Heart rate monitors...which one do have?

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Julbella78
Julbella78 Posts: 161 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I need to purchase a heart rate monitor and was wondering which is the best brand to buy. What kind do you have and what do you like about it?

Thanks!! :)

Replies

  • kayleigh333
    kayleigh333 Posts: 138
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    I'd like to know this as well... I've been thinking of buying one, but money is a bit tight at the moment so I need one that's as cheap as possible but accurately tells you how many calories you've burned.
  • light_house
    light_house Posts: 3 Member
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    I just purchased the Bowflex strapless heart rate monitor with calorie counter -- haven't set it up yet, but it was affordable (could break the payments down). I ordered it through the P90x website http://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_gear/progress_tools/bowflex_heart_rate_monitor.do .... looking forward to using it!
  • balfonso
    balfonso Posts: 370 Member
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    Polar brand seems to be the most popular of HRMs out there.

    I've got a Polar F11 with chest strap. It's great and easy to use, but if you like transferring your data onto the Polar site, unfortunately it's not Mac friendly and is more for PC users. But this doesn't bother me so much as all I want to know is how many calories I burn for each activity. Reasonably priced for what I got during the sale. I got mine from amazon.co.uk.

    My other half has the Garmin FR60 with a foot peg and chest strap which is great if you want to know the distance you have made during your activity. With data transfer for this gizmo, you get a USB stick and is Mac friendly. This one is a little bit more pricey, also purchased from amazon.co.uk.

    My advice, you get what you pay for.

    It's always worth to pay a little bit more for a really good one than the cheapy ones out there which aren't as good quality. Do some research and read reviews on each product.
  • bpayne78
    bpayne78 Posts: 249 Member
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    I love my Polar F6 (I googled it recently and it runs about $89-$109). The F6 doesn't download to the Polar site like the a previous poster said about the F11 BUT it does still enter all of your info (weight, age, height, gender),has a chest strap, AND it's encrypted so that other people's HRMs and the fitness equipment (i.e treadmill) won't interfere with your signal. No interference means no incorrect readings.

    Quote:
    "It's always worth to pay a little bit more for a really good one than the cheapy ones out there which aren't as good quality. Do some research and read reviews on each product."

    I agree with her 100%
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
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    Sportline, no chest strap, Wal-mart, under $30 bucks.
  • kendra1976
    kendra1976 Posts: 90 Member
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    Lina sent me hers when she got a polar. I like it but I'm going to get a polar soon. The one she sent me is a wrist one but you have to keep pressing the button to get a hr reading. It works though. Do you want me to send it to you? It's a good one to start with.
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,253 Member
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    I have a Polar F7 and I am not a huge fan. If I had to do it all over I would get a FT7 or higher.
  • skydiveskier
    skydiveskier Posts: 24
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    Polar FT7.

    Great HR monitor that is comfy to both lift and run in.
  • Julbella78
    Julbella78 Posts: 161 Member
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    Thanks Kendra but I think I'm going to purchase a polar on Thursday. :) Now I just have to decide which model.
  • DigitalRain
    DigitalRain Posts: 45
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    I bought an Polar FT4 recently from roadrunnersports.com and I love it. Easy to use with chest strap.
  • disneyfetishboy
    disneyfetishboy Posts: 65 Member
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    I have the Polar FT7, which has been great. Best of all, it works with the equipment at my gym automatically. Nifty.
  • mytmom
    mytmom Posts: 29
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    I have a Polar but bought it so many years ago i have no idea what model it is, but it still works. When money isn't so tight I'll probably buy a new one. I do like that I can just wear my chest strap when I'm doing my elliptical and it reads it from there. Also a little tip, if you feel you aren't getting a good reading from the chest strap by just wetting it, get some of the gel they use at hospitals for doing ultrasounds or EKGs, and use that. I'm not even sure where I got mine from but it makes a huge difference.
  • maurierose
    maurierose Posts: 574 Member
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    I have a Polar F11 and looooove it, and have learned a lot about my body and exercise and what I previously (incorrectly) thought was exercise..... :laugh:

    Got mine on Ebay, and it had a polar warranty with it..... much cheaper than it was other places, and I just kept looking for a week or two until I found one in my price range, and then jumped on it. Good luck! A HRM is a great step towards getting fit! :smile: :flowerforyou:

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