Heart Rate Monitors

nostalgicfortune
nostalgicfortune Posts: 54
edited December 24 in Health and Weight Loss
I've seen several people say that HRMs are the way to go instead of the counter offered on this site. I'm curious as to which HRMs should I look at, what do you guys use?

Replies

  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    Polar HRM are very popular on this site... I personal use an FT60 and love it... Alot of user on here go with the FT7 or FT4.... both fine HRM... I prefer FT60 because it also figures your V02Max (lil better accuracy with calorie burn) Can't go wrong with Polar though,,,, Best of Luck....
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    I currently use a Polar F11. It's older and relatively basic. IIRC, cost me $200 (CAD) new. I also have my old one that I got for $60. It went by vibrations, and wasn't nearly as accurate as this one, which actually measures the electrical pulses.

    I find it to be quite accurate and quick to respond to changing heart rates as I change my intensity levels.

    You'll want one that has electrodes for measuring your heart, and is programmable with your personal information. The more information you can put into it, the more accurate it will be.
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    I should add that you'll want one that uses a chest strap. Any other form of measurement device isnt nearly as accurate.
  • FTIM2015
    FTIM2015 Posts: 460 Member
    I have a polar FT 40 and love it, its plenty for what i need (cals, time, heart rate)


    The OH as a garmin that does everything except cook dinner! (cals, hr, sat nav type thing!) which i great for him as he does some huge distances and gets lost!
  • Puddles0308
    Puddles0308 Posts: 74
    I have a Polar FT4. Totally in love with it. I found that MFP is usually pretty off.
  • Cyngen
    Cyngen Posts: 557 Member
    I have the Polar FT7. Pleased with it except that the feedback tones are rather soft in volume and no way to boost that. Otherwise, It's good and I'd buy again.
  • marcoscu
    marcoscu Posts: 99 Member
    I use a Scosche Mytrek HRM. I like it because it is worn on the forearm, is easy to setup and use, and connects by bluetooth to my iPhone. It comes with it's own app but will also work with Digifit and iSmoothrun apps.
  • misslissa555
    misslissa555 Posts: 135 Member
    I have the New Balance N4 that I bought at Target. It comes with the chest strap and love it! I know some heart rate monitors don't let you change between the time and how many calories you've burnt, at least my friend can't figure it out on hers, but mine does!
    You input your info (sex, height, weight, and age) and you can put if you're doing a low, medium, or high impact workout and you can set an alarm that will let you know if you're below or above where your heart rate should be while exercising (I don't have that turned on). I loveeeeeeee it!
  • iWILLbeFit062012
    iWILLbeFit062012 Posts: 97 Member
    I'm curious about this as well. I bought the Sportline S12 HRM watch from Walmart last week and was very disappointed with it. As soon as I started to sweat the HRM sensors quit working until I took the watch off and dried my wrist. Needless to say, I am returning it. I am thinking about buying the Fitbit Ultra, however, I would like to hear feedback from others who have it.
  • subtractionproject
    subtractionproject Posts: 64 Member
    I'm in the UK and I have a OneBody HRM that I got for £20 from Tesco. For a relatively cheap HRM, it does a really brilliant job of tracking heart rate and calorie burn. You can program it with all your information, set workout zones and it also estimated fat burn as well. It comes with a chest strap for accuracy and really, I love it simply because of the value. Polar HRMs are over double the price and when I have tried them, they do pretty much the same job.
  • firesoforion
    firesoforion Posts: 1,017 Member
    I use a Polar FT-40, which I got on sale when the local Sears was going out of business. It's great.
  • Argent78
    Argent78 Posts: 151 Member
    Bump!!! I´ve been wondering the same thing... but found relly hard to make a decision with so many out there
  • ls_66
    ls_66 Posts: 395 Member
    I have been using Polar FT7 and love it, it appears to be very accurate and I bought the weblink add on that let you synch your workouts to their website
  • davenportk83
    davenportk83 Posts: 44 Member
    This topic is relatively new to me too! I would also like to know what is the general benefit of using HRM, are you trying to accurately calculate calorie burned or are you trying to achieve greater fitness levels or both?
  • HealthyWarrior
    HealthyWarrior Posts: 394 Member
    I have the Polar T4 and I love it. You can check to see how long you've been exercising and the current time, how many calories burned and your heart rate all at the touch of a button. You can also take it swimming with you. I've had mine for over a year now and I LOVE it.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    This topic is relatively new to me too! I would also like to know what is the general benefit of using HRM, are you trying to accurately calculate calorie burned or are you trying to achieve greater fitness levels or both?

