HRM - Polar Alternatives?

ashleab37
ashleab37 Posts: 575 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I currently have a Polar FT7 that I'm looking to replace. I've had issues with it (I know my heart rate isn't 208 when I've just sat my butt down on the bike, or 45 when I'm doing a cal burn plan on the elliptical!!) which I know can happen with any item you purchase, but the issue is that Polar support have been anything but helpful.

Now I really don't want to get into a pro/anti polar argument; I know their HRMs are good, just want to do something different.


So I get to my question - What can you recommend in the same price range as the FT7?

The only real requirement is that it gives me cals burnt that obviously takes into account weight and heart rate. Everything else is a bonus.

Replies

  • ashleab37
    ashleab37 Posts: 575 Member
    Bump?
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Check out Timex. I'm not familiar with their models but they have a good reputation.
  • kirotea
    kirotea Posts: 3 Member
    Have you tried re-calibrating your Polar HRM?
  • mfaine
    mfaine Posts: 84 Member
    I'd call Polar, if they can't figure out what is wrong with it you might could get it fixed if it is still covered under warranty. They have a good reputation for handling these matters. In fact, I'd try calling them even if it is no longer under warranty. I just got an FT 80 and I like it a lot though I kind of hate polarpersonaltrainer.com
  • aviduser
    aviduser Posts: 208 Member
    Try replacing the battery in your chest strap.

    Sometimes a weak battery can cause erratic HR readings.
  • KC4800
    KC4800 Posts: 140 Member
    That battery is supposed to last 2 years isn't it? I'd email polar before replacing. Also, are you remembering to run the strap under water prior to putting it on? I have to do that every time or I get inaccurate readings.
  • ashleab37
    ashleab37 Posts: 575 Member
    I'd call Polar, if they can't figure out what is wrong with it you might could get it fixed if it is still covered under warranty. They have a good reputation for handling these matters. In fact, I'd try calling them even if it is no longer under warranty. I just got an FT 80 and I like it a lot though I kind of hate polarpersonaltrainer.com
    My issue is that their support have been unhelpful. They've told me straight out that I haven't cared for it properly and that's the *only* reason a polar HRM stops working. I've followed every instruction in the manual. It's still under warranty.

    Yes, I run the strap under water before using it. Have recalibrated multiple times, but that hardly matters when the strap is the problem. Have changed the battery. It's just pretty faulty, I've had it for 2 months and it's been iffy since the beginning.


    Thanks Brian, I'll try Timex.
  • BBoros
    BBoros Posts: 67 Member
    I was at Walmart and saw they have a "sx elite heart rate monitor" it has a chest strap and a wrist band as well, works with both. It is 49.95. I am not sure how it is. But it does track calories burned and a lot of other features. I am thinking of maybe buying it. Any of you tried this one yet?
  • ANeWcRe8N
    ANeWcRe8N Posts: 1,180 Member
    That battery is supposed to last 2 years isn't it? I'd email polar before replacing. Also, are you remembering to run the strap under water prior to putting it on? I have to do that every time or I get inaccurate readings.

