Heart Rate Monitor

[AvsJerk]

I'm trying to add more cardio into my routine and am thinking of buying a heart rate monitor. Can anybody recommend a good one? Seems as though there is a wide range of choices, from basic models up to ones you can download data to your computer. Tell me what you got and if it's more than you need or less than desired...
Thanks!

[macker]

I have the Garmin 405 https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=11039 I have had it for about 1.5 years and it has everything that I could ever want in a gp3 watch/heart rate monitor. It isn't bulky, tells you distance, time, speed, pace, calories burned, elevation etc.etc.etc. I used to have the Timex speed distance watch and a Polar heart rate monitor which also worked ok but the GPS would cut out from time to time which I have never had happen with my Garmin. I recently hiked Compression ridge and it was fine for the whole hike and I use it for marathons and training runs, road biking and mountain biking. There are many uses for the watch but you can't take it swimming which would be one area that I would like to see them improve upon. I like to analzye data and see improving results so I really like this watch!

[awildermode]

^yep, that is a good one. i have a Garmin Edge 305 for my bike, tracks EVERYTHING. If you want a lot of info and the ability to sync to computer, get a Garmin. about $250

for non-bike use, i have a Nike Triax C5. only tells you current and average heart rate. has alarms for zones..and usual watch info. no downloading. about $50

[Azure]

Polar F11.

http://www.polarca.com/ca-en/product...sstraining/F11

Check out the full features too.

[Jedi Ninja]

The Polar is really good if you are doing a lot of non-running exercises, as it can estimate calories burned off of heart rate, which the Garmin (305) does not do. e.g. If you are running on a treadmill or doing some other stationary cardio, you won't know how much you've burned with the Garmin. Though you can get a foot pod for the Garmin for running on the treadmill, that still doesn't help with tracking non-running exercises.

The GPS features on the Garmin totally rock, though, as does the Garmin Connect web site. Polar does have products with GPS, but they are very expensive.

One Polar product to avoid is the FT80. I was thinking of getting one until I started reading reviews of it.

[AvsJerk]

Thanks for the advice everybody, great information.