I would like to get a heart rate monitor and just wanted to ask if anyone has one.
What do you think of them?
Are they worth the money?
www.polarusa.com/products/fseries/f6.asp?cat=consumer

I have a Polar S210, and have used it quite alot over the past 5 years.  Not so much as an issue with it, except replacing the battery.

I like Polar products.  YMMV.

Is there something that you need to strap around your chest?  A transmitter?  Is it comfortable?

I have used a few Polars.  Have an S120 right now.  You wear the transmitter around your chest - it's comfortable once you get used to it.  I use mine pretty religously, both as a governor to keep me slow during aerobic workouts and as an accelerator during tempo work to keep me going hard enough.  What do you plan on using it for?  My recommendation would be to go pretty basic at first - heart rate and stop watch - unless you have some need for more features.  

Timex and a few other companies make HRMs as well, but the nice thing about Polar stuff is that just about every stationary machine in a gym will read and display Polar info.

I will be using this at the gym and at home doing normal workout routines.

A basic HRM would be fine for me.  

Thanks for the input.

Quoted: I will be using this at the gym and at home doing normal workout routines. A basic HRM would be fine for me.   Thanks for the input.

My recommendation is to get a low-end Polar.  You may be able to get away for $50 if you shop carefully.

I have a Polar A5 that I use when I'm cycling.  I like having memory of one exercise routine, because I keep track of my workouts.

I bought one of the low-end Polars today at Wal-Mart $49.

They make it very easy to achieve and maintain target heart rates. Anything that makes exercise more efficient is money well spent IMO. The chest strap is a little awkward 'til you get used to it. But once you start to exercise, you forget all about it. The cool thing about it is that a lot of the electronic fitness equipment at the gym have Polar HRMs on them. You don't even have to wear the wrist monitor. No more holding on to the handles on the treadmill to check heart rate while running (which can be dangerous). If your equipment doesn't have HRMs or you want to use it during weight training, just wear the wrist monitor

$49 well spent IMO


ETA: I have the FS-1

I have a Garmin Forerunner 301.  It is a GPS running watch and also a heart rate monitor.

The chest strap does not restrain chest movement even when really huffing and it stays put.

It is spot on accurate.

No complaints.