Customer Reviews

Prevention HR-180PV/MF-180PV Chest Belt-Free Heart Rate Monitor

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

It fits well, but my problem is the inaccuracy. You can eventually get it to sit and work properly, track your HR, but at times it will also randomly shut off and stop tracking. This can be a frustration.

This unit was purchased with the hope that it would give continuous and reliable readings. It often does, but inaccuracies are not uncommon; e.g., during use it occasionally reports erroneously higher readings, compared to baton and direct pulse measurements.

Others with different hand and blood vessel geometry may obtain different results, but with the anatomical dimensions of my hand I found the unit too inaccurate to consistently rely on.

Wearing the unit is not without comfort issues for me. The velcro fastening material is placed along the full width of the finger mount. This results in the unit sometimes becoming uncomfortable to wear. Also, the width of the finger mount meant I could not easily flex my index finger while wearing the unit. The size of this mount can be seen in the product photo.

Although settings are not intuitive, the instruction manual is clearly written, and the unit provides a number of useful additional functions, i.e., clock, alarm, stopwatch, under and over heart rate alarms, and calories burned.

However, my primary aim was to get a consistently accurate heart rate monitor. For that purpose, this unit has proved less than fully satisfactory.

I purchased this product as an alternative to my chest belt monitor and I'm sure it works well for others, but for me, the fit was rather uncomfortable. The first problem I had was with the actual monitor flopping around too much when I moved, the velcro would slip off occasionally. Another problem I had was with the the sensor that went over my index finger. I followed the instructions and made sure it was tight enough by looking a an imprint on the velcro that is supposed to turn from an oval to a circle when tight enough. The actual sensor was metal and it felt very uncomfortable. I wore it for a while hoping I would get used to it, but it just didn't feel right. To top things off, the monitor would randomly turn off. Maybe my hands are too big, I don't know. It just isn't for me. I also thought the quality of the device is poor for the selling price.

Once you get the hang of the buttons, I find it much better to run with. A chest-strap monitor seems to interfere with my running bra and I get some skin abrasion in the middle of my chest. Without a chest strap, I am able to use moleskin to protect the skin. However, for walking on a treadmill at a gym, I would use a chest-strap Polar monitor to reflect my heart rate on the machine (I don't run/jog on treadmills so the chest-strap is not an issue).

I have a Mark of Fitness that finally died after three years and am looking to replace it. I found that monitor almost essential for interval training a la Dr. Sears. You can get your pulse into the target range, sustain it for the required time, then go back to walking as your pulse slows down. When you first start, it is hard to get your pulse to come down fast enough, but over time you can. I took my BP from 145-150/90-100 down to 110-120/60-70.

The concept was great -- a heart rate monitor without a chest strap. Kids could wear it on their hands and go shirtless without any issues. The only problem was that all 10 I purchased did not even last one year of use before breaking down! Other reviews alerted me to this issue and I ignored them. Please don't be as stupid as I was. Do not buy this product unless you have money to throw away and only need it to work for about 3 months.

If you are doing heavy aerobic exercise, I question the appropriateness of this item. If you are meditating and just want to monitor your heartbeat in general, then go for it. It is a decent product, however it tends to flop around a little.

As you would expect, the band get sweaty and dirty. Disinfecting it may pose a little challenge. I think the actual unit appears to be encased in plastic, so I question the unit's overall durability. That said, I don't recommend submersing it in water, by accident or otherwise - probably not a good idea for water aerobics.

Even after reading the instructions (yeah, like we all do that) learning what button to push for a desired function is cumbersome at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's not too bad.

The cuff that wraps around your finger can be a little uncomfortable if worn for long periods. The flashing light diode (inside the finger cuff) used to monitor pulse tended to irritate my skin after extended wear (and I have pretty thick skin).

From my perspective, this is more of a cool novelty item. For those who exercise vigorously and want to monitor their heart rate more easily, maybe a decent chest strap version with a wristwatch like monitor would be better.

Taking everything into consideration, it is compact, it looks cool, and it does work for the purpose it was designed - to monitor your heart rate.


It is a good product, but not great.

Accurate and user friendly. Strap around finger can be a little uncomfortable because of the tightness.

Ya he estado utilizando este artículo por 5 meses, y es muy cómodo el hecho de no tener que utilizar una banda para el pecho.

De noche la visibilidad de la pantalla es poca incluso apretando el botón de la luz. Me ha pasado pocas veces que tengo que ajustar la correa del sensor en plena carrera y por eso le puse 4 estrellas.

I have been using this heart rate monitor for 5 months, it's very comfortable the fact of not using a chest belt

When running at nights the visibility of the screen it's poor even when i press the light button. Sometimes while running i had to adjust the sensor that is why i rated it with 4 stars

I had this same watch under the name of Mark of Fitness for several years. I replaced it with this one several months ago when the little hole in the finger strap got enlarged and it was difficult to keep the pulse accurate. This one seems even better....maybe a later model? I've learned a few things over the years. (I use it on an exercise bicyle and for aeobics walking.) 1. Give it time to warm up....being certain the circle is a circle. 2. If the pulse isn't accurate, move the strap around the finger a bit as I think it is sensitive to things like freckles. Once you've found a good spot, remember it. 3. Don't hold anything in the hand with the watch on it. If you must, keep it away from the pressure point on the finger. It's best if you just keep your hand with the watch on it loose at your side except when taking a read. Don't make a fist of your hand. 4. When you're finished, unhook the wristband first and, then, slide the section on your finger slowly off leaving it in a strapped mode. Then, next time, just slide it back on. All of this might sound like it's too sensitive, but it really isn't......it just purrs along once you've figured out where to place it. I tried a couple of strap watches and this is much easier for me to use.