Which hrm should I get?

brinsy

Any hrm recommendations? I'm sure this question has probably been asked before though :-/

tarafreeman353

i just recently bought the polar f7. it was on sale at amazon. although i like the equipment itself, I 'm not fond of the website. it is just too busy for me, so i take the data and use it on the fitbit site, nike site. i did read a lot of reviews and this one was a great one for me since i wasn't really looking to spend a lot of money.

Cassandra2oh6

I'm so glad you posted this!!! I was JUST searching for a thread that would help me with this very question.

brinsy

I don't want to spend a lot of money either but I want to get something that will last....well forever ha! I think polar is the way to go but can't decide between ft4 ft7 or ft40 and then there's the ft60 :-/

JethroXP

I've got the Polar FT7 as well, been using it for over a year now, very happy with it. Nice thing about Polar is that it is the defacto standard for use with exercise equipment that can read the wireless signal it emits, so if you do cardio on machines in a gym chances are the machine will be able to display your HR in real time without the need for you to check the watch display during your workout. The FT7 also had enough memory to store your last 99 workouts so you can go back to reference the date, time, duration, calories burned, average HR and Max HR for your last 99 workouts. Very handy if you also log workouts elsewhere, like here on MFP.

JethroXP

My wife uses the FT4 and is happy with it, the FT7 adds more memory (99 workouts stored vs. 10 I think for the FT4) and there might be one other small difference I can't remember right now. I also looked at the FT40 and FT60 but decided that I didn't need the special training modes they offered on the watch, nor the ability to sync with Polar's website because I track my exercise here. If money is tight, and you already have a training plan and a place to track exercise, I'd recommend either the FT4 or the FT7. On Amazon I believe the price difference is small enough that it probably makes sense to just get the FT7. Also my wife wanted a pink one, and I think that kind of meant I had to get her the FT4. In fact I just checked, on Amazon right now the Pink FT4 is $64.50 and the black FT7 I have is $61.50 so if you don't care about color you can get the FT7 cheaper than the FT4.

brinsy

So informative thank u so much! Wonder why ft7 is that little bit cheaper. Don't really need training plan and if they are as accurate as the ft40 and 60 maybe Ill go with the ft7

brinsy

I'm so glad you posted this!!! I was JUST searching for a thread that would help me with this very question.

Ft7 seems to be the one to go for

luisalg14

I use the Polar FT40 and it has everything I need. It's pretty basic, but does the job. It's one of the cheapest ones too, I think; paid about 120$ inc tax and shipping (bonus for me was that it came in white).
One thing that surprised me when I got it was how much the cardio machines overestimated in comparison to the calories burnt that the HRM would display... Now I just go by the HRM...

pookahbot

Does anyone know if the ft7 is waterproof? The ft4 says it is...could that account for the price different? I want to be able to wear mine in the water.

Jerrypeoples

bump

Dunkirk

Being a low tech-minded person, and not wanting to wear a chest strap (would really annoy me in hot weather) I got a mio, off ebay. I wear it as a watch and just need to touch the face to get a heart rate reading. It's accurate and doesn't bother me wearing it.

brinsy

I use the Polar FT40 and it has everything I need. It's pretty basic, but does the job. It's one of the cheapest ones too, I think; paid about 120$ inc tax and shipping (bonus for me was that it came in white).
One thing that surprised me when I got it was how much the cardio machines overestimated in comparison to the calories burnt that the HRM would display... Now I just go by the HRM...

I liked the look of the white too it caught my eye when I was looking

brinsy

Being a low tech-minded person, and not wanting to wear a chest strap (would really annoy me in hot weather) I got a mio, off ebay. I wear it as a watch and just need to touch the face to get a heart rate reading. It's accurate and doesn't bother me wearing it.

Never heard of mio. If it was accurate without chest strap that would be very handy

brinsy

Being a low tech-minded person, and not wanting to wear a chest strap (would really annoy me in hot weather) I got a mio, off ebay. I wear it as a watch and just need to touch the face to get a heart rate reading. It's accurate and doesn't bother me wearing it.

