Heart Rate Monitor Watches

lady_in_weighting
lady_in_weighting Posts: 196 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi People,

Does anyone know of any really good heart rate monitor watches? I want to find one that tells calories burned which is calculated against height, weight and sex so it is accurate! If anyone knows of a strapless one that would also be good. Im trying to get a better ideas of calories burned.

Thanks.
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Replies

  • rdlangy1
    rdlangy1 Posts: 16 Member
    Most polar watches are very reasonably priced, and work very well...

    sigma are also good ones...
  • Sheila_Ann
    Sheila_Ann Posts: 365 Member
    To get a really good accurate calories burn, you will need one with a chest strap. I have a polar ft4 and love it!!!
  • wiginn
    wiginn Posts: 147 Member
    I have a Polar FT60 and love it! The Polar website has a chart that shows the features comparing their various models, all of which typically get good reviews. Mine does have a strap and it's my understanding that the most accurate ones will have a strap.

    Heartratemonitorsusa.com typically has good prices.

    Good luck in your search!!
  • Lisaherbalmomma
    Lisaherbalmomma Posts: 63
    I love my new Polar FT4. But, it does have the chest strap, honestly I don't even notice it once it is on. It is only around $60 and you can change the battery in it yourself, whereas the other models you have to send the watch in. It does all those things you want and It keeps track of all your training sessions, too. It's great!
  • 1960HikerDude
    1960HikerDude Posts: 215 Member
    +1 on the Polar FT4
  • Meg_78
    Meg_78 Posts: 998 Member
    I haven tried any others but I love my polar FT4.
  • TrailRunner61
    TrailRunner61 Posts: 2,505 Member
    Pay the extra money and get one with a strap. The watch type alone does not track your heart rate accurately. I have the polar Ft4 and love it, you can't even feel the strap and I have worn it under every type of clothing.
  • katy84o
    katy84o Posts: 744 Member
    I'm in the process of finding one too. I can't recommend a good one but I can say that the solo 960 was not that great. I am about to return it after just using it for a couple of days. It was complicated to set up, and to get your heart rate you have to touch the metal for 5-10 seconds before it gives you the rate. If you are exercising that'd just be annoying. Also I haven't figured out where it says calories burned. It claims to count it but I haven't been able to find that function. Also, if you do get better reviews for this one and want to try it, buy it online. I bought mine at sports authority and it was $100 and online the most expensive I saw was $65.00
  • vfnmoody
    vfnmoody Posts: 271 Member
    http://www.bodymedia.com/What-is-BodyMedia-FIT

    its not a hrm but it is measuring calories burned. Havent tried it my slf but some of the reviews are quite interesting. it is an armband no chest strap required.
  • ScubyUK
    ScubyUK Posts: 271 Member
    I have a Garmin FR70, love it, and I can even sync my HRM details with my BodyBug Portal, integrates with my iPhone (via a little dongle) so I can use it with either the Garmin App or MapMyFitness. It's great, I love it.
  • Shines97
    Shines97 Posts: 6
    Hi there


    I just purchased a Polar FT7 HRM for £62.21 on Amazon with free next day shipping, I have just started my Insanity 60 Day Challenge so I brought it to help me track my progress and intensify my workouts ;)
  • raven56706
    raven56706 Posts: 918 Member
    I have the polar FT7 and its freaking awesome. Helps with working out and keeps you honest with your calories...


    the chest strap isnt annoying... sometimes you barely feel its there.
  • NikkiSmo
    NikkiSmo Posts: 180 Member
    My poalr FT4 arrived yesterday! Got great reviews but it does have the strap, quite comfortable though. www.heartratemonitorsusa.com fress shipping and the best pricing I have found anywhere.
  • cblevitron
    cblevitron Posts: 243
    bump
  • UnderConstructionLuis
    UnderConstructionLuis Posts: 331
    I personally use a Polar FT4 and love it. It's reasonably priced as well. I purchased mine through bodytronics.com for under $70.
  • ShaunaLaNee
    ShaunaLaNee Posts: 188 Member
    Hi People,

    Does anyone know of any really good heart rate monitor watches? I want to find one that tells calories burned which is calculated against height, weight and sex so it is accurate! If anyone knows of a strapless one that would also be good. Im trying to get a better ideas of calories burned.

    Thanks.

