Recommendation for wrist HR monitor please

I'm considering getting a new activity tracker with wrist hr monitoring to replace my Vivofit so am looking at Vivoactive Hr or Vivosmart Hr. Does anyone have experience of using these? Which would you recommend, or should I look at something else?
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  • Garmin 235 works great for me...
    Jake Fricker (Author of "I am a Runner" and qualified coach)

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/AM-RUNNER-marathon-months-training/dp/1520530323/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488549043&sr=8-1&keywords=i+am+a+runner

    PB’s
    5k- 19:03
    10k- 39.28
    HM- 1:28.25
    M- 3:07.59
  • PG3PG3 ✭✭✭
    I like my garmin forerunner 35 although i am having issues syncing it today (first time its happened and had it about 9 months)
  • Hi there. Am new to the forum. I understand that the 235 can track cadence via the watch alone? If so, how? Have been researching a GPS heart rate monitor watch for a little while and this seems to tick all of the boxes for me. Have recently started analysing my cadence via metronome, which is a bit annoying!
    PB's:

    10K: 00:46:18
    Half Marathon: 01:33:42
    Full Marathon: 03:37:21

    I adore metal music. And running. Preferably at the same time.
  • It does it by counting steps (presumably from the impact as with other pedometers) and dividing this by the time taken.
  • Bear in mind that wrist HR do not provide accurate heart rate readings during exercise. They are increasingly good when at rest but not so accurate during running and poor for swimming.
    5k: 25:33
    10k: 52:29
    HM: 1:56:29

    45yr old bloke!
  • I decided to order the 235 and received it over the weekend. Been on a couple of runs with it and am really impressed with the data and insight!
    I've used a MIO Alpha 2 for the last 2 years to track my heart rate alone and paced according to my heart rate zones, but now I want something to give me more insight during my runs e.g. avg. pace, cadence, distance, lap/split times etc. So far really happy with my new purchase.
    PB's:

    10K: 00:46:18
    Half Marathon: 01:33:42
    Full Marathon: 03:37:21

    I adore metal music. And running. Preferably at the same time.
  • You can also get a foot pod and link it to the garmin if you want it to be more accurate. It is a great watch!
    Jake Fricker (Author of "I am a Runner" and qualified coach)

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/AM-RUNNER-marathon-months-training/dp/1520530323/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488549043&sr=8-1&keywords=i+am+a+runner

    PB’s
    5k- 19:03
    10k- 39.28
    HM- 1:28.25
    M- 3:07.59
  • I have a TomTom Runner Cardio with HR monitor, find it very reliable and heart rate seems accurate with other measurements. Have had a Garmin before and find TomTom software better and the watch connects to GPS faster
  • I just upgraded to the Garmin Vivoactive 3- It is awesome!  

    Jake Fricker (Author of "I am a Runner" and qualified coach)

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/AM-RUNNER-marathon-months-training/dp/1520530323/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488549043&sr=8-1&keywords=i+am+a+runner

    PB’s
    5k- 19:03
    10k- 39.28
    HM- 1:28.25
    M- 3:07.59
  • Hi all,
    I'm a new member to this sight and do not seem to be able to create a new thread yet - I'll piggy back this one (sorry OP).
    I am on the hunt to purchase my first Fitness Watch. I will be taking up jogging in the new year and would like a watch to cover the following functionality:
    1) An accurate heart rate monitor - I know chest bands are more accurate but would like to stick to using just a watch to measure my pulse.
    2) Accurate GPS - I walk a lot and play a lot of golf, this combined with jogging it would be good to see how many miles I rack up.
    3) To act as a normal watch too (always shows time and date, world time).

    Really it is only the top three requirements I have. If the watch has other functionality then great but the HRM must be as accurate as a watch's HRM can be.

