Sport Watch Suggestions That Measure Heart Rate?

Retrogamer

I'm just starting to get back into my cycling & hill walking again with the better weather and i'm looking for something that can monitor my heart rate easily.

I tried a chest strap from ebay, but it was uncomfortable and didn't work well at all.

I have a monitor in my phone but it's not always easy to check with it so looking for one in a watch instead but i can't justify spending too much on one.

Ideally i'd like one that can sync with Endomondo on my phone but they're way out my budget so happy to look at any that just display the bpm on the watch itself.

Budget of up to £80 if anyone can suggest anything? I'm clueless.

Would need to be water resistant / proof also.

DavidT67

FYI, The Optical HRM in sports watches tend to be less reliable than chest straps.
Both need tight, warm contact with clear skin. NB for Optical sensors Tattoos are a problem.
Skin being moist with a bit of gel can help improve contact.

Water resistant and Waterproof are too very different things and thus price brackets.
Are you wanting to swim (pool / open water) and record heart rate, or is it just a rain proof requirement ?

Ideally look for devices with ANT+ and/or Bluetooth Smart/Lite standards and compatibility rather than proprietary systems. Then check what support your smartphone, tablet or laptop has for these standards.

And finally check out DC Rainmaker's website for all things sport tech related.

Retrogamer

Thanks for the advise.

I'll be using it when cycling and hill walking mainly but it's not ever going to be submerged in water. I've had some heavy rain though on my bike before that managed to kill a water resistant watch (i assume the wind had forced water beyond the seals)

I'm really unfit at the moment and really stubborn so i've notced a couple of times i've pushed myself a little bit too hard and my heart rate was a little higher than i've been comfortable with. The watch is just to keep an eye on it so i need when to take it a little easier until i can improve my fitness.

RichardD1970

Although outside your budget I've got a Tomtom Spark Cardio (without music), does everything you want it to (and more).

Don't know if you can get similar for your budget .

mattbuk

Within that budget, I'd probably recommend the Fitbit Charger HR. You can get them on offers around £80

Hutchch0920

I have a Fitbit Surge. It depends what you want the HR data for really. I've found that it can drop out at high readings 160pm+ but overal it seems to be accurate.

jenniewb

Before the whole personal monitor craze kicked off, I always remember Polar and Garmain being the main competition and what sportsmen and women used to monitor themselves, I think I remember it being said Polar was the most correct in terms of registering heart rate and being the most reliable where as Garmain was the best for tracking distance or speed or something like that.


I used to have a Polar heart rate monitor and can vouch for the ease of use and it was pretty easy to replace batteries. You did have to wear a chest strap with it and this is what made it more reliable than other heart rate monitors, the difference with todays models were that the battery lasted at least a year or two rather than a day or two!

Nebulous2

I had a cheap polar watch / heart rate monitor with a chest strap several years ago and it was great. You couldn't replace the monitor in the chest strap though and it died.

In the meantime I had bought a Garmin computer so I bought a garmin chest strap. They are slightly more fiddly and can struggle to give an accurate reading. I find wearing a compression top really helps maintain the contacts.

The information I get is amazing though. Downloading it to my computer plots all the distance / maps / climb / heart-rate and records all my rides over time. Not available for £80 but I would say a Garmin and chest strap is well worth it.

tafelmoneysaver

The cheapest option would be to get a Bluetooth chest strap heart rate monitor for your phone and continue to use the Endomondo app.

You can get a handlebar mount for when you are cycling.

If you want the data on your wrist then a Pebble watch will act as a second screen for the Endomondo app:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_4Ur1AJti4

JEN22

fitbit Charge HR