write it down or log it in I tend to forget how many calories I burned...

    I have the F4 and I really don't like this either. I may take it back and get one that allows me to go back and look at other workouts. Once you start a new workout on the F4, the old info is gone. :grumble:
  • msarro
    msarro Posts: 2,748 Member
    I have a polar F11 and I adore it!
  • studentRN
    studentRN Posts: 440 Member
    I have a polar F11 and I adore it!

    Does it have the fancy schmancy exercise log?

    I was thinking of exchanging the F4 for the F6, I think it does a log too.... :ohwell:
  • msarro
    msarro Posts: 2,748 Member
    Its got an exercise log, the ability to upload a profile to the internet, a fitness planner, and some other fancy features. Its like the top of the low-end monitors. If you just need something that will tell you your heart rate and burnt calories you could probably get something cheaper.

    I'm a geek, so I like having a ton of functions to play with :)

Categories