Timex T5G941 Heart Rate Monitor Watch

I'd hoped that getting this new running gadget would encourage me to exercise more often. So far so good. I asked for this for Christmas and, well, it has accomplished it's primary function for me... I've been running almost every day since I got it. I was turned off by the gigantic size of some HRMs, and did not need something to keep track of splits as I run on my treadmill at home and the gym.

As a heart rate monitor, the functionality is pleasantly simple. It tracks your heart rate for the whole workout. You hit the big button to start, and it goes to work tracking the length of time, the average heartbeat, and the peak. While you are running, it displays your current heartbeat. That's it -- but sometimes it's better to keep it simple.

I should point out that, as a watch, the watch piece tells the time and date only. If you want/need splits and a stopwatch, you should look elsewhere.

Here's some other thoughts: I was worried that the strap...Read more

My Timex Heart Monitor arrived today and, after a quick read of the enclosed instructions, I strapped on the watch and the sensor unit and headed for the Oz fitness center.

The Timex seemed to work perfectly. It was consistent first with my resting pulse rate. And at the gym the Star Trec Treadmill picked up the signal and registered the same as it did yesterday when I didn't have the Timex unit.

I'm 70 years old. It was really great to NOT have to grab the treadmill sensors with both hands to check my pulse while jogging 6+MPH. The new Star Trec treadmill picked up the Timex signal and displayed my heart rate so I didn't even have to look at the watch. Of course it comes in handy on the rowing machine and the torso machine, acting as an incentive to push to my maximum heart rate.

It may be that the watch battery (or more likely the sensor battery) will run down after a couple of months of daily use. I don't actually know how long...Read more

I wanted a heart rate monitor to use for general exercise and fitness. I bought four of the Timex monitors, one for myself and three for Christmas gifts. I have used mine several times and it works fine. The machines I use at my athletic club pick up the heart rate signal automatically so I can see the heart rate without looking at the watch. I wear the watch to record the length of the workout, the average heart rate, and the maximum. I like this amount of information; I don't want to download training information to a computer and I don't want calorie information since that would probably be inaccurate anyway; that is, you get the same calorie count for a 110 woman as a 230 pound man (me). There is a small exercise booklet that comes with the watch and monitor that gives some useful information to correlate your heart rate and length of workout with your fitness level. You can use this to calculate points for the workout and compare that with the range of points you should be...Read more