polar FT4 V FT7

andreaie
andreaie Posts: 369 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey guys
I'm just looking for advice on which one to buy, I have been going to the gym the past 4/5 weeks Ive Been doing 2 body pump classes every week and spinning 2-3 times a week, and I have decided its time to purchase a HRM to see what kind of calories and burning. I'm hoping this in turn will make me want to push my self more each time to try and improve.
any advice would be really appreciated
TIA

Replies

  • watchursize
    watchursize Posts: 29 Member
    Hello, I just got FT4 last month, its brilliant to see how much calories you have actually burnt, not estimated.
  • jerseyjenus
    jerseyjenus Posts: 82 Member
    love my FT4!!
  • AmyMgetsfit
    AmyMgetsfit Posts: 636 Member
    I have the FT7 and love it. I got mine on Amazon for a really good price.
  • TdaniT
    TdaniT Posts: 331 Member
    What are the differences?
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    The FT7 synchs to Polar's website and the FT4 doesn't. The FT4 has all the basic functions that the average person needs who just wants to get an estimation of calorie burn from steady state cardio.
  • pinkakira1
    pinkakira1 Posts: 235 Member
    I have the FT7 and love it... its litterally the best thing I have purchased ever. I guess I am getting too excited but I seriously love it and don't know what I did without it. It really pushes me.
  • gercker5
    gercker5 Posts: 57 Member
    I"ve had my FT4 for a few years now and love it! The FT7 has a few added perks, but the FT4 is a great basic HRM that does what it's supposed to do and is easy to program. You can usually pick it up on Amazon in the $50-60 range. They have a lot better color choices now too than when I got mine (I have the blah copper color).
  • TdaniT
    TdaniT Posts: 331 Member
    I"ve had my FT4 for a few years now and love it! The FT7 has a few added perks, but the FT4 is a great basic HRM that does what it's supposed to do and is easy to program. You can usually pick it up on Amazon in the $50-60 range. They have a lot better color choices now too than when I got mine (I have the blah copper color).

    So really for me only wanting it to calculate true calorie burn during T25, the FT4 is the better way to go? I have resisted getting one but I have no idea how to guesstimate my calorie burn with T25.
  • janicelo1971
    janicelo1971 Posts: 823 Member
    my ft4 loses the heart rate signal often and OVER estimates calories....wouldn't recommend it
  • paula1509
    paula1509 Posts: 9 Member
    my ft4 loses the heart rate signal often and OVER estimates calories....wouldn't recommend it

    Hi there, I have an FT4 and love it but now am concerned, how do you know it over estimates the calories?

    Thanks
    Paula
  • gercker5
    gercker5 Posts: 57 Member
    I"ve had my FT4 for a few years now and love it! The FT7 has a few added perks, but the FT4 is a great basic HRM that does what it's supposed to do and is easy to program. You can usually pick it up on Amazon in the $50-60 range. They have a lot better color choices now too than when I got mine (I have the blah copper color).

    So really for me only wanting it to calculate true calorie burn during T25, the FT4 is the better way to go? I have resisted getting one but I have no idea how to guesstimate my calorie burn with T25.

    I would go with the FT4 if you just want it for calorie burn and not to track on the Polar site. Whenever mine starts to lose my heart rate, it is usually time to change the batteries, or it isn't wet enough on the contacts.
  • bkyoun
    bkyoun Posts: 371 Member
    I have the FT7, my wife has the FT4. They are basically the same thing so just go with whichever one you can get the best price on.
  • CheeksBryant
    CheeksBryant Posts: 193 Member
    Hello, I just got FT4 last month, its brilliant to see how much calories you have actually burnt, not estimated.

