Heart Rate Monitor Recommendations?

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nicola8989
nicola8989 Posts: 381 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone

I've started running and I would like a heart rate monitor. I track my workouts on MapMyRun and I have a FitBit so I don't think I really need a watch (although I am tempted!) just a simple heart rate monitor that will sync up with MapMyRun and my iPhone.

What do you recommend?

Replies

  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
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    Polar H7 should do the trick...
  • leahcollett1
    leahcollett1 Posts: 807 Member
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    i have the polar ht4
  • JonathanLepoff
    JonathanLepoff Posts: 46 Member
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    The Polar H7 Bluetooth transmitter strap will meet your needs.
    The calorie count on MMR will not be accurate
  • Will210
    Will210 Posts: 201 Member
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    I recommend the scosche rythm+. It fits on your upper forearm, is very comfortable and accurate. It is blue tooth only meaning there is no watch. I have had 4 polar including the Bluetooth and the mio wrist watch. This has bee easily the best option for me. The polar were not as comfortable and more tedious to get on. I had to wear the mio super tight to get and effective read and would sometimes be inconsistent. I have an iPhone and use the digfit app
  • susanlouise
    susanlouise Posts: 18 Member
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    I have the scosche rhythm + and it has not been accurate for me. The Polar H7 has been accurate and reliable.
  • nicola8989
    nicola8989 Posts: 381 Member
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    is the calorie count on MMR too low or too high? TBH I'm not really that interested in calorie counts as I don't eat back my exercise calories
  • ScubaSteve1962
    ScubaSteve1962 Posts: 612 Member
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    Unless you want to track your all day activities, try the Polar H7 sensor, with your I-phone. With the polar flow app, and polar beat app, it will automatically sync with MFP, you can get one for about $50 from amazon. It also will link to most cardio equipment to control level/resistance/incline by the heart rate you set the machine too. Also will be an easy fit if you want to upgrade to one of the activity monitors.

    http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Sensor-BLE-BLK-M-XXL/dp/B007S088F4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1435794903&sr=8-2&keywords=H7
  • mwyvr
    mwyvr Posts: 1,883 Member
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    The most important question to ask: What is it you hope to do with the heart rate information?
  • nicola8989
    nicola8989 Posts: 381 Member
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    that's fab thanks - I just want to track my heart rate while I run really. Do I need anything else or just the HRM? My OH has a Garmin one I was going to borrow but you have to buy an adapter to plug into your phone before you can use it!
  • nicola8989
    nicola8989 Posts: 381 Member
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    what's the difference between the H7 and the H4?
  • leahcollett1
    leahcollett1 Posts: 807 Member
    edited July 2015
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    the ht4 doesnt have bluetooth to sync it to an app ( polar) it just comes with a chest strap and watch so you can monitor your heart rate - it works out calories burnt from your heart rate, and statistics
  • rrcoffey
    rrcoffey Posts: 72 Member
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    Happy Polar H7 user here :)
  • Bry_Fitness70
    Bry_Fitness70 Posts: 2,480 Member
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    I use the Mio Alpha, which is a wrist HRM. It connects via Bluetooth to fitness apps (I use Digifit and Nike+). I prefer the wrist style versus the type that is strapped to your chest, it is much more convenient and allows me to view my HR easier.
  • ScubaSteve1962
    ScubaSteve1962 Posts: 612 Member
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    If I'm not mistaking you can't sync the HT4 to anything. you have to transfer data manually if you want to track data
  • mwyvr
    mwyvr Posts: 1,883 Member
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    nicola8989 wrote: »
    that's fab thanks - I just want to track my heart rate while I run really. Do I need anything else or just the HRM?

    Being able to monitor your HR while running can be useful. This implies you can see it in real time, which means a watch style is typically the most convenient. Phone apps of course mean you have the phone visible and screen on constantly... Not convenient for most of us.

    If running is or will be your thing, a wrist mounted running watch with HR monitoring (via chest strap usually) van be a very useful tool and worth some investment. I do the bulk of my training targeting a relatively low HR and see steady improvement. I could base this training off perceived exertion like I used to do but as my distance gets higher the HR info, I feel, becomes ever more useful in targeting my effort.

    Aside from HR info pace reporting can be extremely helpful for some of us both in training and durng race events.

    That said, if my objective for my running was more casual, I'd probably not have invested in a running watch. I'm not at all suggesting one has to be an elite athlete or have marathon aspirations to get benefit from a running watch though.

    The desire to continually improve and see where the running road takes you can be reason enough to chose to get a running watch for those bit by the running bug.




  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
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    H7 is the best way to go for anyone with a smartphone. Cheap and very reliable. One one problem in over a year and all I did was reset the H7 and it worked beautifully.
  • R1rainbows
    R1rainbows Posts: 129 Member
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    Thanks for everyone's input here... Finally helped me decide on polar h7... I've been trying to pick a hrm for weeks! Thank you all!
  • Will210
    Will210 Posts: 201 Member
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    susanlouise wrote: »
    I have the scosche rhythm + and it has not been accurate for me. The Polar H7 has been accurate and reliable.

    Strange. I wore it at the same time with the Polar tracking on my watch and the scoshe on my ipad and they were pretty much identical results. I wear like the below picture.

    P1150249_thumb.jpg


  • nicola8989
    nicola8989 Posts: 381 Member
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    thanks - I would love a Garmin but I don't think I need the real-time results, more to see a trend and improvement over time.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    nicola8989 wrote: »
    thanks - I would love a Garmin but I don't think I need the real-time results, more to see a trend and improvement over time.

    I picked up the 310XT for £120, so pretty reasonable. It is more important to me to see the trends over time, so being able to send the Garmin trace to other platforms for analysis is very useful.

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