General Discussion Triathlon Talk » HRM / Heart Rate Monitor Watch for Women Rss Feed  
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2009-07-27 10:23 PM


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Subject: HRM / Heart Rate Monitor Watch for Women
I'm looking for a few recommendations for a good heart rate monitor wrist watch that is suitable for women. I know this is a forum for triathletes but so far I'm focused on road cycling, so waterproofing isn't a requirement. I have a relatively small wrist (~ 5-5.5 inches diameter), so a large or bulky watch would not be very comfortable or would be likely to slip. Here are a few features I'm looking for:

* programmable zones (3 at least, preferably 5)
* ability to easily toggle between zones (or program durations in advance, though I doubt this feature is available)
* recording of maximum and average HR
* audible / visual alarm when outside current target zone
* chest strap that is comfortable for women
* interference resistance, as I'm often riding in close proximity to other riders
* quality and durability

I already have a cycling computer that gives me speed, cadence, etc., and I carry a phone that has GPS, so I don't need much beyond the features I've listed above. I prefer to have a watch instead of a mount-only unit, but I may be able to compromise if there's a good computer that meets the rest of the requirements. On a side note, I browsed around Polar's website and there was a feature that caught my eye: Heart touch, button-free operation of wrist unit. Can someone tell me exactly how this works?




Edited by wrengland 2009-07-27 10:50 PM


2009-07-27 11:05 PM
in reply to: #2311672


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Subject: RE: HRM / Heart Rate Monitor Watch for Women
Whoops, typo up there. My wrist is 5-5.5 inches around, diameter around 2"
2009-07-28 12:57 AM
in reply to: #2311672

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Subject: RE: HRM / Heart Rate Monitor Watch for Women
Heart touch, button-free operation of wrist unit. Can someone tell me exactly how this works?



Can't answer the rest of your questions, but this one I know about. My HRM (Polar F1 - JUST an HRM, nothing else!) has this. Instead of having to push a button, you hit your watch against the strap in order to change the display. I'm not such a fan. One: you CAN'T push a button while it is running, you HAVE to change doing this. Which is freaking lovely when bombing downhill, to be whacking yourself in the chest. (I guess, though, that it *is* better than needing to reach over with your other hand to hit the button. *shrug*) Two, I read a review somewhere that a guy forgot his chest strap, and since he couldn't whack his chest, he couldn't even use the stopwatch feature or the clock feature, because it was stuck on the HR display which, of course, wasn't picking up a reading. Three, when in company and as a female, I'm notsoveryfond of having to hit my chest repeatedly. It, um, doesn't look so great.

But, as always YMMV. Mine certainly doesn't annoy me to the point of changing HRMs, but I definitely wouldn't count it as a selling point.
2009-07-28 5:45 AM
in reply to: #2311672

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Subject: RE: HRM / Heart Rate Monitor Watch for Women
I don't know about all the features that you are looking for but I know Timex Ironman HRM/Watch has most of them and is small.  I love it!  It looks like a normal womans sports wristwatch - has 5 zones and can record 30 or 50 laps depending on model.

I have tiny wrists and it fits perfectly.
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