HRM Recommendation?

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  • mmurelli
    mmurelli Posts: 26
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    i've got the polar ft7 and i love it. you do need to wet the strap, but you won't even know it's there when working out. i think the calorie counter is a lot more accurate than MFP. it's real easy to set up and it has a setting for male or female. it also synchs up to the cardio machines at my gym so no more holding on to the handles of the machines.
  • knittingbandmom
    knittingbandmom Posts: 190 Member
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    I can second the recommendation for the Sportsline. I totally love mine and the white watch that comes with it is stylish. It does have a strap. I've never wet it. It takes a few seconds after putting the strap on for it to ID your heart rate and communicate with the watch. It's very comfortable - no different that a good bra strap I would say. Super easy to set up, beeps when you are in your training zone (you pick the numbers - I chose 65 - 85%). It does everything the Polar does except I found it for about $30 cheaper (single mom watching $$). It has a 5 year warranty. There have not been that many reviews on it compared to the Polar but what I found were positive. I sort of felt like I was taking a chance buying it instead of the Polar but I'm very happy with it.
  • pigote
    pigote Posts: 615 Member
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    I got the Polar FT7 about a week ago, love it and I don't even feel the strap!
  • tacree67
    tacree67 Posts: 5 Member
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    You don't have to wet the whole strap, just the 2 spots where it reads your heartrate. Total of about 6 inches you need moisten. If I'm out I just use a little water from my bottle to moisten it and slip it on under my shirt. Btw, I have an FT7.

    Hope this answers your question.

    Tom
  • kcoftx
    kcoftx Posts: 765 Member
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    I had a watch only version first before I did my research. It was wildly inaccurate and frankly more annoying anyway because you have to completely slow down and hold the button down for a bit to get a reading. I tried to hold it down after every lap and it was still very inaccurate--like double what it should be.

    I keep my strap in my purse so it is available when I need it. I do wet my strap but it only has 2 areas to wet--like an inch for each space so you are not having to wet the whole strap.

    I do think it is annoying to have to put the strap on each time I need it but I do not think it is annoying to wear one. I can't really feel it.

    I have the Polar brand. After the disaster of my first choice, I went with what was recommended here a lot.

    I balked at the cost at first. I waffled for a few days but it has turned out to be the single best investment I could have made. I trump this purchase over a scale purchase if money is tight and I'm a daily weigher!

    If money is not tight, I also recommend a digita food scale and I love my fitbit.
  • gpstrucker
    gpstrucker Posts: 930 Member
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    I tried the watch only type. They are crap. Another vote for the FT7 here. Wetting the contact points on the strap is no big deal, you do it right before putting it on and then your sweat will keep it wet enough to keep the device working properly.
  • chandra38
    chandra38 Posts: 112 Member
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    If you live near a Target, check out the Clearance end caps in the electronics department. I found Polar FT4 (pink ones) on clearance for $65. They may go even lower if no one buys.

