To strap or not to strap is the questions

blueyegirl0712
blueyegirl0712 Posts: 135 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am looking into buying a heart monitor but I'm not sure if I should get the strap or strapless kind?? Any suggestions? The reason I want one is to see how many calories I burn. Thanks!

Replies

  • Eric_DeCastro
    Eric_DeCastro Posts: 767 Member
    I have only seen good reviews about the ones with chest strap. I'm wearing one right now. I wear it all day and log my walks on breaks and wear it until I finish my run in the evening. I don't even notice I'm wearing it anymore.

    I'm using the polar FT7 by the end of the year i want to get the Garmin forerunner with gps
  • dewaltfan
    dewaltfan Posts: 66 Member
    I just got the Polar FT4 with the chest strap and love it. I previously had one that was just the watch and you had to hold your finger on it so that it would read your heart rate. The watch one was giving me almost 1000 calorie burns for an hour walking on the treadmill which was just a bit off :noway: . The FT4 seems to be much more accurate and is much easier to use.
  • sfbaumgarten
    sfbaumgarten Posts: 912 Member
    Strap will be more accurate.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
    Mio is the only company I know that has a heart rate monitor watch that doesn't need a strap. I almost pulled the trigger and bought one, then I read the reviews on them and they're horrible at keeping a consistent heart rate. So I'll keep my old reliable Polar w/strap until they improve on the technology.
  • Shuuma
    Shuuma Posts: 465 Member
    Well, I initially read your thread title wrong.

    :blushing: :laugh: :laugh:

    I currently have a wrist HRM that is pretty nice, but I'm wanting to get one that's a chest strap. I just think something sitting over your heart is going to be a better indication of your actually calorie burn because it constantly updates. If I don't keep readjusting my wrist HRM by taking my pulse, it will just log a burn of my resting HR for the entire workout. Sub-optimal, IMO, though effective enough (and a bit cheaper if your budget is tight) if you remember to keep updating your pulse with that little button thingie. Also, be sure to set the profile up correctly.
  • monkeywizard
    monkeywizard Posts: 222 Member
    I just got the Polar FT4 with the chest strap and love it. I previously had one that was just the watch and you had to hold your finger on it so that it would read your heart rate. The watch one was giving me almost 1000 calorie burns for an hour walking on the treadmill which was just a bit off :noway: . The FT4 seems to be much more accurate and is much easier to use.

    I too have the FT4 (with chest strap) and love it! I'm having no issues with accuracy.
  • CDogg17
    CDogg17 Posts: 27
    I have the Polar FT4 with the strap and I love it. I do not notice the strap AT ALL. In fact, I'm more irritated by the watch part than the strap. Kind of a pain with weighted gloves or when doing push ups…always have to remember to loosen it to keep it further up my arm.
  • Lib_B
    Lib_B Posts: 446 Member
    I just got the Polar FT4 with the chest strap and love it. I previously had one that was just the watch and you had to hold your finger on it so that it would read your heart rate. The watch one was giving me almost 1000 calorie burns for an hour walking on the treadmill which was just a bit off :noway: . The FT4 seems to be much more accurate and is much easier to use.

    I've got the same thing. Love it. Only thing I would make better is it's ability to transmit in the pool. Other than that, it's great. Once I got it, I realized how much the machines at the gym are off on calorie burn. It's not unusual for there to be a fluctuation +/- 250 calories burned.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    i've heard the starp ones are more accurate.

    someone said something about wearing it all day. if thats the plan, something like a fit bit would work much better
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    I used a Polar FT7 for a while, despite my initial hesitance to wear the chest strap. If you are used to wearing a bra, it will not be a big deal at all. Don't waste money on something that won't be accurate.
  • kr1stadee
    kr1stadee Posts: 1,774 Member
    I have only seen good reviews about the ones with chest strap. I'm wearing one right now. I wear it all day and log my walks on breaks and wear it until I finish my run in the evening. I don't even notice I'm wearing it anymore.

