Posts Tagged ‘Heart Rate Monitor Watch’

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Polar F11M Heart Rate Monitor Watch Grey Pepper New Design

Monday, March 1st, 2010

Polar F11M Heart Rate Monitor Watch Grey Pepper New Design




The F11M is a revolutionary heart rate monitor watch that creates a workout program that tells you how much, how hard and how long to exercise in order to reach your goals. The Keeps U Fit - Workout Program guides you to your personal goals. OwnIndex will determine your fitness level, track your improvements, and provide motivation. The OwnCal feature counts the calories and fat that you burn and the OwnZone feature will automatically determine each day’s target zone. The F11 also features the WearLink Coded transmitter made from a soft, fabric material. The electrodes, which pick up the heart signals, are integrated right into the strap for added flexibility and comfort. The Coded feature eliminates interference from other heart rate monitors. The F11 is the closest thing to having your own personal trainer. It has special features to optimize walking, running, and biking workouts so you’ll get the most performance. Did we mention that it is also a full-feature watch? Polar Keeps U FitT - Own Workout Program Target zones with visual and audible alarm Fitness Bullets (for every ten minutes in target zone) SonicLink, exercise data download from wrist unit to Polar web service or SW UpLink, settings upload from Polar web site or software to wrist unit SonicLink, transfer of OwnIndex results and Keeps U Fit - Own Workout Program to Polar web service Exercise file info page with date and time Exercise Time (total) Time in target zone Target zone limits Average heart rate of total exercise Last OwnIndex Calorie expenditure (Exercise/Total/Fat%) Fitness Exercise Diary with personal targets Heart rate (displayed as bpm and % of maximum heart rate) Visual and audible alarm in target zones Heart touch, button-free operation of wrist unit Heart rate sets - pre-program favorite exercise settings Manual target zone (% / bpm) Automatic age-based target zone (% / bpm) Time of day (12/24h)

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Second time around with Polar F11
New PolarF11 is first rate, in particular, i like the new chest strap…the old one needed to be wet down on the sensor cloth areas, and sometimes, i had to put a little salt on it. New chest strap does not have the cloth covered sensors, much better chest strap.

The first Polar F11 watch failed after three years.

4 Stars Love it!
I bought this watch to help track calories burned during my workouts. It has a soniclink to send the workouts and data to the polor web site. Making it easy for me to track the calories burned, amount of time exercising and the min/max for my heart rate.

I give this a four star and not a five because the back light does not display the information very well in low light. But I other than that, I love this watch!!!

2 Stars Reliably Unreliable
I’ve used my Polar F11 for 3 1/2 years, and after watching the heart monitor read “00″ for most of my long run today, I’ve decided it’s time to try Garmin 305.

There’s a lot of computing power in this little machine - but not enough engineering and quality control behind it. You can generate a training program based on your goals, determining the number of workouts and times in each of 3 heart rate zones - that’s good - but if you adjust the settings the watch inexplicably renames the exercises. It’s confusing and a sign that they skipped some quality testing steps.

Over the years I’ve suffered with the unpredictable failures in the heart monitor - sometimes it’s fine for weeks and months at a time, and then it just goes erratic. To have have the unit serviced, you get so shell out $59-79 and have to wait 2-3 weeks for the authorized dealer to return it to you.

If you like to synch your workouts with a computer, Polar has a very nice web-based fitness toolset - IF you are a PC user.

My wife has an F5 unit and finds similar issues as well - so while Polar was the leader in creating this market, they’ve failed to keep the quality and features up to date. If you’re in doubt, go look at the ratings on a competing Garmin 305 (same price point on Amazaon) and you’ll see 500 5 star ratings and 300 4 star ratings.

5 Stars Great Weight for loss.
I bought this hrm a month ago and have lost 9lbs. I purchased just to see how many calories I was burning during my work outs. I found with the calorie counter it motivates me to work harder and longer than before. The only thing I would change is I wish it would be able to track distance. At first I couldn’t get the watch to upload to the website. After a few days I realized that if you were signed in to the website the upload works. Otherwise I got nothing. Awesome HRM! The chest strap is adjustable and fairly comfortable too!

