HRM vs bodybugg... which is more accurate?

bcweisen

I have been using a HRM to monitor calories burn during exercise. My chest strap shorter out so now I'm looking into a replacement. I found an awesome deal on a bodybugg that syncs to my smart phone. So which is more accurate for calories burn during exercise and where should I put my money?

Azdak

Body bugg tracks calories burned during casual activity--it is not that useful or accurate for exercise.

If you have a decent HRM monitor (and it's a Polar), you can buy another chest strap. www.chponline.com.

BB will track casual activity calories. A quality HRM will give you a (very) rough estimate of exercise calories, but still better than the BB.

So it's your call which one you want to focus on.

dinos

Yep, bodybugg, fitbit and the like are glorified pedometers. HRMs are way better all around.
If number of steps is important you can use an HRM with a footpod

Azdak

Yep, bodybugg, fitbit and the like are glorified pedometers. HRMs are way better all around.
If number of steps is important you can use an HRM with a footpod

That's not accurate at all. First of all, you can't lump BB and Fitbit together--the BB is a lot more sophisticated. BBs do a good job of capturing casual activity--which is a significant chunk of daily calories--something that an HRM cannot do.

HRMs have their place as well, although their use and accuracy is extremely limited--really they are cardio training tools and little use. The calorie-counting features are just an add-on that were never meant to be taken that seriously--until they started being taken seriously.