Which Heart Rate Monitor Should I Get?

mjnyx
mjnyx Posts: 35
in Fitness and Exercise
So I am searching for a good, solid, dependable heart rate monitor. It must be water resistant, measure calories burned, audibly beep at me when I go outside my heart rate zone, and I like the ones where they display is a wrist watch. I will be using it with my Turbo Fire workouts so it needn't be anything too fancy (although fancy is fun too). There are so many out there and I don't really know which one is the best. What HRM's have you guys had success with? Which ones should I avoid?

I have heard very mixed things about Polar--some people love them, some say to avoid them like the plague. Garmin? Timex?
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Replies

  • spike90
    spike90 Posts: 704 Member
    I have a Polar FT 7 and I absolutely love it!
  • mjnyx
    mjnyx Posts: 35
    The FT7 is actually one of the ones I'm leaning towards. Does it beep at you if you go outside your optimal heart rate zone? I didn't see anything about that feature on Amazon.
  • lambchristie
    lambchristie Posts: 552 Member
    I am looking for the answer to this same question.

    I've read reviews about the Polar options and they all seem to say the same thing ... AVOID ... because you can not change your own battery...you have to send it in and than pay like $50 for it. Seems odd. (I read the reviews on Amazon.com)

    Can't wait to see the responses you receive.
  • mjnyx
    mjnyx Posts: 35
    Oh, ok, somehow I've skipped over that several times now reading the info--the FT7 DOES beep at you when you're outside your zone.
  • mjnyx
    mjnyx Posts: 35
    I am looking for the answer to this same question.

    I've read reviews about the Polar options and they all seem to say the same thing ... AVOID ... because you can not change your own battery...you have to send it in and than pay like $50 for it. Seems odd. (I read the reviews on Amazon.com)

    Can't wait to see the responses you receive.

    According to the Amazon reviews I've read about the FT7, the batteries are user changeable.
  • simpsona5
    simpsona5 Posts: 24
    I have the Suunto M5 which I love, however my wife just got the M2 which does tell you the amount of time you work in different zones. Not sure if it beeps at you but I would guess that it does. (also comes in pink)
  • Imadarkswan
    Imadarkswan Posts: 113 Member
    I have the Polar FT60
    I LOVE it
    I can change the battery myself

    I know lots of people who have either the FT4, FT7 or the FT40 and love those as well

    Polar Rocks!
  • bert16
    bert16 Posts: 726 Member
    If all you want is a HRM, get a Polar with a chest strap. They're pretty much the standard, methinks. That being said, if you want the GPS tracking functionality for running or the like, my Garmin is my BFF.
  • YAYJules
    YAYJules Posts: 282 Member
    Got my ft4 just today, and it does everything on your wish list. So easy to set up too.
  • rissaloses
    rissaloses Posts: 38 Member
    I bought a Polar FT4 a month ago, and it had completely changed the way I workout. I love it!
  • Yooperm35
    Yooperm35 Posts: 787 Member
    I have a polar and I change my own battery, found in the watch dept. of Walmart
  • twinsmom03
    twinsmom03 Posts: 90 Member
    I am looking for the answer to this same question.

    I've read reviews about the Polar options and they all seem to say the same thing ... AVOID ... because you can not change your own battery...you have to send it in and than pay like $50 for it. Seems odd. (I read the reviews on Amazon.com)

    Can't wait to see the responses you receive.

    They recommend you take them to a jeweler to have the battery changed...I think it costs about 9 dollars...plus if the seals get worn they can replace for you...No need to send them in. I bought the Polar ft7 and returned it...the sales person said I could upload to my pc, but you can't unless you purchase the accessory to do that...I got the Cardio Connect by Sportline...Have had a few days and so far I like it. The chest strap is confortable. The watch is confortable (I didn't care for Polars) Hope that helps :)
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    If all you want is a HRM, get a Polar with a chest strap. They're pretty much the standard, methinks. That being said, if you want the GPS tracking functionality for running or the like, my Garmin is my BFF.

    I <3 Garmin but I give the same warning - if you want calories estimates - all models will give calories estimates, not all models base it on heart rate.
  • agirlscamaro
    agirlscamaro Posts: 175 Member
    Some of the older Polars you couldn't change the batteries on. I have the FT40 and I can change the battery. It was a selling feature along with being able to link it to the website (if you buy the adapter).
  • samantha1242
    samantha1242 Posts: 816 Member
    I have a Polar FT 7 and I absolutely love it!
  • Fittreelol
    Fittreelol Posts: 2,535 Member
    I have a Polar ft40, and I love it! I can change the battery myself. Woohoo. Last time I checked the FT line lets you change your own batteries, but the other lines do not. Maybe that's where the confusion comes in.
  • Tann19
    Tann19 Posts: 94 Member
    polar is "fine" for fitness only, the foot pod can be inaccurate at times.

    but if you want GPS capability, garmin is the one.

