Polar HRM. Which of these would you choose?

HappilyLifts
HappilyLifts Posts: 429 Member
edited November 12 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm thinking about trying out a HRM and am watching a couple on ebay. Trouble is, I don't know much about them and the number of models out there is confusing me!

All I'm really interested in is learning my heart rate and heart rate % and number of calories burned while working out. It doesn't have to be the newest model, I just want one that isn' t too difficult to use and that has a chest strap.

If you had a choice between an F6, FT4 and F11 which would you go for? The F6 ends tonight and it looks like it would do the job but should I hold out for the F11 (which I am guessing is a newer model?) or the FT4 (why do some models have the letter T?)
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Replies

  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    i have the ft60 but if i had to do it over id get the ft4. the ft60 has a bunch of bells and whistles i dont use. i wear it to track my heart rate and get an idea of how many calories i'm burning.

    the ft4 does that, has a chest strap and is much cheaper
  • klynn81
    klynn81 Posts: 178 Member
    Just ordered the FT4 for myself as I found that it would give me the basics of what I need. I need all the fancy extras, at least not just starting out. Plus price was a big factor.
  • JCGilbert
    JCGilbert Posts: 33
    I have the Polar FT4. Basic, not complicated. Keeps track of cals burned and heart rate during exercise so you can step up or ease off your efforts. LOVE it!
  • Minnie_Moo
    Minnie_Moo Posts: 239 Member
    I purchased a Polar FT40 last year to replace my old Polar (which didn't calculate calories burned) and I :heart: the FT40.
  • juicemoogan
    juicemoogan Posts: 994 Member
    What do you want to get out of it?

    Just basic calories and Heart rate?

    Or using it for more high tech functions like uploading data to the website, tracking distance rum, etc?

    I have an older F4 I'm not using... Its just for your basic stuff.

    info about that one is here: http://www.polarf4.net/Polar-F4-Review.html

    msg me if you are interested.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    FT4 is actually the newest out of the three you listed.. F6 and F11 are older models.

    Each have different bells and whistles and does different things. It depends on what factors you specifically want.. I personally go for the FT4, or see if you can find a FT7, FT40 or FT60.
  • Hood25
    Hood25 Posts: 201 Member
    Love my FT4 which measures target heart rate and calories. I got a great price on Bodytonics.com using promo code POPO. It was under 60 dollars delivered. I use it just for myself but if you are going to share it with someone I think the FT7 lets you program for 2 people. Otherwise FT4 is great...Luv mine! Don't know what i would do without it!
  • HappilyLifts
    HappilyLifts Posts: 429 Member
    wow, so many responses, thanks everyone! Lots of praise for the FT4! I really don't want anything too complicated so that sounds like a good model. I will have another look at what's on offer. I'm from the UK, and the ones I'm watching have bids up to about 20 UK pounds. The FT4 is on the UK Amazon website for around 50 UK pounds. Don't want to spend too much, in case I can't get used to it, but if I do and I like it, a newer model will be on my Christmas list :-)
  • GroupXZ
    GroupXZ Posts: 196 Member
    Bump. I am also interested which Polar HRM I should look into.
  • alimoll
    alimoll Posts: 41 Member
    FT4 here! Love it!
  • shalinimunjal
    shalinimunjal Posts: 192 Member
    Another one with FT4..love mine!
  • TinnedTuna
    TinnedTuna Posts: 208 Member
    Get a FT4 or if you can afford it get the FT7, same as the FT4 but with a few extra features that are useful.
  • Allic1971
    Allic1971 Posts: 145 Member
    I just got the FT7, I love it, Amazon US had a special on it the other week. :)
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 17,211 Member
    :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: I've had the FT 7 since January and I love it. :heart: :heart:
  • bkthomas2004
    bkthomas2004 Posts: 130 Member
    I have the FT4 and I love it, it makes me want to workout because I get to see how much I did each workout. And it is very easy to set up and it keeps track of your workouts.
  • kristelpoole
    kristelpoole Posts: 440 Member
    I have the FT7 and I loooooooove it! It has a few more features than the FT4 but I workout regularly so one of the main reasons I opted for the FT7 was because I could change the battery on my own. The FT4 has to be sent back to Polar for the battery to be changed which means paying for shipping, the battery and the service. NO thanks! I was able to find great deals at www.heartratemonitors.com and Amazon (US). I think mine was $80 US with free shipping.
  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
    I have the ft7, and while I love it, I wish I'd opted for the ft4 instead...


    *on second thought... after reading the above comment, maybe not. LOL

    Could it be done at a place like Batteries+?
  • DantheMan2517
    DantheMan2517 Posts: 134 Member
    I have the Polar FT4. Basic, not complicated. Keeps track of cals burned and heart rate during exercise so you can step up or ease off your efforts. LOVE it!


