If you’re on the fence, these things get you to 99% accuracy. (An EKG being assumed to be 100%.) An Apple Watch comes in around 90%. Every other wearable is 80% accurate or lower. So if you need super accurate results, definitely worth $15, even if you already own a Fitbit or whatever.
@MehnofLaMehncha I’m tempted to buy it just to verify my Apple Watch’s readings. Sometimes I should be dead according to my watch, and that somehow bothers me…
@MehnofLaMehncha That’s what I needed to hear, thanks. My dozen year old Polar has just started dying in the middle of my workouts and I think it’s a failing battery on the chest strap but I’m not positive. For $15, I’ll go for a new one rather than replace the battery (involves melting wax and potentially compromising it).
@MehnofLaMehncha Where exactly does the chest strap sit? Fairly well stacked woman here, and I wear substantially engineered sports bras. I’m assuming the monitor band rests under the breasts & has to have direct contact with skin which means it competes for space with the under band of sports bras.
Do you think it’s possible to tuck the monitor band inside the band of a sports bra and use the bra to hold it in place?
Using the straps that come with this thing has me envisioning all sorts of chafing and rubbing. I’d consider picking this up if I could eliminate the risk by using the bra itself to hold it next to my skin. (My PACs have been picking up this year and I’d like to keep an eye on things especially while I run.)
@LaVikinga
I think someone or other makes sports bras w built in monitors. The place to look would be a running or sports specialty store such as REI or clevertraining.com or Amazon.
However, that’s prob not necessary if you don’t want to spend time and money finding the ideal. The chest strap would sit right below the bottom band ora sports bra. Everybody kinda hates the chest straps, but I don’t think they’re much worse for women than for men. It’s just another sweaty thing to deal with.
The tech of reading pulse info from the wrist is improving, tho not as accurate. Mio makes some nice wrist straps and wrist watches that do this, as does Garmin. For info on the latest, a great source is the dcrainmaker.com blog.
For someone who doesn’t know if they want to mess with this, today’s deal is a good way to start. Someone who works out regularly will prob want something specific, and knows what they want.
Local runners clubs are also great sources of info.
The high-end stuff from Polar Suunto Garmin etc often goes on sale for Black Friday.
@f00l I wear a longer line bra to help with support, eliminate bounce, & avoid the dreaded uni-boob, so the monitor band would have to be under the bra band.
I have to order my stuff online as most sports/running stores don’t carry small band/large cup high impact bras so I’m doubtful anyone makes a built in monitor sports bra to my specs. The built-in monitor sounds fantastic.
Earlier in the year my doctor recommended the Garmin. Said it could also track my sleep patterns, but after I read some of the iffier reviews, I was too cheap to shell out a chunk of change on it.
Barska might be the way to go just to play around with the idea.
Thank you for your advice!
@LaVikinga
The Garmin 235 does a decent job of tracking pulse from wrist. It’s a running watch, tho could be used for cycling. It’s not made as an iron man type watch, won’t record swimming data. Garmin does make those. Most use chest straps.
The 235 can also swirl with a chest strap, if you want the extra accuracy.
The Barsks is so cheap that it might make a decent place to start.
All the “name” devices use either ANT+ (notably Garmin) or LE Bluetooth (notably Polar).
If you want to record and track you data, most people will want a watch that sync well with the larger running or fitness sites.
The dcrainmaker blog can be really informative in the tech and gear, and also the clothing to some degree. His reviews are very long, so skip around in them to rind what you want. (I don’t care about unboxing, for instance). For finding running or exercise bras that work for you, i don’t know specific resource. I would google for women’s running blogs or try the forums on fitness sites. I don’t have a fav site, as right now I’m ignoring all that.
If you wanna know what the big running and fitness sites are, try the reviews of various smartphone apps, and the reviews of the big name running watches on Amazon, as well as the blog mentioned above.
