Talk to me about HRM's

KristenCook2
KristenCook2 Posts: 57 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Can anyone offer some suggestions or reviews? What HRM do you have and do you love it? If so, why? Any negatives? Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    polar FT7 from Amazon.com

    good overall HRM and best prices are at Amazon
  • hrtotten
    hrtotten Posts: 26
    I love my fitbit - it tracks my calories throughout the entire day and can link up with my fitness pal so that I know exactly what my deficit is. I have been able to learn that on a day where I don't work out I burn overall about 1900 and on a day that I do, it's more like 2200. That has really helped me stick to my calories!
  • honeysprinkles
    honeysprinkles Posts: 1,757 Member
    I have the Polar ft7, I love it but it has some features that I don't really use so if I were to buy another I'd go for the Polar ft4 and save a little bit of money!
  • amyowens08
    amyowens08 Posts: 107 Member
    Polar FT4
  • NNAhuja
    NNAhuja Posts: 669 Member
    I love my Polar FT4. I just wanted to know how much I burn in a workout. It's waterproof in case I ever wanted to go swimming with it.
  • karensoxfan
    karensoxfan Posts: 902 Member
    I'm using a Polar FT4. It was reasonably priced, easy to use, and everyone swears Polar has great accuracy. The pamphlet also claims it can be used while swimming too, as long as you don't press any of the buttons on the watch while you're in the water.
  • imcatbear
    imcatbear Posts: 38
    Another fan of Polar products. Mine has a chest strap vs an armband/strap.
  • amyowens08
    amyowens08 Posts: 107 Member
    I love my fitbit - it tracks my calories throughout the entire day and can link up with my fitness pal so that I know exactly what my deficit is. I have been able to learn that on a day where I don't work out I burn overall about 1900 and on a day that I do, it's more like 2200. That has really helped me stick to my calories!
    FitBit is excellent for tracking your daily calories burned while doing regular activities, but it's not a Heart Rate Monitor. I have a FitBit I wear all day, but my workouts I wear my heart rate monitor.
  • tlblood
    tlblood Posts: 473 Member
    Polar F6. Just make sure you get one with a chest strap; they are the most accurate.
  • bikermike5094
    bikermike5094 Posts: 1,752 Member
    Polar FT7... bought at heartratemonitorsusa.com
  • reallyally1
    reallyally1 Posts: 82
    I have the NewBalance N4 Pearl; it's designed specifically for women. I absolutely LOVE it; I wish I had gotten one sooner. I don't even feel the chest strap when I'm working out.

    EDIT - you can get it for $50 and free shipping here: http://www.overstock.com/Sports-Toys/New-Balance-N4-Pearl-Heart-Rate-Monitor/6580246/product.html
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
    I use an FT4 to log anything that gets my HR over 120. I compliment that with a FitBit.
  • b417adriana
    b417adriana Posts: 56 Member
    FT4, works fantastic!
  • gr8grl68
    gr8grl68 Posts: 417 Member
    I also have a Polar FT7 and love it. I got mine at Amazon as well. . . .(they make them for men and women, not unisex) and found they had the best prices.

    You personalize it for you (put in your personal stats), it can be a watch when not using for exercise, keeps records of your past workouts and will store numberous records so you can go back and look at history. I think if you are looking for accuracy while exercising Polar HRMs are a good bet.

    Note--I tried a cheap Timex and got off the wall readings--not worth the $45 I sepnt on it.

    Now I would also love to try the fitbit to get an overall picture of what my body does all day long, including how well I'm sleeping--that may be my next present to myself. . . . :)
  • ValRAAAAY
    ValRAAAAY Posts: 270 Member
    Just ordered a Polar FT4 from bodytronics.com. Use coupon code POPO when you check out, and you can get it for under $60! I can't wait to try it out!
  • KBrenOH
    KBrenOH Posts: 704 Member
    "Note--I tried a cheap Timex and got off the wall readings--not worth the $45 I sepnt on it. "

    I agree with what this person said. I tried a Timex first as well -- was worthless.


    Over all I love my FT4 -- I've had it over a year and only just now am needing to change the batteries I'm thinking (and I use it at least 5 days a week).