    You can't rely on MFP for their accuracy of calories burned from different exercises as well as the machines. Heart monitors although not the end all be all... They will provide you with a more accurate calories burned as well as allowing you to see your heart rate during workout and allow you to push yourself harder than maybe you wouldn't without one... I am in the camp of eating back my exercise calories and I eat back 85% of those calories my FT60 says that I have burned leaving 15% for error and this has worked for me to lose a few pounds,,, Hope that helps...
  • Dudagarcia
    Dudagarcia Posts: 849 Member
    Hubby got me polar ft7 and I love it. I think next to good wo shoes this is great to have. Ur right about mfp going over calories or at least it did for me.
  • Journalartista
    Journalartista Posts: 84 Member
    I got a Polar ft60 and it was the best decision ever! Not only does it track calories burnt, but lets me know if I'm in the right zone (in other words, pushing hard enough). The difference in calories vs mfp was huge, as in mfp overstating by 50%.
  • huckleberry0070
    huckleberry0070 Posts: 64 Member
    I have a Sportline Duo 1010w (for women) and I love it... it's pretty easy to use and it tracks everything you want: heart rate, time, calories burned, fat burned, etc. You input your info (sex, age, weight, height) and it automatically calculates your heart rate zones so all you have to do is tell it which zone you want to be in and it notifies you when you're under, in and over your zone. I've had it for a month and a half or so now and it still works like a dream.
  • davenportk83
    davenportk83 Posts: 44 Member
    Thanks for the info................and I would say 310 lbs. is more than a few! Congrats on your success!
  • dabomb5198
    dabomb5198 Posts: 26
    I'm on my second Polar FT-7. The first one lasted over a year and I really like them. They give the essential information I want and are reasonably priced.
  • muzmacol
    muzmacol Posts: 358 Member
    Yeah FT4 is perfectly good bit of kit.
  • elfo
    elfo Posts: 353 Member
    I had a groupon for a $10 HRM and it was a bowflex EZ PRO. When it came I realized that you have to put our fingers to check your HR, so it's not constant. I was very sad :( But what did I expect for a $10 purchase. I guess it's an ok watch. I have the NIKE fuel band which was $150, but I really don't think the calories on that are accurate, so I have an even more expensive watch, although the nike fuel points are good to make sure you're keeping active. Alas, I am also looking for a good, not too expensive HRM, and preferably one I don't need to strap to my chest. What's the cheapest that a good one will run for?
  • shimila1101
    shimila1101 Posts: 119
    I have the Polar FT7 and love it. You can't feel the cheststrap when wearing it and it's pretty easy to use. I found that I usually burn more than the machines tell me I do and less than what MFP says.
  • Hmrjmr1
    Hmrjmr1 Posts: 1,106 Member
    I have several and I like the Timex Global Trainer w GPS the best, with my Garmin GPS a close 2nd. The Timex sells for about 150 on Amazon, has all the features mentioned above with HR zones and alerts etc, you can program in different activities at different intensity levels o it generally gives the best burn info, HR alerts and training zones (up to four) can be set as well. Works very well for water aerobics which is a big plus for me over the Garmin which cost twice as much. BTW I haven't heard much bad feedback on the polars though either.
  • rhonniema
    rhonniema Posts: 522 Member
    Polar!
  • Pauline3290
    Pauline3290 Posts: 80
    I'm in the UK and I have a OneBody HRM that I got for £20 from Tesco. For a relatively cheap HRM, it does a really brilliant job of tracking heart rate and calorie burn. You can program it with all your information, set workout zones and it also estimated fat burn as well. It comes with a chest strap for accuracy and really, I love it simply because of the value. Polar HRMs are over double the price and when I have tried them, they do pretty much the same job.

    Bump
  • andeey
    andeey Posts: 709 Member
    Polar FT40 ... love it! Gives me fat burn versus fitness burn, target zones, etc. I seriously wanted something without a chest strap, but they're far more accurate and I've gotten used to wearing it, so stick with it if it's weird/uncomfortable at first.
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