5 Affordable Wearable Heart Rate Monitors
Before we start talking about the future of smart garments with heart rate monitoring built right in the fabric (yes, it’s coming and I’m sure we’ll be writing about it), let’s first take a look at a few of the good ol’, tried & true chest strap heart rate monitors. These are known for being closer to actual EKG readings than the newer wrist-strap models, though technology is evolving quickly for all forms of wearable tech.
We reviewed top-rated fitness trackers in a previous blog and had exceptional interest surrounding the topic. The trend towards tracking all of your daily fitness activities is growing fast, especially in light of Apple’s new Health app driving the need for devices that monitor overall wellness. Fitness trackers offer an abundance of functionality from counting steps and caloric intake to tracking sleep and monitoring overall fitness through accompanying apps. A few include heart rate monitors but, unless the device connects to a chest strap, they have typically been less accurate. Even though this is soon to change - next month Intel is releasing its Basis Peak next-gen fitness tracking watch, which is touted for its 24/7 heart rate monitoring accuracy without a chest strap - we wanted to give you some basic options.
If heart rate monitoring is all you are looking for, chest strap models are currently more affordable and provide accurate continuous heart rate readings. Many are water resistant for both swimming and running, but keep in mind that they may take some getting used to.
Why use a heart rate monitor:
A wearable heart rate monitor is a great way to understand what levels of exercise affect your heart rate for medical reasons or to achieve optimal training conditions.
Regardless of your reasons for considering a wearable heart rate monitor, you’ll learn to be a better judge of your own endurance, progress and heart health.
Depending on your age, a good target heart rate is between 65% and 85% of your maximum heart rate for aerobic benefits and higher ranges for anaerobic strength conditioning. Your maximum heart rate can be estimated by subtracting your age from 220 then multiplying the result by 0.65 for the lower end and 0.85 for the upper end.
After wearing a reasonably accurate heart rate monitor for some time, you’ll be able to identify the effects of different levels of hydration, electrolyte use, pace and recovery time. The feedback can make exercise more interesting and interactive at the very least. At best, you’ll have a tool to optimize your performance and cardiovascular benefits of exercise.
Fitness tracking devices have an amazing amount of functionality but if you simply want to monitor heart rate and accuracy is key, you may want to consider some of these devices. We looked into a few basic affordable options that are up for the task.
1. Polar FT4 Heart Rate Monitor Review
Pros
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Easy to use
- Display easy to read
- Workout history feature
- Water Resistant
Cons
- No easy online tracking
- Very limited feature set
Overview:
If you’re looking for a wearable heart rate monitor, to get into and stay in the perfect zone, this watch gets the job done well and it records the calories you’ve burned in the process.
Functionality/Use:
From the first opening of the box, a setup wizard takes your input such as weight, gender, and units preferences, then it is ready to use.
Once you have your target heart rate ranges set, the watch can beset to silent or to beep indicating when you need to work harder or slow down to stay in the zone.
Per the instructions, you’ll wet the electrodes on the chest strap before putting it on. While working out, the band seems to stay snug and doesn't seem to rise up or become bothersome.
The Polar FT4 watch tracks up to 10 sessions worth of data, but it also keeps totals telling you how long you worked out, your average heart rate, maximum reached, how much time in the target zone and how many calories you burned. It beeps softly every 5 seconds or so when you're under the zone, and also beeps differently when you've exceeded your maximum.
Verdict:
Fora basic wearable heart rate monitor from an established company, the Polar FT4Heart Rate Monitor is fairly inexpensive (around $60 on Amazon), reasonably accurate and comfortable with an easy to read display. For more automated online tracking and additional features like GPS and Bluetooth, look to more expensive units. The new M400 and premium V800 models provide fitness tracking with multiple features and can connect to Polar’s chest strap for accurate heart rate monitoring.
2. Ovente BHS7000 Heart Rate Monitor and Chest Strap
Pros
- Very strong heart rate signal from chest strap
- Chest strap transmittable to other equipment
- Stop watch feature
- Easy to replace batteries
Cons
- Some users find it difficult to program
- Limited features
- No download capabilities
- No data tracking
Overview
This is a great option for those just beginning to work out and those who are new to heart rate monitors due to accuracy, strength of signal, and overall value for the money.
Functionality/Use
The Ovente BHS7000 is a watch/heart rate monitor combination that offers time, date, stopwatch, and countdown timer. The electro-luminescent backlight makes screen viewing easy in low light conditions. Heart rate target range can be set from the age entry screen. Notification alarms let you know when you go below or above your target heart rate range limits.
Key tones and alarms can be turned on and off. Some users find it is helpful to turn the target heart range alarms off during warm up to avoid unnecessary beeping while below your desired workout range. There is also a heart rate exercise timer feature.
Many users find that the chest strap sends information to their workout equipment, such as treadmills, making it even easier to view the readings while working out.
The Negatives
- There are no extras with this watch and heart strap combo.
- There is no way to save data or track progress over time.
- The included instruction manual does not read well, as it seems to come from a poor translation of another language. This can make the watch difficult to program.
Verdict:
If you are new to heart rate monitors or just need a basic model to keep track of your heart rate but do not want to spend a lot of money, this model is a good value for the price at only $34.50 on Amazon.
