Chosing a Heart Rate Monitor - HELP!

Does anyone know of any HRM's that come with the chest strap, wrist watch, and are compatible with iPhone 5??



I'm just starting to get in to fitness so am by no means much of an athlete and am just walking/running.. I want a heart rate monitor so that I can accurately monitor the calories going in/out each day, but am absolutely stumped as to which one to get.

I have seen the basic ones (such as Polar FT4) which do the job & tell me what I need to know.. but then I've seen the Polar H7 which can send data directly to the DigiFit & MapMyRun app on my iPhone 5 (attached to my arm on a strap) which then feeds data to MyFitnessPal, but that is a chest strap only with no wrist watch.

I really want a wrist watch so that I can see how hard I have been working and be motivated to keep going whilst I'm exercising... But I also really like the idea of it sending the data directly to the apps on my iPhone 5. I haven't been able to find a product which does both.. and if I have I'm too much of a rookie to notice.

I have seen some with the connector that goes in the bottom of iPhones but the iPhone5 has a different connection so that wont work for me.

Thanks xx

Replies

  • acpaton92
    acpaton92 Posts: 10 Member
    Can I ask why you want it to be compatible with the iphone?
    I wanted mine to be initially, so I went with the nike sportband with the polar chest strap, but I found that I mostly use the computer/online and have never used it with my phone.
  • imchicbad
    imchicbad Posts: 1,650 Member
    get a polar FT4 watch with chest strap.....way better than an iphone app.-get it at sears 44 bucks
  • k_sinc
    k_sinc Posts: 39
    I don't spend alot of time sitting on my computer and have been tracking most of my nutrition/exercise through the My Fitness Pal app on my iPhone, and my iPhone comes with me when I go walking/running as I use MapMyRun etc to track distance..

    It would just be neat if I could get a HRM that reports straight to my iPhone with everything else, and also has a wrist watch so that I can keep an eye on my progress as I am not exactly going to be stopping to look at my shoulder where my iPhone is strapped mid-workout!

    The Polar FT4 was my first thought before I stumbled across the ANT+ and Bluetooth products.. I have just found the Scosche Rhythm which is now integrated with MyFitnessPal, No chest strap, but no wrist watch either... Any opinions?
  • k_sinc
    k_sinc Posts: 39
    bump
  • acpaton92
    acpaton92 Posts: 10 Member
    How does it know your heartrate if it doesn't have a chest strap?
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    I have the cheap $25 Garmin ANT+ but haven't tried to sync to the iPhone
  • k_sinc
    k_sinc Posts: 39
    ^ There's some that you wear on your arm that measure pulse and work it out that way such as the Scosche Rhythm.

    I have just found online at www.fitshop.com.au the Polar FT4 with the option to upgrade the standard Wearlink chest stap to the H7 chest strap for an additional $35........ And its within Australia so no crazy international postage... Winning :)