Sigma Onyx Classic

German corporation Sigma Sports is a quickly rising contender in the world of fitness accessories. Their heart rate monitors are rapidly gaining popularity among fitness buffs for providing some of the best value for money in the industry, and the company's latest entry level heart monitor, the Sigma Onyx Classic, is no exception. The Onyx Classic is part of a new generation of heart rate monitors, designed to show athletes only the most useful information while maintaining the simplest interface possible.

The primary innovation featured in the Onyx Classic is the new buttonless interface. Rather than having buttons on the side of the watch, which can be difficult to access during a workout, the entire face of the Onyx Classic serves as a control pad. All of the unit's functions are accessed by pressing the top of the watch face, the bottom, or both simultaneously. Once athletes get used to this system, they are bound to love it.

The Onyx Classic can be as useful for beginners as it is for the experienced. Upon starting the unit up, you will be asked to enter some basic information about yourself. Using this data, the unit will estimate your maximum heart rate, then calculate two training zones for you based on that figure: the Fatburner Zone, 55-70% of the maximum rate calculated, can be used by beginners or those coming back to exercise, or by anyone who wants to lose their stored fat. The Fitness Zone, at 70-80% of your maximum, is used to increase the overall cardiovascular capacity and endurance of your body. The Onyx Classic also allows you to set an additional training zone of your choice. During workouts, the unit will beep in different patterns to let you know whether you are training within your chosen zone or not, and will calculate the number of calories that you are burning as well as your average heart rate during the session.

The Onyx Classic is priced similarly to the Onyx Easy. Although the units have much in common, the Easy saves the data compiled during your training sessions for 12 months, showing you the total time that you have trained in all, how many calories you have burned, and so on. The Classic, on the other hand, has Sigma's new simple no-button interface, which is not found in the Classic.

Sigma Onyx Classic:

• New intuitive buttonless interface
• Calculates two suggested beat per minute ranges to train within; very easy for beginners to understand
• Includes a mount to use the unit while cycling
• Calculates average heart rate and calories burned during workouts
• Does not save historical workout data like the similarly priced Onyx Easy fitness watch

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