    Preferably the smarter looking the better. I'm not fussed about name/brand, as long as it is reliable and accurate I am happy.
    Please can you nominate some watches?
    Many thanks.
  • Garmin Vivoactive 3 is your best bet. Classy watch with Golf and HRM. It uses GPS to update time based on your location.  :) 
    Jake Fricker (Author of "I am a Runner" and qualified coach)

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/AM-RUNNER-marathon-months-training/dp/1520530323/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488549043&sr=8-1&keywords=i+am+a+runner

    PB’s
    5k- 19:03
    10k- 39.28
    HM- 1:28.25
    M- 3:07.59
  • Thanks Jake (sorry for no saying so sooner)
    I will consider the Garmin Vivoactive 3 but...

    I have been offered an 'immaculate' conditioned Garmin Forerunner 235 with charging cable for £105, and I have also been offered an 'as new' Tomtom Spark 3 Cardio + Music with charging cable and Tomtom earphones for £75 (earphones are well used though).

    Which is the better watch and the one worth having for the prices offered?
    I like the look of the Garmin FR235 better but there is something about the navigation button of the Spark 3 that looks attractive and simple to use.
    Which of the two has the most accurate HRM and GPS? Which of the two will provide you with the better health metrics? I'm not fussed about lap split times, etc... I am more interested in the health side of the things (daily heart rate, deep sleep, am I healthy for me age, etc..)?

    All advice is most welcome???
    Happy new year!
  • Garmin 235 is definitely the best and £105 is a bargain! I loved mine before I upgraded- and still miss it now for it's accuracy and reliability. 
    Jake Fricker (Author of "I am a Runner" and qualified coach)

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/AM-RUNNER-marathon-months-training/dp/1520530323/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488549043&sr=8-1&keywords=i+am+a+runner

    PB’s
    5k- 19:03
    10k- 39.28
    HM- 1:28.25
    M- 3:07.59
  • NessieNessie ✭✭✭
    I have a 235 and love it, and that at that price you should bite their hand off. 

    I have heard that TomTom are withdrawing from the market - which may be an indication that others have overtaken them technology-wise and they aren't investing to keep up.
  • Ive got a fitbit surge, that is frankly useless lol. build quality is terrible
  • Re heart rate zone training, how did you guys get your max heart rate? Other than the old 220 - age formula.
  • UKF - dead easy but not much fun. You basically want to run as hard as you can and then run harder. Get warmed up properly then try sprint intervals and on the last one really push it as hard as you can. Or sprinting uphill will do the same thing.

    What's important is that you get your heart working as hard as it can - done properly, you will feel like you're about to die. That's your max. heart rate right there. You can't really use a formula, the best way is to measure it directly.

    You might want to get hold of a chest-based strap though - the wrist-based ones are not very accurate. I have a Fenix 3 HR with the built-in wrist monitor but will always wear the chest strap. If I don't have the chest strap then I'll disable the wrist sensor. It's that inaccurate. (Kind of defeats the purpose of having a HR watch, but there you go.....)

  • Another vote for garmin 235, just a fantastic watch, there's a reason it's so insanely popular!
  • b3nb123b3nb123 ✭✭
    I was looking into this earlier as I use a Fenix 3 which has all I need but no HR monitor - there's one called Mio Link that is simply a wrist mounted HR monitor in place of a chest strap, using ANT+ just like a chest strap, and then other Mio's that are fitness trackers in themselves, but also lets another device use it's HR monitoring by the ANT+ system.
    Thinking about ditching the chest strap, though putting on a second watch for a run is a bit silly too (I'm too cheap to replace the Fenix!)
  • Whats wrong with the chest strap ?  You can get an arm strap that's meant to be good - but the wrist based monitors are only ok at rest. They aren't efficient when you're exercising.

