HRM? What do you use?

BobbieLee1959
BobbieLee1959 Posts: 605 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am ready to buy an HRM...I use my fitbit regularly and it gives me estimated burn (step dependent), but I am looking for something that "hears" my heart rate with my footsteps...I wanna get even more "personal" with my electronics....hehehe.

So, I am seeking your advice, MFPer's~Each of you are AMAZING and I wanna hear from those who use HRMs. What do you use, and what do you like and dislike about your device?

Thanks so much!!
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Replies

  • just4nessa
    just4nessa Posts: 459 Member
    I use a Polar FT60 and I love it. I can't think of anything I don't like about it.
  • BobbieLee1959
    BobbieLee1959 Posts: 605 Member
    anyone else wish to chime in and give a girl some advice on HRM?? Please?
  • Kynzmomma09
    Kynzmomma09 Posts: 25 Member
    i honestly dont know the name of mine lol but i got it for christmas from the in-laws; i do know its from walmart, its not an expensive one but it works great, i LOVE it!! really opened my eyes to my zumba routines, didnt think i was burning so many calories :) happy hunting for a HRM that u love :)
  • princerazon
    princerazon Posts: 2
    Hello well I'm currently using poloar ft4 and it works okay for me - does the job
  • BOOMaggedon
    BOOMaggedon Posts: 244 Member
    I use the Polar FT7 and have zero complaints. It works very well for me and the price was right!
  • pwicke
    pwicke Posts: 29
    polar ft4. Perfect for the avg user!
  • kbauman09
    kbauman09 Posts: 40 Member
    I have a New Balance N4 and love it. About $60 on Amazon.
  • EmilyOfTheSun
    EmilyOfTheSun Posts: 1,548 Member
    Polar FT7.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Suunto M5.

    Not sure if you know, but they are only accurate (I use that term somewhat loosely) with steady state cardio. They will be way off if you try to use them for things like intervals, lifting, or general use throughout the day to try to get a TDEE.
  • emills1970
    emills1970 Posts: 118 Member
    I use the Polar FT7 and I absolutely love it.
  • sconns21
    sconns21 Posts: 92 Member
    I use the Polar FT4 it's quite basic but it does what it needs to do. If I had the choice again I'd get one that stores more workouts and uploads them automatically. The FT7 does this but you need to buy an extra bit of kit at around £40 ($60).

    It logs time, calories burned, average heart rate, maximum heart rate and time in zone. I would prefer to have one where you can see the whole of the data throughout the workout in a graph online or something. I would also like more zones and minimum heart rate. It also only stores your last 10 workouts which I have to manually type into the polar website/myfitnesspal/endomondo online in order to keep track.

    You can also get monitors that link directly to an android/iphone through bluetooth, I think I would prefer this.
  • susanp57
    susanp57 Posts: 409 Member
    I use the Polar FT4 it's quite basic but it does what it needs to do. If I had the choice again I'd get one that stores more workouts and uploads them automatically. The FT7 does this but you need to buy an extra bit of kit at around £40 ($60).

    It logs time, calories burned, average heart rate, maximum heart rate and time in zone. I would prefer to have one where you can see the whole of the data throughout the workout in a graph online or something. I would also like more zones and minimum heart rate. It also only stores your last 10 workouts which I have to manually type into the polar website/myfitnesspal/endomondo online in order to keep track.

    You can also get monitors that link directly to an android/iphone through bluetooth, I think I would prefer this.

    I have the zephyr bluetooth HRM which I use with my tablet and endomondo for certain indoor workouts. When my current Garmin edge cycling computer dies, I will switch over for outdoor workouts too.

    HTH
  • Cgrnlaw
    Cgrnlaw Posts: 84 Member
    Sportline
  • bsix3
    bsix3 Posts: 291
    I use the Wahoo BlueHR (about $80). It's a bluetooth HRM that connects to my iPhone. I like it because it also connects as a HR sensor for my Cyclemeter app.
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
    I have the Polar FT7 and I'm happy with it for now. The original chest strap had the separate, snap-on transmitter and after 2 months it started giving flaky readings (there are other threads on this). It was particularly frustrating because I get big discounts on health insurance if I rack up enough points in my company's Wellness program, and one way is exercise, and the way they track it is through devices such as this. So, if I have a rigorous workout but the device says my heart rate was zero, well, too bad.

    A month ago I bought a new strap- this one has the transmitter imbedded in it. I also got a tube of electrode cream to get a better connection. (Darn, my workout has gotten complicated.) So far, so good, but I didn't start having problems iwth the original strap for 2 months.

    So, as a backup, I've ordered a Fitbit- simple, foolproof, and I can get the same credit if it just registers 10,000 steps a day, which will be easy for me (unless my workout is in a swimming pool!). My husband has one and it's very user-friendly.