Which mio style did u get? Was looking at them on amazon doesn't state which are for men or women

curvygirl77

I have the polar f4 and I love it--simple and gets the job done---a lot of people on this site have polar

shadow2soul

I have Pyle Sports PHRM38. I love it. It is really basic and doesn't have a lot of the features the Polar brand has, but for $26(on amazon) I couldn't pass it up.

JethroXP

The FT7 is waterproof down to 30 meters (100 feet). On the Polar website it's one of the products they recommend if you select "Swimming" as your activity.

ktliu

If you have a smart phone, just but the polar bluetooth chest strap. Then you can use a lot of after market apps to track. The only thing is you might not want to take dance class with a smart phone, you might just fling it across the room. Also if you run and cycles, the after market apps track your speed outdoors, your location via gps.so you have a lot of flexibility.

Alison12121

I got the Polar FT4, and I'm very happy with it. I use it everyday.

dcone2001

Bump. Like another poster mentioned I was thinking about getting this as well. How much does it differ between mfp calories burned while running. I want to be accurate with it.

Jerrypeoples

jethro, if your recommendation sucks im flooding your inbox

JethroXP

Bump. Like another poster mentioned I was thinking about getting this as well. How much does it differ between mfp calories burned while running. I want to be accurate with it.

The amount of difference will vary for each person, lots of factors come into play, but the most important thing to know is that the HRM will be the most accurate because it is actually measuring what your body is doing. Anything else, including MFP estimates and even gym machine estimates are just that, estimates. Compared to a HRM, the machines and MFP will over estimate or under estimate based on how far you off you are are from their reference point. For example, when I was over 200 pounds, the machines in the gym were under estimating my calorie burn compared to the HRM. Now that I'm under 175 they over estimate. I now ignore the machines and MFP and just go by what the HRM says, which means that when I enter my exercise on MFP I'm overwriting the estimate they give me with the number I get from my HRM.

mrs_mab

Can anyone advise to wrist watch style vs. chest strap?

Would you say the chest strap version would be more accurate, or would the wrist watch style be just as sufficient and close to the same result? Wanting to get one ASAP..... Have a friend at work trying to sell me on the Jillian Michael's arm band, but I didn't even see an HRM on it?!

dcone2001

Bump. Like another poster mentioned I was thinking about getting this as well. How much does it differ between mfp calories burned while running. I want to be accurate with it.

The amount of difference will vary for each person, lots of factors come into play, but the most important thing to know is that the HRM will be the most accurate because it is actually measuring what your body is doing. Anything else, including MFP estimates and even gym machine estimates are just that, estimates. Compared to a HRM, the machines and MFP will over estimate or under estimate based on how far you off you are are from their reference point. For example, when I was over 200 pounds, the machines in the gym were under estimating my calorie burn compared to the HRM. Now that I'm under 175 they over estimate. I now ignore the machines and MFP and just go by what the HRM says, which means that when I enter my exercise on MFP I'm overwriting the estimate they give me with the number I get from my HRM.

Thx. I'm up to running a 5k-3.5 miles every other day so I'm sure my bodies adjusting. Plus my outdoor runs are in a hilly area which can't be accounted for. Just wish they weren't so expensive.

n_unocero

gonna try to answer all the questions I saw....

get a chest strap. they're much more accurate.

FT7 is waterproof, but don't press the buttons underwater.

FT4s and FT7s only keep track of cals burned. FT40s and FT60s will break down time in each of the 3 zones and will tell you how many cals burned are from fat. The 40s and 60s area little more accurate because they have a VO2 max test. Also, as was mentioned before, they will set up a workout plan and time goals for you depending on the plan you choose. It's been a helpful motivator for me. Plus, I think they are way more stylish than the 4's and 7's.

I used to have an FT7 and it did its job, but I switched to the FT60 and I love it.

brinsy

Much difference between f40 and f60? Thanks everybody ye are all so helpful

n_unocero

the FT40 doesn't have the training programs and you can buy GPS ans speed sensors for the FT60.

brinsy

Thank you :-D

jlfoster0427

I just got the Polar FT4F and LOVE it. Its about $65 and really easy and simple to use. All I really needed was to count the calories and take my heart rate and this does it wonderfully. I got the cute pink version

ShaniWulffe

Bump