This is my fourth HRM and by far the best. The display is big and very readable even in dim light without using the indiglo. My last two HRMs were the older model Timex Ironman 100 lappers. They became very unreliable even with new batteries. I used to have to use electrode gel just to get them to work at all. This HRM gives me an accurate reading immediately and continues to do so as my heart rate changes during my workout. It works great even without electrode gel. It doesn't have any fancy features but I don't need them. It does record your time in the zone that you can set and you average and peak heart rates. It also has a recovery time feature that measures how many BPM your HR drops in one minute. The sensor belt will also work with the HR display most treadmills and other indoor machines. This HRM has already improved my training significantly because it is so accurate and responsive. I highly recommend it.

I was looking for a heartrate monitor to track not only my aerobics workouts but also my weight training workouts. I wanted a wireless monitor with a large enough display so it was easy to read (yes, I've joined the reading glasses population). I needed to be able to replace the batteries myself, and it would be nice if it could tell time in case I wanted to use it as a watch.
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br /The Timex met all my needs and at a very good price. I was a bit concerned because I have a 54" chest and a fairly large wrist. I was also concerned because the packaging is not specific about whether it has a coded signal so that it does not pick up other heartrate monitor signals. The chest strap fits me well but if my chest gets too much larger, it's going to be a bit snug. The wrist band also fits but it's in the last hole, and so far, I haven't picked up anyone else's monitor or bled over onto anyone else's cardio machines.
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br /I'm very satisfied with this purchase.

With so many heart monitors available, I had some difficulty deciding on what to buy. I decided on the Timex T5G971 because I have always wore the Timex Iron Man. I have come to know Timex as a dependable and affordable sport time piece, and so far I am very happy with the heart monitor. It was easy to set up and works great! I have also read that other brands require that you send off to the company for replacement batteries, but such is not the case with the Timex.

The product is very easy to use once you read the directions. It syncs up easily with the watch monitor. One extra bonus that I did not anticipate is that it syncs with the cardio machines that I use at the gym, so I don't even need to look at the watch to see my heart rate. I have also enjoyed seeing the duration of my workout and how many calories I burned.

This is my first heart rate monitor, and I really couldn't be happier with it. The watch displays your heartbeat in real time with the little heart icon on the face. It recalculates every two seconds. It's simple to program it to your weight and target heart rate (just read the instructions), and the 'recall' button tells you all you want to know - time in your target zone, average heart-rate, estimated calories burned, etc.
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br /Previous reviewers have said that they don't like not being able to see the time of day when the watch is in heart-rate mode. If you press the 'set' button it displays the time.
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br /I'm in the process of burning off about 25 lbs of excess fat this summer. I'm cycling across the USA in my living room. This monitor is a very helpful tool for maximizing my cardio sessions. It's accurate, it makes workouts more fun and it lets me know when I have to get moving a little faster.
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br /There's been a significant price increase since I bought this monitor (I paid $44 three weeks ago, now it's listed at $69?). But if I had it to do over, I'd still go with the Timex over the cheaper, lesser-known brand listed along side this monitor. If you look thru the reviews, more people are satisfied with the Timex and you know you're dealing with a reputable company who will honor their warranty.
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br /The only 'cons' I can think of - #1 - The chest strap sometimes beeps when sitting idle, I guess because of electronic interference. This is not an issue when wearing the strap, but I'm thinking it may kill the battery before its time (easily replaced). #2 - The clasp on the chest strap is a bit scrawny. You have to force the tab thru it a little. I've seen no stress wear to the female part of the clasp, but if this part fails eventually, the business part of the chest strap will need to be replaced.
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br /I hate to recommend products to anyone, and it's very rare that I'd five-star anything. But I can honestly say that this item has met or exceeded all of my expectations.
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br /Congrats to the Celts!