This thing monitors all kindsa stuff about my heart, and I get that. But I want to make sure about something: it also tells the time, yes? I think “Digital Clock, Calendar, Chronometer, Count-down Timer, Alarm (3 sets), StopWatch” (from the Meh description) means that I can rely on it to keep time, but I wanna be absolutely sure. If I’m as lazy as I often am and decide the whole heart monitor thing is a pain in one body part or another, I can still use the thang as a $15 wrist watch, can’t I? (As soon as I learn my numbers, anyway; I’m up to 8 so far.)
This is great to have when working out. Some gym equipment automatically syncs with the heart rate monitor and displays HR. I was using a stationary bike at L. A. Fitness and I noticed that the heart rate function showed up. Awesome deal.
Specs
What’s in the Box?
1x Watch
1x Chest strap
1x Bicycle handlebar mount
Price Comparison
$49.99 List, $39.99 at Amazon
Find a relevant price comparison? Please share it in a comment in this thread
Warranty
1 Year Barska
Estimated Delivery
Monday, July 13th - Thursday, July 16th
Meh heart - rate it !!
These still exist??
@haydesigner
People still work out?
If you’re on the fence, these things get you to 99% accuracy. (An EKG being assumed to be 100%.) An Apple Watch comes in around 90%. Every other wearable is 80% accurate or lower. So if you need super accurate results, definitely worth $15, even if you already own a Fitbit or whatever.
@MehnofLaMehncha I’m tempted to buy it just to verify my Apple Watch’s readings. Sometimes I should be dead according to my watch, and that somehow bothers me…
@MehnofLaMehncha
I have resume you mean the chest strap monitors from reliable manufacturers have that accuracy?
I presume that you don’t mean that the Barska is that accurate while other similar chest strap products (Polar, Garmin, whatever) are not accurate?
My biggest question would be: What fitness tracking sites does this watch’s data sync with? Am too lazy to go to Amazon amd read the reviews.
@MehnofLaMehncha You mean like if a bomb is strapped to you and you need to keep your heart at a specific rate or something?
@MehnofLaMehncha That’s what I needed to hear, thanks. My dozen year old Polar has just started dying in the middle of my workouts and I think it’s a failing battery on the chest strap but I’m not positive. For $15, I’ll go for a new one rather than replace the battery (involves melting wax and potentially compromising it).
@MehnofLaMehncha Where exactly does the chest strap sit? Fairly well stacked woman here, and I wear substantially engineered sports bras. I’m assuming the monitor band rests under the breasts & has to have direct contact with skin which means it competes for space with the under band of sports bras.
Do you think it’s possible to tuck the monitor band inside the band of a sports bra and use the bra to hold it in place?
Using the straps that come with this thing has me envisioning all sorts of chafing and rubbing. I’d consider picking this up if I could eliminate the risk by using the bra itself to hold it next to my skin. (My PACs have been picking up this year and I’d like to keep an eye on things especially while I run.)
@LaVikinga
I think someone or other makes sports bras w built in monitors. The place to look would be a running or sports specialty store such as REI or clevertraining.com or Amazon.
However, that’s prob not necessary if you don’t want to spend time and money finding the ideal. The chest strap would sit right below the bottom band ora sports bra. Everybody kinda hates the chest straps, but I don’t think they’re much worse for women than for men. It’s just another sweaty thing to deal with.
The tech of reading pulse info from the wrist is improving, tho not as accurate. Mio makes some nice wrist straps and wrist watches that do this, as does Garmin. For info on the latest, a great source is the dcrainmaker.com blog.
For someone who doesn’t know if they want to mess with this, today’s deal is a good way to start. Someone who works out regularly will prob want something specific, and knows what they want.
Local runners clubs are also great sources of info.
The high-end stuff from Polar Suunto Garmin etc often goes on sale for Black Friday.
@f00l I wear a longer line bra to help with support, eliminate bounce, & avoid the dreaded uni-boob, so the monitor band would have to be under the bra band.
I have to order my stuff online as most sports/running stores don’t carry small band/large cup high impact bras so I’m doubtful anyone makes a built in monitor sports bra to my specs. The built-in monitor sounds fantastic.