    Seriously? I need to get to Target!!!
  • feltlikesound
    feltlikesound Posts: 326 Member
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    I also LOVE my Polar FT4 -- I looked into the FT7 but only needed the features from the FT4, and liked the price point. I absolutely adore it, so motivating!
  • mom2mozart
    mom2mozart Posts: 307 Member
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    Polar F4. Love it. Strap is comfortable. You can wet with a tablespoon of water. Only 2 spots that need to be wet (not a large area). Water bottle will do fine.
  • robert65ferguson
    robert65ferguson Posts: 390 Member
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    I suggest you have a look at Azdak's blog on here at MFP. He has an excellent piece on choosing an HRM and how to set it up. Hope this helps.
  • Ke22yB
    Ke22yB Posts: 969 Member
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    alot of the time if I put the strap on a few minutes earlier the sweat created from my body heat is enough to start the connection usually only in the winter if I am really cold do I need to dampen the strap
  • dianacrum
    dianacrum Posts: 67
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    bump, i also am curious
  • marisposa
    marisposa Posts: 34 Member
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    How inaccurate is the MFP calorie burner compared to a HRM? I am thinking of getting one too.
  • AsaraFuriosa
    AsaraFuriosa Posts: 293 Member
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    I realize I'm only going to repeate what the others have said, but man that doesn't make it any less true. I researched HRM for 2 weeks before I made my decision. I'm a virgo so Im meticulous about... everything! I didn't know if I should really even get one let alone what kind and which one. Especially because I loath to waste money! My research lead me to yes, HRM are probably the best big purchase you can make for yourself and your journey. Why, because if your serious about what your putting in your body, then you can be just as serious about how your working it. If you want to know your intake, then you should know your 'output' for complete body awareness! :) So naturally accuracy would pay a huge part in this. Polar is the most accurate with the ability to enter weight, height, age, and sex. I'm sorry but the chest strap is a must darlin, as I've said it's all about accuracy. I tend to forget it's even on, compfy! I was afraid it would slip but it's adjustable. Lastly I wanted they're ft7 model because I don't have to ship it for battery replacement and because the features are awesome for me: heart rate, calorie burn, time spent improving fitness vs actual fat burn, weekly summery, stores 99 workouts. I didn't want to start Insanity without it because I know I would've really benefited if I'd had it when I did P90X. It's way more accurate then my treadmill or MFP, who knew!? I want to start swimming laps, water proof up to 50 meters. I'm going to start biking and jogging but not as seriously as you so you might opt for one with a GPS! Go to Polars website, check mark the features you want and get the best most accurate model for you. Price will range from $50.00 used to $75.00-$110.00 new from ebay to sears to ****'s sporting goods so do your research.
    Ps as if this wasn't long enough.... don't buy used it often doesn't come with a strap, used or no battery and the are not worth buying separately. Not to mention it's used...ewwww! Hope this novel of a post helps somebody out! ;) Good luck!
  • chrystee
    chrystee Posts: 295 Member
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    FT4 and I've never wet the strap.. ever.
  • chrystee
    chrystee Posts: 295 Member
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    How inaccurate is the MFP calorie burner compared to a HRM? I am thinking of getting one too.

    MFP is WAY off for me. Based on my weight, (275), all estimators act like I should burn thousands of calories. I burn about 1/2 of what MFP or the Treadmill say I should. Even though I am large, I am pretty fit for my size and my heart rate doesn't go crazy, so I don't burn as much.
  • knittingbandmom
    knittingbandmom Posts: 190 Member
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    How inaccurate is the MFP calorie burner compared to a HRM? I am thinking of getting one too.

    I have had the same experience as chrystee. MFP said I would burn over 500 calories in an hour of aerobics class but my hrm clocks me in between 330 and 400. Once I bought mine and started using it I could see how I might not lose weight as fast because I was eating most of my "500 exercise" calories back and in reality only burning "330 - 400".
  • JBG1987
    JBG1987 Posts: 71
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    I was really worried about MFP being off on here because I fully believe in eating "calories burned" back. That was always my downfall in the past. I would start to exercise and lift weights and get really hungry and never stick to making a change because I would just be starving all the time and my muscles would be incredibly sore.

    Now, I am always under my limit by at least 10 calories, but my muscles aren't painfully achy after exercise, especially running anymore. I hope this HRM is more accurate so I'm not eating over my calorie limit because I do not trust MFP's calculator at all.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    I was really worried about MFP being off on here because I fully believe in eating "calories burned" back. That was always my downfall in the past. I would start to exercise and lift weights and get really hungry and never stick to making a change because I would just be starving all the time and my muscles would be incredibly sore.

    Now, I am always under my limit by at least 10 calories, but my muscles aren't painfully achy after exercise, especially running anymore. I hope this HRM is more accurate so I'm not eating over my calorie limit because I do not trust MFP's calculator at all.

    Well when you lift weights, you need to eat more because of the after bun that occurs...and so that you retain/build a bit of muscle if you are a newbie to weight training.

    Which HRM did you wind up choosing by the way?

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