5 Stars Best HRM I’ve ever used
I’ve had alot of crappy HRMs before, but this one has been consistent, and the contacts don’t tend to dry out or stop picking up your heartbeat regardless of what you’re doing.

The features are great; I specifically bought this one to monitor my calories burned during exercise, and it does that well. The diary is useful, and will even give you a little trophy if you did well with your exercising during the week.

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Polar F6 Womens Heart Rate Monitor Watch Black Diamond

Friday, February 26th, 2010

Polar F6 Womens Heart Rate Monitor Watch Black Diamond




The Polar F6 heart rate monitor is a great choice for using in large groups where other exercisers might be using wireless training gear that could interfere with your own signal. The F6’s coded transmission prevents crosstalk with other monitors so you’ll get a personalized workout–even in a class environment. It’s packed with innovative training features to help you toward your exercise goals, including:

  • Zone Pointer: A visible and audible feature on the display of your heart rate monitor showing your target heart rate zone and where your current heart rate is within that zone.
  • Polar OwnCal: This feature shows your energy expenditure during one exercise session as well as your accumulated kilocalories during several exercise sessions. You can set daily and weekly exercise goals in terms of calorie expenditure with the OwnCal feature. Because the OwnCal tracks both the energy expenditure during one exercise session and the accumulated kilocalories during a longer time e.g. one week, it helps in achieving both short term and long term goals.
  • Polar OwnZone: This feature guides you through an appropriate warm-up routine and automatically determines a safe and effective exercise heart rate zone–your OwnZone–while taking into account your current physical condition.
  • Polar OwnCode: This technology blocks unwanted signals from other heart rate monitors, ensuring disturbance-free transmission of your heart rate data.

The Fitness Bullets feature shows a bullet on the monitor’s display for every 10 minutes spent exercising/training in your target heart rate zone. The Time in Target Zone feature calculates the amount of total exercise time spent in your personal target zone. You can use this feature together with the Total Exercise Time to determine the effectiveness of your exercise program. You can also better assess your training data using the included Polar Precision Performance (PPP) 4.0 software and the SonicLink feature, which wirelessly uploads exercise settings to the software or to Polar’s web service.

Other features include:

  • Display of heart rate, exercise time and average heart rate
  • 24-hour clock with day/week indicator and stopwatch
  • Large easy-to-read display with split screen
  • One-year average battery life
  • Water resistant to 30 meters (100 feet)

Manufacturer’s Warranty
The original purchaser of this heart rate monitor is backed by a limited warranty that states that this product that the product will be free from defects in material or workmanship for two years from the date of purchase.

About Polar
The first EKG accurate wireless heart rate monitor was invented by Polar back in 1977 as a training tool for the Finnish National Cross Country Ski Team. The concept of “intensity training” by heart rate swept the athletic world in the eighties. By the 1990s, individuals were looking to heart rate monitors not only for performance training needs, but also for achieving everyday fitness goals. Today, the same concept of heart rate training is being used by world-class athletes as well as everyday people trying to lose weight. Polar is the leading brand among consumers, coaches, and personal trainers worldwide and the company is committed to not only producing the best products, but also being the leading educator on the benefits of heart rate based exercise.

User Ratings and Reviews

1 Star Quite often, it doesn’t work correctly
I get really frustrated with this product, because every workout I have problems with it. I will jog, and the monitor will say that my heart rate is 38 (When it works properly, it will say that my heart rate is 168-180 when jogging). Once I did a five minute warm up of cardio (jumping jacks, jump rope, jogging in place, high kicks, etc.) and looked at my watch, and it had zeroed out and said that in those 5 minutes of cardio I had only burned 9 calories. It is REALLY frustrating. The battery is fine, so I don’t know what the problem is. I wish it would work properly, because I love knowing where my heart rate is and how many calories I’m burning, and I love tracking my fitness. I don’t know what’s going on with this product. It’s driving my crazy.

