Heart rate monitor recommendations

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BeezBeez
BeezBeez Posts: 41 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi folks. I'm looking for recommendations for a fairly accurate heart rate monitor at a decent price. I bought a cheap-o one and used it for a day, but the readings are wildly inaccurate (compared to me taking my own pulse). I'd like to keep in under $100. I realize a better one costs more, but I'm just looking for something that will get me in the ballpark to be able to calculate my effort level/ calories burned and my budget is small. Thanks!
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  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    What sort of activities are you doing? If budget is an issue, you may not actually get any value from it.
  • BeezBeez
    BeezBeez Posts: 41 Member
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    I'm using a rowing machine. The computer readout doesn't have much useful information -- just time and number of strokes -- so I don't have any other real measurement of my effort. I'm taking my pulse when I'm done or if I take breaks right now, but I'd rather be able to keep an eye on it while I'm working.
  • BeezBeez
    BeezBeez Posts: 41 Member
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    I guess while we're doing this, if anyone has a recommendation for a great heart rate monitor not on a budget I'll take that too. I might not be able to get it right now, but I'll keep it in mind.
  • cecekay19
    cecekay19 Posts: 89 Member
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    You will get what you pay for, unfortunately, in this space. Anything less than a Fitbit or Garmin usually will have you wondering if it's accurate. Xiaomi's Mi band is a cheap monitor but it's not known for its accuracy.
  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,449 Member
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    Heart rate does not equal calories burned. Nothing is going to be super accurate no matter how much you pay. The ones that get close are basing it off of other factors as well (what exercise you are doing, how much you way, how long you exercise, etc).

    Cheap and accurate would be something like a Polar strap that connects to your phone. Last time I bought one it was way under $100.
  • Freedom1862
    Freedom1862 Posts: 20 Member
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    I recommend the Polar brand heart rate monitor band with calorie counting watch. I paid about 65 dollars for mine on amazon a few years ago.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    BeezBeez wrote: »
    I'm using a rowing machine. The computer readout doesn't have much useful information -- just time and number of strokes -- so I don't have any other real measurement of my effort. I'm taking my pulse when I'm done or if I take breaks right now, but I'd rather be able to keep an eye on it while I'm working.

    Ok, so if you're doing distance at a steady pace then an HRM might give you some data. If you vary your pace then the value reduces significantly.

    With all that in mind, Polar and Wahoo do BLE straps that pair with an app. They're cheap enough that it's not too much of an issue.
  • BeezBeez
    BeezBeez Posts: 41 Member
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    Polar seems like the consensus then. Thanks, folks!
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
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    In my experience, YMMV regardless of the HR monitor you own. I have a Polar H7 which I bought back in June of 2016 to specifically to use with UA Record, which plays nicely with MFP. The chest strap is nice, never have had any issues pairing to my phone or anything. However, I find even this well-regarded HR monitor to overestimate my calorie burn by a good bit when compared with my observed TDEE. Tracked via a spreadsheet, my TDEE averages out to just over 2400. I'll spare the details on the math but the observed impact of my workouts works out to ~450 calories, though the Polar would routinely give me 800-900 calories. Subsequently, I spent too much time spinning my wheels not losing enough weight because I was simply eating too many of my exercise workout calories.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    I'm a fan of the Wahoo puck/strap. The Tickr line starts around $50 and can pair with your phone via BLE or your garmin via ANT+
  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,449 Member
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    steveko89 wrote: »
    In my experience, YMMV regardless of the HR monitor you own. I have a Polar H7 which I bought back in June of 2016 to specifically to use with UA Record, which plays nicely with MFP. The chest strap is nice, never have had any issues pairing to my phone or anything. However, I find even this well-regarded HR monitor to overestimate my calorie burn by a good bit when compared with my observed TDEE. Tracked via a spreadsheet, my TDEE averages out to just over 2400. I'll spare the details on the math but the observed impact of my workouts works out to ~450 calories, though the Polar would routinely give me 800-900 calories. Subsequently, I spent too much time spinning my wheels not losing enough weight because I was simply eating too many of my exercise workout calories.

