Polar FT4 HRM... Chest Strap Question

It won't work without the strap. The strap measures your heart rate and transmits that info to the watch, which (I presume) calculates it into calories etc.

I believe you need the chest strap to calculate the calories burned. I wore mine almost half the ay the other day because I forgot I had it on!!!!! It isn't uncomfprtable at all. No worse than a bra is!

It will work without the chest strap. but the calories burned won't be as accurate, cause you will have to keep touching the sensor on the watch itself to read your heart rate. the chest strap gives constant measurements, making it much more accurate.

But if you don't plan on using the chest strap. then I'd suggest just buying a lower priced model HRM without the strap. and save yourself some money.

The watch is only the read out, the sensor that reads your heart rate in is the chest strap. I have the FT4 and it works really well, the chest strap is adjustable so its easy to wear. I can barley feel it when i put it on and after about 5 minutes i dont even notice it. The chest strap is worth it though as it is much more accurate than the watches that read your pulse.

A few words of advice:
1. Always wet the sensors before you out it on, if its dry it wont read your heart rate.
2. Rinse it after each use
3. The manual says to wash it in the washing machine every week, i wash mine by hand with a mild dish soap becasue it seems too harsh to put it in the washer.
4. If during your workout you are pouring sweat it may stop the reading, if it does just stop it and stat a new workout and it will keep going. Manual says this is normal.
5. If you have a scale that measures body fat and water do not wear the chest strap while on it, they both use mild electrical currents, and while it wont hurt you it can damage one or both of the devices.

The chest strap is not cumbersome and doesn't cause a problem at all. I was used to mine after wearing it the very first time. When I run at the park and don't wear a shirt I sometimes get odd looks from people that don't know what the black strap and thingie is around my chest, but I just laugh the looks off. Some little boy, probably 5 years old, once said it looked like Iron Man, that made me almost fall over laughing while jogging. I guess its true Iron Man has the implant heart deal in his chest.

Like others have said, FT4 doesn't work without the strap. It's not uncomfortable at all. Like others, I've forgot I had it on multiple times as well.

******* Are there any HRM that you can just wear on your upper arm like the biggest looser and not have to wear two things???

On biggest loser they use BodyBugg. Its pretty expensive and I think requires an online membership subscription of some sort.
Any good watch HRM will require the use of a chest strap. There are watches that are just the watch and measure heart rate on the wrist, but these are not nearly as accurate and I wouldn't recommend. I have the Polar FT7 and I love it.

I have an FT7 and the strap is seriously comfortable. I can run it it with NO problems, it doesn't slide, its snug but doesn't cut off circulation.

You will love it.