I bought this heart rate monitor because I wanted to increase my exercise level without putting myself at risk. The unit is fairly easy to program and seems to work very well so far. (I've been using it about a month.) The strap that goes around the chest seemed a bit awkward at first, but I soon forgot about it. I especially like the fact that the unit does not have any unnecessary bells and whistles. Its "recall" funtion is particularly basic and helpful: after a workout, it scrolls through your peak heart rate, average heart rate, time elapsed, calories burned, and recovery rate. (The last is especially important.) You can obviously spend more money on a heart rate monitor, and perhaps get more features, but I've found this to be a solid and reasonably-priced performer for someone who doesn't want a lot of excess baggage.

Timex T5G971 Unisex Sports Personal Heart Rate Monitor WatchI bought this heart rate monitor for both my husband and myself. We wanted one that we didn't have to send back to the manufacture or dealer everytime it needed a battery in the chest strap such as the Polar.

We've only been using them for about a month, but so far we really like them. It is very easy to learn hoew to set it and use all of the features. It also is very easy to get started. I put it on and just put a little water on the senors. In the past some of the HRM's I have owned I actually had to start sweating before they would engage.

The only thing on the negative side is that you can not see the time when you are in the Heart Rate Mode. That mode is all you can see. It bothers my husband, but not me.

I'd rate it a 5 instead of a 4, but we really haven't used them long enough to see if changing the battery goes smoothly. The 1st one we bought the buttons were jamed and my husband did change the battery to see if that was the problem. The battery was easy to change in the chest strap, but we had to send it back. The exchange went easily with Amazon.

I've had this monitor for a month now and I use it daily. It's very easy and intuitive to use. The chest strap is so comfortable I don't even feel it. Keeping track of my heart rate helps me get the most out of my workout and keep challenging myself. Highly recommended.

If you are looking for a heart monitor which is easy to use and very accurate this is the one for you. I am 53 y.o. in cardiac rehab. A similar Timex model was one of the HR monitors recommended by the rehab staff. However after much comparison shopping, this monitor had additional features including calorie counting, target heart rate beep which you activate if you want it on and indigo light. The strap is very light and comfortable. It is also extremely accurate and it comes with a user replacement battery. I just love it.

This is a great beginner's heart rate monitor. I've never had one before and in only 2 weeks I've experienced a clear increase in health and fitness. What swayed me in getting this one is that at the time I ordered it there were 21 4/5-star ratings and only 1 1-star rating. I've found it to be as great as the other reviews stated, a wonderful device, and a great value.
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br /The only problem I've experienced is when I hadn't wet the sensors as the directions specified. Once I did that it worked perfectly. This could be the problem of the negative review.
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br /I do wonder how well the chest strap will endure. There are 2 small rubberized plastic clips which are each potential points of failure.
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br /The sensor and watch both use standard lithium batteries, so that will make replacement easy when the time comes.
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br /Unlike heart rate monitors that are at least 5 times the cost, only the readings from the last session are saved, so they do need to be recorded manually if you want the save them.
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br /I looked at strapless models, but most people recommended the strap. One advantage of the strap is that you can check your heart rate throughout the day which would be hard to do with the strapless models.
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br /I marvel at the technologies used to create this device for such a reasonable price: heart rate sensors, wireless data transmission, data storage, and calculations. It's an incredible device and great value.
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I am very pleased with this heart rate monitor. It is very accurate, the machines at the gym pick up its signal and it has made my workouts more efficient. The only drawback, which I read in previous reviews, is that you can not view the time and your heart rate at the same time, but usually that isn't a problem. I have recommended this product to my friends and family!