4 Stars Polar F6
Received the item 5 weeks ago. So far working fine. Ordered it through Amazon thinking the annual shipping membership with Amazon helps by ordering from Amazon. At the end of ordering process realized that additional $8+ shipping payment is required as the item is not directly from Amazon. On top of it, unlike Amazon’s prompt shipping; it took about/over a week to receive the poduct.

5 Stars i always wear my polar heart rate monitor when i work out.
hello!!! well, i purchased a polar heart rate monitor when i was pregnant with my first child. my doctor suggested that i do not exceed my heart rate over 140 when pregnant, so i bought one just to make sure i knew when to slow it down. its been 6 years and i finally had to purchase a second one because i made the mistake of changing my own battery on my original heart rate monitor. it worked beautifully until i took it swimming last week. i have become accustomed to working out with it because it gives me my target zone on how hard my heart should be pumping, along with the time. I just purchased the F6 model, which also give you a calorie counter, which is an added bonus. i highly recommend this watch to anyone who is wanting to get back into shape, who has flat lined on their workout, who is an athlete, or someone that just wants to track their fitness. it is worth every penny! there are times when i have gone months without working out and then get back in the gym to find out truly how hard my heart is working. a month later, that same workout will result in my heart beating much slower, which means i am getting back into shape! its not what the scale says, its how hard you workout and how quickly you recover. i love the calorie counter too because it allows me to see how much i have burned in that particular session. this is for everyone. buy it and you will see what i am talking about. the watch is slick enough too to wear for everyday, not just for working out. i am relatively small boned and its nice that the watch doesn’t overpower my wrist like the older version did. only downside? you need to send it to an authorized polar dealer to change the battery, which only lasts about 1 1/2 years. and they get you on the price…i hope you like it as much i have have enjoyed my 2 watches!!!!

francisca marti. danville, ca.

5 Stars Very Pleased
I really liked this product. It’s very user friendly. I would recommend it to anyone.

4 Stars A good purchase
I’ve had this watch for about a month now, and I use it 3-4 times per week. This is my first heart rate monitor, and I wanted one that would just give me a better calculation of my calorie burn and time in target heart rate zone. This product does both of those very well.

I haven’t had any problems getting the monitor to read my heart rate. When I read some of the other reviews, I was a little worried about not being able to replace the battery on the chest strap. Now, I don’t really see that as a big problem. By the time the battery goes out, I’ll probably be ready to “step up” to a better model with more features.

I was pleasantly surprised that I can upload my workout information to the polar Web site. Their site is pretty basic, but it helps you keep track of your weekly and monthly progress.

The documentation that came with the product could have been better, but, between the insert and the web site, I figured it out.

Bottom line: Seems like a very good entry heart rate monitor.

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Polar F7 Mens Heart Rate Monitor Watch Blue

Friday, February 26th, 2010

Polar F7 Mens Heart Rate Monitor Watch Blue




Are you getting the most of what you want to get out of your work-outs? Are you pushing yourself too hard or can you tolerate more? These are important questions if you’re trying to get or stay fit. Depending on your body’s daily condition, you might benefit from either a low or high intensity training session. This monitor checks your daily condition, and guides you to a suitable intensity. If you want to be sure that you are training at the right intensity, this is the right product for you. Check your heart rate and discover how many calories you are actually burning. It’s water resistant and only displays time and date. Go active and get this Polar F7M Heart Rate Monitor Watch today! HeartTouch, button-free operation of wrist unit KeyLock Manual target zone (% / bpm) - %/bpm Sound volume level setting Visual and audible alarm in target zones Water resistant - 50m Computer Connectivity for data transfer to create a database of your performance Wireless ECG Heart Rate Date and weekday indicator Low battery indicator Time of day (12/24h) with alarm

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Nice heart monitor
Looks good, works great. I am working on becoming proficient - it does look like a little work.

