What type of HRM should I get.

RainbowPearl
RainbowPearl Posts: 42 Member
edited October 6 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi All,

I want to get a HRM but am not sure which one would be the best. I am looking for one that shows heart rate, and calories burned. Also one that has a burn zone so that you know when you are burning those calories off. Any suggestions?
Thanks

Replies

  • Minnie_Moo
    Minnie_Moo Posts: 239 Member
    Don't know if this will help you any but...........Here is a link that was posted in another thread with a lot of information on HRM's. Also, I would suggest getting one with a chest strap as they are better to calculate an accurate HR.


    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

    I purchased a Polar FT40 a few months ago from heartratemonitorsusa dot com to replace my old Polar (which didn't calculate calories burned) and I :heart: the FT40.

    You can search the internet for specials and lowest prices if you are shopping for any HRM on sites like heart rate monitors usa, Amazon, sporting stores, ebay, etc.

    Also, search for online codes so that you can take advantage of any additional savings :wink:
  • RaeannePemberton
    RaeannePemberton Posts: 382 Member
    i am partial to my polar HRM. are you a runner?? also... yes, a chest strap is the BEST unless you do the bodybugg. You might find my blog post helpful about this exact topic... http://raeannesisson.com/2011/02/the-truth-about-heart-rate-monitors/
  • monalissanne
    monalissanne Posts: 159 Member
    I have a Polar with a chest strap - I think the RS100. I think it is pretty accurate, but sometimes I have problems with it picking up my heart rate.
  • jonzo21
    jonzo21 Posts: 446 Member
    I asked this question about a month ago and pretty much everyone recommended the polar FT4... So i purchased it and am very satisfied with it so far. It shows heart rate (and comes with the strap for better accuracy) calculates calories burned based on your stats that you input, and it does show you the target heart rate zone. I got it for 60$ on amazon. Target sells it in store for about 99$
  • RainbowPearl
    RainbowPearl Posts: 42 Member
    Thanks everyone for your responses. I'll read the articles you mentioned.
  • I just got the polar FT4 a couple days ago and love it! It does all the things you are looking for and its simple to work.
  • I have the polar FT4 and I absolutely love it! It has a chest strap. It was very easy to program and it's very easy to use. I would highly recommend it!
  • Jade_Butterfly
    Jade_Butterfly Posts: 2,963 Member
    Sportline w/cheststrap $47+tax at Walmart. . Love mine! Good luck~!
  • Polar FT7, expensive, but good. Also the FT4 is what they sell at the gym in my office building, and a lot of people use them. They seem to like them a lot.
  • oldsoul918
    oldsoul918 Posts: 110 Member
    My husband just got me a Polar F6 (?? - I'm a little unsure on the model number) and I LOVE it.
  • tinastanley
    tinastanley Posts: 55 Member
    I asked Santa for one for Christmas so I did some research so I knew which one to get. I decided on the Polar FT7 for Women. I based my choice on the information I read on the link below and from the opinions I rec'd on MFP...


    http://www.consumersearch.com/heart-rate-monitors/best-heart-rate-monitors
  • I have a Polar FT7 and love it. If you want the best, I recommend the bodybug. They aren't cheap, so if you have deep pockets get the bodybug.
  • I recently got a Polar FT7 HRM. Love it! Easy to use, tracks heartbeats as "beats per minute" or "percentage of maximum heart rate." Also tracks calories, and tells you whether you are in "fat burning zone" or "fitness zone." Stores up to 90 workouts, so if you want to go back and track some aspects of your workouts, it's easy to get to. If you're wanting to work out for a set period of time for cardio (or fat burning for that matter), it has a feature called "Zone Lock" which will beep if you go above or below that heart rate zone. It has a pause feature so if you're working out and want to take a break for whatever reason, you can pause it, restart it when you're ready, and when you're done, it'll tell you the total duration of time exercising, average heart rate, calories burned, and fat burning vs. fitness. It also has a back light for nighttime use, and if you touch the watch to the transmitter, it'll cycle through heart rate, clock time, and calories burned so far so you can see where you're at in your workout. (It has a strap you wear with a transmitter which is very comfortable.)
  • wonca
    wonca Posts: 81
    This guys does a bunch of reviews on HRM's..

    http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2011/11/my-2011-sports-technology.html
  • treesloth
    treesloth Posts: 162 Member
    Does the Bodybugg actually measure heart rate? It seems like it does everything but that.
  • Puffins1958
    Puffins1958 Posts: 614 Member
    I have a POLAR FT40 and I LOVE it!!!! It comes with a chest strap.....