    Polar ft40 with a chest strap, I LOVE IT!
  • pedraz
    pedraz Posts: 173
    Just got th Polar RS100. Am very very pleased. You're going to get a lot of info on all these Polar watches. Look on the website, as one poster wrote, to see the list of things each watch does. Whatever you choose, you need to wear the chest band to get anything near accurate in calorie counting. Happy hunting!
  • NearlyThere2011
    NearlyThere2011 Posts: 29 Member
    I <3 my Polar FT4 :)
  • andreamelo1
    andreamelo1 Posts: 161 Member
    polar you cant go wrong i have the ft4 & it works perfect for me
  • pedraz
    pedraz Posts: 173
    I have a Garmin FR70, love it, and I can even sync my HRM details with my BodyBug Portal, integrates with my iPhone (via a little dongle) so I can use it with either the Garmin App or MapMyFitness. It's great, I love it.

    This sounds so cool!
  • Songtothesiren
    Songtothesiren Posts: 388 Member
    Hi

    Because I'm doing the Jillian Michael 30 Day Shred DVD I wanted a Heart Rate Monitor Watch to get an idea of what I was burning in calories during her circuit training.

    I bought a Kinetik chest strap & watch combo. My advice? Don't buy cheap, by the best you can afford. My cheap combo is so complex to use it is de motivating and with such a tiny display that I can't actually see it very well. I deeply regret wasting my money.

    Follow everyone elses advice and buy what they are all raving about.

    Buy cheap .... buy twice!
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
    If you want the best accuracy you must have a chest strap. I use the FT4.
  • StephannieL
    StephannieL Posts: 198 Member
    I've heard that the Polar HRM are very good. I have a Timex and mine has a chest strap as well and you really don't notice it.

    I also wanted one without a chest strap until I did some research and someplace it stated that if you are doing any type of high impact exercise or running that having a HRM with a chest strap is better and more accurate. I didn't think I was going to like the chest strap either, but honestly, it's not that bad. Sometimes I forget that I have it on. LOL

    Good luck with your search. =)
  • vegas711
    vegas711 Posts: 92 Member
    Polar FT7 here. been very happy with it
  • Patovader
    Patovader Posts: 439 Member
    Bump
  • raven56706
    raven56706 Posts: 918 Member
    i cant stress how useful a heart rate monitor has helped with this lifestyle.... gives you the advantage of eating more... makes you aware of the calories you are burning in a workout...

    dont go by the treadmill calories, this will give you an accurate number
  • grendel322
    grendel322 Posts: 105 Member
    Hi priesr: I think you and I had corresponded a bit on the Nike sportband and their running apps, but I am looking at the Polar Wearlink+ which works with that sportband. It also works with the Nike Sportwatch. I think we had talked about both of those, so if you did buy either one, that HRM should work with them! Hope you found a good running GPS solution!
  • PamL66
    PamL66 Posts: 116 Member
    I posted a similar topic recently and ended up buying the Polar FT4 based on the recommendations I received. I was assured by others that I wouldn't mind the chest strap. It's really not bad and doesn't interfere with my walking at all. Now I can't imagine wearing it with an uderwire bra, but that's personal preference. ;)
  • LindseySprake
    LindseySprake Posts: 333 Member
    Polar do good ones - i love mine :-) and they are reasonably priced.
    Also Garmin are pretty good too my other half uses Garmin and he loves it, they can be a bit more on the expensive side. Uses his more for cycling.
    So I suppose it also depends on what activites you'll be doing as to which is best for you.
  • blb1230
    blb1230 Posts: 69 Member
    My husband and I have had our Polar FT4 for 2 months. We purchased it from Best Buy. It was easy to set up and easy to use. It has the chest strap but it is easy to get used to. A couple of things that we didn't know when we started using it. First, if you are a swimmer, make sure to tighten up as tight as you can handle it. Once we learned where we needed to tighten it to, we have had no more issue while swimming (it was very annoying trying to get it to work and it kept zeroing out). Second, if you use a treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical, ect. at the gym, it will most likely sync up with the display. The thing about it is, if your watch gets close to hand rails, it will zero out, therefore not count the calories (you don't lose the calories burned, it just stops counting as if the chest strap isn't connecting). We have learned to take off the watch and just put it on the top of in the bottle holder.

    These are very small things compared to the greatness of the Polar FT4. I would recommend it 100%!! :flowerforyou:

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