Looking for inexpensive HRM

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jimbo831
jimbo831 Posts: 15
in Fitness and Exercise
I am looking to get a HRM that is affordable for me. I found this one on Amazon for only $35:

http://www.amazon.com/Timex-T5G941-Heart-Monitor-Watch/dp/B000F5WB66/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=IS9BMKCHAKY3L&colid=1ZBCIUBEG30RE

It has good reviews but doesn't seem to calculate calories, just give you the BPM. I really want a Bluetooth one to tie in with my Android app that will make it simple, but that just is too expensive right now. Are there any under $50 that will not only track my BPM but also calculate how many calories I burn on my workouts? Thanks.

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  • jpeebs88
    jpeebs88 Posts: 81
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    This is very similar to the one I have (from walmart, I think mine was 47). I really like it. It's a little complicated but it does everything that I want it to do, and more. The key thing is that, to be accurate, a HRM really needs to have a chest strap.

    http://www.walmart.com/ip/Oregon-Scientific-Smart-Heart-Heart-Rate-Monitor-Watch/6051181
  • tornberg1
    tornberg1 Posts: 28 Member
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    Marshall's had some 19.99 its a watch! Works great!
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    I see people on my friends list go for the cheap ones all the time and then they say "oh my gosh! I burned 2000 calories in 3 minutes!" or something ridiculous like that. The cheap ones just don't work. Get one with a chest strap. Get one that calculates the calories. The extra $70 will be worth it, TRUST me.
  • patssarah
    patssarah Posts: 146 Member
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    I got mine from Walmart $48.
    It has a chest strap and I LOVE IT! shows everything, cals burned, minutes spent in target zone, above target zone, below.. etc.. very easy to use and all the research I did before purchasing it lead me to make sure I got one with a chest strap.

    I HIGHLY recommend the one I got! Best $50 I have spent in a long time

    heres the link to it

    http://www.walmart.com/ip/Proform-Ultimate-Heart-Rate-Monitor/15188953
  • jimbo831
    jimbo831 Posts: 15
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    The one I linked from Amazon, made by Timex does use a chest strap. I only plan on buying one with a chest strap for sure. Others are just not accurate enough.
  • patssarah
    patssarah Posts: 146 Member
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    I am looking to get a HRM that is affordable for me. I found this one on Amazon for only $35:

    http://www.amazon.com/Timex-T5G941-Heart-Monitor-Watch/dp/B000F5WB66/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=IS9BMKCHAKY3L&colid=1ZBCIUBEG30RE

    It has good reviews but doesn't seem to calculate calories, just give you the BPM. I really want a Bluetooth one to tie in with my Android app that will make it simple, but that just is too expensive right now. Are there any under $50 that will not only track my BPM but also calculate how many calories I burn on my workouts? Thanks.

    Just took a look at your link, and read some of the reviews and I would say it sounds perfectly fine! I bet it shows your calories burned, it did say that it showed amount in/below/above target HR zone, so I would think it shows cals burned as well.
    $35 is a great price, and the chest strap is a must!
  • 512cheangela
    512cheangela Posts: 133
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    To be honest, unless you pay a proper doc to give you full metabolic analysis, the HRM isn't going to be much help in calculating calories burned. Telling a cheap gadget how heavy you are isn't going to produce magical numbers any more accurate than what you can get on here. There are so many factors involved, such as body composition, that are seriously overlooked when these "tools" estimate your burn. If all you're after is a finite number of calories burned, save your money and keep doing the awesome things you're doing!! If you're doing a lot of interval training or questioning if you're challenging yourself enough, then by all means give the cheapo a try.

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