    I don't remember the price but it wasn't horrible.
  • callikia
    callikia Posts: 226 Member
    Polar FT60 and I love it to pieces. Got it from Amazon while they were running a deal (think it was like $100 bucks off the normal price). My next gift to myself will be the waterproof chest strap. I have worn mine in the pool and have had no problems with it, but I need the upgraded chest strap in order for it to do more other than give me the time.
  • CountryDevil
    CountryDevil Posts: 819 Member
    The FT4 and FT7 are very popular choices. I was using the FT7 for a while and then found a Bluetooth HRM from Zephyr Technologies. I use this as my primary now only because there is plenty of supported Apps for your phone that can record, track your HR stats as well as other data like map data of your workout, speed, altitude and other. Keep in ind though other than HR , cadence (This are recorded by the app not the HRM. )


    http://www.zephyr-technology.com/consumer-hxm
  • mndamon
    mndamon Posts: 549 Member
    polar FT7 from Amazon.com

    good overall HRM and best prices are at Amazon

    This.

    I spent a week doing research on it because it wasn't a small investment and I always came back to the FT7. It does everything I need it to and some other stuff I don't.
  • Tricialew32
    Tricialew32 Posts: 96 Member
    Polar FT1
    Overall accurate, inexpensive but VERY basic.
    I don't love it but I can't hate it for being what it is.
    If I would have known how much I would use it, I would have spent a little more for the FT4 or something a little better.
  • Wonderob
    Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member
    My wife has a pink FT4, I have an FT7

    Both work great, I could bore you for hours with tales of my HRM spreadsheets - ask my wife!
  • eilmeister
    eilmeister Posts: 37
    Beurer PM62, though I'm not sure if it's available in the US. Works like a charm though, and the chest strap is super comfortable.
  • Magnamus
    Magnamus Posts: 66 Member
    I think these devices are intended for last mile fitness and athletes.

    Track your food, do your exercises and use a watch/finger to check your heart rate.

    I think the calorie adjustments are irrelevant if you watched what you eat and perform some activities.


    I don't want to sound negative but can someone please justify the need for one of these devices.
    I just don't see the need unless your a athlete or Olympian and your doing so much movement and all your motions must be track because split seconds count.

    In the end, I think these devices will wear out their novelty for most users and will end up in your dresser, storage or a land fill.

    Commitment and focus is all you need! ...not feeding a tech company your hard earned $$$$

    Send me a friend invite if you agree
  • tishad58
    tishad58 Posts: 110 Member
    Polar FT4- watch and soft, replaceable chest strap- both are waterproof to 30m for water exercise. $63 on Amazon.com. Mine also syncs to all the cardio equip at the gym as well as my own treadmill and exercise bike at home.
  • nnylee
    nnylee Posts: 811 Member
    Polar Ft4 makes me happy!
  • xxnellie146xx
    xxnellie146xx Posts: 996 Member
    If you decide to get a polar, I ordered mine from heartratemonitorsusa.com. They have a sale going on, CM8 it gives you a discount, and shipping is free. I ordered mine on Sunday :)
  • Wonderob
    Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member
    I think these devices are intended for last mile fitness and athletes.

    Track your food, do your exercises and use a watch/finger to check your heart rate.

    I think the calorie adjustments are irrelevant if you watched what you eat and perform some activities.


    I don't want to sound negative but can someone please justify the need for one of these devices.
    I just don't see the need unless your a athlete or Olympian and your doing so much movement and all your motions must be track because split seconds count.

    In the end, I think these devices will wear out their novelty for most users and will end up in your dresser, storage or a land fill.

    Commitment and focus is all you need! ...not feeding a tech company your hard earned $$$$

    Send me a friend invite if you agree

    I am trying to keep my weight as it is so I'm monitoring my calorie intake as accurately as possible and with the help of my HRM, I'm monitoring my calorie burn as accurately as possible too. With some spreadsheets I am balancing my calorie in and my calories out with surprisingly accurate results.

    The HRM also tells me which exercises are most beneficial, for example whilst coaching kids at football I burnt a staggering 700 calories in 90 minutes, totally focussed on what I was doing I had no idea I was burning that many. A few hundred here, a few extra hundred there and before I know it, I could be losing a pound a week that i didn't want to lose - or worse, put on a pound or two a month

    I enjoy monitoring my calorie burn, it gives me focus.
    Do I need it? No probably not, but I don't need my Ipad, my phone, or my PS3 either - those tech companies get my money too! I choose to have them all because I want to, not because I need to.
  • KristenCook2
    KristenCook2 Posts: 57 Member
    Thank you so much everyone - great reviews and they pretty much support what my research was suggesting as well. I'm interested in what I'm actually burning versus what MFP tells me I'm burning calorie-wise. I'm new to this healthy lifestyle so I'm pretty reliant on the exercise database currently and I just want to make sure I'm eating and burning by the books, so to speak.

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