    I want to use it for both fitness workouts and running outside. Had a garmin 305, loved it, it died after a few years of daily use.

    Researching a new one, plan on getting the 310 xt.
  • lambchristie
    lambchristie Posts: 552 Member
    Not my post, but thanks everyone for your input! :)
  • zorreena
    zorreena Posts: 267 Member
    I have the scosche arm band one. I like it because it has Bluetooth and connects to my iPhone. I use an app which tells me which zone I'm in. The app also posts directly to MFP which is a bonus when I complete the workout. The HRM can be finicky sometimes but there is a newer one out now called rhythm and I suppose they worked out some kinks with that one.
  • Lexi507
    Lexi507 Posts: 79 Member
    I had the Polar FT7 and replaced it with the FT4 because of the size of watch. I have fairly small wrists and the FT7 was just too big.
  • Shelleybean29
    Shelleybean29 Posts: 95 Member
    I have a Polar FT 7 and I absolutely love it!


    Me too! Love my FT 7
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    polar is "fine" for fitness only, the foot pod can be inaccurate at times.

    but if you want GPS capability, garmin is the one.

    I want to use it for both fitness workouts and running outside. Had a garmin 305, loved it, it died after a few years of daily use.

    Researching a new one, plan on getting the 310 xt.

    Love it, all the same great workouts can be programmed.

    Also uses FirstBeat algorithms for calories burned, though I wish they did allow manual input of VO2max stat, instead of calculating it for you based on the amount of your workouts.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Can't go wrong with Polar or Garmin
  • mjnyx
    mjnyx Posts: 35
    I have a Polar ft40, and I love it! I can change the battery myself. Woohoo. Last time I checked the FT line lets you change your own batteries, but the other lines do not. Maybe that's where the confusion comes in.

    Thank you, that was my next question--if the FT40 was any good and if it was user battery changeable.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Be aware the FT7 only has 1 upper zone alarm - no lower.

    So if desire is to stay in a zone, not possible.

    Also, the FT4 and FT7 base one of the more important HRM stats for calculating calories burned, the VO2max stat, on your BMI.
    Assumption is worse your BMI, worse your fitness level. Which is bad assumption.

    Can lead to overestimated calorie burns when starting out, to very underestimated as you get more fit, but the weight doesn't happen to move much and your BMI doesn't change much either then.
  • mjnyx
    mjnyx Posts: 35
    I have the scosche arm band one. I like it because it has Bluetooth and connects to my iPhone. I use an app which tells me which zone I'm in. The app also posts directly to MFP which is a bonus when I complete the workout. The HRM can be finicky sometimes but there is a newer one out now called rhythm and I suppose they worked out some kinks with that one.

    Looks really awesome but unfortunately, I live in this day and age and I do not have an iphone or an ipod touch or the equivalent.
  • Factory_Reset
    Factory_Reset Posts: 1,651 Member
    LOVE my Garmin. You really can't go wrong with them.
  • mjnyx
    mjnyx Posts: 35
    Be aware the FT7 only has 1 upper zone alarm - no lower.

    So if desire is to stay in a zone, not possible.

    Also, the FT4 and FT7 base one of the more important HRM stats for calculating calories burned, the VO2max stat, on your BMI.
    Assumption is worse your BMI, worse your fitness level. Which is bad assumption.

    Can lead to overestimated calorie burns when starting out, to very underestimated as you get more fit, but the weight doesn't happen to move much and your BMI doesn't change much either then.

    Do you know if the FT60 does this as well?
  • mjnyx
    mjnyx Posts: 35
    Has anyone had both the Polar FT7 and the FT60? What are the main differences you have found? Which one did you like better? I'm thinking the FT60 sounds like it's got a better system but does anyone have personal experience with them both?
  • mjnyx
    mjnyx Posts: 35
    I have the Polar FT60
    I LOVE it
    I can change the battery myself

    I know lots of people who have either the FT4, FT7 or the FT40 and love those as well

    Polar Rocks!

    Would you recommend the FT60 over the others?

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