3. Sigma Sport PC15.11 Heart Rate Monitor
Pros
- Easy to set up, use, and view
- ECG Accurate
- Sporty appearance available in different color options
- Counts laps and calories burned
- Audible and visual alarms
Cons
- Some users report that the chest strap is not large enough
- Chest transmitter may not last as long as watch
Overview
The Sigma PC15.11 offers many of the same functions of more expensive brands at a lower cost, making this heart rate monitor a great value for the money.
Functionality/Use
This HRM is easy to program right out of the box. You can view your heart rate, including current, average, and maximum.
A simple press of the button allows users to view progress while training. You can see how long you have been training and how long you have been in your zone, including a percentage of your workout spent in the training range. Not only is this information displayed as numbers, but you can view as a graph bar as well. You can be notified of when you are in your workout zone with both visual and audible alarms.
In addition, this HRM allows you to keep track of laps completed, up to 50, and calories burned during your workout. A press of the button lets you view your intervals throughout your training.
The Negatives
- There is only one programmable training zone, so if you like to cross train using different zones, you would need to re-program the watch.
- There is no way to download data or link to a computer to keep track of multiple workouts or progress over time automatically.
- The transmitter band is elastic, causing the chest strap to lose its fit over time. Additionally, the elastic strap absorbs moisture, including sweat, so should be washed regularly to maintain function and increase life. Also, some other brands of chest transmitter will work with this watch.
Verdict:
If you want a little more than a basic heart rate monitor for your workouts, the Sigma PC15.11 offers more value for the price you pay. We found them for around $60 on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Sigma-PC15-11-Heart-Rate-Monitor/dp/B005Z1YL5O
4. bodyWares HRM Fit Heart Rate Monitor & Fitness Sport Watch
Pros
- Stylish
- Comfortable chest strap is adjustable to most body types
- 3 preset heart rate zones
- Water resistant: watch to 30 m and chest strap to 10 m
Cons
- Some users have trouble with chest strap transmitting heart rate
- May not be as accurate for some users
Overview
If you are looking for a little more functionality than just keeping track of your heart rate, the bodyWares HRM Fit Heart Rate Monitor & Fitness Sport Watch helps you stay in the zone and keeps track of calories burned during your workout.
Functionality/Use
This stylish and comfortable heart rate monitor watch can be worn anytime, even while not working out, as it can be used as a regular watch. Setup is easy, with three preset target heart rate zones to choose from, depending on the type of workout you are looking for.
Graphical display includes arrows to show if you are in or out of your target workout zone with both visual and audio alarms for convenience. As an added benefit, you can also see how many calories you burned during your workout. A smart feature saves information from your last workout.
Unlike some other HRMs, this model is water resistant for both the watch and the chest strap, at 30 meters and 10 meters respectively.
The Negatives
- Some users have trouble with the chest strap not only transmitting data, but have concerns over the accuracy of the data.
- Four buttons require proper sequence in order to access multiple functions of the HRM. Included instructions are not clear.
- Only saves information from the previous workout.
Verdict:
Although the bodyWares HRM Fit Heart Rate Monitor &Fitness Sport Watch costs a few dollars more than some of the others in this list, this model still provides quite a bit of value for the money, and is a good choice if you need a water resistant option. We found it priced at around $70 on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/bodyWares-Activity-Backlight-Chronograph-Stopwatch/dp/B00I7HVY6C
5. Timex Easy Trainer Heart Rate Monitor with Resin Strap Watch
Pros
- Easy to operate
- Large digital display
- Automatic activity timer
- Water resistant to 30m
Cons
- Single button for functions
- Does not count calories
Overview
According to Timex, this HRM provides the essential fitness management data while also being easy to operate with one button.
Functionality/Use
The Timex Easy Trainer offers a large display that is easy to read, even during a workout. The basic HRM features provide you an average, minimum and maximum heart rate. The activity tracker is automatic and allows you to review information about your workout afterward. Single-button access to functions means you do not need to remember sequencing of multiple buttons.
This HRM provides accurate readings and an easy to use chest strap that is comfortable to wear. Most users enjoy the simplicity and ease of use of this HRM.
The Negatives
- The single button used to access different functions is meant for ease of use, but some users find it difficult. Different functions are accessed by holding the button for different lengths of time. This can be difficult to accomplish during activity without stopping.
- There may be a delay for the watch to access and display information provided by the chest strap. The chest strap may stop working if the user sweats a lot.
- Specifications state that the HRM is water resistant to 30m. While it is not clear, this feature applies to the watch only and not to the chest strap, so users cannot use it while swimming.
- Some users do not find that this model provides the necessary essentials for a workout as claimed by the company, as there is no information on calories burned during a workout.
Verdict:
The Timex Easy Trainer Heart Rate Monitor is accurate, affordable, and easy to use for those who need just a basic HRM without additional functions. However, the difficulty of using the single button may not make this the model for those who like to check their heart rate during a workout or who need a more waterproof option.
Do you use a heart rate monitor? Please let us know your thoughts on any of the products we have reviewed or on a product you use that we have overlooked.
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