Which Brand/Model Heart Rate Monitor is Best?

S

suzcomn

Cathlete
I'm looking for one that shows the calorie burn as well as the basic heart rate.

Do you have to wear the strap on your chest or is a wrist only model effective? I've found those straps to be terribly restrictive.

Thanks for your feedback!
 
I have a question too if thats ok?

I was wondering if heart rate monitors like that allow you to put in your height and weight to get a calories burned count. I read some posts where people were able to calculate calories burn during a workout, is this accurate?
Thanks
~Angel
 
I agree with Sarah - you can't go wrong with Polar. I have the F11 and I LOVE it. The chest strap is very comfortable, not restrictive at all. The F11 has a lot of features and is geared toward the fitness enthusiast. It allows you to enter your age, height, weight, and it performs a fitness test to estimate your VO2max, so it can calculate appropriate target heart rate zones for you. It provides calories burned, percent of calories from fat, max HR, and avg HR. It stores your last 12 workouts, and provides a weekly summary of your data (total time exercised, time in each HR zone, total calories burned, etc). I couldn't tell you if the calorie burn calculation is dead-on accurate - it probably isn't, but it's probably a very good approximation.
 
Materialgirl- What test did you do to come up with your VO2 max? Mine has this option as well but I'm not sure what I need to do to get that info. Thanks
cArolyn
 
All you do for the fitness test is lie down in a quiet place, and don't move. Wait a few minutes after you lie down to start the test, so your HR can come down and stabilize. It is essentially measuring your resting heart rate, but also looks for variation and rhythm changes in your heart rate as well. It takes about 3 minutes from the time you push the Test button - it will beep when it's done. I just lie on my bed and close my eyes.
 
I have a Mio Shape and love it. You set your weight, gender, resting heart rate in it and age. You don't need to wear a chest strap and it calculates the calories you burn from the warmup thru the cool down, not just in your "target zone" which I love!
 
I have the F11 like Emily. It comes with a chest strap and a myriad of features. I've gotten used to wearing the strap. My only beef with it is that the strap gets stinky after a while. The manual says I can't toss it into my usual load in the washer, so I have to wash it by hand with gentle soap and water. And it's hard to get the smell out with just that. Other than that, I love the F11. It has just the right amount of features for my needs.

Pinky
 
I should mention also, that the Polar F series calculates your calorie burn from the moment you start exercising til the moment you stop. Others don't start calculating until your HR reaches 100 bpm, but the F series calculates from start to finish, regardless of what your HR is.
 
Carolyn - not a dumb question at all! The Mio Shape HRMs have two contacts on the wrist unit where you place your fingers, and it measures your heart rate that way. It is not a continuous measurement, so the calorie burn calculation is much less accurate. And the actual HR measurement is less accurate as well (as compared to most chest strap HRMs), according to Consumer Reports' tests. But it is still much better than taking your pulse with your fingers on your neck or wrist.
 
Thank you materialgirl! I think we have the same HRM and I love mine as well. I also like that it is compatible with much of the cardio equipment found in gyms(Lifestyle I think?).
Carolyn
 
Thanks to all for the responses, especially for the link. There is one Polar (M-61 I think) that has all those cool features discussed here, but also holds profiles for 2 people, so my DH could use it too. He already has a strap; it works with our treadmill.

It is way easier to convince him to buy it if he can use it too!
 
Sue this is the one I have http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-SIGMA-SPORT...ryZ30108QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

bought it from this seller on ebay and it arrived in 2 days in perfect, new condition. I have had absolutely no trouble with it, and it does everything the Polar that was twice as expensive does. I love it and have recommended it to several people online and they love it, too.

I saved the seller in my favorites just so I could recommend them!


ETA: this strap also works with my elliptical machine-I think it's pretty universal.
 
Where did everyone get their Polar F series that calculates from the time you start working out? I was unable to find one like that at Dick's when I went looking for one, so I ended up with my Mio Shape again. I don't want one that starts calculating once you hit 100 or your target. Thanks, Lora
 
I was under the impression that any polar HRM that records calorie expenditure will start recording the minute you start your workout. All you do it press the start button. I've had 2 seperate Polar HRMs and both of them worked this way. In fact, I bought my sister one of the A series ones and it starts the same way. Maybe someone else knows more about this but the 3 that I'm familiar with all work the same way. The first HRM I owned (sorry I forgot the model) did record target HR time but did so in a seperate catagory and still recorded total calories burned starting from the moment I began the workout.
I believe I bought mine in the sports store on an army post, but I've seen them in the mall and I thought I saw them at Dicks and sometimes Sports Authority. But I think you can order them at www.polarusa.com.
Carolyn
 
Dick's did not yet carry the F11 when I purchased mine, and I still don't think they carry it in stores, but they do sell it on their website. The F series is relatively new, so it may be hard to find in stores. I ordered mine online because I could get a better price that way. You can't order directly from Polar, but their website can direct you to a local retailer who sells their stuff.

The F series and apparently the A series start calculating once you push Start. Polar's M series and S series don't start calculating til you reach 100 bpm, from what I understand.
 
You know you can go online and order a new strap, right? I've had to do that & to have my battery replaced after a year of use.

Marla
 
I have the A series & I don't think it starts calculating until the HR reaches 100BPM. In fact, I read the manual(for a change)& I KNOW it said it didn't start until it reached 100BPM.

I still like my Polar A5. I know you say it may not be accurate as far as calorie burn, but I can tell you it has been consistent on calorie burn per workouts that I have done even months apart. For example, I may have done, let's say, Boot Camp one day in June & even if I don't do it until the next month, the calories burned are too similar. Yes, you have to take into consideration, your energy level that day, how proactive you were during your workout, how much cardiovascular strength you've gained & improved since last session, etc. I state my opinion based on just looking back at my workout logs for over a year (although I've been training aerobically since I was a teen).

Another note, I don't use it too much for THR, as I don't see that as perfect science. I use it more for caloric burn & to just not overdo my THR MAX for too long a period. Did I confuse ya'll?

Marla:)
 
I have a Polar F4. It measures average and maximum heart rate, calories burned. I'm sure it has other functions I haven't discovered yet. The above was all I interested in.
 
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