    I'm using the polar FT7 by the end of the year i want to get the Garmin forerunner with gps

    As far as I know, the Polar FT_ HRM's are designed to use during exercise, not for all-day use. If you want something to record your calories burned all day, you should look into a FitBit.


    OP- Strap it up!!
  • qtgonewild
    qtgonewild Posts: 1,930 Member
    i agree. strap it up. ft7 user. love it. love to strap up.
  • Eric_DeCastro
    Eric_DeCastro Posts: 767 Member
    I have only seen good reviews about the ones with chest strap. I'm wearing one right now. I wear it all day and log my walks on breaks and wear it until I finish my run in the evening. I don't even notice I'm wearing it anymore.

    I'm using the polar FT7 by the end of the year i want to get the Garmin forerunner with gps

    As far as I know, the Polar FT_ HRM's are designed to use during exercise, not for all-day use. If you want something to record your calories burned all day, you should look into a FitBit.


    OP- Strap it up!!

    I don't have it loggin all day calories. like I said, I only use it to log my walks and runs. other wise I'm just wearing it because i don't want to lose it. I lost my FT4 that way. I have a polar loop for all day logging which I don't use anyway, i just wear it to wear it.
  • seismicmuffin
    seismicmuffin Posts: 160 Member
    I have a Polar FT4 and its great. The strap is very comfortable, hardly noticeable. I think it's well worth it.
  • RomulanWarbird
    RomulanWarbird Posts: 230
    It's really not uncomfortable! I have the polar ft4 and I wear the chest strap during workouts and never even feel it, even though it's taught. Also the watch part is cute and it comes in a ton of different colors so you can wear it all day. :D

    It's only 100 bucks and it's more accurate than the wrist only kind. I highly recommend it!!
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
    I have a Polar FT4 and feel naked without it when I'm working out. Strap it up.

    I got mine on Amazon for around $65.
  • MizTerry
    MizTerry Posts: 3,763 Member
    Well THIS is not what I thought it was at all!

    th?id=HN.608003718082202609&pid=15.1
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I just got the Polar FT4 with the chest strap and love it. I previously had one that was just the watch and you had to hold your finger on it so that it would read your heart rate. The watch one was giving me almost 1000 calorie burns for an hour walking on the treadmill which was just a bit off :noway: . The FT4 seems to be much more accurate and is much easier to use.
    Same experience here. Tried to save a few bucks and picked up a watch only model on clearance - should have saved the money. About a month later, I bought one with a chest strap and have been very happy with it.
  • vintonpaul
    vintonpaul Posts: 1 Member
    I use the Polar HT7 bluetooth heart rate monitor strap with my iPhone and love it. You can use it with Wahoo Fitness, Polar Beat and other apps. Wahoo Fitness lets you upload your completed workouts to various fitness sites including MyFitnessPal, MapMyFitness, Nike+ and others. It also outputs the GymLink signal so you can see your heart rate on machines like StairMaster's Step Mill, providing it has the new control panel.

    I use the results to gauge when my body is ready to move up a level or extend my workout time.
  • blueyegirl0712
    blueyegirl0712 Posts: 135 Member
    Thanks everyone. :flowerforyou: Looks like I'm getting one with a strap! Currently I'm doing Shaun T Focus 25 and want to know how many calories I'm burning.
  • armymom5
    armymom5 Posts: 115
    I also have the Polar FT4 and have really liked the information I get from it. I don't notice the chest strap at all and generally think I get a pretty accurate read on calories burned.
  • blueyegirl0712
    blueyegirl0712 Posts: 135 Member
    And it looks like I'll be getting a Polar FT4! :smile:
  • silverlining84
    silverlining84 Posts: 330 Member
    I love my Polar FT4. At first I was concerned about feeling the chest strap but during workouts I don't even notice it at all. Easy to clean as well.
  • Eric_DeCastro
    Eric_DeCastro Posts: 767 Member
    I love my Polar FT4. At first I was concerned about feeling the chest strap but during workouts I don't even notice it at all. Easy to clean as well.

    I have two straps and alternate between them, I just take one with me to the shower and wash it then, and use the dry one the next day.

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