Strapless heart-rate monitor watches

I had one, it didn't pick up the heart rate all that well...

You had to stop, press 2 buttons, wait 10 seconds, and hope to get a reading...

Bo

 

Try the mio alpha.

No chest strap / man bra required.

Very accurate for running / walking -- but not so accurate with anything high impact like boxing or any sport where you are impacting your fist or twisting your lower wrist as it breaks contact with the laser.

I love it. It's about $200+ taxes if I remember correctly

 

You're Welcome!

I didn't leave as much detail because I wasn't sure if it would get read or not -- seeing as you have responded I will add some more info.

but - I have not posted a link here because I'm not sure if it violates the Fchat terms of service or not. I'm not affiliated with them -- just trying to help you out.

But here's some more first hand info:

It's not overly full of features - so if you are not needing GPS and all the other add ons then this is perfect.

The 2 qualms I have with this product are that it is not back lit and the fact that it's not good for "high impact to the wrist" type workouts as noted above.

But I love it despite that --it has a USB charger and a really handy light system so you can set your heart rate to a zone and the when you are running you don't have to break your stride to see the colour of the light to tell if you are in, below or above your target zone.

The light will read green blue or red. Very cool and easy to see.

The other important thing is that it is a CONSTANT monitor -- many wrist monitors only read when you stop and push the button -- that's annoying and disruptive to most people's workouts.

Best of luck with it and let me know if you need further info.

Cheers

 

Go for the e pulse 2 you can get it on amazon for $85, it monitors your hear rate by picking up the blood flow in your arm and it will also tell you how many calories you have burned. I have used one for a couple of years, its a great machine.

 

I have one by Polar which with the strap or you can touch the watch . No complains. The strap is good because it monitor and displays Constantly and alarms when I go too high or low .

 

there were a number of x-us watches on the market 10 yrs ago. Is there anything available that really works? Much thanks.

 

The second generation of the Samsung Gear smart watch - the Gear 2 - will have heart rate sensors and are due out next week. They look pretty interesting.

 

Bump
Any update on this thread? I want a wrist watch. No chest straps. Want constant monitoring. Don't need GPS etc but not a deal breaker. Anyone experience Gamin's Forerunner 225?

 

Jeff I've heard good things about the Garmin watches. I thought they had the chest strap though but I am not really familiar with the full lineup.

 

I think that's why unfortunately the chest straps remain a de facto standard. I wear one every day cycling, and slowly I've gotten used to it.

 

If I have something on my wrist while being active, it bothers me much more than a chest strap monitor.

 

My wife just ordered a Fitbit Surge HR. It'll be here on Monday, but I have grave reservations about its accuracy. I'll report back what I find.

p.s. DC Rainmaker has some great reviews of wrist-based HR, and generally he seems to think the technology is getting better each day -- but not quite there (yet).

 

I don't believe any of the non strap monitors are accurate at all.
Check out the source for all things in fitness trackers for some great reviews
DC Rainmaker

 

Dan

I have one. Doesn't seem accurate. Been wearing it for a couple of months now. The dashboards are cool, but there is no way the HR function is accurate. It is a nice guide, I guess. But not a substitute for the a chest strap/watch combo. Part of the problem is that you need to wear it a couple of inches above the bone in your wrist to increase accuracy. To get it to stay there, you have to make it uncomfortably tight. Especially when you are running, or otherwise moving your arms and sweating.

What the Fitbit is good for is getting you to move. It has made me realize how sedentary I am on days I don't exercise.

 

Luckily its not for me... its for my wife that is simply "curious" about her level of activity. I got her a chest strap to use during her aerobics and stuff, but complained instantly about it being uncomfortable. She'll probably reject the Fitbit on the same grounds.

For me, I wear a chest strap every single day while cycling (I have a Polar, and a Wahoo) and know --- to a stupid amount of detail -- my resting rate, HR zones, lactate threshold, etc.

 

The only ones that have sensors are any good are from Mio. I've got a Mio Fuse but only use it during exercise for the hr monitoring and have found it to be extremely accurate and comfortable. They've licensed their sensor to Garmin now too. Only downside with optical is the lack of hr variability but guessing your wife won't care. I highly recommend, straps are terrible.

 

Garmin licensed from Mio for the year they were developing their on sensor which seems to have some accuracy issues.

Garmin Forerunner 230 & 235 In-Depth Review | DC Rainmaker

DC Rainmaker also tested the Microsoft Band 2 and found it to be extremely inaccurate in HR tracking.

Microsoft Band 2 In-Depth Fitness & Sport Focused Review | DC Rainmaker

The Mio sensor seems to still be the benchmark even though it was release 1.5 years ago.

Mio Fuse Activity Tracker and Optical HR Sensor In-Depth Review | DC Rainmaker