    Still, having a HRM has made a big difference in my workouts- I know know when I'm slacking off. I found that my swim stroke is a very lazy breast strke and i'm much better off "running" in waist-high water for intervals. I'm sure that this extra work is behind my recent weight loss of 5 lbs.or so since I started using a HRM last October.
  • Silvara_11
    Silvara_11 Posts: 133 Member
    I started with a Polar F4 (they don't sell that now) but closest to it is an FT4. I loved it and used it to the bone for 3 years until last year when it finally died (the FT4 comes with replaceable batteries so will last longer).

    Then, when I went to replace it I went all out and splurged on a Polar RCX5, I wouldn't recommend it as a starting product but if you decide a bit later you want to get even more personal it is a brilliant bit of tech! My current Polar has a GPS which tells me speed and distance when hiking / running both I do a fair bit of and links up to the Polar personal trainer where I can plan my workouts and see progress reports and even maps of where I've been.

    In Jan I've been doing a lot more activity and my weekly summary last week said I'd burned 11,000 calories and walked 30 miles - it keeps me motivated.

    I'd start with an FT4 or FT7 because simply knowing your heart rate is when working out will give you an indication of when to push more and when to take a break!

    Good luck!
  • gleechick609
    gleechick609 Posts: 544 Member
    I have two (not by choice either). My mom bought me the Polar FT7 last year and this year for Christmas, my boyfriend bought me the Garmin Forerunner 110 for running. This device came with a HRM. The problem is, each HRM reads differently, almost by 100 or more calories.

    For instance, if I went on a 30 minute run, my polar would read close to 400 calories. The garmin would read about 290-300 calories. (keep in mind, my heart rate is in the 170's). I just don't know which HRM is truthful! :sad:
  • gatorgirly413
    gatorgirly413 Posts: 38 Member
    I use one by Pyle Sports that I purchased on Amazon for around $25. It's a very basic model with somewhat mediocre reviews, but if all you want to do is track your heart rate and calories burned during workouts, it's fine. The watch is enormous so I doubt you'd want to wear it all day long. Oh, and it comes in a bunch of colors, including pink!
  • Cupcakebettiejo
    Cupcakebettiejo Posts: 125 Member
    I got the Polar FT7 about a week ago and no complaints does exactly what i need it to do.Plus a choice of colours!:wink:
  • mleech77
    mleech77 Posts: 557 Member
    I have a Garmin Forerunner 410 that I use while doing any run workouts, and I love it. I like the fact that I can load specific workouts onto it, and also if I don't have my biking computer with me it hooks up to the cadence sensor and doubles as a biking computer.
  • Br00ksy73
    Br00ksy73 Posts: 1
    Garmin 910xt for me!
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
    Polar FT4. Got an Amazon GC for my birthday the year before, I found the card and thought "hey that almost pays for the HRM"

    One of the most important tools for my fitness journey.
  • clhardy5
    clhardy5 Posts: 68 Member
    I have the Polar H7 and use it with my iPhone. I like it because it works with runkeeper, and other apps through bluetooth, and I upload my workout automatically to the polarpersonaltrainer website.

    Carrie
  • tjfrisque
    tjfrisque Posts: 267 Member
    Polar FT4 and Iove it!
  • MbiggsHFD319
    MbiggsHFD319 Posts: 427 Member
    I have the polar FT7. I like it but I do have problems sometimes getting. It to connect to the transmitter and the strap does take some getting used to.
  • Riemersma4
    Riemersma4 Posts: 400 Member
    I use the Timex HRM. I think that it is a little 'generous' on how much it thinks I am actually burning. I tend to discount it 20%.

    Any HRM is better than no HRM. It is a great tool as part of your overall fitness program.

    Good luck!
  • JennC831
    JennC831 Posts: 628 Member
    POLAR FT7 all the way!!! Whoop! Whoop!
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    I've got the Polar FT4 too and really like it.

    OP, just wanted to make sure you realize that these HRMs are to use only during exercise, not all day like the FitBit.
  • Riemersma4
    Riemersma4 Posts: 400 Member
    One more comment.

    I would get one that is encoded (I think that is the term) so that your watch won't pick up the signal from the person on the treadmill next to you. The watch for an encoded HRM only can 'understand' the signal from YOUR chest strap.

    I share this because is was killing it doing interval training on a treadmill with my old Polar watch and my heart rate kept showing approx 110 when I KNEW it was in the 160-170 range. Turns out I was picking up the signal from the gal next to me!

    Good luck!
  • beautifulbeast11
    beautifulbeast11 Posts: 202 Member
    Polar FT7 - Battery is replaceable.

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