A straight-forward HRM - Gear

Achilles

22/08/2002 at 18:38

That's it - I've finally had enough. My Nike HRM]Triax15 which I bought 18 months ago has always worked only intermittently, eating batteries in the process, and has finally, ignominiously and expensively given up the ghost. I'm left with a very expensive and rather heavy and unsightly stopwatch which holds an amazing 15 laps - wow, great! I am oh so not impressed with Nike, let me tell you!

So if anybody can recommend a simple HRM that doesn't cost the earth and never fails I'd be really grateful - all I think I want is those training range warning thingummies rather than anything fancy like PC downloads and such. Any ideas? s.

Dominic Middleton

22/08/2002 at 21:05

Try any type of Polar monitor they are the market leader and the largest selection to choose from. The new M series is good and the basic models are resonable inexpensive. I have had a few I now have the S610 which is great but might be overkill hearing what you need

Achilles

22/08/2002 at 21:31

Thanks Dominic - had reckoned on Polar to be the best bet. will check them out. s.

Strider

23/08/2002 at 08:55

Just bought the M21 for my girlfriend at £77 from Lincolnshire Runner - one of the cheapest suppliers of HRMs around - and it is an excellent 'basic' monitor - own zone facility, session review with % fat burn and one or two other facilities - well worth a look at....

Don't be too harsh on Nike - I now swear by their range of Dri-fit running kit...

demeter

23/08/2002 at 10:05

www.sportsaver.co.uk are one of the cheapest around for heart rate monitors (M21/22 is £74.99 including postage). I have found the service to be excellent too. (p.s. I'm not being paid for recommending them to everyone)

Caz

23/08/2002 at 16:06

I also want to get a HRM to slow me down at the start of runs where I get too eager and burn out too early! What I need to know is what's the % thingy you have to stay within etc., I don't know how to use them? (I need an idiots guide!)

Cheers

Achilles

23/08/2002 at 16:41

Thanks guys - especially SM for the sportsavers website (looks great).

Dominic - Am thinking of going crazee and buying the Polar S210 - or should I be saving up to get the S610 for all groovy those extra features? do you find yourself using them that often, especially the whole PC download stuff? thanks. s.

Strider

23/08/2002 at 16:43

Caz - if you get the M21 or M22 Polar then it calculates your zones for you and is reasonably straight-forward to do - honest!!

Caz

23/08/2002 at 16:46

Strider, cheers, I shall go shopping at the weekend.

Dangly Spice

24/08/2002 at 21:09

Hi HRm fans. I'm a Cardiosport fan. Cheap and cheerful and the aftersales service is great. I have an Autozone, hubby has an Excel. They are interchangeable for cheststraps and wrist monitors. Also the cheststrap works with the local gymn's equiment.
Caz - if we touch base at the GSR, i'll have mine there and will be willing to bore you rigid!!

ipso fatso

25/08/2002 at 16:57

I use a Timex HRM because it was the only HRM I could find that logged split times as well as heart rate in that split. I'm on my second one after the first one leaked but Timex replaced it immediately once I wrote them a letter. It sounds as if you should get your Nike replaced free too (if you can be bothered).

Achilles

25/08/2002 at 19:36

Chris - the trouble with my Nike watch was that I bought in in ignorance as to what I wanted from an HRM and the fact is that despite its high price it just doesn't compare in terms of features. And the idea of doing battle with Nike (again) doesn't appeal - when I first bought it and complained they insisted it was cos I hadn't changed the battery (!) which was a bit of a cheek on a brand new watch.

Will check out the Timex - boy, the choice is a bit overwhelming with these things, as is the thought of making another wrong purchase.

s.

Head Gone

26/08/2002 at 08:06

Caz
When you have bought your HRM an excellent book to go with it is Heart Monitor Training for the Compleat Idiot by John Parker, about £9 from www.amazon.co.uk.

It is generally accepted as the best book on the market, and even I understood it.

Lars

03/09/2002 at 13:41

I just received my Polar M52, and after the first run, I have to say, that it is easy to use and does exactly what it should do.
I ordered it for under 100 Pounds in Austria.

Caz

03/09/2002 at 14:24

Hi everyone. I bought an M22 in the end and I sussed it out after about a week, well not so much the HRM but how to use it! But odd thing was after my run on Saturday, suddenly the dislay went funny and it lost the time and the calories etc., for that workout, (but kept my totals), and the time and zones reset themselves (I obviously pressed a wrong button). It works fine now that I've done another workout since, but at first I thought I'd broken it. I must say it doesn't work well on the treadmill and it must get some interference from the machine, although it still works out my average etc. Works perfectly outside though and gives me an idea about my pace.

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