Any good HRMs without chest straps?

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ReyneDrop
ReyneDrop Posts: 68 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Background story: when I was 16, I got a HRM watch from New Balance, no chest strap, that worked well until it needed new batteries, and then I could never get the calories burned function to work properly and recently it started giving the most erratic HR readings (there is no where it's at 180 when I'm sitting down... my RHR is around 60 now that I haven't been training for a couple months)

I hate chest straps, and I'm looking to see how many calories I burn in a day, so while chest straps would be fine for actual exercise, I'm looking for a HRM that is continual read without chest strap. Is that too much to look for? I can't seem to find a single one! Anybody know of good continual-read HRMs that either don't have a chest strap or maybe the strap is easily hidden/discreet and comfortable?

Replies

  • megleo818
    megleo818 Posts: 595 Member
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    This is also my quest. There doesn't seem to be such a thing. DAMN! :sad:
  • ReyneDrop
    ReyneDrop Posts: 68 Member
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    This is also my quest. There doesn't seem to be such a thing. DAMN! :sad:

    I found something CLOSE- the ePulse 2... But the problem is, it can't last long. People say if you have display on, it has a TWO AND A HALF HOUR battery life (it's rechargeable). I had gotten SO excited when I saw it and hen my hopes just fell :P
  • AmandaTWaH
    AmandaTWaH Posts: 181 Member
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    If you are looking for calories burned during the day, not calories burned during exercise, you could use a Fitbit. It tracks steps to tell you how many calories you burn in a day.
  • Breadbar
    Breadbar Posts: 334 Member
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    Have you heard about the sports bras with built in HRM straps? I've asked for one for my birthday next week - I'm hoping it will be more comfortable. There are several on the market - here is just one link to look at. Good luck!


    http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Cardio-Sports-Bra/dp/B001RIIITE
  • ReyneDrop
    ReyneDrop Posts: 68 Member
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    I'm kind of cheap... I'm a college student with a yearly budget (after tuition, but not including room and board, activity fees, and books) of $10k... So obviously I'm looking for something that can encompass all of what I want so only have to buy one thing.

    Question about the fitbit: how does it do with hills? There are a LOT of hills around campus and while I know it has an altimeter, I always thought that was just for stairs, which I am pretty sure there is a different caloric output for stairs vs hills. I like seeing my HR- I find it is a lot more reliable than distance for me.

    Breadbar- let me know how it works and fits (and washes)! I have bad luck with sports bras- they either totally smash me or the band is too loose.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    Unfortunately what you want is pretty much impossible since HRM's without a chest strap are not accurate at all. So consider the fact that yours broke, a blessing.

    If you want just an HRM, then go with Polar. There are plenty of options that I'm sure will fit your budget. Plus, I see your a female.. if you can wear a bra, then you can wear a chest strap.. period. Also HRM"s are not meant for continuous wear.. they are meant for exercise only.

    If you want something to wear all day, then look into fitbit like one poster suggested or Body Media Fit. Know that FIt bit and BMF are NOT HRM's and should not be treated as such.
  • KCRunnerSteve
    KCRunnerSteve Posts: 24 Member
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    Full disclosure, I work for Garmin, but I'm a customer too. I recently bought the Premium Heart Rate Monitor (Soft Strap). I've only used it for a couple of weeks (I'm wearing it to cardiac rehabilitation). It's really comfortable since it doesn't have the hard plastic piece like most HR straps. I'm still dialing in the tightness. It took it awhile to find my heart rate this week. I tightened it up and that seemed to do the trick. Here's a link to my profile and you can see the readings that I'm getting.

    http://connect.garmin.com/profile/kc-mitchell

    The FR 70 is a non-GPS watch for gym workouts. My favorite is the Forerunner 210. I just turn of GPS when I want to use it indoors.
  • running_shoe
    running_shoe Posts: 180 Member
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    I'm with you on the chest strap thing. I am having a bit of frustration with my sportline solo 960, though it is my first HRM, so I have nothing to compare with. The problem is not the programming, that part I managed just fine though that seems to be one of the biggest complaints about it. I find the accuracy somewhat sporadic, though not outrageously so. I guess I should feel lucky I get that much from it with what I read here! I'm still working with it to see just how consistent I can get it.
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
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    An HRM is only accurate while you are working out. For all day, you need something made for all day, like fitbit (glorified pedometer) or bodymedia fit (amazing data but obvious if you wear it on your arm. I've heard you can wear that in your bra, but I've not yet tried it that way, I stopped using mine for the summer because it was too obvious and I hadn't heard about the bra trick).

    Wearing an HRM and a bodymedia all day, the difference was over 1000 calories (overestimated by the HRM). That is, in no way, an accurate means to estimate TDEE.
  • ReyneDrop
    ReyneDrop Posts: 68 Member
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    Thanks for the info.

    I actually found my HRM (which was, as far as I know, meant for all-day wear and tracking) was quite accurate when compared against calories in and weight loss- a small margin of error but usually less than 50 calories a day (which could have a myriad of causes).

    Conversely however, I've found things that monitor simple distance to UNDERestimate me quite a bit- usually 200 or so calories, which is why the HRM was so wonderful. We all know that lugging around heavy stuff = more calories burned traversing the same distance in the same time, and as a student, I'm lugging around heavy stuff for over 2 miles and then up and down 4 flights of steep stairs a few times a day, too, on days I visit my boyfriend. I also cycle and do "random spurts of activity" that are hard to ID.

    I guess what I'm wanting is something that doesn't exist- something that keeps track of your HR during the day and then gives you feedback so you can see a much better picture of how you are spending your time that simply counting steps and flights won't count.

    I'm the fidgeting type who, after 15 minutes of sitting, has to stand up and do a really quick stretch or jog or else I just squirm in my seat. Even when Boyfriend and I try to watch a movie and cuddle, I have to change positions probably 6 times in a movie even if I'm in a comfortable position :P
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
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    sounds like bodymedia would be ideal, with the caveat that it's a bit more expensive.

    Best wishes!
  • ReyneDrop
    ReyneDrop Posts: 68 Member
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    Another quick fitbit / bodymedia question:

    My metabolism seems to be a bit higher than what any formula gives for it (and I've been that way since I was a kid- like in high school after I was done doing any upward growth and my only exercise was walking around the small school to go to class, I was only about 145 lbs when I was eating probably 2000 kcals a day in candy/junk food alone). Does it use a formula for BMR and then use multipliers somehow? Or what does it do for resting calories, like when you're sleeping or when you're taking notes in class?

    Also, does it take fidgeting and standing into consideration or will it all just be seen as being lazy? :P

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