I bought this heart monitor after burning through two (more-expensive) Polar F6 heart monitors in two years, part of a healthy eating/exercise plan that helped me lose 100 pounds in a year.
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br /In general, I like the Timex T5G971 very much -- particularly for the money. It's functional, easy to program use, and easy to read. It lacks the more sophisticated display screens of the Polar, but I don't need these any longer now that I am in weight/health-maintenance mode. I also like the fact that you can replace the battery in the sensor strap, and that I can probably get a local jeweler to replace the watch battery when it goes (both of which were not possible with the Polar).
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br /However, I have two criticisms:
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br /First, do yourself a favor: put a fresh battery in the sensor strap before you program and use the watch. I didn't do this, and almost gave myself a heart attack trying to get my heart rate up to my usual exercise level before realizing that the watch reading was about 50 bpms off because of a dying battery. I replaced it (easy) and the watch works fine now.
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br /Second, the calorie counter seems to run a bit "hot." On the same 90-minute exercise program, my Polar would record 700 calories while the Timex will record 1000 or more. My Tunturi bike counter seems to run closer to the Timex, so I am guessing that the right number is somewhere in between. We will see as the weeks wear on.
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br /Overall, I am glad that I bought this watch -- at least so far.
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br /It's December 20, and I have been using the Timex T5G971 Unisex Sports Personal Heart Rate Monitor Watch for several months now and I am very happy with it. My only quibble is that it seems to go through batteries quickly (at $5 a pop), but that may be because I am using it a lot to time workouts. Also, I find it a bit difficult to insert the new battery in the chest strap. Finally, I find that I must make sure that the watch is on very tightly or it won't pick up a pulse. Since I am already on the last hole in the strap, I guess I can't afford to lose any more weight (ha ha). If you have trouble getting it to pick up a pulse, try rubbing the back side of the watch lightly with a cloth, then try again. Overall a great product for the money.

I have to admit now it is difficult to exercise without my Timex heart rate monitor- yet it does have some minor flaws. For me, it takes a while to pick up my heart rate- even with a little water behind the monitor (it takes a lot for me to sweat to aid with transmission). Usually within 5 minutes of strenuous activity the monitor will work and transmit. Now for my husband, this monitor has been flawless and is GREAT!! For the price you can't go wrong- and I tried the more expensive heart rate monitors and had similar problems. I definitely recommend this heart rate monitor!!

I just started training for a half-marathon earlier this year! My boyfriend suggested I purchase a heart rate monitor! I purchased this Timex and absolutely love it! In fact, my boyfriend, who has a Nike monitor, likes mine better!! It's got everything you need to monitor your training!! The only setback is the "on/off" button, when pushed slightly, can erase the saved info from your most recent run! Other than that, I definitely recommend this monitor! :o)

The Timex Heart Monitor watch does exactly what I expected it to do with a BIG easy to read display useable in dim light. What's great is that it's wireless, which I didn't expect when I ordered. Wear it around wherever you go with the chest sensor under your clothes and turn it on whenever you want to see your heart rate; otherwise it is a great watch with the BIG time display which is great for me since I need reading glasses usually to read other digital watches.

This is an update to my review. I contacted timex warranty repair. They want me to not only pay shipping to them but also a fee under warranty to repair and send it back to me. THIS IS NOT STANDING BEHIND YOUR PRODUCT. I will never purchase another Timex product.
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br /Pros: Does exactly what it says, monitors heart rate, set your own zone and monitors time in that zone, estimates calaries based on your weight, total time excercising (or from when you start monitoring your heart rate until you turn off the monitoring). Strap is easy to adjust and easy to put on. User replaceable batteries. Bought 2 batteries at Walgreens for about $6.
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br /Cons: Does not keep a history of workouts, you of course could write down the information. After the workout the infomation is no longer maintained. I seem to have to make the chest strap very tight or it looses the connection to the watch at higher rates (160+). Even with the strap tight it will sometimes loose the wireless connection until I hold the watch next to the front of the strap.
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br /I probably would not purchase again due to the problem with loosing the signal.

