Suggest a HRM, please!

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AmazingStace
AmazingStace Posts: 92 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So, my birthday is coming up in 2 weeks, and I'm getting myself a HRM. What a great 30th birthday present, right? I really know nothing about them. What should I look for in one? Thanks for the advice!

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  • RachelSRoach1
    RachelSRoach1 Posts: 435 Member
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    I am always hearing the best stuff about Polar Ft4 or Ft7... I want one too.

    Look for one with calorie counting abilities, which will help you be more exact on this website.

    Look for one with a chest strap.
  • sexipepsi
    sexipepsi Posts: 11 Member
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    i use a timex...really affordable but it comes with a chest strap...if that's an issue look for a model that doesnt require a strap. All in all i love my timex....
  • k8es
    k8es Posts: 271 Member
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    I have a Polar FT4 and love it!

    It has a chest band which I thought would get in the way but I don't even notice it. It has different display options but just to list a few: time of day, heart rate, calories burned, duration, or target hear rate zone. You can easily scroll through them while working out as well. You can have it alert you when you leave your target heart rate zone (over or under it). After you stop a workout it gives you a summary of cals burned, duration, amount of time in target heart rate zone, etc. I'm sure it does a lot more but that's all I need. All of this being said, it is SO easy to use. I'm so glad that I bought mine!
  • vtgirl77
    vtgirl77 Posts: 69
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    I love my Timex, it's basic, but it does the job. It records duration, average heart rate, peak heart rate and calories burned. I have it set so if I go below a certain amount of beats per minute and alarm goes off and reminds me to move! Haha! I got it for Christmas one year, but I think it was about $80. I've heard good things about Body Bugs, but they are a little pricey....all depends on what you want from it I guess. Good luck!
  • tommys
    tommys Posts: 61
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    I use the Polar FT40 and LOVE IT! You won't go wrong with it. You can monitor your calorie burn, heart rate, time on workout and do much more. I bought me and my beautiful bride one on eBay and saved a ton! About $71-75 on eBay. I would go with some Polar brand as they have a great reputation. You will not work out without one once you try it! Good luck and Happy Birthday! Cheers!!!

    *The FT40 comes with a chest strap (I LOVE IT)
  • MayhemModels
    MayhemModels Posts: 367 Member
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    Yep the Polar F series are the most popular and accurate and most affordable HRM's with the all important chest strap. You can find good deals with free shipping at amazon.com from $58 to $89
  • mishka88
    mishka88 Posts: 2
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    http://www.amazon.com/Polar-FT4F-Heart-Monitor-Watch/dp/B0031ZK84E

    http://www.amazon.com/Polar-FT7F-Heart-Rate-Monitor/dp/B0031ZI88M

    If price is high, check back. Prices change on Amazon all the time and I have found good deals on these with a tiny bit of patience:)

    I also recommend these to my clients.

    Good Luck!

    M
  • abigailhutch
    abigailhutch Posts: 101
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    I have to agree w/the majority here! I got my Polar FT4 a few weeks ago and its AMAZING!!! I am so in love with it! It is so much fun to see how many calories I am actually burning! and I got mine from Amazon.com for $58 and free shipping! It's by far the best deal I have seen on it!
  • mefeight1964
    mefeight1964 Posts: 88 Member
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    LOVE my Polar FT7!!
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    Heres a few things:
    A. you need a chest strap.. other wise the calorie count will not be accurate
    B. Not all HRM's are equal..and you really do get what you pay for. People will put any number on an HRM and say its a calorie count, when its really further from the truth.
    C. HRM's don't accurate measure calories.. they only give accurate estimations and like I said above, some are more accurate then others.
    D. When looking for an HRM, make sure you can enter all your info(age, weight, height and gender) other wise the calorie count will be off.

    With all that said, Polar is the way to go. either the FT4 or Ft7.. both are easy to use, set up and give accurate estimations.

    Stay far away from the TImex brand.. The calorie counts on those things are way inflated and not accurate at all.
  • tameka1220
    tameka1220 Posts: 517 Member
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    Polar FT4
  • yeabby
    yeabby Posts: 643 Member
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    I have both Polar and Garmin. They have lasted forever and have been abused greatly. In the past I've had a Timex and Sportsline. Both worked fine but only lasted a year at best.
  • kunibob
    kunibob Posts: 608 Member
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    I hear Polar is the gold standard for calories burned, and that's definitely what I would go with if I were in the market! I have a Garmin with a chest strap that I use as an HRM (though primarily for pacing/GPS purposes), but the calories burned seems wayyyy too low for me. (100 calories for 30 Day Shred Level 3? Booooooo!!) Sounds like a lot of runners will wear a Polar on one hand (for calories) and a Garmin on the other (for GPS/pacing functionality), as the Polar is considered more accurate for calories.


    EDIT: but yeah, the calories burned stuff will always be an estimate, as was mentioned above. :)
  • hallzz
    hallzz Posts: 131 Member
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    I got myself the Timex IronMan Race Trainer a couple of weeks ago. I really like it! It does count calories but I have read hat it is unrlieable to go on that measurement. I am always way higher on calorie burn on the HRM then I am on MFP. I generally pick a number that is in between and will go with that. When I bought my HRM it was on sale at Best Buy for $109, for an additional $99 you can get a USB adapter that will allow you to download the data onto your computer. I haven't purchased that I just use it to watch my HR during workouts and to estimate my calories.
  • Articeluvsmemphis
    Articeluvsmemphis Posts: 1,987 Member
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    New Balance N4 for women. I highly recommend it. Very accurate, and comes with a comfortable cloth chest strap that continuously monitors your heart-rate. The watch is cute and non-bulky. I paid $45.00 for mines, brand new from e-bay. I use it all the time, and great if you just really want your calories burned. It also syncs with any gym equipment like the treadmill so you don't have to look at the watch if your running or something.
  • Nhendrickson86
    Nhendrickson86 Posts: 33 Member
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    Bump - I'll need this thread when I'm ready to buy my HRM. :wink:
  • chapagonzo
    chapagonzo Posts: 53
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    bumpy

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