Heart Rate Monitor

april_kelley
april_kelley Posts: 21 Member
edited September 26 in Fitness and Exercise
I am looking for a HRM and I have no clue what to look for in one and what the general cost is. What do you have? What have you had in the past? What was the cost and do they come with special features? Thanks for your help.

Replies

  • itsgracia
    itsgracia Posts: 35
    im definitely interested too.
  • ybba12490
    ybba12490 Posts: 252
    I bought one that just looked like a watch that was supposed to have "pulse technology." It looked awesome and I was confident it would work, but I took it to the gym and it said I only burnt 20 calories while on the elliptical for 30 minutes... what?! I am a 5'11'' 220 lb woman, I am burning a lot more than that! So I returned it and got my money back. Came on here and asked a few questions, found out that you need a HRM that goes around your chest. So I would suggest buying one of those. Good luck!
  • daphnest
    daphnest Posts: 12 Member
    My son wears one that we got at Walmart for $50. He wears it because he has heart problems and we keep a eye on his pulse. We had it checked out and it right on with his pulse. It can do calorie burn to but he does not use that. Its called sportline SX . We got one from cvs and it did not last very long.
  • Lefriedline
    Lefriedline Posts: 61 Member
    You definitely want one with a chest strap! I recently bought this one and love it! http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Black-Fitness-Bundle-Monitor/dp/B001S2RCWS It may seem pricey but it comes with the watch, strap, and a foot pot that tracks your laps and steps...definitely worth it! Plus Garmin is a great brand. Good luck finding what you are looking for! :)
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,253 Member
    I have a Polar FT4. Got if from ebay for $49.99 BNIB.

    Polar seems to be a popular choice on here. If you go to their website you can compare all the models so you can get one with the features you want. My only requirement was for it to show me calories burned. A chest strap is a must as they are much more reliable.

    This is the one I have: http://www.polar.fi/products/get_active/fitness_crosstraining/FT4
  • Homer3D
    Homer3D Posts: 318
    This is the one I have.

    http://compare.ebay.com/like/170620953111?var=binlv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&rvr_id=225103180393&crlp=1_263602_324952&UA=WXO?&GUID=55f06f0412f0a0aa12262286ffe03a26&itemid=170620953111&ff4=263602_324952

    Works great. I bought my new for $20. So I am not sure why they are selling for more for a used one...
  • sjaudio
    sjaudio Posts: 52
    I picked up a Polar FT4 from a sporting good store a couple of days ago. So far it seems to work just fine. I am far from an expert and only did a minimum of research, but I (along with everyone else I talked to) would recommend getting one with a chest strap as they are far more accurate. Also, as with most things in life, you get what you pay for.
  • sjashinski
    sjashinski Posts: 5 Member
    I am certainly no expert but I had some heart issues about a year ago so I did a little research and ended up purchasing the Timex Personal Heart Rate Monitor. It was not top of the line, but you can replace the battery yourself. Some I looked at needed to be sent back to the factory.

    The big difference was the amount of bells and whistles. The high end ones were basically mini computers and could also be linked to a computer. My needs were pretty basic. I wanted an accurate one that had an easy display to read and could provide me a summary of my workout. The one I bought is a watch but shows your heart rate. After your work-out, it provides your time, your max rate and your average rate. Some of the more expensive ones showed more detail.

    Most sporting good stores carry then and have someone who can help you find the right one. I started at a running store and they only carried the high end ones.

    Hope this helps
  • Minnie_Moo
    Minnie_Moo Posts: 239 Member
    I would suggest getting one with a chest strap as they are better to calculate an accurate HR.


    Don't know if this will help you any but...........Here is a link that was posted in another thread with a lot of information on HRM's.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/the-real-facts-about-hrms-and-calories-what-you-need-to-know-before-purchasing-an-hrm-or-using-one-21472
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