HEART RATE MONITORS-HELP PLEASE

Bump, I would also like some input on this!

I am as well, I know the Polar series (like the Polar FT40 ) are very popular with MFPers, and a hrm with a chest strap is more reliable than without.

I'll follow along with your thread and GO PACK GO : )

Ditto on it depends what you're looking for.

The BodyBugg is actually not a heart rate monitor, it is a device that you wear on your arm and it is designed such that you are supposed to wear it all day. It estimates your calorie burn throughout the entire day. There are also other similar devices, one is BodyMediaFit (this one also monitors your amount and quality of sleep). They are more expensive and a lot of people love them and find it helps to have the accuracy of measuring the entire day's activities (although apparently there are some limitations to what it can accurately measure), others find it's more than they really need for their situation.

A heart rate monitor normally refers to a device that is either a watch with a sensor that you 'touch' every now and then to take your heartrate, or a device that has a chest strap that continuously monitors your heartrate and normally also has a watch which displays your heartrate. Some of these will estimate how many calories you burn during your workout - and b/c of the way that they work they are ONLY supposed to be accurate for calorie estimations while you are actually exercising, with your heartrate elevated. They are not designed to be worn all day long like the BodyBugg or BodyMediaFit - the calorie estimations would not be accurate for everyday activities. The ones with a chest strap are more accurate than the ones that are 'just' a watch, b/c the ones with the chest strap are monitoring your heartrate continuously as it changes throughout your workout. The ones that are 'just' a watch only measure your heartrate when you 'touch' them, so they are estimating off of little points in time as opposed to a continuous monitoring. Also, for accuracy, you want a device that allows you to program in your height, weight, and age. That makes the calorie estimation as accurate as possible.

A lot of people on this site really love the HRMs made by Polar - I ended up buying a Polar FT4 based on recommendations and my budget. It has the chest strap and allows you to program in height/weight/etc. It also has an option where you can have it sound alarms if your heartrate goes too high or too low (I turned that off though b/c it bugs me LOL, but some people find it useful for certain types of training). I bought mine at Target for around $90, however I've seen a lot of people on here say they found the exact same one on Amazon for under $70. The Polar brand is only one option of many, I just chose it b/c when I was buying mine I had NO knowledge whatsoever of what to look for, and many of my friends plus many people on this site recommended it. Works great for my purposes. :-)

Question: I am looking at Polar HRM on their website and it shows all of the watches that they have, so do you have to buy a chest strap seperately?

I just got this one. $20 For A Bowflex EZ Pro Strapless Heart-Rate Monitor. Shipping Included. Here is the link... http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-5524708-10872943?url=http://www.groupon.com/deals/gx-gg-bowflex-heart-rate-monitor

I love my Polar FT4. You can get one on Amazon and it comes with a chest strap.... great buy and reasonable price.

I have a Polar FT4 with a chest strap which I love. I think it cost $89 or thereabouts.

I also have BodyMedia Fit Core Armband (similar to a BodyBugg) which cost $179--this provides info on calories burned, steps taken, and sleep. You probably don't need all that info.