Suggestion for heart rate monitor please

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As everyone else will tell you.. you need a chest strap for it to be accurate. I just got a Polar FT7 ($100 at a local store) and am thrilled with it. Much less than that and you won't have an accurate reading, so i wouldn't bother. I saved up for several months for it and I'm glad I waited for the good one instead of wasting money on something cheap. Just my opinion....

Read this link 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

Also you need one with a chest strap, as they are more accurate then just the watch only versions. If you're just looking for the basics, the entry level Polar FT4 should work just fine.. It costs about 60 dollars on Amazon right now I believe.

I personally have the Polar FT7 that I bought for 79.99 dollars on drugstore.com and I like it a lot. The strap is comfortable, and the watch is easy to use and set up.

I also agree on saving up for a more expensive one rather than a cheap one. I bought a cheap Timex HRM at first, and the calorie count was through the roof. I then saved a bit, bought the FT7 and am much happier.

Get a polar with a chest strap. They are not the cheapest, but not the most expensive either. They are real easy to use. Which ever brand you get, make sure you get one with the chest strap. They are more accurate.

Can you wear the Polar chest strap all day and have it tell you how many calories you are actually burning in a 24 hr period? Sorry if this is a silly question.. I've never owned an HRM.

I wear mine sometimes for my whole time at work, just to see what I burn.

I bought the one that was rated high by consumer reports. It's not super sexy looking but works fabulous and was about $40. It's a chest-strap kind though. Its a Timex T5G971 Unisex Sports personal Heart Rate Monitor Watch. You can find them all over and online. After workout it shows me my total time, time 'in zone', calories burned, and a few other things. I actually really like mine for how inexpensive it was. Plus, like I said it was rated really well by consumer reports.

This is the Timex HRM I mentioned in my first post, and I don't recommend it at all. I actually wound up returning mine, for the Polar.

When I had it, it told me that for 30 min of walking on a treadmill at the highest incline at a speed of 3.0, and it told me I burned 581 calories. Um I think not!

While it may work great for this poster, it did not for me.