Earlier in the year my doctor recommended the Garmin. Said it could also track my sleep patterns, but after I read some of the iffier reviews, I was too cheap to shell out a chunk of change on it.
Barska might be the way to go just to play around with the idea.
Thank you for your advice!
@LaVikinga
The Garmin 235 does a decent job of tracking pulse from wrist. It’s a running watch, tho could be used for cycling. It’s not made as an iron man type watch, won’t record swimming data. Garmin does make those. Most use chest straps.
The 235 can also swirl with a chest strap, if you want the extra accuracy.
The Barsks is so cheap that it might make a decent place to start.
All the “name” devices use either ANT+ (notably Garmin) or LE Bluetooth (notably Polar).
If you want to record and track you data, most people will want a watch that sync well with the larger running or fitness sites.
The dcrainmaker blog can be really informative in the tech and gear, and also the clothing to some degree. His reviews are very long, so skip around in them to rind what you want. (I don’t care about unboxing, for instance). For finding running or exercise bras that work for you, i don’t know specific resource. I would google for women’s running blogs or try the forums on fitness sites. I don’t have a fav site, as right now I’m ignoring all that.
If you wanna know what the big running and fitness sites are, try the reviews of various smartphone apps, and the reviews of the big name running watches on Amazon, as well as the blog mentioned above.
I haven’t the heart to buy this. Meh.
Tin Man, is that you?
/youtube "If I only had a heart"
Another thing I should have, but would never use.
Looking for a Heart Rate Monitor, is this worth it? Amazon reviews aren’t the most informative.
@Troxior pebble2, but it’s also +8.5x the price
more reviews for Barska on Newegg
@Troxior Can’t speak this one but I have had a few Polar units loved them. The chest size on this is only up to 31". Just sayin…
@rustyh3 Thank you! I tried looking for this info over on Amazon & couldn’t find it.
The Cars, “Heartbeat City.”
I’d rather go to the bar and ska.
And Barska has appeared at Meh… new depths of mediocrity achieved.
Without Bluetooth/ANT+… Meh.
@novahunter I learned that lesson years ago when I bought a heart monitor. Bluetooth/ANT+ or GTFO.
Nope. Not for me. 1: chest strap probably won’t fit. 2: workin out is not something I do. Meh
Not the ideal purchase if you happen to be a zombie.
This thing monitors all kindsa stuff about my heart, and I get that. But I want to make sure about something: it also tells the time, yes? I think “Digital Clock, Calendar, Chronometer, Count-down Timer, Alarm (3 sets), StopWatch” (from the Meh description) means that I can rely on it to keep time, but I wanna be absolutely sure. If I’m as lazy as I often am and decide the whole heart monitor thing is a pain in one body part or another, I can still use the thang as a $15 wrist watch, can’t I? (As soon as I learn my numbers, anyway; I’m up to 8 so far.)
Heart monitor? No thanks. But definitely let me know when you’re selling a spleen monitor.
@rv617 You can easily and cheaply monitor your own spleen using a sharpened drinking straw.
@ravenblack Awesome! Thanks for the tip! Trying it now.
/giphy self surgery
@rv617 That could have easily been horrific.
Don Johnson - “Heartbeat”
Boom.
@tbillini came here because I couldn’t believe meh missed it!
@justin42 yep. And now that stupid song is in my head.
@justin42 fist bump
I would only be fooling myself buying this, not enough of a motivator.
Heart Heart by Withered Hand
Now if it were a Wacom cintiq22 monitor…
Was here for the barrista. My bad. Meh.
Russian Roulette by Red Velvet
Ok, but can I use the chest strap to finally play Nevermind?
Fuck it, I’m in.
/image agonizing-unwieldy-nugget
This is great to have when working out. Some gym equipment automatically syncs with the heart rate monitor and displays HR. I was using a stationary bike at L. A. Fitness and I noticed that the heart rate function showed up. Awesome deal.