About to buy: PM3 with Garmin Heart rate or PM4

[duggan.dr]

Hey everybody,

I have been playing with C2 rowers for years at various gyms and crossfit facilities. I am now going to buy a C2 model D for home and row 1,000,000 meters in 12-15 months.

I intend to use the Rowpro software

My questions is this: Should I get a PM3 with a garmin 210 and track HR on the garmin software or buy a PM4 and track the HR on Rowpro. It is my understanding that I can not use the Garmin HR belt with the PM3 and Rowpro.

Would tracking the HR with the Garmin by sufficient? I want the garmin because I run too. But I want to track my HR when I row.

Please share your thoughts and experience.

[Citroen]

PM4

See http://concept2.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=22628

[Carl Watts]

Use a polar with the PM3 or buy a PM4.

The realtime HR graph in RowPro and the fact you can use the RP analyse function once you have the HR data stored with your rows is really good at tracking your performance over time. Also just good to have your HR come up on the monitor in front of you.

[duggan.dr]

Thanks, I guess it's a PM4 and Garmin 210 for me.

I'm a geek so I am really looking forward to tracking the numbers. I am also a Crossfitter and will need to learn to row often, but still cross train with running and weights and random crazy WODs.

I appreciate your help,

Dan

[johnlvs2run]

I duct taped a short piece of pvc vertically in the middle of the handle, and put my generic wrist receiver around that.

[carlb]

I duct taped a short piece of pvc vertically in the middle of the handle, and put my generic wrist receiver around that.

Interesting idea for the Skierg to secure a piece of 2" PVC to the side and put my watch on it. There are screws at about chest height that might help. Or I guess duct tape would stick really well to it, I probably would prefer it at waist height across from the PM.

As for the OP .... I like the PM4 as having the best possible future. But what HRM you want to wear on your wrist is a big consideration, the ANT+ ones tend to be very expensive. So a PM4 + the $25 Polar module allows using about any HRM and you get a Garmin belt that I find works very well.

The instrux for the Polar module call for putting it on the bottom rail about half way down. On my rower I put the Polar module between my feet and it works fine with my Sigma PC-15. The Skierg Polar module comes with a 6" cable. I'll have to try that plugged into my rower and then stick it to the PM3 to see if it picks up ok. I would rather not have the module on the rower on such a long cable running so far.

[Carl Watts]

I duct taped a short piece of pvc vertically in the middle of the handle, and put my generic wrist receiver around that.

Yes but it doesn't integrate into RowPro for any analysis.

[duggan.dr]

Exactly, if i could integrate HR into Rowpro using a PM3 and Garmin HR belt then I would get the PM3.

Thanks for all the options.