Best HRMs / devices

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elsinora
elsinora Posts: 398 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all

I really want to buy a HRM or related device so I can start looking at more accurately my caloric burn when exercise, as some of the exercises I do is pretty weird and it's hard to guess. I want to make sure I eat more efficiently to my burn as I am building up strength and I am doing really well on my various sports and powerlifting and want to make sure I am taking in sufficient food without going over.

Thing is, I've seen so many people on the forums saying Fitbit overestimates and some are just using HRMs and doing a calculation another way (which I don't understand).

Money isn't an issue for this - so can people recommend the best or best known device to track? Really want to invest in this.

Thanks!

Replies

  • smetka01
    smetka01 Posts: 99 Member
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    I have Fitbit Flex and Polar H7. Flex for motivation, it makes me do 10.000 steps per a day. When I didn't have it, I would do 3.000 steps per a day in average.
    I use H7 only when exercising and those are the calories I eat back, not what Fitbit says me.
  • gember85
    gember85 Posts: 114 Member
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    Following x
  • festerw
    festerw Posts: 233 Member
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    I like my Garmin, HR strap and watch will pair together so there's no need to carry a phone and the watch has built in GPS.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    look into dcrainmakers site.

    http://www.dcrainmaker.com

    It really depends on activities and practice.
    I use a Fenix 3 (and have used a dozen others) and think it is great. But it is useless for someone mostly doing weight training.
  • VisofSer
    VisofSer Posts: 130 Member
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    I have a Fitbit HR Charge and chose it because I find it the best option in its price range. If you have a large budget, the top end Polar and Garmin are more accurate. But as far as I know, the fitbit has a 10% error margin and I can work with that.
  • leahcollett1
    leahcollett1 Posts: 807 Member
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    love my polar ht4, i use it to calculate my calories - and i eat half of them back
  • willworkoutforwine
    willworkoutforwine Posts: 64 Member
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    Following
  • wisenbsd
    wisenbsd Posts: 87 Member
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    Apple watch, syncs well with MFP
  • heatherannAZ
    heatherannAZ Posts: 3 Member
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    I have used the Garmin vivofit with the Polar FT4 (polar worn only when doing an activity) over the past year and had very good success. My activities are mainly cardio. Just recently changed to Garmin Vivofit 2 w/HRM strap (again, only used when working out) So far I am pleased.
  • watcher1600
    watcher1600 Posts: 11 Member
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    You might want to check out this article. http://www.wthr.com/story/31285468/sometimes-your-fitness-tracker-lies-a-lot-fitbit-jawbone-garmin-ifit-misfit-accuracy . I have a fitbit charge hr and it is really inaccurate in step counting (it overestimate steps by 5000 compared to my old polar loop and the hr is all over the place)
  • elsinora
    elsinora Posts: 398 Member
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    watcher1600 wrote: »
    You might want to check out this article. http://www.wthr.com/story/31285468/sometimes-your-fitness-tracker-lies-a-lot-fitbit-jawbone-garmin-ifit-misfit-accuracy . I have a fitbit charge hr and it is really inaccurate in step counting (it overestimate steps by 5000 compared to my old polar loop and the hr is all over the place)

    Yeah that's why I'm asking if there is a fabled fitness tracker out there that will be accurate on steps but also calorie burn. So far looking at Microsoft band 2.
  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
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    elsinora wrote: »
    watcher1600 wrote: »
    You might want to check out this article. http://www.wthr.com/story/31285468/sometimes-your-fitness-tracker-lies-a-lot-fitbit-jawbone-garmin-ifit-misfit-accuracy . I have a fitbit charge hr and it is really inaccurate in step counting (it overestimate steps by 5000 compared to my old polar loop and the hr is all over the place)

    Yeah that's why I'm asking if there is a fabled fitness tracker out there that will be accurate on steps but also calorie burn. So far looking at Microsoft band 2.

    Unlikely that any of the normal trackers will be perfect at estimating steps or calories.

    My experience reading the forums is that people closer to a healthy weight get accurate data from the FitBit, but it seems more inaccurate the more overweight you are.

    I use a Garmin watch (with GPS) and a chest strap heart rate monitor. In my personal opinion, ALL of the wrist HR types are inaccurate. They might be good at gathering your resting heart rate but not so much at when you are doing activity. I only put them on when running. I use an UP3 (Jawbone) for step and sleep tracking. It slightly overestimates steps, and REALLY overestimates calories. I debated getting the Garmin high end watch that does both step tracking and turns into a GPS tracker when you walk/run, but didn't want to drop the $$. Also since you mentioned it, an HRM is a poor way to estimate calories for non-steady state cardio like weight lifting. It will give you inflated numbers. Your heart rate goes up but it's not a corollary for burning more calories. The HRM devices assume you are doing cardio when you wear them.

    2nd the recommendation to look at DCRainmaker for his reviews, and that it depends on your goals/sports.
  • elsinora
    elsinora Posts: 398 Member
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    Hi thanks for recommendations. It's not just for weights, I do 4 other cardio sports so I need something that gives me some kind of idea what my caloric.m burn is. For example, I was in a derby tournament for 4 hours, or I went spinning for 3 hours the other day and both days I only ate an extra 200 calories to what I usually do because I have no idea what the calorific burn ball park figure is.
  • k1ngkev1n1
    k1ngkev1n1 Posts: 11 Member
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    I use polar h7 chest strap with digifit app has been pretty good and reviews are great.
  • MudstainSally
    MudstainSally Posts: 571 Member
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    I went through this last month. If you are a heavy Apple user, I would recommend the Apple watch. I've found the heart rate tracking to be very accurate and it motivates me to move more through the day.

    The one downside to it currently is that the Native Workout App needs some improvement.

    I bought it when it was on sale and I would have almost paid the same for the FitBit Charge HR.

    On the 21st Apple is announcing their new devices and I expect them to announce not only a new and improved Apple watch, but a new operating system with improvements for the watch. I work as a mobile device Admin and deal with Apple a ton, they will make theirs the best, its what they strive for.
  • anglergirl3
    anglergirl3 Posts: 113 Member
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    Bump
  • maidengirl_
    maidengirl_ Posts: 284 Member
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    Polar H7 is one of the better ones IMO. I own one and it helps tremendously.

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