    I HAD the Polar FT4, but one day it froze up and I couldn't use it anymore. Shame because she's right, it wasn't complicated, was easy to program and could use it for a couple different things I was doing (running, spin class at the gym, and interval training).
    I replaced it with a Garmin 305, which is still pretty easy to program and change from sport to sport. It's a runner's HRM, but I can use it for cycling too.

    It's good that you're thinking of this because you can download your info into the computer and put your totals right on MFP.
  • ANeWcRe8N
    ANeWcRe8N Posts: 1,180 Member
    I have the Polar FT4. Basic, not complicated. Keeps track of cals burned and heart rate during exercise so you can step up or ease off your efforts. LOVE it!

    I also have the Polar FT4 and love it!!
  • TanyaCurtis
    TanyaCurtis Posts: 630
    I have the Polar FT40, and I LOVE it!! And very easy to use!! :) Found it on Ebay for $150.
  • spectralmoon
    spectralmoon Posts: 1,179 Member
    Yet another FT4 (pink version). I wear the watch half everywhere and attach the chest strap when I get home to work out.

    It even gave me a little pixel cake icon on my birthday. :drinker:
  • Jewel1201
    Jewel1201 Posts: 68
    I have a FT4 and so far I really like it.
  • muzmacol
    muzmacol Posts: 358 Member
    Had FT4 a few week now and wouldn't change. In the future i may gert something with GPS tracking just so i know how far i've run without plotting. Otherwise strongly reccomend the FT4.
  • LuckyAng
    LuckyAng Posts: 1,173 Member
    I have the FT4 and :heart: it!!
  • jayliospecky
    jayliospecky Posts: 25,022 Member
    I have the FT7 and I loooooooove it! It has a few more features than the FT4 but I workout regularly so one of the main reasons I opted for the FT7 was because I could change the battery on my own. The FT4 has to be sent back to Polar for the battery to be changed which means paying for shipping, the battery and the service. NO thanks! I was able to find great deals at www.heartratemonitors.com and Amazon (US). I think mine was $80 US with free shipping.

    Hm. Was that maybe an older version? I just bought the FT4F a month ago and it takes a normal watch battery that I can get anywhere they sell watch batteries.
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
    Another one with an FT4 that loves it.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    I have the FT7 and I loooooooove it! It has a few more features than the FT4 but I workout regularly so one of the main reasons I opted for the FT7 was because I could change the battery on my own. The FT4 has to be sent back to Polar for the battery to be changed which means paying for shipping, the battery and the service. NO thanks! I was able to find great deals at www.heartratemonitors.com and Amazon (US). I think mine was $80 US with free shipping.

    Hm. Was that maybe an older version? I just bought the FT4F a month ago and it takes a normal watch battery that I can get anywhere they sell watch batteries.

    You are correct.. the poster that you quoted is wrong.

    All Polar FT versions allow you to change both the watch and strap battery yourself. The older F versions, require you to send the unit back to Polar to be changed.

    All though I will mention that when I tried to change the transmitter battery on my FT7 myself, I wound up taking it to a jeweler because I could not get the back off.. but the jeweler did it for free because i brought in my own battery.
  • jayliospecky
    jayliospecky Posts: 25,022 Member
    I have the FT7 and I loooooooove it! It has a few more features than the FT4 but I workout regularly so one of the main reasons I opted for the FT7 was because I could change the battery on my own. The FT4 has to be sent back to Polar for the battery to be changed which means paying for shipping, the battery and the service. NO thanks! I was able to find great deals at www.heartratemonitors.com and Amazon (US). I think mine was $80 US with free shipping.

    Hm. Was that maybe an older version? I just bought the FT4F a month ago and it takes a normal watch battery that I can get anywhere they sell watch batteries.


    You are correct.. the poster that you quoted is wrong.

    All Polar FT versions allow you to change both the watch and strap battery yourself. The older F versions, require you to send the unit back to Polar to be changed.

    All though I will mention that when I tried to change the transmitter battery on my FT7 myself, I wound up taking it to a jeweler because I could not get the back off.. but the jeweler did it for free because i brought in my own battery.

    Thank you for confirming that for me. I was pretty sure I had read in all my instructions that the battery was "user changeable" or something like that, but it's nice to know. I was starting to wonder.
  • monicalynne68
    monicalynne68 Posts: 87 Member
    I have an FT4 and I love it. It's a little more accurate than the list of calories burned on MFP.
  • katie133
    katie133 Posts: 210 Member
    i LOVE my ft4
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