Activity Trackers/Heart Rate Monitors

MP261
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2/19/2015 2:23pm Edited Date/Time 3/10/2016 9:55am
I know it's been brought up before, but the technology and models available are constantly changing.

With that said, I am torn between something like Fitbit Surge that can provide constant HRM on and off the bike, as well as independent GPS. All provided via wrist strap.

Then there's the Polar M400 (chest strap required & currently no app for android yet?) which seems like a good product but do I have to sleep with a chest strap on to get resting heart rate?

And of course you have Garmin. I get a little lost here due to the shear number of products they offer.

Anyways if anyone has any feedback on one they've used for MX, or otherwise (particularly the Fitbit Surge) that would be awesome. I am keen on knowing which platform is best tailored to doing continuous laps and having a good look at the data (time, speed, HR, GPS) afterwards.

Thanks Guys!
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ACBraap
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2/19/2015 3:20pm Edited Date/Time 2/19/2015 3:21pm
I would go with a garmin running type wrist watch gps's They still require a chest strap for HR at this point. The gps will be better than the activity tracker types, which will give you better data if you upload to strava (just don't call a moto ride a bike ride or you'll screw up the leader boards - I use 'crossfit').

I've been happy with a garmin 920XT for cycling, hiking, snowshoeing, xc sking, and moto. It pretty much will do anything you can wear a watch doing.
Randy Savage
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2/19/2015 3:25pm
You want the Garmin viviosmart heart rate monitor bundle.

Does absolutely everything. Hell, if one of my buddies posts something on my Facebook, it comes to my wrist. Don't wear that shit on a date. Text messages come to it, you'll cock block yourself holding a beer mug up...side bitch comes up on your wrist on a beautiful electroluminescent display.

Chestnstrap does up and down beat. Battery lasts a week. Full fitness tracker function, plus android and iPhone app.

That's my review. Wear it to the track, not on dates.
wow123
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2/19/2015 3:45pm
be careful with garmin, they have a million products and are unable to fix bugs on some of them

edge810 + virb + sensors

yak651
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2/19/2015 5:00pm
Got my wife a Garmin viofit for xmas, she wore it snowmobiling the other weekend and it recorded our ride as 9500 steps!

The Shop

2/19/2015 5:15pm
I read on here that Garmin had some viruses in their software, or some serious bugs anyways. Sure enough, I got one, down loaded it onto my home laptop, and that Garmin software absolutely decimated that computer. It just kept locking up whenever the garmin program tried loading. Awesome tool though, when it worked. I was shocked to see 193 bpm for 15 minutes when practicing. Not good for a 44 year old tubby dude. lol
coastie44
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NorCal, CA US
2/19/2015 6:11pm
I read on here that Garmin had some viruses in their software, or some serious bugs anyways. Sure enough, I got one, down loaded it onto...
I read on here that Garmin had some viruses in their software, or some serious bugs anyways. Sure enough, I got one, down loaded it onto my home laptop, and that Garmin software absolutely decimated that computer. It just kept locking up whenever the garmin program tried loading. Awesome tool though, when it worked. I was shocked to see 193 bpm for 15 minutes when practicing. Not good for a 44 year old tubby dude. lol
LOL I thought I was the only one with a 190+ hr when riding mx!

I use a Polar FT4. One of the least expensive Polar HRM you can buy. It doesn't do a damn thing but measure hr. Keep the strap clean (rinse it in water every time you use it) and it works great.

Randy Savage
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2/19/2015 6:36pm
In run 168 during a moto but my resting rate is in the mid to high 40s.
Idaho747
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Idaho Falls, ID US
2/19/2015 6:36pm
I have the polar loop and the polar ft4 hrm. It's pretty simple but with the app it makes it quite interesting

This was after work and a rowing exercise and biking 20 miles on a spinning bike. I really like the app on my phone with it all.

hbdesigns913
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Danville, IN US
2/19/2015 11:41pm
Polar rcx3. Small and low profile watch. GPS and many other accessories available. Their online site is pretty cool to go back and look at details of your workout. Check out this 13 min moto of mine.

Hoges
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AU
2/20/2015 1:09am
Polar rcx3. Small and low profile watch. GPS and many other accessories available. Their online site is pretty cool to go back and look at details...
Polar rcx3. Small and low profile watch. GPS and many other accessories available. Their online site is pretty cool to go back and look at details of your workout. Check out this 13 min moto of mine.

Max 202 bpm!!!

What the hell!! that is heart attack material.

