Does anybody know a HRM that works?
- Thread starter CDPotier
- Start date
shanihib
Cathlete
I was hoping that there would be an answer here. I also have a Polar and have discovered it is no longer supported by Polar (all I need is a battery!)... so I was thinking of getting a continuous heart rate monitor. Everytime I read a review though it seems like there are so many complaints. I sure would love to hear some feedback on what's out there. I just realized my HRM is 15 years old! (how'd that happen???) 
You can get the watch battery changed at any store that does that like (JC Penney) if you don't want to do it yourself as long as you don't need it to be waterproof. DH started changing mine and his after sending it to polar several times for ~$40 each time. The transmitter is easy to change if you can get it open. The old design was flawed but you can use a 1 Euro coin to open it.
I've had the RS400 for over 15 years and it is still going strong, same for my husband's RS300. Our HRMs are really old but they are still working without issues as long as the straps/transmitters are maintained. Last year, I got the A360 with the H7 transmitter. I hadn't planned on using the A360 for my routine workouts but I ended up doing it and stopped using the RS400. Side by side, they both worked within 1 beat of each other using the H7 transmitter.
The things I had to do to keep my Polar working:
-Never wash the strap in a washer no matter what Polar says. Early on, I couldn't get the RS400 to work consistently. The transmitter straps couldn't handle being washed on cold in the regular washer. I lost several straps before stopping the machine wash. I started rinsing mine in the bathroom sink after every workout and hanging it to dry. I use hand soap to clean it about 2x a week. After a workout, the strap is soaking wet but washing it with soap 2x a week is enough to keep it clean. I have to get a new strap once every 2 years.
-The transmitter becomes erratic when the battery is low but that is easy to change. On average, the old transmitters have lasted about 5 years with routine use. The transmitter will need to be replaced when it starts malfunctioning. I've had the H7 for about 9 months so I have no idea about its longevity but I haven't had a problem with it so far.
-If the watch is malfunctioning, you may have a lemon.
Polar has a new version (A370) that has improved tracking at rest. I'll probably get that when my A360 dies. I ended up liking the A360 much more than I thought I would.
I've had the RS400 for over 15 years and it is still going strong, same for my husband's RS300. Our HRMs are really old but they are still working without issues as long as the straps/transmitters are maintained. Last year, I got the A360 with the H7 transmitter. I hadn't planned on using the A360 for my routine workouts but I ended up doing it and stopped using the RS400. Side by side, they both worked within 1 beat of each other using the H7 transmitter.
The things I had to do to keep my Polar working:
-Never wash the strap in a washer no matter what Polar says. Early on, I couldn't get the RS400 to work consistently. The transmitter straps couldn't handle being washed on cold in the regular washer. I lost several straps before stopping the machine wash. I started rinsing mine in the bathroom sink after every workout and hanging it to dry. I use hand soap to clean it about 2x a week. After a workout, the strap is soaking wet but washing it with soap 2x a week is enough to keep it clean. I have to get a new strap once every 2 years.
-The transmitter becomes erratic when the battery is low but that is easy to change. On average, the old transmitters have lasted about 5 years with routine use. The transmitter will need to be replaced when it starts malfunctioning. I've had the H7 for about 9 months so I have no idea about its longevity but I haven't had a problem with it so far.
-If the watch is malfunctioning, you may have a lemon.
Polar has a new version (A370) that has improved tracking at rest. I'll probably get that when my A360 dies. I ended up liking the A360 much more than I thought I would.
JeanneMarie
Cathlete
I use My Zone. It's incredibly accurate. It uses the chest strap with the monitor attached right above your heart. We have big TV screens at my bootcamp that shows heart rate, effort points and zones in real time. But it also uploads to my phone and shows all my stats during the workout and after.
(Oh, and no battery worries. It's rechargeable. A charge lasts about 4 months, and that's with me using it at least 2 hours a day!)
MyZone.org
(Oh, and no battery worries. It's rechargeable. A charge lasts about 4 months, and that's with me using it at least 2 hours a day!)
MyZone.org
nckfitheart2009
Cathlete
Hello JeanneMarie,
You have been raving about my zone monitor to the point of getting me interested. What happen when there is no big gym screen?
Is there any alert notifying the user he/she working within the zone? I have a standard one which bleeps when I am hitting
the zone.
JeanneMarie
Cathlete
Hello JeanneMarie,
You have been raving about my zone monitor to the point of getting me interested. What happen when there is no big gym screen?
Is there any alert notifying the user he/she working within the zone? I have a standard one which bleeps when I am hitting
the zone.
I do love it. Sorry if I'm saying the same thing over and over! LOL!
It shows up on your phone. If I'm not in the gym with the TV monitors, it's on my phone. It does sync with the treadmills at Planet Fitness, so maybe it would at other places although I can't vouch for that. There is no sound when you hit the zone, but on your phone is a graph with the colors of the zones. If you can see your phone, you can tell where you are with your heartrate, your zone, your calorie burn and your effort points.
nckfitheart2009
Cathlete
Thanks Jeanne Marie, as long as it shows on the phone while working out it's fine. The synch features offered by news monitors are now the way to go as far as tracking is concerned.I appreciate your review. . We can have all sort of infomercials but word of mouth is better. Thanks
nckfitheart2009
Cathlete
This highlighted above is a selling point!
DirtDiva
Cathlete
You nailed it! I never put my strap in the washer, I rinse it off in cool water and hang dry it. I replace it about every 18 months to two years. The transmitter has to have a good battery running in it, I also wet the strap under where the transmitter snaps on. I have a RS400 for the past 10 years, still working great. Two years ago I bought the new V800 which does everything I could ever want, including making a few other gadgets obsolete (a Garmin and a bike computer that cluttered up my handlebar). It has been flawless and I'd buy it again if I lost it. I have realized a lot of people get frustrated with HRM's, and I have had quite a few of them. I realize that many times its *user* error, or its something like the battery needing replacement.