Hello all. I'm considering getting a heart rate monitor that I can wear while swimming. I've spent the past 2 hours looking online at them - and as I always do, I did too much research and now I don't trust any of them. Every product gets bad reviews once in a while - I get that - but those 2 bad reviews just stick in my head and won't go away. Also, I see with many of them the watch it waterproof but the chest strap is not. If any of you can make recommendations on HRM's you have used - I'd like to get opinions I trust rather than random angry reviews online.

I need a HRM that:
- can be used while swimming (all piece h20 Proof)
- Shows Calories burned
-Doesn't need to be touched to read HR or Cals burned (aka: Reebok has a watch that reads your HR from your fingertip when you touch it. I want one that reads it constantly, whether through my wrist or a chest strap.
- Affordable. I'd prefer to stay under $100.
- A user changeable battery (this excludes Polar models.)

Thanks!

It doesn't fulfill your need for calories burned, but I have a Omron HR-100c and love it. I mainly use it for running. Best part was the price, which was around $30 I think. None of the calories burned calculations are all that accurate anyway--it's all based on some formula. I just guestimate calories burned by my effort, time and exercise type.

DEFINITELY go with the one that has a chest strap...also, if you want a decent one, especially that can be worn swimming, your going to have to be willing to go up to around your 100 dollar mark...Polar is always a great brand..GOOD LUCK

I've got a Polar. It's got a calorie function, but I've never used it. I wear it swimming - the chest strap that's currently on it has endured (estimate) at least 150 hours in the pool, and it has better elasticity left in it than my suit does ...