4 Stars Good HRM but beware of a few points
This heart rate monitor works great. I have no problems getting a reading from the watch or from the gym equipment that support Polar “broadcasts”. Having said that, the rest of the review will be about “Buyer Beware” points. Buyer Beware Point 1.) From what I can tell, the F7 offers the same features as the F6. In fact the F7 came with the F6 owners manual. I say this because at the time of this review, you can purchase the F6 on amazon for around $96 vs the $119 for the F7. The F7 does though come with a material elastic chest band for the monitor where as the F6 comes with a plastic chest band. The elastic is supposed to be more comfortable and this is why I justified paying the extra $25 for the F7. Buyer Beware Point 2.) You have to wet the connectors of the chest band to get it to read your heart beats. Now many of you may already know this. Being a first time buyer, I didn’t. So I can imagine how gunky this thing is going to get over time. They recommend rinsing and wipe it down after every use and after 3 to 5 weeks of use to wash it in the washer machine in a washer bag and limited detergent (NO BLEACH!). The probes on the strap are a material mesh and look like if I were to repeatedly wipe it down as suggested, will fray. Buyer Beware Point 3.) The battery in the watch is stated as lasting approximately a year. It will be shorter if you use that backlight. In order to have the battery replaced, Polar advises that you have to send it to an authorized Polar service center or it will no longer be under warrantee (which I believe is 1 year so if the battery lasts that long, you are in good shape) and it will no longer be water resistant. I live in the NY City area and there are no Polar service centers near me. In fact, the Polar web site only lists 4 of them in the USA. So when the battery dies, I will be left without my heart rate monitor for days if not weeks while it travels to and from the Polar service center. Given, all of this, I still recommend the product as it works great. I just have to adjust my expectations that this may not last for years and years which is what I was hoping for.

2 Stars Other options might be better
I’ve used several Polar HR monitors in the past, but haven’t for three years due to an injury. Now that I’m back to working out I thought I’d celebrate by getting a new Polar. The F7 I bought was defective in that the receiver wouldn’t pick up the transmitter occasionally so I returned it. But even if it functioned properly I was disappointed with this unit compared to monitors I’ve had in the past.

Pros:

-The chest strap is more comfortable than previously.

- Transmitter works with Precor exercise equipment.

Cons:

- Alarm sounds come from the wrist unit directionally. Louder from one side than the other. Best worn on the right wrist to get the full sound.

- Even worn on the right wrist the alarm sound is weak.

- Comes with F6 directions. A mystery to me.

- No interval timer. For the price it should have one.

-Doesn’t appear to be able to change HR zones during a workout.

-OwnZone utility is more gimmick than useful for me.

Bottom Line: Beginners can opt for a less expensive basic model and get the results/options they need. More experienced or aspiring athletes needing an interval timer, multiple zone workouts, and a loud alarm should step up several models or consider another brand. I finally settled on a Timex.

1 Star Try another brand
I bought a Polar F7 in Nov. 2008. It worked well. For three and a half months. Then it started giving bizarre readings that were totally inaccurate. I registered the product on the Polar website the night I bought it but, for Polar to honor the warranty, it must be accompanied by the original sales receipt, which I should have kept but didn’t, thinking registration would be enough.

I ordered a Timex heart monitor to replace the Polar. The Timex was rated Number 1 by Consumer Reports and you don’t have to send it back to Polar to change the battery. Also, it is probably easier to set than the Polar, which required a lot of fiddling and has a manual that’s little help.

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Polar F7 Womens Heart Rate Monitor Watch Silver

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

Polar F7 Womens Heart Rate Monitor Watch Silver




Stay within your ideal training and intensity range while jogging or working out with the Polar F7 women’s heart rate monitor watch. The F7 works by first checking your daily condition, and then guiding you to a suitable intensity for your age and fitness level. Knowing your heart rate not only helps you reach your personal fitness goal, but also improves your physical condition in general, as it’s vitally important to train at the appropriate intensity level. If you exercise too hard, you may quit before you reach the real benefit, but if you work out too leisurely, you’ll struggle to lose weight at all. The F7 helps overcome these problems by encouraging you to map out a complete fitness routine.

