Surge vs. Garmin vs. TomTom sportswatches

[LewWagner]

I've seen posts about Fitbit Charge HR, but wanted to know if anyone had positive or not-so-positive things to say about the Surge HR. I used to have a functioning chest strap HR with my TomTom GPS Sportswatch, but the HR/watch link stopped working about 2-3 months after I got the combo. I've heard Garmin watches with GPS straps are good, but wanted to see if the Surge HR was good or not.

[ohphotom]

LewWagner - In the past I used the Polar chest strap that was Nike+ compatible. To do it right, I used a gel. But that seemed less successful than just plain ol' water. Overall, it seemed to work quite well with my Apple iPod Nano (6th generation) and Nike Sportwatch.

But they just didn't seem to appropriate for 24/7 monitoring. Even just to get my Resting Heart Rate felt uncomfortable to wear the strap all night. While it's still new for me, I feel the Surge has lived up to my expectations. It's so much more convenient to simply push the button and go. Although it may lack some of the features found in my other devices, I'm happy with the accuracy and capabilities of the Surge. That's not to say I've not sent in requests for some features. As with anything that is flexible, it takes a while to navigate the learning curve for the device and software or app. But it seems to provide data that is needed for success. And unlike Garmin, I don't need a smartphone, which helps since I don't have one. - Ron

[GaryTX]

@LewWagner You may want to visit the Surge forum to get more user experiences.

I'm very happy with mine overall, which is not to say its perfect. My usage does not involve much gym work. Heart rate tracking works for the type of activity I do (mostly extended walking and cycling.) When reading the Surge forum, do remember that most users of any product never ever visit a forum; those that do tend to be those experiencing issues.

Reading the manual and understanding the product well in order to have reasonable expectations is usually key to being satisfied with any product purchase. You may also want to read the Surge manual before making a buying decision just so you can be well versed about what it can and can't do. The Surge manual is actually rather good; you can download it at the link in my signature line below.