Explain importance of a HRM?

A heart rate monitor tracks your heart rate. It's a good way to keep your workouts focused--keep your easy days easy, hard days hard. A heart rate monitor can let you know when you have recovered from a work interval and it's time to hit it again. As you get to know your body, a heart rate monitor can give you the confidence to push to a new level of effort (i.e. trying a new intensity level and knowing you can sustain it); if you are doing a more unstructured workout (e.g. a class), a heart rate monitor can tell you that it's time to take your effort up a notch.

For marketing purposes, most HRMs now come with a "calorie counting" feature. HRMs do not actually measure calories burned. They estimate based on the setup information you program and your heart rate. Accuracy of this feature is mixed, to say the least. If you have a quality HRM, have it set up accurately with your true max heart rate and maximal oxygen uptake, an HRM can be somewhat accurate under specific conditions--i.e. during steady-state aerobic activity. Otherwise, they can be no more accurate than a machine, a data table, or just making up a number.

So, are the HRM more accurate than the fitbit? I'm confused as to which product to buy. I bought an odometer/calories burned meter for my bike a few weeks ago and already have noticed the discrepancy when I try to enter my workout on this site. Also, my crosscountry skiier has a built in calories burned display that also doesnt jive with this site. FRUSTRATED!

I got an FT4 as well from ****'s Sporting Goods. I use it for all my cardio and road cycling.

I assume you all know I meant Richard's Sporting Goods ;-P

So, are the HRM more accurate than the fitbit? I'm confused as to which product to buy. I bought an odometer/calories burned meter for my bike a few weeks ago and already have noticed the discrepancy when I try to enter my workout on this site. Also, my crosscountry skiier has a built in calories burned display that also doesnt jive with this site. FRUSTRATED!

It depends on what you want it for.

Fitbit is good for exercises that involves a clear stepping motion, since it is basically a glorified pedometer. To use it for an exercise class, weight lifting etc, it may be a bit off. Another nice feature is that you can wear it all day, as with an HRM you can't.

HRM's are good for all sorts of activities(walking, running, classes, etc) and there are a wide variety available.

I know a lot of people own both because of the Fitbits short coming of not being able to be used for all sorts of exercise.

Last week just for comparison, I wore both the Fitbit and the HRM and hit GO and STOP at the exact same time for my Zumba class. They were within 5 calories of one another. I was pretty impressed

hey guys!
I have a question.. I'm a little bit off topic here but I don't wont to open a new one
do you have your HRM always on? I mean, also during the weight lifting and the pauses between the sets?
thank you for your answers!
have fun!