Sportline Watch Heart Rate Monitor Review

What To Look For

While the typical heart rate monitor (HRM) does include a clock, it is in a digital format as part of an all-digital display. Sportline's TQR HRMs are basically regular watches with a conventional, 12-hour clock format and a digital heart rate display. This makes them a good choice for someone who wants a timepiece they can wear every day but that doubles as a heart rate monitor. Their other Solo HRMs are more conventional and have the features (pedometer, calorie counter) that are suitable for walkers, runners and gym-goers who need an exercise aid.

Common Pitfalls

The problem with the TQR line's approach is that heart rate counting is the only heart rate monitoring feature the watch has. The digital read-out is also mounted in the very place where all the watch hands come together, which might make reading it difficult under sweaty, mid-workout circumstances. Also, while the Solo HRM models have more features, none offer the highly specialized features that are valuable to serious, competitive athletes.

Where To Buy

Since the TQR monitors are meant to be nice watches first, it's a good idea to go to a store and try them on in person. That means finding a store that has them in stock, which in turn means doing some calling around. Otherwise, shopping online is a good way to hunt for discounts and get a bargain.

Cost

In 2009, Sportline's recommended prices ranged between $45 and $160.

Insider Tips

All of the TQRs and Solos are waterproof and rated to depths of about 98 feet (30 meters) or greater. This makes them a plausible way to combine a dive watch and a basic HRM into a single piece of equipment, especially the TQR 775, with its rotating bezel and depth rating of 330 feet (100 meters).