HRM Suggestions please....

I have a Timex HRM with a chest strap. I thought it wwas fine, but it seems like my calories burned are higher than others. I have triple checked the information entered, and it's right. The silly thing hasn't been working right for about 3 weeks now. I've sent it back to Timex to get worked on before. I'm debating whether to send it in AGAIN, or put that money towards a new one.

What HRM's do you have, have had for a long time, and have never had problems with?

Replies

  • ebony__
    ebony__ Posts: 519 Member
    bump
  • I was wondering the same thing a few days ago, so I did a search here on the forms and found some great older threads. Last night I ordered the Polar FT4. Good luck!
  • gregavila
    gregavila Posts: 723 Member
    I absolutely love my Polar FT-60.
  • phatty4dayz
    phatty4dayz Posts: 125 Member
    I have the Polar FT4 and LOVE it!!!
  • OSC_ESD
    OSC_ESD Posts: 752 Member
    I have a Polar F4 and I love it !!! I have had no problems with it as of yet ... I recently bought my boyfriend the Polar F7 and he loves it as well .. I would definitely look into the Polar line ... great product ! :smile:
  • RahBuhBuh
    RahBuhBuh Posts: 585 Member
    I have a Polar FT 7. It is pretty good. I have been real happy with it.
  • FORIANN
    FORIANN Posts: 273 Member
    Please don't think I'm being rude when I say this, but if you do a search of 'HRM' you'll find this topic has been discussed at great length about 300 times.

    FYI I have the Timex also...I use it to keep me at my particular HR when doing cardio, but it's ability to estimate calories burned is silly.
  • mell312
    mell312 Posts: 8 Member
    Love love love my Polar FT4!
  • ahavoc
    ahavoc Posts: 464 Member
    The best hrm is the one you actually use. Did you try replacing the batteries? What model did you have? I check my calorie burn with my hrm and a variety of online calculators. Also you have to understand that you have to subtract the amount of calories that you would burn if you were doing nothing. I wore my hrm while I watched an hour of tv and did absolutely nothing. I burned 120 calories over an hour. So if I work out for 45 minutes I deduct 90 calories from what my hrm says I burnt. 2 cals per minute. (2x60=120) I think that people forget to take this number out of their equation.
  • mcjimy
    mcjimy Posts: 14 Member
    Polar FT7, and definately purchase at Heartratemonitor.com. best prices on the web. fast free delivery. I have had mine for 4 weeks and works great. The good ones, such as Polar's, have all kinds of settings for height, weight, age etc, so the calories burned is pretty accurate. Do not buy at sports authority, if you have problems they will not help you out.
  • I'm on here looking for this, actually! A lot of people have said Polar FT4 - does that have a chest strap with it? I'm on the site and it just shows a watch.. or do you get straps separately?? I'm so new to this :blushing:
  • Dstny1957
    Dstny1957 Posts: 51 Member
    bump
  • PitBullMom_Liz
    PitBullMom_Liz Posts: 339 Member
    Got my Polar FT4 from Amazon yesterday and used it last night. Came with the chest strap and watch. Super easy to use and comfortable to wear. Glad I got it!
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    The best hrm is the one you actually use. Did you try replacing the batteries? What model did you have? I check my calorie burn with my hrm and a variety of online calculators. Also you have to understand that you have to subtract the amount of calories that you would burn if you were doing nothing. I wore my hrm while I watched an hour of tv and did absolutely nothing. I burned 120 calories over an hour. So if I work out for 45 minutes I deduct 90 calories from what my hrm says I burnt. 2 cals per minute. (2x60=120) I think that people forget to take this number out of their equation.

    You don't have to subtract calories burned from resting for one, and for two you are never supposed to wear your HRM while resting because they are not made for that. So that 120 calories you supposedly burned is wrong, and if you really want to figure out what you burned in an hour you need to take BMR and divide by 24, then take that number and divide by 60 to figure out what you burn in a minute.

    To OP:
    Polar is the best. If you do a forum search, it's been said many times that Timex is notorious for overestimating calories burned. I had one once and it told me I burned 580 calories, walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes with a speed of 3.0.

    I've had a Polar FT7 and FT60.. both have worked wonderfully for me, and the calorie estimations seem accurate enough.
  • Thanks everyone! I ordered a Polar FT4 from heartratemonitor.com this morning.
  • That's great I love my pft7
  • Shelby814
    Shelby814 Posts: 273 Member
    I have a Polar FT7 that I LOVE. I've had it for 6 or 7 months & have not had any problems with it. I would highly recommend it.
  • NaomiWhite77
    NaomiWhite77 Posts: 238 Member
    I absolutely love my Polar FT-60.

    ME TOO!!!!!!!!! LOVE and it's pink/purple :)
  • phatty4dayz
    phatty4dayz Posts: 125 Member
    I'm on here looking for this, actually! A lot of people have said Polar FT4 - does that have a chest strap with it? I'm on the site and it just shows a watch.. or do you get straps separately?? I'm so new to this :blushing:

    They come with the strap, even though they don't show it.