For an entry-level device this one rocks! I bought this HRM to help my training program and am not disappointed. It works with the cardio equipment at the gym (Lifecycle brand) so I can focus on my workout, not my wrist. Even when I do look at the HRM display, it is large enough to see while running, so bouncing is not a major concern. It may not be the most attractive timepiece, but it works exactly as designed. Add to that the user-changeable battery on the chest strap (Polar and others do not offer this feature) and you have a nice device that will be a great work out partner for years to come.
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br /So far, accuracy is solid and the functions that I need are there--plus some I didn't realize I wanted before I had them. I love the post-workout breakdown of max and average HR, time in the zone (that you define), and calories burned (based on your weight and HR).
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br /If what you need is a basic, high-quality HRM, this one gets two thumbs up.
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This was my first Heart Rate Monitor Watch and I was not entirely sure which product to purchase. After reading all the different reviews, this product appeared to get the best reviews from all users while being offered at an afforable price. I would have to agree. I have had no issues with the watch. The band is comfortable to wear and with a little water applied before each workout is very accurate. It automatically synchs up with the equipment at the gym and I have had no issues with conflicting heart monitor devices interfering. I have used this product in aerobic classes, on the treadmill and even in water circuit training with great results.
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br /I do have some small concerns about the way the band connects, as there is a plastic clasp, that looks like over time it could break and create an issue, but so far I see no wear and tear and I have made it a point to be careful when putting the band on and taking it off.
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br /One other thing I will note is that once you turn off the heart rate monitor on the watch, the previous workout is not saved for you to look back at, so any information you want, calories burned, total time spent in heart rate zone etc. needs to be looked at before deactivating the heart rate monitor. Also, the calorie counter seems a little generous in it's estimations of total calories burned but I wasn't really purchasing it for this feature.
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br /This watch has been a great purchase and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for an afforable and highly effective tool for monitoring your fitness goals.

I've owned this heart rate monitor for almost a year, but I can't use it now because the chest strap broke. The clasp on the elastic part going into the sending unit broke off when I was taking it off. I have e-mailed Timex in an attempt to get a replacement strap. I would hate to have to buy a new monitor just for this strap. Other than that, the monitor worked great. I used the sending unit to feed both the Timex heart rate montitor watch that came with it and a receiving unit that I bought separately that can be hooked up to my computer to record a workout's data. It did a great job before the strap broke. If the clasp hadn't broken, I would have given the monitor another star.

So far this has met my expectations. It was a little confusing to figure out right at first, but it serves me well now to monitor my heart rate during exercise. I was a little disappointed that it also had a chest band, since the advertisment didn't show that. All in all it is an okay product and I would recommend it to someone else.

This works great as a heart rate monitor, however I'm not sure how accurate the calorie counter is. It says I burned about 1000 calories in 45 mins when the machines I was using said I burned about 600 and when I logged my workout into a website I'm using to track my calorie intake, it said I had burned about 700. Not sure what to think since the HRM is the only thing that was actually strapped to my body, maybe its the most accurate. I'm not going to count on it though.

Great monitor watch, for a extremly reasonable price.I baught a Schwinn Airdyne exercise bike recently. To my surprise and pleasure when I wore the chest strap from the Timex watch my heart rate was regestering on the Schwinn monitor. Can't go wrong with this watch. Looks good,has large #s,heart rate, time and date + it light's up.

This watch is a great buy! It works wonderfully, and dosen't miss a beat. It is worth more than the price. I am completely satisfied.

Works great and really lets me see that I'm getting my heart rate up high enough during exercise. I was a bit concerned at first about the band that you have to wear around your chest, but it fits right at or under my bra strap and I really forget that it's there. I like tha fact that it shows how many calories you burned as well, because sometimes I'm not sure if the machine at the gym is correct. I am glad I purchased this item. :)

This watch works great and is fairly easy to learn how to use it. As a sport watch, it looks good (too big for my wife though). You can set your weight and your maximum HR (it comes with a little book showing you how to measure this). This watch has helped me a lot to stay "in the zone" (aerobic), because it has a "in zone" alarm.
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br /I hope to update on the status of this watch at [....]

This product was as good as it was advertised. I am sure it works as advertised however it would not function properly for me. The reason is I have an implanted pacemaker and the two are not compatible because of the transmitters operating frequency. The HR Monitor's transmitter seemed to be interfered with by the pacemaker. The HR Monitor DID NOT interfere with the pacemaker. I tried three different ones and two other makes with the same results. I recommend this product to anyone without a pacemaker.
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Good watch/monitor. the chest strap hooks seem weak so I leave them hooked and place the strap on over my head. some treadmills pick up the signal and will display the heart rate. The weak link in this product is the chest strap hooks. If they break the chest strap is useless.