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  • Skeebee
    Skeebee Posts: 740 Member
    I used to have a Polar but switched to Garmin Forerunner. The accuracy of the HR was much better and just have more options overall. If you just need basic and don't need anything TOO precise, a Polar is a good fit. :-)
  • Scorpioangel
    Scorpioangel Posts: 951 Member
    I have the Polar FT7 and love it - worth every dime :)
  • RunLiftEat
    RunLiftEat Posts: 213 Member
    Go with the Polar FT4. You can find one on amazon for around 60 bucks I believe. Pretty good bang for the buck.
  • Sorova
    Sorova Posts: 101 Member
    Another vote for Polar. They make a quality product. I've had mine for years now (I have the old F11 model) and it's still going strong. In four years I've only had to replace the batteries twice and the chest strap once, and neither replacement was expensive - battery was $10-12 to replace and I think the chest strap was $14. As long as you take care of the unit itself, it'll serve you well for years to come. I find it very motivating and it's a lot more accurate at tracking calories than gym machines.

    As an added bonus, many high-end gym machines are compatible with Polar and will read your heart rate directly from the chest strap, so you won't have to keep your hands on those pesky sensors in order to get a workout that changes with your heart rate.
  • peachprl
    peachprl Posts: 119 Member
    I love my Polar FT60 a lot! You can chose what your goal is (burn fat, maintain fitness, etc.) and it does all of the things you say you are looking for! :-)
  • I have the older model Polar A3 and am very happy with it. It doesn't calculate calories but I don't need it to since I am not focusing on calories but keeping within the correct heart rate zone. Got it cheap while out bargain hunting. Lots of people seem to be satisfied with their Polar HRMs.
  • johnny_k
    johnny_k Posts: 150 Member
    Polar makes an awesome HRM. I have the FT7 and love it, worth every penny.
  • Hi There,
    HeartRateMonitorsUSA would like to offer your this exclusive coupon code for 7% (coupon code; CM7) off our already rock bottom Polar Prices.
    In regards to recommending an HRM, if you are looking for a monitor in the weight loss/cardio/ fitness category, we would recommend the Polar FT7 or FT40. Both are best sellers of the Polar line. The Ft40 is a slightly larger wrist unit, so keep that in mind if you have small wrists.

    FT7 Features :Heart Rate,Target Zone,Alarm,Energy Pointer,Calories,Coded Transmission,Data Transfer,Training Files,Backlight,Time,Water Resistant

    FT40 Features: Heart Rate,Avg HR,Max HR,Target Zone,Zone Lock,ZonePointer,Alarm,Energy Pointer,Calories,Fitness Test,Coded Transmission,Training,Data Transfer,Files,Backlight,Time,Water Resistant,Date,Fat Burned

    http://www.heartratemonitorsusa.com/heart-rate-monitors-polar.html

    If you are runner and want GPS Speed and distance, we would recommend the Garmin forerunner line. Right now the Garmin 110 is the best selling GPS model.
    http://www.heartratemonitorsusa.com/garmin-110all.html
  • RainbowPearl
    RainbowPearl Posts: 42 Member
    Ordering a Polar FT4 from Amazon now. Thanks for all the input:flowerforyou: .
  • Polar FT7, expensive, but good. Also the FT4 is what they sell at the gym in my office building, and a lot of people use them. They seem to like them a lot.
    How cool to have a gym that sells merchandise other than t-shirts! Nice!
  • Polar RS300 with GPS. I went with the foot pod one, now I wish I had the GPS. But it's the easiest interface I've found to use, and you can set it to show calorie burn on the default screen. It also let's you customize the default screen. And my other favorite part is that I have a link thing that I can download my workouts to my computer. Which is awesome, especially when I am training for a race.
  • lindalee0315
    lindalee0315 Posts: 527 Member
    Below, I've included addresses to two websites that I used to decide what to replace my HRM with. Both have extensive and seemingly unbiased reviews. I was torn between a Garmin Forerunner 410 and a Polar FT 80. Ended up with the Polar. It has the fit test and other features I like to use with my old Polar, and through Heart rate monitors USA, I got an additional 10% off by typing in Polar in the discount line. I saw that someone else posted from that website. They shipped so quickly (and shipping was free).


    http://www.consumersearch.com/heart-rate-monitors/best-heart-rate-monitors

    http://www.heartratemonitorblog.com/
  • tiamaria8182
    tiamaria8182 Posts: 91 Member
    Another vote for the FT7 :smile:
  • JuliesJourney
    JuliesJourney Posts: 58 Member
    Glad to see this post, I am not ready for one yet but know where I will come to review my options.
This discussion has been closed.