Polar FT7 your thoughts

roadworthy

I have been thinking about purchasing my first HRM and have done a little bit of research. I was heading towards the PT4. I live in a small town and was probably going to have to buy one online. I checked in at our local sporting goods store and they have a womens FT7.

Do I really need one? Has it really made that much of a difference to you owning one? Is this a good all around model?

Thanks in advance for any help.

ElectricMayhem

I was originally going to purchase the FT4 but best buy had the FT7 for only $10 more so i said why not! I am so happy with it!! It's super easy to use and has really helped me keep track of my calories burned...i was using the exercise database here on MFP and it was generally about 300-400 calories more on here than i was actually burning! That's a HUGE difference when you are watching every little calorie consumed and burned. I highly recommend it

marbit

Buying an HRM was the best thing I did. It helps me to maximize the efficiency of my workouts. Before I would speed up, slow down, but I wasnt able to quantify the changes. Now when I am on the elliptical, I set target heart rates for my intervals, and then bring it down again. I was also able to see that I spent WAY too much time below my ideal heart rate while working out. I was spending an hour at the gym, thinking I was burning all this fat, when really I was just casually jogging. I think I have become much more fit as a result.

As an added bonus, I actually know how many calories I burn now. The machine and MFP usually just guestimate, and they were way off. An hour on the elliptical for MFP said I burned 650 calories, whereas my HRM says 302.

Do it! You will love it!

kristelpoole

My Polar FT7 will be a bridesmaid in my wedding I love it so much. Totally worth it!

PS - you can totally find it online at a discount!

Carolyn_79

I just got an FT4 and love it! The MFP database was very accurate in estimating calories burned but a lot of people have reported discrepancies between the database and HRM so it's good to know exactly what you're burning.

roadworthy

The model available locally is black with red. I have to look into it more, hoping it is a womans. It is on the smaller scale of watches. Does this sound right? Thanks for all of your input so far, I am getting rather excited!

snlperdue93

I purchased the Polar FT7 about a week ago and I love it! I have the red one. I was hoping for black, but there was only one left at my Target, so I snatched it up.

The thing I like most about it, is that after a workout I can not only see the calories and time I spent working out, but I can also see my fat burn minutes (minutes in the fat burning heart rate zone) and my fitness minutes. It has come in very handy and over the last week I have upped my fat burn minutes by 3 minutes.

Prefessa

Hi Folks:

I am in the market for a HRM as well. There is a member that did a comprehensive post a year or two back. He mentioned that If your gonna get one...then get one that...

Allows you to enter your VO2 Max

Allows you to enter your HR MAx Manually

And

Then Calculates Calories Burned from the above. His rationale was that your HR max is something your born with....but the 220-your age may not be what your individual HRM is. There are some basic tests that are used to find the ACTUAL number rather than calculate one.

On the other hand VO2 Max CHANGES...the more conditioned you are the higher it is. So this is something you will want to keep tabs on as your loose weight.

When the Software uses your ACTUAL V02 MAX and Max HR, plus your age, height, weight ect....you will get a very accurate assessment of calories burned.

So far for me its between the Polar FT40 and FT70....both are more expensive than the FT4 and FT7...but not a whole lot more if you shop online. If you go to a brick n mortar Running Store...then You will pay the MSRP which is ~$180-200+!!


Not saying the FT4 or FT 7 arent value added HRM...but If you have a sluggish metabolism or seem to be having trouble looosing weight then you need as accurate data and measurement systems as you can.

Right now I ate my alloted calories and for ahwile didn't eat back my exercise calories...so I plateued. I stared eating back my exercise calories and I am GAINING weight.....From reviewing my energy balance from MFP its suggesting that my maintaince calories are like 850/day....so there is gotta be something wrong. Either my BMR is lower than usual, or I am not burning the calories suggested by MFP for an exercise, because I am conditioned and I am not in the right training zone.

I did see my doctor and I have blood work scheduled. But for now I suspect my measuement system is wrong for my body.

roadworthy

Thanks again for the help. I realize that the more expensive models could do more but to be honest right now I think that the FT7 is the route for me. I really don't understand all of the technical stuff that comes along with the others. I just want to get a more accurate reading of calories. I have a lot of weight to lose and so far in 6 weeks have lost over 6 lbs and 11 inches. I guess I just want to max it out a little more.

I can get one a tad bit cheaper online but with shipping, taxes and possible duty I would rather support local for the 10.00 difference.