This product is all that I hoped it would be. I have enjoyed it and it helps with my motivation for my workouts. As other have commented, it syncs with the machines and you do not need to wear the watch each time.
br /I am very pleased with the purchase and am very happy with the operation of this product.

I recently purchased this item and have been very satisfied with it. There are more expensive heart rate monitors out there, but this one is a great value for the money and has worked fine.

Worked fine for 3 months then became very hard to get any reading and quit during the middle of work outs. Now shows heart rate of 30 on those rare occasions when it shows anything.

This is a wonderful heart rate monitor. It checks my pulse very quickly and accurately, and updates rapidly. It is compatible with most of the aerobic machines in my gym, so I can keep my arms pumping my elliptical. The chest strap is rugged (and waterproof, like the watch). And the watch is VERY durable. I've whacked it hard, and it works fine.
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br /I'm sure many of the other heart rate monitors are also great, but I am very happy I picked this one. I thought the name brand would translate into high quality and durability, and I was right.
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br /As a bonus, the huge numbers make the watch easy to read. I have a much fancier gold and leather watch that I never bother to wear. I leave this thing on my arm at the office. It's only a basic watch (and lacks a true stopwatch for some reason), but I LOVE THIS WATCH.
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I am pregnant and was told by my doctor when exercizing to keep my heart rate at a certain number. Well as a new mom, I am following all rules to the exact so I needed something to monitor my heart rate while exercising. This works great - it beeps when you hit your max so you know to slow down. The only thing I dont like is the chest band you have to wear, but you do for all heart rate monitors so you learn to get used to it.

I needed a watch plus I do some jogging so I decided to get this watch. This product is awesome, it is easy to use and very accurate. It took a few minutes to set up and learn the features but it is great.

This is my first time using a heart rate monitor. After having a "surprise" heart attack in March at the age of 50, I decided that it would be a good idea to make sure I'm staying in my target heart rate range while exercising. The chest strap is easy to put on. I just wet it down a bit and after a few minutes, it starts monitoring my heart rate. The watch face is large and easy to read. It will lose its contact sometimes when I'm on the exercise bicycle - I assume it's because my arm might be too far away. It's great on the treadmill in the gym because the treadmill screen picks up the signal automatically once I move to it. I've worn it while hiking as well. After a few minutes I forget I have the strap on. The watch comes in handy too for outdoor activities even when I'm not monitoring my heart rate. I certainly recommend this watch for anyone who has had a heart attack. I found out that my outside jogging was putting me up at my maximum heart rate even though I felt great. It's a small price to pay for piece of mind.

I use this HRM for running and it works really well. The only hiccup is that it will sometimes lose its signal but then it comes back again. Good product!

I bought this watch for my husband who is training for the NY Marathon. He loves it. It monitors his heart rate and shows him how many calories he has burned during his workout.
br /However, the box had a sticker on it from the manufacturer with the price of $59.95 and we were charged $69.99. So, I am sure you can find it cheaper elsewhere.

I purchased 2 of these about 6 months ago and so far I've had no problems. It is very easy to set up and works great. I do wonder about the calorie count though. When I use it the calorie count shows different then the treadmill shows. I'm not sure what one is more accurate. The heart rate seems very close to my blood pressure/heart rate monitor. For the price it is well worth it.

I use this heart rate monitor for my aerobics (spinning, running, rowing) and weight training. Works great with the receivers in stationary bikes, treadmills and stationary rowing machine. The chest strap works reliably even without application of electrolyte gel or water. However, I just apply some minimal water on the chest strap before wearing. I also use the target heart rate zone and recovery features. It also helps in giving you the approximate calories burned during your activity and shows average and maximum heart rates. Needless to say that it can also act as a watch. I specially love the Indiglo (backlight) option to read the display when I am running outdoors early morning or late evening. The battery can be replaced by user. This is a great product for the given price. I would definitely recommend buying this.