Would guess your age late teens?
2/20/2015 1:48am
ive got the garmin 310xt , it's very good and you get a lot of information from it that can be exploited in numerous ways.

got mine half price as they just brought out a new one in that range, so it should have been £295 , absolute steal.

worth looking at for sure if you are in the market for one, it is quite large as a watch but it does so much and the info you can have at any point is brilliant, most of my friends have to wait until they are back at their computer to see the data, with mine I can just grab it there and then or have it displayed as it happens.
IWreckALot
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Fort Worth, TX US
2/20/2015 5:25am
Polar rcx3. Small and low profile watch. GPS and many other accessories available. Their online site is pretty cool to go back and look at details...
Polar rcx3. Small and low profile watch. GPS and many other accessories available. Their online site is pretty cool to go back and look at details of your workout. Check out this 13 min moto of mine.

Bro, you need to charge your phone.

I have the Garmin watch. I have liked it and haven't experienced much bugginess. I have had to reset the thing a couple of times which is a pain.

In retrospect, I think I would have gone with the Polar. From what I understand, they're still the pinnacle of the HRM. I wore one for a PE class in college and I really liked the functionality.
hbdesigns913
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2/20/2015 8:16am
The only problem with the polar is when the strap gets old sometimes it doesn't make good contact. I can do a workout and afterwards look at the data and it will have a spike where it goes to 220 Bpm for 5 seconds or so and then back to a normal hear rate.
hbdesigns913
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Danville, IN US
2/20/2015 8:20am
Polar rcx3. Small and low profile watch. GPS and many other accessories available. Their online site is pretty cool to go back and look at details...
Polar rcx3. Small and low profile watch. GPS and many other accessories available. Their online site is pretty cool to go back and look at details of your workout. Check out this 13 min moto of mine.

Hoges wrote:
Max 202 bpm!!!

What the hell!! that is heart attack material.

Would guess your age late teens?
Yeah a normal moto I'm in the 180-190s. That day was really hot and humid. I ran up front for most of the race. That just shows how physically taxing this sport is.
MP261
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CA
2/20/2015 8:27am
Vivosmart is pretty neat, but looking for something with GPS.

I think I've figured out which features are must haves. It seems HRM, Bluetooth, and GPS would make a solid unit. HRM for obvious reasons, Bluetooth would be for syncing to my phone, and GPS as a tool to track pace and distance.

The 920XT seems to fit the bill (but 5 hundy is a bit more than I wanted to spend), the Fitbit Surge, and the Polar M400.

Ideally it would be nice to pull up, leave phone in my truck, burn some laps, or go for a trial ride, come back to truck and look at the data (HR, Dist, Pace, Lap times, etc...)

mimafia
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Grand Rapids, MI US
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2/20/2015 8:30am
MP261 wrote:
I know it's been brought up before, but the technology and models available are constantly changing. With that said, I am torn between something like Fitbit...
I know it's been brought up before, but the technology and models available are constantly changing.

With that said, I am torn between something like Fitbit Surge that can provide constant HRM on and off the bike, as well as independent GPS. All provided via wrist strap.

Then there's the Polar M400 (chest strap required & currently no app for android yet?) which seems like a good product but do I have to sleep with a chest strap on to get resting heart rate?

And of course you have Garmin. I get a little lost here due to the shear number of products they offer.

Anyways if anyone has any feedback on one they've used for MX, or otherwise (particularly the Fitbit Surge) that would be awesome. I am keen on knowing which platform is best tailored to doing continuous laps and having a good look at the data (time, speed, HR, GPS) afterwards.

Thanks Guys!
From all I've I've read the wrist strap hrm's are great for checking your resting heart rates but lose accuracy when working out. Including the Fitbit Surge. So if you need accurate heart rate monitoring for the purpose of working out I would definitely go with a chest strap. You could always get a fitbit for the other stuff and get a cheap Polar FT4 or FT7 for heat rate monitoring.
tprice07
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Fort Dodge, IA US
2/20/2015 8:56am
I have the Fitbit Charge HR. I have been happy with it so far. I may grab a chest strap for workouts to compare data.
3/9/2016 6:49pm
ACBraap wrote:
I would go with a garmin running type wrist watch gps's They still require a chest strap for HR at this point. The gps will be...
I would go with a garmin running type wrist watch gps's They still require a chest strap for HR at this point. The gps will be better than the activity tracker types, which will give you better data if you upload to strava (just don't call a moto ride a bike ride or you'll screw up the leader boards - I use 'crossfit').

I've been happy with a garmin 920XT for cycling, hiking, snowshoeing, xc sking, and moto. It pretty much will do anything you can wear a watch doing.
How well does the garmin 920xt work for mid Moto lap times?
kiwifan
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CA US
3/9/2016 7:05pm
I use Fitbit Blaze...its ok for what I need it for....but not outstanding imho
bobojim
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AU
3/9/2016 7:09pm Edited Date/Time 3/9/2016 7:09pm
Any one use or know if Suunto watches are any good?
3/9/2016 7:57pm
I have also gained interest in getting a activity tracker, HRM of some sort. Looking for one that entails a lap timer, HRM and activity tracker all in one. If at all possible. I see some people at the track using a Fitbit and digital wrist watch(not something I'm interested in unless necessary). I'm assuming most of the modern day products sync and upload data to your phone.

