Help choosing a heart rate monitor?

kit_katty

Garmin is great for running and cycling, BUT as I recently found out, calories are based (in some models) on distance, not heart rate so it's useless for counting calories for other types of exercise such as lifting weights or fitness DVDs. However I have one that I use for running and love that it tells me my pace, calories, a timer, the time, and distance!

lorimcgi

Hey there !
My trainer suggested on that has the chest strap and wrist watch. It works with some types of treadmills and bikes
so there's no more holding the bars to get your heart rate for you, it's all right there in front of you and it
reads on the wrist part when not on the machines. Mine is a Polar FT7 and I think it was around $100.
Hope that helps ! Good luck !

usmcwifeb15

I love my POLAR HRM!!!! It's fantastic! I use it everyday and I've had it for 4 years. It still works great. I have a Polar F6 which I don't believe they make any more but any Polar HRM is what you want. Definitely worth the money!

healthyfoxx

I got a Garmin Forerunner 110 about a month ago and I love it. I also was making the transition from treadmill to outside. I did a lot of research, and because of the praise on here, I initially set out to get a polar model.

I ended up with my Garmin mostly because of the GPS function. Yes, the watch is kind of big, but that's because is is also a satellite! GPS is more accurate than a footpod, as your stride can change on varied gradient and terrain. I ran in a biological preserve loaded with trees and had no problem with satellite interference.

In general, I would say definitely go with a chest strap and consider what your goals are when looking over features. I like that I can upload data from my runs and see information about incline, speed, etc- all on a map. Neat stuff! Its also nice having a watch and chest strap that you don't have to send to the manufacturer to replace the batteries. My watch is chargeable and I can replace the strap battery myself with a coin.

Feel free to message me if you have any specific questions, and good luck!

Thank you SO much, this helps a ton. Very good points about the GPS function. I live in Utah, so we certainly have a lot of mountainous areas with trees, so I'm happy to hear it shouldn't be an issue. I'm currently focusing on calories/time in a workout, but later on, I want to focus on the distance I am covering.

It looks like I am torn between the Polar models, and GPS functions!! But at least I am getting closer.

courtneymal17

Hey guys I spent the better part of a month researching hrms. Here's my input. 1. Figure out if there's things you absolutely need in one. For me, I swim a lot so I definitely wanted one that's waterproof. 2. Chest straps will give you a more accurate reading. However...some people can not STAND things around their chest, so unless you're closely closely monitoring (like if you eat back your exercise calories!) your cals, and you hate the idea of a chest strap, the non-chest straps will do ok. I ended up getting a chest strap one, I like the idea of having one more accurate and the one I wanted came with a chest strap. If it were up to me again, I'd still go with a chest strap. I didnt like the idea of having something strapped around me, but honestly, I hardly notice it. 3. The good ones can be a bit pricey. But in all honesty, it's one of the most vital pieces that I've used in the last 3 months to help me lose weight. For me, it was worth the cost to get a really good one. You need to weigh the cost of one (mine was a bit more than $100) with your budget. You can find some cheaper on amazon, etc. All that being said, I ended up going with a polar ft7. I was going to get the ft4, but when I got to the store there was only $20 difference, and the ability to store a TON more workouts in it justified the extra cost. I totally LOVE LOVE LOVE mine...like I said I researched hrms for the better part of a month, and honestly, I got to the point where I just said screw it and bought the one that seemed to be the overwhelming favorite. I love my polar ft7, so I'm glad I just went and got it.

courtneymal17

Always get one with a chest strap, they say! And i got the Polar brand and love it! Polar seems to HIGHLY recomended on here! Mine was bought at target for 93$ but i believe amazon has them for like 30$ less! Thats the wtg if ur not an impulsive spender like myself

Are the chest straps comfortable? It seems like it would be a little distracting, but that could just be because I have never worn one before. $30 for one is certainly affordable, but I'm so worried I will hate wearing it.

I barely ever feel mine...it goes right under my sports bra and sits basically along the line. I know you can also get sports bras with the little attachment on there that you basically attach the little panel to your bra and skip the strap all together

blueeyedcristi

bump to save

Blessedmommy_2x

POLAR brand is highly recommended.... I have a PolarF4 with a chest strap & I LOVE it!!!