The F7 is packed with innovative training features to help you toward your exercise goals. First off, the watch displays heart rate info in several ways, including as a percentage of your maximum heart rate, as beats per minute, and within a graphical target zone indicator. The watch also offers a visual and audible alarm for when you exceed or underperform your target zone–a great way to stay motivated while on the track. And users will love the ZonePointer and Polar OwnCal modes. The ZonePointer is an audible and visual feature on the display of your F7 that shows you where your current heart rate sits within your target heart rate zone. The Polar OwnCal mode, meanwhile, shows your energy expenditure during one exercise session, as well as your accumulated kilocalories during several exercise sessions. You can also set daily and weekly exercise goals in terms of calorie expenditure, helping you achieve both short-term and long-term goals. And once you settle into a routine, you can synch your watch with www.polarpersonaltrainer.com, an online exercise journal and community that provides guidance, tracks progress and goals, and lets users challenge their friends.

Other features include a Fitness Bullet feature that shows a bullet on the monitor’s display for every 10 minutes spent exercising/training in your target heart zone; an OwnZone mode that provides a customized target zone for individual exercise sessions; an OwnCode mode that prevents crosstalk from other heart rate monitors nearby; a recording mode that tracks your average and maximum heart rate, calorie expenditure, distance, and total exercise time, and then puts it in an exercise file or fitness diary; water resistance to 50 meters; a 24-hour clock with a day/week indicator; a built-in backlight, a KeyLock; a low battery indicator; and both SonicLink and UpLink connections for transferring data between the F7 and a computer. Sporting an attractive silver housing, the watch carries a two-year warranty.

Note:
Polar heart rate monitors are precision instruments; consumers are not advised to change their own battery. Polar recommends that all service be done by an authorized Polar Service Center which will include a warranty for 90 days on repairs and 6 months for batteries.

About Polar
The first EKG accurate wireless heart rate monitor was invented by Polar back in 1977 as a training tool for the Finnish National Cross Country Ski Team. The concept of “intensity training” by heart rate swept the athletic world in the eighties. By the 1990s, individuals were looking to heart rate monitors not only for performance training needs, but also for achieving everyday fitness goals. Today, the same concept of heart rate training is being used by world-class athletes as well as everyday people trying to lose weight. Polar is the leading brand among consumers, coaches, and personal trainers worldwide and the company is committed to not only producing the best products, but also being the leading educator on the benefits of heart rate based exercise.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars A really great HR monitor!
I purchased two other HR monitor watches prior to this and I have to say I definitely like this one the best. I was a bit apprehensive after reading reviews talking about the Polar line (complaints about not being able to change battery yourself, hard to figure out, etc). Since I just got this, the battery issue remains to be seen. But the watch is just great. I will admit to some frustrations initially in trying to make sense of the instructions in the manual when setting it up and doing the fitness test. However, a bit of persistance and just looking through things on the watch and I was able to get it all set up - and I am not a tech savvy person. That having been said, it works great, looks good enough to wear as a regular watch, provides you with lots of great info and feedback and is very accurate on heart rate. It is a great training tool. For example, I am trying to lose body fat as well as increase my fitness. For my different exercises, it lets me know what percentage of the calories burned came from fat calories. I was actually working out too hard all the time! So I have adjusted my workouts to maximize fat burning 3x a week, and cardio fitness 3x a week. There are lots of other examples that are in the product specs. It really does a lot. One last note, I purchased the “ice blue” version. It is not as “ice blue” as it appears on screen. I would say it’s more of a flat colonial gray blue.

3 Stars good but ….
sometimes I get oddly high heart rate readings and I’m not sure why. Also, at times, it takes some time to begin taking a heart rate.

5 Stars Works fabulously so far
I bought the Polar F7 a couple months ago and so far it does everything I bought it for with zero problems. The watch is easy to operate and program. I’ve even worn the heart rate monitor swimming and it functions fine (just be sure not to press buttons on your watch while under water. I imagine that would damage the watch). It’s only been a couple months, but I’ll update any change.

4 Stars easy to set up
I’ve been using my polar f7 heart rate monitor for about 3 weeks now and am very pleased with it. This is the first hrm that I have purchased and was not sure if I would like it. The watch was very easy to set up and to

read after each exercise session. There are several other people in my group class that also have a Polar hrm and after class we compare our different results. I beleive it makes all of us work a little bit harder, a little competition goes a long way. The strap is very comfortable and I ususally forget it’s even there. I would probably give it a rating of five stars, but don’t feel I’ve been using it long enough

to do so.