    ^^This
  • janessanessa
    janessanessa Posts: 299 Member
    I have a pink FT4, and have been using it consistently for 14 months now. The only problem I've had is needing to replace the battery (just this month after using consistently 5-6 times each week, also note the batteries can be tricky to find sometimes, make sure to check the jewelry counter at Walmart, I found the one battery I needed hiding there on a display near the floor). It's great because it accurately measures heart rate, and calculates your calorie burn based on your age, sex and weight. I have no use for the FT7 features personally, since I am already on MFP daily, and manually entering my calories consumed, I don't find it hard to also enter my calories burned. The price is good as well!!
  • jenns1964
    jenns1964 Posts: 384 Member
    I love my Ft4!
  • SoCalWoman
    SoCalWoman Posts: 2,384 Member
    I have a pink FT4, and have been using it consistently for 14 months now. The only problem I've had is needing to replace the battery (just this month after using consistently 5-6 times each week, also note the batteries can be tricky to find sometimes, make sure to check the jewelry counter at Walmart, I found the one battery I needed hiding there on a display near the floor). It's great because it accurately measures heart rate, and calculates your calorie burn based on your age, sex and weight. I have no use for the FT7 features personally, since I am already on MFP daily, and manually entering my calories consumed, I don't find it hard to also enter my calories burned. The price is good as well!!
    I don't find the batteries hard to find..but I find the chest strap unit/transmitter IMPOSSIBLE to open! Have you done it yet?
    The watch I can open and have changed the batteries a couple of times.
    Other than that I love it!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Hello, I just got FT4 last month, its brilliant to see how much calories you have actually burnt, not estimated.

    FYI, it's still an estimate...just a better one and a generally better option than relying on a database. At minimum, you'd want to knock off your BMR calories. Also, the further away you get from a steady state cardio activity like running or cycling, the less accurate any HRM is going to be for calorie burn.

    Your HR itself doesn't determine your burn...if it did I'd just have someone come and scare the **** out of me every 5 minutes or so...your HR is just used in an algorithm so that the HRM can determine what % of VO2 max you are working at (w/ VO2 Max being that of the average Joe/Jane of similar stats as yourself). Even for steady state cardio I used to knock off about 20% which was basically my BMR calories give or take.
  • neonemesis
    neonemesis Posts: 74 Member
    FT7 can hold 100 previous workout FT4 can only hold 10 if memory serves me right. i have the FT4 and love it.

    in terms of heart rate monitors their accuracy is truly best when you are in the zone. light workouts i noticed that it does over estimate.

    for instance my FT4 has my range at 125 - 165 when im not in that zone i find the calculations seem too high or too low
  • KB1ofaKind
    KB1ofaKind Posts: 12 Member
    My FT7 has started doing this same thing. But I'm going to try replacing the batteries since its been over 6 months, and hopefully that will fix the issue.
  • janessanessa
    janessanessa Posts: 299 Member
    I don't find the batteries hard to find..but I find the chest strap unit/transmitter IMPOSSIBLE to open! Have you done it yet?
    The watch I can open and have changed the batteries a couple of times.
    Other than that I love it!

    It's a bit of a pain....bit flathead screw driver, with some down pressure as your turning, just be careful not to strip out the grove on the back of the transmitter. You can wrap the end of the screwdriver with a bit of Kleenex, worked for me better when I did that.
  • janicelo1971
    janicelo1971 Posts: 823 Member
    Hello, I just got FT4 last month, its brilliant to see how much calories you have actually burnt, not estimated.

    FYI, it's still an estimate...just a better one and a generally better option than relying on a database. At minimum, you'd want to knock off your BMR calories. Also, the further away you get from a steady state cardio activity like running or cycling, the less accurate any HRM is going to be for calorie burn.

    Your HR itself doesn't determine your burn...if it did I'd just have someone come and scare the **** out of me every 5 minutes or so...your HR is just used in an algorithm so that the HRM can determine what % of VO2 max you are working at (w/ VO2 Max being that of the average Joe/Jane of similar stats as yourself). Even for steady state cardio I used to knock off about 20% which was basically my BMR calories give or take.

    this

    I also knock off about 20 percent of the so called calories burned...especially if I really wasn't in zone much....really overestimates..atleast mine does
  • andreaie
    andreaie Posts: 369 Member
    Thanks so much for all your replys guys I really appreciate all the advice,it looks like the pros out weigh the cons, think I'll go for the ft4 at least it has to be more accurate than an estimate from the treadmill machine :)
    Thanks again
    Andreaie

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