If You Are Going To Buy a HRM - THEN READ THIS PLEASE!!!!

Completely agree with erniemj. I would like to see some hard data about this. If you can prove to me that the kcal difference is SIGNIFICANT then maybe I would consider a higher end HRM. Show me that, by including the V02 my calorie burn, it is >10% more accurate. If I burn 500 kcal during a 60 min workout according to my FT7, but in reality only burned 480 kcal, how is that going to alter my day? What if I actually burned 530 kcal? If I am consistently under my daily calorie goal for losing weight, 20 kcal of inaccuracy isn't going to make that much of a difference. Not to mention the fact that I have a VERY hard time believing calorie counts on food containers. Why do all calorie counts end in 0? You are telling me that you know for sure that a tablespoon of peanut butter is exactly 200 kcal, not 208 or 196? The drive for accuracy may not be as exact as some would like, but +/- 30-40 kcal/day isn't really that big of a deal. I think you have great information here, but for the general public a lower end HRM with calorie counter is a GREAT place to start. It gets the job done.

@kapeluza
You still haven't answered my questions. BUMPity BUMP bump

Like I said, I didn't write this. Personally, I thought it was a fantastic base to start with when I started looking for my HRM. I took the information that I found useful from this and ran with it. I was just sharing this info with others in hopes that they might be able to use it to their advantage like I did. If you want to get down to specifics I suggest visiting HRM's websites looking into the specifications for the models.

Personally, before buying my Polar FT60, I had gotten a Timex and the first day I exercised with it, it gave me a 600 calorie count for a 30 min work out on the elliptical. This Timex was an affordable model that I bought from a trusted source, Academy, and it was brand new. I was skeptical about 600 calories (my Polar gives me a calories count of 250-300), when the machine was reading 300+.So no, it wasn't just a "+- 30/40 calories count it was a +300 difference. I don't know about you but that is WAY off and will totally mess with people's calorie tracking.
So I asked on these forums and someone directed me to the website/blog I posted in this thread. I used all that information to make a new purchase on a model that has a chest strap and calculates Vo2max. Had I kept that Timex model, guess what was going to happen? My numbers/calorie deficits were going to be completely off and I would have probably not been losing weight as I am now.

I returned the Timex HRM back to Academy and asked if the watch was defective and it wasn't. Now take into consideration that this Timex model cost me $69.00 and it would only let me input my weight but not my sex, height, age which can also be a determining factor for calorie count. Also, it did not calculate personal Vo2max. At the end of the day, everyone can use whatever they like and I am not here trying to make everyone change their minds or go out and buy a new HRM. You do what you want. For the 50th time, I posted this for people asking the same things about HRM and quite honestly that was an informative post. If you are unhappy with the article, then move on, it's not like the article is stating lies and misinforming the public, sheesh.

Just out of curiosity, what are the sources for this information? I'm not trying to discount the original writer's expertise out of hand, I'd just like to know more about his/her background. People have vastly differing opinions on all matters regarding health and fitness, so I always like to know more about the background of a writer.

Personally, I'm inclined to think I'm getting pretty accurate numbers (if not a bit on the low side) from my heart rate monitor. Why do I think that? Because I'm losing weight, and probably faster than my 'on paper' numbers indicate I should be.

Also, my HRM lets me see fitness information beyond the calorie burn estimate. I can see that my resting heart rate is lower now than it was 3 months ago. I also know that I have to work a lot harder now to get my heartrate up into my training zone as I've become more fit. I like having information like that, and I think my HRM is a handy tool.

I strongly disagree with #3!!!!! And you actually contradicted yourself later on. All HRMs do NOT have the same level of accuracy when courting calories. If you do not have the chest strap, etc it is NOT as accurate

3. All HRMs have the same level of accuracy when counting calories. .

...

However, if you want the most accurate caloric estimation, there are significant differences between brands and models.

Just because an HRM provides a calorie count doesn't mean that number is any more accurate than one from a machine or even a number you just made up. Manufacturers know this feature is popular--some will stick any old number on the display to make you think you are "measuring" calories.

For greatest calorie count accuracy, an HRM must have the following features:

1. Chest strap sensor for continuous monitoring

2. Ability to manually input HR max, VO2 max, gender, age weight and HR rest.

3. Sophisticated analysis technology and software which has been validated on large numbers of test subjects.