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Fitness monitors with HR -- my MIL wants one and I'm clueless (Read 147 times)

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rectumdamnnearkilledem

    So, has anyone researched these?  MIL does gym workouts (elliptical and weights) and both indoor/outdoor cycling.  She's decided she wants a fitness monitor with HR, but I have no knowledge about any of these devices.  I use a Garmin without HR and would consider a power meter before I'd consider HR.

    Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

    remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

         ~ Sarah Kay

      If I were in the market for one of those, dcrainmaker would be my first stop. (Sorry, I have no clue either, but I trust his reviews!)

      rmcj001


        I've used both the Fitbit surge and Garmin forerunner 225 - was considering them for replacing Garmin 410 with heart rate strap. I've had Fitbit Ultras (went through 4 or 5 during warranty period) and Ones (much better, have had 2 because lost first one), so the Surge seemed like it would be the ideal device. Son got me one for father's day. Really liked that it integrated well with Fitbit site and current devices. Very seamless there. But, since this was replacing a Garmin watch as well, wanted it to be reasonably accurate for runs as well. It fell a bit short on GPS accuracy and heart rate monitoring.  It wasn't bad if you not too active, but if you're doing a run, resolution doesn't seem that good.

         

        Decided to return it and got the Forerunner 225. GPS accuracy seems better then the 410. The wrist HR monitor seems to be a little less accurate then the strap (better then the Surge tho). Step count seems to be close to Fitbit One most of the time, but when I switch from running to walking it seems to lose steps. I believe you can pair this with a separate heart rate monitor (chest strap, or arm) and that would probably increase accuracy on HR monitor.  You can try changing how tight you wear it, supposedly the tighter the better - I'm not sure on this.

         

        It maybe that I'm used to the Fitbit device, but I feel like step count and goal setting is better on their devices and I much prefer Fitbit web interface over Garmin's. The runningahead integration with the Garmin is more seamless. Garmin is coming out with the Forerunner 235 soon and this maybe a better device then the 225. For running the 225 seems the better choice of the two, but neither device met my expectation.


        Ray

         

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        rectumdamnnearkilledem

          She doesn't want GPS, just HRM...which I have no practical knowledge about, as I've never used one and not paid attention to the various discussions about non-GPS HRM fitness devices.  I guess she's looking for something that tracks info. all the time...like wearing a watch. I don't know that she'd use an online site/community.  To be perfectly honest, for what she'd likely use it for she could probably be fine with a bare minimum HRM (she has a Garmin Edge unit on her bike, but she never actually looks at the data collected post-ride.  I doubt she'll obsess over her HRM workout data much after the fact, either), but she has it in her head that she needs a "fitness monitor."  I think because it's trendy.

          Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

          remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

               ~ Sarah Kay

          rmcj001


            You said fitnes monitor with HR tracking.  I did a personal review on 2 such devices. Sounds like the Fitbit Charge is closer to what you want . There are actually quite a few reviews out there for various activity trackers - maybe you should consult google.


            Ray

             

            TeaOlive


            old woman w/hobby

              Zoom - don't forget to check DC Rainmaker.

              steph  

               

               

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              rectumdamnnearkilledem

                Zoom - don't forget to check DC Rainmaker.

                 

                I wish he had a chart comparing comparable devices.  That's where I'm getting overwhelmed.  When I search for "heart rate monitor fitness monitor" on Google I end up wading through dozens and dozens of devices that don't fit the bill -- since I don't know model names, I'm not entirely sure which devices I should be looking at on DC Rainmaker (though the Fitbit Charge appears close to what I think she's looking for).  And the comparisons are generally not all that helpful, either.  Often they don't really say much and are clearly avoiding being critical.

                 

                I wish people would tell me exactly what they want for Christmas, instead of thinking I should do their research for them.  This is why I ask for gift cards.  Because I'd rather find exactly what I want myself. Tongue  Thankfully my family is MUCH easier to shop for.

                Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                     ~ Sarah Kay

                Anonymous Guest


                  I'd get her the fitbit charge. I have one. You wear it like a watch, it tells the time, your current step count for the day, calories burned, current heart rate, number of floors climbed. So she can push the little button and see what her HR is while she's working out, and she can also look after the fact and see what her HR was and how it varied over the whole workout. It also monitors sleep and gives you your resting heart rate. It's really easy to use and the data is online if she wants to look at it after, or she can just push the button on her wrist if she wants an instantaneous number.

                   

                  I just looked on amazon and this is a good price for one. Normally I think they are around $130-140.

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                  rectumdamnnearkilledem

                    So I pressed her for more specifics and now she says she wants the Garmin Vivosmart, so that it will play nice with her bike computer.  She should have just said that she wanted something to work with her bike computer in the first place.  Then narrowing it down to a Garmin device would have been the only option.

                     

                    My 71 year old complete luddite mother is far easier to shop for than my semi-technically savvy 70 year old MIL.  Electronics have always scared my mom (even when she was my age she wouldn't mess with the VCR and took forever to figure out setting the clock on the microwave).

                    Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                    remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                         ~ Sarah Kay

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                    rectumdamnnearkilledem

                      Well, crap, it looks like the Vivosmart HR won't play with the Edge, anyhow...it pairs with a phone app.  I don't think it uses Ant+.

                      Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                      remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                           ~ Sarah Kay


                      No more marathons

                         

                        I wish he had a chart comparing comparable devices.  That's where I'm getting overwhelmed.  When I search for "heart rate monitor fitness monitor" on Google I end up wading through dozens and dozens of devices that don't fit the bill -- since I don't know model names, I'm not entirely sure which devices I should be looking at on DC Rainmaker (though the Fitbit Charge appears close to what I think she's looking for).  And the comparisons are generally not all that helpful, either.  Often they don't really say much and are clearly avoiding being critical.

                         

                        I wish people would tell me exactly what they want for Christmas, instead of thinking I should do their research for them.  This is why I ask for gift cards.  Because I'd rather find exactly what I want myself. Tongue  Thankfully my family is MUCH easier to shop for.

                         

                        He does:

                        http://www.dcrainmaker.com/product-comparison-calculator

                        Boston 2014 - a 33 year journey

                        Lordy,  I hope there are tapes. 

                        He's a leaker!

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                        rectumdamnnearkilledem

                           

                          He does:

                          http://www.dcrainmaker.com/product-comparison-calculator

                           

                          How'd you find that?  Even knowing it's there I'm not finding it without using your link.

                           

                          I don't think what she really wants even exists.  She wants a non-chest HRM strap that will connect with her Garmin bike computer via Ant+ and show the data both on a wrist device and her phone.  I'm not finding evidence that that exact combo exists.  The fitness tracker and cycling markets don't seem to overlap that much.  The closest thing to what she wants doesn't have a display, but I showed it to her and she seems quite intrigued.  Nice, because it's about half the price of other wrist-HRM fitness trackers. Scosche Rhythm +

                          Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                          remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                               ~ Sarah Kay

                          Mpls Laker


                          Northstar Running

                            The Mio Fuse will function as a stand alone activity tracker but will also pair with a Garmin device via ANT+ (or Bluetooth).

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                            rectumdamnnearkilledem

                              The Mio Fuse will function as a stand alone activity tracker but will also pair with a Garmin device via ANT+ (or Bluetooth).

                              Oh, that looks exactly like what she's looking for!  I will run it by her.

                              Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                              remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                                   ~ Sarah Kay


                              No more marathons

                                 

                                How'd you find that?  Even knowing it's there I'm not finding it without using your link.

                                 

                                I don't think what she really wants even exists.  She wants a non-chest HRM strap that will connect with her Garmin bike computer via Ant+ and show the data both on a wrist device and her phone.  I'm not finding evidence that that exact combo exists.  The fitness tracker and cycling markets don't seem to overlap that much.  The closest thing to what she wants doesn't have a display, but I showed it to her and she seems quite intrigued.  Nice, because it's about half the price of other wrist-HRM fitness trackers. Scosche Rhythm +

                                 

                                I stumbled on it the first time some months ago.  But then knowing it exists a simple google search of "dc rainmaker comparison" brings it up.

                                Boston 2014 - a 33 year journey

                                Lordy,  I hope there are tapes. 

                                He's a leaker!

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