    This is the arm strap - https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2014/05/scosche-antbluetooth-optical.html

    Personally I'm happy with the chest strap. 
  • JGavJGav ✭✭✭
    I'm mostly happy with my wrist HR Garmin.  It seems pretty accurate on runs at a steady pace, not so great at interval training.  There were one or two times when the HR reading on a steady state run seemed well out of kilter with RPE, normally just wiped the sensor down and make sure it was done up tightly enough and that fixed it.
  • NessieNessie ✭✭✭
    I have two reasons to favour the wrist HRM over the chest strap. (*)(*). ;)
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Nessie - just tuck the HRM under your bra, no need to wear the full chest strap.
  • Hi Everyone,
    Similar to Nad12 above, I've just joined the forum and can't seem to post a new thread. My question is related to the original, so hope the OP doesn't mind me piggybacking.

    I was hoping get some recommendations for a watch style, inexpensive HRM with ideally an audible threshold alarm. Essentially I've been a CFS/me sufferer for about 10 years, and have gone through many abortive attempts to improve my condition through exercise. I've been reading a fair bit recently in preparation for the next attempt, and one of the ways I can help things is to keep within a specific heart rate. In theory if I keep my heart rate below 60% of mhr I should be able to avoid a lot of the more unpleasant repercussions of exercise (like post exertion malaise). I was hoping to find a HRM that could be programmed to sound an alarm if I reached that limit, in an effort to stay within my thresholds. I'm thinking of using this not just when exercising, but all the time, so a chest strap probably won't work. If I can program the threshold it doesn't need to be super accurate, so an optical wrist mounted one should be ok? I'm mostly struggling to find out which ones have the alarm function.

    Any advice would be much appreciated!
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Matt - all HRM's can be set up with an alert when you exceed a certain HR, I've never come across one that doesn't have that function.

    But bear in mind that the wrist sensor HRM's are not so accurate and you're likely to get a lot of alerts that are false readings.  If you're not bothered about accuracy then you'll get random readings that has sent other beginners into panic thinking they're having a heart attack.

    You also need to do a bit more research, staying below 60% of MHR would for most be no exercise at all, try 70% MHR.  Unless you are confused by WHR, 60% of WHR would be a reasonable level.  

    You'll also need to do a MHR test before you start, there is no accurate formula that can calculate your MHR.
  • Hi Shades, thanks for getting back to me. Does that include the cheaper ones like fitbits etc?

    What I'm aiming for isn't an increase in fitness in the traditional sense, but more an increase in energy through something called graded exercise therapy. Essentially its a steady but gradual increase in activity over a long period of time. Unfortunately pushing too hard during these exercises will lead to post exertional malaise- basically feeling very ill after exercising. There seems to be a fair bit of evidence that PEM is triggered by going over the anaerobic threshold, which is around 60% I think? Does that make any sense? I'm still very new to trying to figure all this out.

    Cheers!
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Matt - I don't know, I wouldn't consider using a Fitbit myself.   I use a Garmin with GPS and HRM.   You can get a basic HRM without GPS for less than £20.

    No, you're wrong. 70% of MHR is within aerobic range.   Anaerobic threshold is much, much higher.  For someone very unfit it could be from as low as 80%, for most runners it would be 85-90% MHR 
    Are you sure you're not reading about WHR calculations.

    You do need to know what your MHR is and that would be a problem for you but better to do it when you're very unfit as easier to reach near your MHR then.   Stick to 70% of that MHR and you won't go anywhere near your anaerobic threshold.

    If you can't do a MHR test you might be better off just starting with buying a reliable HRM (not wrist type) and start with walking, increasing speed and distance when you can.   Then at some stage you should be able to introduce a little slow running into your walks, keeping an eye on your HR all the time and this shouldn't over exert you.
  • I had issues in the start when using HR monitor but after sometime i realized Using a heart rate monitor with a chest strap is not difficult at all. You will have the most effective monitor that is wearable on the chest. Moreover, your heart signals will be automatically monitored once you wear the chest strap. On the other side, the chest strap will work like an ECG. This guide will help out to know how exactly using hear rate monitors effectively. https://www.reviewsed.com/how-to-use-heart-rate-monitor/
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