5 Stars Love it!
Buy it yesterday! I love love love my Polar F7. Go for the F7 and not the F6, the chest strap is nicer. I will not go to the gym without this HRM! Very easy to use. There are a lot of features for those who like gadgets. Love it!

Get it right now!

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Polar F4 Womens Heart Rate Monitor Watch Black Amber

Saturday, February 20th, 2010

Polar F4 Womens Heart Rate Monitor Watch Black Amber




The F4 is the first women’s specific unit from Polar, combining all the necessary heart rate features with a new, slim design. It includes the popular Zone Pointer feature that helps keep you in your Target Zone, and OwnCal to track the calories you burn in real time during your exercise. This well-rounded monitor offers automatic age-based heart rate target zones that will keep you exercising on the right track. You can also override the automatic setting to manually change this zone for fine tuning to fit your particular metabolism. With stopwatch and convenient button free operation, the F4 is a valuable fitness tool. Includes Wrist Unit with CR1632 battery, Transmitter with built-in lithium cell, and Elastic Strap to hold transmitter on chest.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Just what I needed!
I’ve wanted a HRM since I started working out about a year ago, but I couldn’t muster the courage (or money!) to get this one until recently. I bought another one that only gave you your heart rate on demand (instead of constantly), and it drove me up the wall. So I sucked it up and bought this as a replacement.

I LOVE this watch. I was floored at how easy it was to use. I didn’t even have to read the handbook to figure it out. The chest strap is surprisingly comfy. Yes, you will probably need to wet the probes before you start working out, but I put it on, run around the house picking things up or doing laundry and it usually works when I’m ready to go out for a walk/run. I love that the watch blends in and looks like a regular watch so you can wear it without feeling like you are wearing a man’s watch or a small computer!

The only problem I have with the watch is that I can’t get it as tight as I would like because the strap kind of sticks when trying to attach it or take it off. Nothing major, I just have to remember that I have to be more aware of it than I would of a normal watch.

**If you are a larger woman, the watch automatically comes with a size “medium” strap, but it fits me with room to spare. I highly suggest trying the one it comes with before ordering a larger one!**

Bottom line: LOVE this product. If you want something that will work easily and well, buy this HRM!

5 Stars A real life saver.
This little device actually saved my life while running…. A great investment at any price….

1 Star Can’t use it with Sun Tan Lotion
I got this F4 as a Christmas present in 2008. Two weeks later the buttons cracked and fell off. Polar sent me new buttons, and two weeks later the buttons cracked again. I sent the unit to polar two more times and the buttons only lasted 2 weeks each time.

I called their service department and escallated the issue. I spoke to Albert, who said that sun tan lotion damages the buttons so they break. He suggested either not using sun tan lotion or wearing a wrist band under the watch. GIVE ME A BREAK!!! I live in San Diego and I wear sun tan lotion 360 days per year. Polar said their new units do not have that problem, but they would not replace my F4 with a good one.

I will never buy another Polar product.

1 Star Polar seems to need some competition
First, if you buy one of these be aware that it’s extremely easy to accidently wipe out all the personal and cardio info it stores. There isn’t any way to lock this monitor to protect such loss.

I sent this monitor in for repair. They emailed me to tell me they received the monitor. They emailed me to tell me they replaced the circuit board. They had my monitor over a month. I got this monitor back and it works exactly the same as before I sent it in. They did nothing to it. Yes I know how to read and I always read the manuals for everything I buy. This monitor does not display the time when brought to the transmitter belt like it say’s it will in the manual. There isn’t any way for me to have this display the time while it is monitoring.

4 Stars Good Buy
I am very satisfied with this purchase. The only reason im not giving it five stars is because it doesnt have a stop watch or a pedometer. I have a small wrist, and the watch face is a good size especially if you dont like a bulky look. It is comfortable and the band stays put. It is easy to operate, and set up. you can easily turn the sound on or off. The strap is probably the same as all others and occasionally when i switch from doing cardio to weight training the clasp will pop apart, but that only happens occassionally.

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