    It is not the strap doing the calculations. It is the app. Each app will have its own ideas about what is correct. See my point earlier in this thread. They are all pretty much guestimates. IMO, unless you are using it for training save your money.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    dewd2 wrote: »
    steveko89 wrote: »
    In my experience, YMMV regardless of the HR monitor you own. I have a Polar H7 which I bought back in June of 2016 to specifically to use with UA Record, which plays nicely with MFP. The chest strap is nice, never have had any issues pairing to my phone or anything. However, I find even this well-regarded HR monitor to overestimate my calorie burn by a good bit when compared with my observed TDEE. Tracked via a spreadsheet, my TDEE averages out to just over 2400. I'll spare the details on the math but the observed impact of my workouts works out to ~450 calories, though the Polar would routinely give me 800-900 calories. Subsequently, I spent too much time spinning my wheels not losing enough weight because I was simply eating too many of my exercise workout calories.

    It is not the strap doing the calculations. It is the app. Each app will have its own ideas about what is correct. See my point earlier in this thread. They are all pretty much guestimates. IMO, unless you are using it for training save your money.

    Indeed. The original question is figuratively What's the best type of screwdriver to use when I'm levelling slabs?
  • BeezBeez
    BeezBeez Posts: 41 Member
    edited June 2018
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    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    Indeed. The original question is figuratively What's the best type of screwdriver to use when I'm levelling slabs?

    Nah, the original question was What's the best type of heart rate monitor to use when I'm monitoring my heart rate?

    Seriously, though, I'm just looking for a little help quantifying the workout I'm doing. I want to be sure I'm rowing hard enough to get my heart rate up into my target zone. That's it. I'm less concerned about the calories and more concerned about the heart rate.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    BeezBeez wrote: »
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    Indeed. The original question is figuratively What's the best type of screwdriver to use when I'm levelling slabs?

    Nah, the original question was What's the best type of heart rate monitor to use when I'm monitoring my heart rate?

    Seriously, though, I'm just looking for a little help quantifying the workout I'm doing. I want to be sure I'm rowing hard enough to get my heart rate up into my target zone. That's it. I'm less concerned about the calories and more concerned about the heart rate.

    Zone training is of limited value as well, unless you're preparing for competition. And given you're not using a Concept, that's unlikely.
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
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    BeezBeez wrote: »
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    Indeed. The original question is figuratively What's the best type of screwdriver to use when I'm levelling slabs?

    Nah, the original question was What's the best type of heart rate monitor to use when I'm monitoring my heart rate?

    Seriously, though, I'm just looking for a little help quantifying the workout I'm doing. I want to be sure I'm rowing hard enough to get my heart rate up into my target zone. That's it. I'm less concerned about the calories and more concerned about the heart rate.

    Could you not just do that with pace or some other metric the readout does provide?
  • BeezBeez
    BeezBeez Posts: 41 Member
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    As I mentioned above, the readout on my machine does not provide any useful metric beyond time and number of strokes, which really tells me next to nothing. I want a way to somewhat quantify my intensity.

    Thank you to the folks who provided recommendations. I appreciate it.
  • GaryRuns
    GaryRuns Posts: 508 Member
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    I hate chest straps. I've never had one that lasted through more than 6-8 months of daily running. Wash it, don't wash it. Shower with it, don't shower with it. Spit on it, don't spit on it. Nothing changes that equation by much, 6-8 months and I have to buy a new strap. Admittedly, I'm a sweater (the kind that produces lots of sweat, not the kind you knit) but I was tired of buying those $35 straps. And I tried various Polar models and a Zephyr so I don't think my problem was with a specific brand. They just don't last for me.

    A couple of years ago I bought a Scosche Rhythm+ and I have had zero problems with it. The velcro on the arm band finally wore out but that was after two years and a replacement was $5 instead of the $35 for a new chest strap. And it's $80.
  • Scubdup
    Scubdup Posts: 104 Member
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    stanmann571 wrote: »
    I'm a fan of the Wahoo puck/strap. The Tickr line starts around $50 and can pair with your phone via BLE or your garmin via ANT+

    Was going to say exactly this. I have the Tickr X, and there really is no need for anything else.

  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Polar has some very good cheaper models that will do exactly as the name of the device says they should do - monitor the HR.

    1 step up but still below your $100 and you'll get a better Zone alarm for if/when that might be useful.

    And many pieces of exercise equipment still have means to read the HR sending unit and display the info too.

  • fittocycle
    fittocycle Posts: 825 Member
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    I've used one variation or another of a Polar for at least 10 years. I love it. I find the heart rate to be accurate. So accurate that it helped diagnose a condition called SVT, which causes the heart rate to spike. Had I not worn my heart rate monitor, I wouldn't have had a clue that my heart rate was so high. I'll never work out again without wearing it.

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