Just bought the Polar FT4 heart rate monitor - experiences??

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dxc92
dxc92 Posts: 138 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone

I've just ordered myself a Polar FT4 heart rate monitor to see how things go with that and if I like it, I may upgrade to a better one.

I just like the sound of being able to track how many calories your burn when exercising, since a lot of the exercise I do includes fitness classes.

Does anyone else use or have used one and can give me any reviews on heart rate monitors, good/bad? And are they accurate?

Thanks :) xx

Replies

  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
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    I have one and I like it. I think they are more accurate than machines because they are set to your stats and constantly monitor your heart rate. But are they accurate in general… there's no honest-to-goodness way of knowing for sure, as there are factors that can cause calculations to be off. They are best for steady state cardio. You would get a calorie burn reading if you were doing resistance training, but much of the calorie burn from that occurs after the workout. I still take the measurement with a grain of salt and only eat back a portion of my calories.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    I have one and I love it.
  • emilyisbonkers
    emilyisbonkers Posts: 373 Member
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    how much are they?
  • Edinburgh1986
    Edinburgh1986 Posts: 11
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    how much are they?

    £54 on Amazon.

    I've started the C25K and about to start the 30 Day Shred alongside this (glutton for punishment I guess!) and have this on my Amazon Wish List to buy...keep swithering on whether or not to get it!!
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    how much are they?

    About $60 US.
  • sad0711
    sad0711 Posts: 17 Member
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    I have the same one and I love it. MFP's calorie burn is way off from my HRM's (my calorie burn is way lower). So I go by my reading when I log, but I still don't eat back all of my exercise calories just to be safe. I thought the chest strap was going to be a pain, but I don't even know it's on. I will definitely get another one when this one craps out. :)
  • BrittanyMegan88
    BrittanyMegan88 Posts: 670 Member
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    I have the same model and I'm so in love with it. It actually really motivates me to go a bit longer or harder sometimes, seeing the calories go up and what my heart rate is at. I don't eat back all my calories either cause of the same reason as other people said. I usually leave about 200 extra at the end of the day..
  • thedestar
    thedestar Posts: 1,278 Member
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    I love my ft4! I've had it since April '11. I replaced the battery about a year and a half after I got it, and it needs replaced again. Other than that, no problems. Works great!
  • icimani
    icimani Posts: 1,454 Member
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    Interesting that you already bought it and THEN asking for opinions. Shouldn't that be the other way around?
    LO< ....just saying.


    I have the FT4 and love it. It's easy to set up and use. Some people have had problems changing the batteries but I haven't had any problems. I also swim with it and it's been fine. ((ust be careful not to push any buttons under water!)
  • Pixt
    Pixt Posts: 95 Member
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    I love my FT4 ... it's measurements are WAY lower than MFP estimates so I tend to eat back what it tells me I burned, maybe even a bit more if I'm doing something that's more strength based than cardio.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/774337-how-to-test-hrm-for-how-accurate-calorie-burn-is

    Considering women using a much more expensive and nicer HRM than yours still got calorie estimates up to 30% higher than reality, good to test.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/459580-polar-hrm-calorie-burn-estimate-accuracy-study

    Those cheaper ones assume your fitness level (VO2max) and BMI are related, meaning you have bad BMI, you have bad fitness level.

    While that may be true at the start, it doesn't take long for your aerobic system to improve much faster than you lose weight.

    Result is you get reported smaller calorie burn then you are really doing.

    Like any tool, know it's limitations and uses. It is after all just as the name implies - a Heart Rate Monitor first, the calorie burn thing came much later in the came is depending on activity has a chance of being 10-20% range of truth.

    And ignore the comments that it must be accurate because it's different than MFP. If different meant accurate, then anyone that started with a HRM and then came to MFP later would need to trust MFP more.
  • dxc92
    dxc92 Posts: 138 Member
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    Interesting that you already bought it and THEN asking for opinions. Shouldn't that be the other way around?
    LO< ....just saying.

    Uhh thanks for just saying but I had read reviews online already before buying it - I just wanted to see what the people of MFP thought about it. - curiosity ...... Didn't realise I was being judged on the timing of my question.

    But thanks everyone I'm super excited for my HRM to arrive :) it sounds fab even though it may over calculate my calories slightly, I think it will still give me a better idea of what I'm burning.
  • ChrissyC1985
    ChrissyC1985 Posts: 406 Member
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    I have the FT4 and love it. It's easy to set up and use. Some people have had problems changing the batteries but I haven't had any problems. I also swim with it and it's been fine. ((ust be careful not to push any buttons under water!)

    I have one, didn't realise you could swim with it too! that's made my future swims far more accurate then. Thanks!:flowerforyou:
  • Kaitlinsgettingfit
    Kaitlinsgettingfit Posts: 7 Member
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    I just ordered one too! I am kind of worried! I have heard great things about it, but have also heard about them breaking after only 2 months. So I am hoping for the best!

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