Heart Rate Monitors

purcel
purcel Posts: 34 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
My heart rate monitor finally came in this morning and :( it doesn't work. I have to wear a chest strap for it to continuously read my heart rate and I've followed the instructions and when that didn't work I tried putting the chest strap on in every conceivable location and angle on my chest and it still is not connecting with the watch. :( it says my heart rate is zero no matter what I do. I'm looking at returning it now if I can't figure it out.

Just wanted to ask what heart rate monitor's you guys have and do they work/set up was easy? I'd prefer to have one with an arm strap rather then a chest strap or no strap at all but I know the strap makes it more accurate.

Replies

  • queenbea77
    queenbea77 Posts: 404 Member
    My current HR Monitor is a Polar F4 and I like it. Previous to this I had a MIO which is a HR monitor watch w/o a strap. I've found that the Polar w/ chest strap is much more accurate than the one w/o. I got the one w/o the chest strap because I didn't want the hassle of putting on the strap & attachment as well as the wrist band but it wasn't accurate and made me think I was doing better than I really was.

    Now for the problem you are facing with your HR monitor. What brand is it? My polar has the chest strap and an attachment (about the size of a book of matches) that I have to snap onto the strap. I wear this attachment right in the center of my chest. When I put on my sports bra the chest strap is right under the bottom edge of my sports bra so it holds it in place while I'm working out. I don't have a problem with it coming off. Occasionally I might snap on the attachment and when I turn on the HR monitor it will say my HR isn't detected so I have to unsnap and reattach. It's been ages since I bought mine but have you checked to see if there are those little strips between the battery and the unit that you have to pull out so a connection is made (you know like for kid's toys etc.) Maybe try removing the battery and then putting it back in?
  • Brendajo510
    Brendajo510 Posts: 153
    I have a Polar FT4 with chest strap and love it.

    You might check the battery on your chest strap. Also, my instructions recommend wetting the sensors on the chest strap so that could be something to. You may have just gotten a broken unit.
  • JenJen0932
    JenJen0932 Posts: 34 Member
    I have a Garmin Forerunner 110 with a chest strap and it is important to make sure the chest strap is on the right way. If it is upside down the reading it totally wrong. I made a little arrown (with nailpoilish, of all things) to make sure I wear it correctly.

    I love my Garmin and the accuracy of a HRM for calories is great, but also helps me be sure that I am working hard enough, or indeed pushing to hard.

    Good luck!
  • tristaj90
    tristaj90 Posts: 330 Member
    I recently got the Polar FT7 and it was easy to set up and easy to use. I started using it 5 days ago and I'm already in love with it.
  • chelstakencharge
    chelstakencharge Posts: 1,021 Member
    LOVE my Polar FT4
  • Krista916
    Krista916 Posts: 258
    Is the chest strap tight enought? It has to be relatively tight to get a reading, also it has to be pretty high. I actually slip mine under my sports bra. It sits right between the bottom of my boobs. Dumb question, does the chest strap have on of those little pull tabs over the battery? You may just have to pull the battery tab to get it to work. I have a Garmin 210 and it had the little tab on the chest strap battery. You're turning the moniter on before activity, correct?
  • kreene1987
    kreene1987 Posts: 40 Member
    Polar Wearlink+, love it. Its the one for android and has Bluetooth for my running apps.
  • MissChyna
    MissChyna Posts: 358 Member
    I have a Polar FT4...best thing I ever purchased ^_^
  • HornedFrogPride
    HornedFrogPride Posts: 283 Member
    I wear an Adidas HRM paired with my treadmill which works great-even more impressed with Garmin's new HRM with the Forerunner 620 (calculates HR, VO2, cadence, stride length, etc). My old Garmin HRM I got with my 410 never worked so I share your frustration.
  • TXSweety09
    TXSweety09 Posts: 30
    I have a Polar FT7 and I absolutely LOVE it!! I'm with the others, I wear my monitor right in the middle of my chest under my sports bra and have never had a problem. As with anything purchased yours could have had a defect unfortunately... Good Luck with your next one!!!!!!!!!! #kickiingbuttin2014
  • Curleycue0314
    Curleycue0314 Posts: 245 Member
    I've had a Polar T31 for YEARS!!!!! Recently had someone recommend the Polar 7 to me because it is waterproof and I can use it when I swim. Love min never had any issues with a Polar.
  • davemunger
    davemunger Posts: 1,139 Member
    For women, I would think a sports bra with integrated HRM would be the way to go. One less piece of equipment to worry about. Here's one:

    http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Cardio-Sports-Bra/dp/B001RIIITE