My current job offers insurance discounts through a vitally program. The more data(workouts) I log, the cheaper my insurance is. Sweet, huh? There's a few crossfit guys in the office always bragging about their average HR during w/o(150-155 is their usual range). Figure it's time to show them what us MOTO guys manage and save some money.


My question is: What is the most sufficient cost effective product on the market for what I am looking for?

Thanks!
3/9/2016 8:13pm
Polar M400. Used it during a 2 1/2 hour Desert Race and recorded the whole thing. HR, Custom speed zones, GPS which can be exported to Goodle Earth. Pretty stoked about it and the data. Average HR for the 2 1/2 hours was around 180 and I'm not that young.
swtwtwtw
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Apple Valley, CA US
3/10/2016 5:07am
another garmin wrist watch is the 310xt, 118 bucks from amazon warehouse w/o the hr strap. I already owned an ANT1 wireless strap. For moto, i choose mark my position and it records data on my laps, time, speed, top speed, hr, lines taken, duration. i can even see my lines instantly on the tiny screen( too small for me really) or from garmin connect on my phone or laptop. I like it.
ACBraap
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3/10/2016 9:52am Edited Date/Time 3/10/2016 10:04am
ACBraap wrote:
I would go with a garmin running type wrist watch gps's They still require a chest strap for HR at this point. The gps will be...
I would go with a garmin running type wrist watch gps's They still require a chest strap for HR at this point. The gps will be better than the activity tracker types, which will give you better data if you upload to strava (just don't call a moto ride a bike ride or you'll screw up the leader boards - I use 'crossfit').

I've been happy with a garmin 920XT for cycling, hiking, snowshoeing, xc sking, and moto. It pretty much will do anything you can wear a watch doing.
How well does the garmin 920xt work for mid Moto lap times?
It has worked well for me. I'm sure Litpro is more precise when you start getting granular. I use the garmin file and upload to strava to define segments for laps. On strava, the shorter the segment, the more likely gps imprecision is likely to impact it.

Pic from the mx track strava segment of a hare scramble last summer.

ACBraap
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3/10/2016 9:55am
swtwtwtw wrote:
another garmin wrist watch is the 310xt, 118 bucks from amazon warehouse w/o the hr strap. I already owned an ANT1 wireless strap. For moto, i...
another garmin wrist watch is the 310xt, 118 bucks from amazon warehouse w/o the hr strap. I already owned an ANT1 wireless strap. For moto, i choose mark my position and it records data on my laps, time, speed, top speed, hr, lines taken, duration. i can even see my lines instantly on the tiny screen( too small for me really) or from garmin connect on my phone or laptop. I like it.
I had a 310XT prior to having a 910. For moto use there's virtually no difference. The 910 has a barometric altimeter, which is nice if you do cycling as well. The 910 is also slimmer on the wrist. If you get a 310, upgrade to the optional bike quick release kit, as the watch band pins are notorious for breaking.
tcallahan707
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Morrison, CO US
10/6/2017 11:03am
I know there are many heart rate monitor threads so I just searched and picked one. Just wanted to share a positive experience...

My Garmin Vivoactive HR stopped working after getting wet a few weeks ago. I was able to squeeze water out of it so I knew it was toast. I bought it from REI last fall (I thought around November) and they have had a great return policy of 1 year for anything (I just learned today that changed to 90 days). I was out of the country traveling and attending MXDN so I didn't do anything until I got home.

I went to REI today to sort things out and turns out I bought it on September 28th last year which means I was outside the one year window. They directed me to Garmin at this point. Definitely made me start thinking I may be screwed on a technicality even though this watch is designed for swims and should last much longer than a year. I was also thinking about how bummed I'm going to be if they don't work with me on this because I like their products a lot. I like their products enough to actively refer others to check them out, even here on Vital. I won't support a company who doesn't support their customers though and that would have been a bummer.

I called up Garmin, got a nice woman on the phone within minutes, and had a return authorization email in under 10. Turns out, they have a 1 year policy as well but she didn't even hesitate to accept my request. She didn't even promote that she was doing me a favor. I actually had to ask her what the policy was. Not only that, but they are sending me a brand new one instead of a refurbished one. She told me they have a new Vivoactive 3 coming out so I'm guessing they are clearing out inventory, but whatever. I went from feeling screwed before even making a call to feeling like they cared about my business.

Anyways, thought I'd pass this along. In a saturated market like HR monitors, it's tough to decide on which product to choose. Great customer service is one way to break any ties.

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