I have a disability which limits my ability to walk. I went through a tramatic event two years ago and just about doubled my weight. I needed to excersize and watch my Cal's. I started the cal watching and excersize but I couldn't figure out if the things I were doing were having an impact on my ability to burn Calories. I researched everywhere for possible ways to figure this out and on one message board someone mentioned possibly getting an HRM and so far I've lost a few pounds. the kicker was when I brought it with me to Physical therapy and one of the machines were reading my heart rate LOL. No one knew the machine could do that. So now when i'm on it I know how far I've pushed myself and to not go overboard or under. So far I LOVE IT! I even use it to walk the Dog LOL.

I bought this as a gift to my boyfriend.
br /He runs and the watch was great for monitoring his heart rate.
br /Recomend!

Timex T5G971 Unisex Sports Personal Heart Rate Monitor Watch
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br /This product works as advertised, and for the price, is a good value. I've used it for walking, jogging, swimming, and biking. The biggest drawback is that it does not store past workouts, so if I go for a bike ride, stop for coffee and then continue, I cannot store the first leg of the workout until I get home.

It works wonderfully. Is accurate. The wrist watch is attractive, has time and date plus "recall" to review your workout.

I was very happy with this item. Worked with my gym heart rate monitor equipped machines.

I suppose it's my own fault for not understanding that an "activity timer" is completely different from a stopwatch, but apparently Timex thinks they are. Buyers, be warned that this watch is pretty much JUST a heart rate monitor - barely even a watch. I wanted something with a stopwatch and heart rate monitor, and thought this watch had those features. The "activity timer" is just a recorder to time how long you had the heart rate monitor activated. As far as I could tell you couldn't look at the time while using the heart rate monitor feature either.
br /I found the monitor would flake in and out and I had to wear the band very tightly to get it to register. Torso movements such as while spinning, weight lifting or paddling would also cause it to flake out. I think the best use would be for people doing activities like running or using the ellipticals at the gym, since you don't bend your back doing those.
br /The display is nice and big, but I found the watch too bulky for my small wrists.

Combination watch & heart rate monitor works well with normal heart rates. I originally bought it, hoping it would help monitor my irregular rhythm(due to atrial fibrilation). Most of the time, it would not pick up a my irregular heart rate, even after wetting the contact strap.
After my cardioversion, and a return to a regular heart beat, it seems to work well.
It is stylish and works fine as a regular timepiece, as well. I'll continue to use it as a utility watch, and occasionally check my heart rate during physical exercise. Since it's waterproof at depth, I'll also use it as a dive watch while snorkeling.

I was very excited to be getting my first HR monitor and based on the other reviews I had high hopes for getting a quality item. However it just does not work. I've tried different positions for the strap. I've tried changing the transmitter battery. I've tried it wet and dry. The watch will not pick up any signal until I am about 20 minutes into my run. Then the reading is not even close to accurate. It intermittently shows a ridiculously high or low reading.

There's nothing in the manual about using this swimming. I didn't press the buttons underwater. But after the first swim it isn't working like it was before. It shows a HR of 30 out of the water. Now I can't use it cycling.

It is very easy to use and appears to be very accurate. I have used it a few times now and I love it. I didnt even have to read the book to understand what to do. Great product for a great price!!

I have been very pleased with this heart monitor. It was easy to set and provides consistent results.

Good product.......functions well, easy to program and redo as things change, all the basic info for healthy exercise monitoring without the complications of too many functions. Not for the A-type jock but great for the health concious exerciser.

This turned out to be a perfect monitor for me. I just
br /wanted something straightforward easy to use. The
br /best part was that it communicates with my treadmill,
br /since the chest strap I had for it had worn out.

The heart monitor didn't work properly. It would only record heart rate periodically and when it did it was obviously incorrect.

This has been a great tool to take my spin cycle class to a new level. Cheap and easy to use.

I found that this watch suits my needs nicely. I'm enjoying the features it has. Thank you for your service.

When I got this, it didn't work. I even bought a new battery for the monitor and it still didn't work. I sent it back.