    Reviews seem a bit mixed though.
  • anewlife1980
    anewlife1980 Posts: 225 Member
    I have the polar F7 with chest strap & love it. I haven't had any issues with it at all but have had the rare occasion where while out for a walk it suddenly went to zero but always came back to normal again. I always wear the chest strap just under the elastic in my workout shirt, basically where the waist of my bra would be.
  • 1JenMilam
    1JenMilam Posts: 108 Member
    sometimes the don't work if you have an underwire bra on.
  • DaniMarie180
    DaniMarie180 Posts: 17
    I, too, have a Polar FT7 and LOVE it. I've had it for over a year and wear it for every workout. I highly recommend their Polar Soft Strap, as I never feel it or that I'm wearing it. Some Garmin folks buy this strap because it's so comfy and keeps a good connection.
  • purcel
    purcel Posts: 34 Member
    I got a Sigma PC 10.11. I made sure there was no battery tab. I tried taking the battery out and then back in. I've got the strap tight and right side up plus I've tried very level of tightness. It said to moisten the rubber pad on the strap that it has, which i did. I've got the watch in the mode for it to sync with the strap but still nothing! I'm pretty sure I've tried everything. I'm afraid its defective :(. I wouldn't mind so much but where I live it takes forever for shipping if I want to order another one and I am starting a new workout class today that I ordered this heart rate monitor for. Oh well, from what you guys are saying I think I'm going to look into the Polar heart rate monitors...
  • japar
    japar Posts: 51 Member
    I have the FT4 and like it. I occasionally get two different errors to the same problem. I will sometimes get a HR of 00 and I will sometimes get a message that says HR not detected. This is always the same problem...poor coupling between the chest strap detector and my skin. It is always fixed by me wetting my fingers with some tap water or spit and rubbing that moisture onto the detector - once I have the "connection" made between skin and detector...no problem.
  • kreene1987
    kreene1987 Posts: 40 Member
    Here is how the HRM should be fitted:

    http://fitnesselectronicsblog.com/wp-content/uploads//2012/05/IMGP0362-2.jpg
  • ramsx1991
    ramsx1991 Posts: 142 Member
    I have to wet mine as well and it doesn't seem to detect a heartbeat until I wet both the rubber AND the fabric side. Worth a try?? Also, maybe instead of strapping it in try pushing it into your chest at every angle first? That's what I did when I had problems and it seemed to fix it.. Aww hopefully it's not defective!!! That really sucks.
  • Adrianachiarato
    Adrianachiarato Posts: 362 Member
    I don't know about yours, but my chest strap doesn't have an on/off switch. When mine arrived, it wasn't working either so I've changed the battery and now it does work.
  • DaveDTD
    DaveDTD Posts: 16 Member
    I just got the Wahoo Blue HR monitor. Thought it wasn't working at all, then I moved it up about 2 inches. Now it seems to work fine. I like it because it works with Runkeeper. I don't own a fitness watch yet and like to listen to music while running so the phone works best for me.
  • davemunger
    davemunger Posts: 1,139 Member
    I got a Sigma PC 10.11. I made sure there was no battery tab. I tried taking the battery out and then back in. I've got the strap tight and right side up plus I've tried very level of tightness. It said to moisten the rubber pad on the strap that it has, which i did. I've got the watch in the mode for it to sync with the strap but still nothing! I'm pretty sure I've tried everything. I'm afraid its defective :(. I wouldn't mind so much but where I live it takes forever for shipping if I want to order another one and I am starting a new workout class today that I ordered this heart rate monitor for. Oh well, from what you guys are saying I think I'm going to look into the Polar heart rate monitors...

    Sounds like it may just be a dead battery -- especially if there was no battery tab to begin with.
  • mojohowitz
    mojohowitz Posts: 900 Member
    Mio Alpha. I love everything other than the back light. It. does. not. have. one. :mad:
  • wvtracyann
    wvtracyann Posts: 95 Member
    did you wetten it before putting it on? Mine you have to I have a P7 and it works great
  • purcel
    purcel Posts: 34 Member
    Mio Alpha. I love everything other than the back light. It. does. not. have. one. :mad:

    I was looking at this one. seemed really great but the price and yes the back light. Plus I'm usually not one to get something in its first generation I like to wait til they work out the kinks.
  • purcel
    purcel Posts: 34 Member
    sometimes the don't work if you have an underwire bra on.

    Do not think of this. I was testing it out with an underwire. Will have to put on my sport bra when I get home and try it with that. Thanks!
  • purcel
    purcel Posts: 34 Member
    I don't know about yours, but my chest strap doesn't have an on/off switch. When mine arrived, it wasn't working either so I've changed the battery and now it does work.

    Mine doesn't have an on/off switch either. I think as others have said maybe its a dead battery, especially since it didn't have a battery tab. I will replace the battery and see, before I look into returning it. Thanks!
  • queenbea77
    queenbea77 Posts: 404 Member
    I when I get done working out I always stop my wrist unit & then unsnap the monitor from the strap. One time I forgot to remove it from the strap & ran the battery dead. And my polar also recommended using a gel to get a better connection and I tried it once but after the bottle opened in my gym bag & spilled all over & I had to use the HR monitor without it I found I didn't really need it. My only complaint with my polar is when I ordered a replacement chest strap I didn't care for their new version as much. Good luck
  • csmbsailor
    csmbsailor Posts: 10 Member
    I just had to buy a new one to replace my polar(ugh).
    Anyhow the strap did not work with tap water, then I re-read the instructions and spit on the chest strap and hello Heart rate! So it might need spit or sweat to start to pick up at least the first few times you wear it.
  • Adrianachiarato
    Adrianachiarato Posts: 362 Member
    Did it work?

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