    edit: nevermind just read your response...
  • Chrissy979
    Chrissy979 Posts: 51 Member
    One of the girls I work with has a Timex one, I forget the model. She says she really likes it and has never had an issue with hers. I have been looking to get one myself and I have been looking at a Pyle one on Amazon.ca. I have never owned one before, so I'm not sure if Pyle is a good brand or not.
  • Dakotabelle75
    Dakotabelle75 Posts: 1
    I have a New Balance model from Target, it doesn't take weight into account, but does calories/time/heartrate. I like it, doesn't have a lot of frills though...I paided $70
  • cimonroe
    cimonroe Posts: 36
    Nevermind..had to erase. Didn't read your previous post...
  • JTH11706
    JTH11706 Posts: 3,031 Member
    I bought the Garmin FR60 for $70 3 months ago. I already use Runkeeper on my phone for GPS so I didn't want to pay for the GPS feature on my HRM. But then I decided I wanted my cadence so I bought the footpod - so much for cheap :laugh: . But it has been reliable and I like the Garmin Connect website.
  • pfvint
    pfvint Posts: 4
    Take a look at Suunto.
  • Mira710
    Mira710 Posts: 194 Member
    I have a Timex Zone Trainer. The calorie burn feature is WAY off, but it seems to give an accurate heart rate reading and average heart rate during my workout (which is all I really need).
  • MsTanya77
    MsTanya77 Posts: 357 Member
    I have a Polar FT4 and FT7. I had the same issues w/ the FT4, but the FT7 has been great. One thing that helped me the FT4 is washing my chest strap regularly. And also making sure I stored the transmitter away from the belt (not leaving it attached...). But I know someone who has a Pyle and she loves it. I also heard Sportsline makes good HRM's too...........
  • rmac18
    rmac18 Posts: 185 Member
    I have a New Balance Duo Sport that works pretty well for me. It has a chest strap that is comfortable and I haven't had any issues with it. The watch also has the ability to determine your heart rate by touching the bezel which is useful if you want to check your heart rate when you aren't wearing the chest strap but I'm not sure it's nearly as accurate as the chest strap which seems to be pretty good. It takes into account age, weight, sex and personal activity level to determine calorie burn and seems accurate. It's a watch, stopwatch with lap count and timer and tracks average heart rate, high and low as well as calories and fat burn (not real sure I understand this but it apparently measure fat burn in grams but I don't pay much attention to it). You can program it to beep when you go above or below a specified heart rate which I find useful at times and you can shut if off as well. Some people complain about it being difficult to use and poor documentation but it wasn't an issue for me. I did spend 15-20 minutes when I first got it to get it set up and understand how to use it and that required reading the documentation but after that it's fairly simple. It doesn't have memory for storing data like some of the others but I don't really care about that because I put it MFP right after the workout. Overall I'm pretty happy with it after a month of using it 5-6 times per week. They say the battery in the chest strap is user replaceable but you need to go to a watch shop to replace the watch battery, mostly to make sure the seal is good. Haven't had it long enough to worry about this yet. My only complaint is that the display is a little hard to read when the lighting isn't great but it does have a backlight. I bought mine at Target after reading a lot of complaints about the Polar FT4 that I was thinking about.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    How about you just buy a new strap? They are only 15 dollars on amazon... and change the battery in the transmitter.

    Do NOT buy a Timex what ever you do.. The calorie burn on those things are crap, and if you even remotely concerned about calories burned, then you want to steer clear.
  • donna9089
    donna9089 Posts: 87
    I have a Garmin Forerunner 305. A little pricey, but this thing can track anything and calories burned are based on sex, weight and HR. I even used the GPS when I went hiking last summer. The only downside for me is that the watch piece is rather large for a female IMO.
  • pfvint
    pfvint Posts: 4
    If you have a smart phone, the new bluetooth HRMs by Polar and Wahoo are great. I own the Polar and it has been flawless. The bluetooth HRMs let you sync to a smart phone wirelessly and do not require wearing a watch (which I never liked). HR can be monitored in real time on your device with a number of different apps. I prefer the Wahoo Fitness app (free) over the Polar HR app (also free). Both allow you to configure the app for different kinds of workouts (e.g., running - includes GPS and HR; indoor workout - just includes HR). The Wahoo Fitness app lets you share your workouts with other apps like Nike+ Running or email datafiles for analysis/record keeping.
  • Factory_Reset
    Factory_Reset Posts: 1,651 Member
    Had a Polar for years and it was always giving me issues. Finally made the switch to Garmin 2 months ago and couldn't be happier. I went with one with GPS, but they have others that don't. Love their website too!
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Have you tried contacting Polar more than once? Sometimes it's just a matter of getting the right person on the phone - seems weird that they won't cover anything when it's still under warranty, and just say it's your fault. I don't have a Polar, but have seen other people rave about their customer service, so that just seems odd.

    I have a New Balance N4. Can't compare it to anything else since it's the only one I've ever had. Lets you enter your height, weight, etc and seems to work well - I've had it over a year with no problems (replaced chest strap battery once), and burn seems accurate. They retail around $70, but I picked mine up on eBay (brand new) for $26.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Never had a problem with Polar but I do know Timex has a horrible reputation for giving over estimated calorie burns for women.
  • amberlykay1014
    amberlykay1014 Posts: 608 Member
    Take a look at Suunto.


    Yes, I have a Suunto M4 Heart Rate Monitor. It comes with a chest strap and it's as accurate as anything else on the market, if not more so. Mine stores workouts and also helps you track goals by taking an initial fitness test. It's simple to use with just 3 buttons and has a large digital display (still looks feminine -- comes in black with either pink or blue accents). It also give motivational messages throughout your workout and also throughout the day if you'd like it to.

    Check it out, seriously. And their customer service is really awesome too.
  • BSchoberg
    BSchoberg Posts: 712 Member
    I've been looking at the BodyMedia Fit --- I have an FT4 and have never had any trouble, but it's winter and putting a wet strap around my chest first thing in the morning is getting old FAST! I had a FitBit, too, but lost it, so I'd also really like something I can wear to monitor my sleep. The only thing that's stopping me is that monthly on-line access fee... I hate that!

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