Full Written Review of the Timex OVA Ironman Triathlon Watch.

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1. Timex OVA Ironman Triathlon Watch
2. Timex T5K036 Watch Video Review
3. Timex Unisex ING NYC Marathon Ironman Watch Video Review

PUMA Unisex PU910791001 Slide-Large Black Red Digital Watch

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $50.00

Amazon Price: $50.00

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Timex OVA Ironman Triathlon Watch

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $79.95

Amazon Price: View Sale Price

The revolutionary design of the Ironman Triathlon Sleek with OPTIMAL VIEWING ANGLE puts the display in your natural line of sight, without breaking form. The START/LAP button is located in the best possible position for instant and mistake-proof access. The case and strap are sculpted like a second skin, ensuring maximum comfort. The end result is less effort seeing the time, surer tracking of splits, the best possible fit and — most importantly — a faster finish.

The Timex OVA Ironman Triathlon Watch is a tough timepiece designed to withstand a tough triathlon, and all the training that goes with it. Constructed with a lightweight resin case, the watch includes a stationary plastic bezel and a blue resin wristband with an adjustable buckle clasp. A durable mineral window shields the large blue-shaded digital-gray dial face, which displays time as well as the day, date, and month. Four black and blue buttons decorate the bezel and include mode, set/recall, Indiglo, and stop/reset functions. A prominent blue start/lap button rests above the 12 o’clock position. This athletic timepiece is powered by digital-quartz movement and is water resistant to 330 feet.

“I recently bought a Timex OVA (optimal viewing angle) watch. I bought it as a replacement for my old Nike Triax watch, which inexplicably stop functioning correctly. After comparing several different watches, including the new Nike Triax watch, I was impressed at the lightweight of the OVA; I can’t even tell when it’s on my wrist. Also the OVA comes in large- and mid-size versions, which is very important for many runners like myself that have thin wrists. The viewing angle makes looking at your watch slightly easier while running versus the conventional angle. Furthermore, the placement of the buttons is the best on any watch I have ever owned or tried; the start/lap button is literally fool proof and very easy to find without having to look down! The indiglo night feature works the same as many new sport watches, by lighting the numbers rather than the screen, which works very well at night. The memory feature gives lap times, total time, best time, average lap time and also the date at which the time was recorded, which makes recording training information very easy. Finally this watch not only performs fantastic… but it looks awesome with a ton of different color options.”

“Coming from a long distance runner, I find this watch to be one of the best watches I’ve had in a long time.”

Related posts:

1. Timex Womens Ironman Sleek Digital Resin Strap Watch T5K027
2. Timex Womens Ironman Sleek Digital Watch T5K036
3. Timex Womens Ironman Sleek Digital Watch T5K025

Polar RS400 Heart Rate Monitor Watch

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $269.95

Amazon Price: $179.50

Forget about trying to force yourself to get into an unsuitable fitness program! The Polar RS400 Heart Rate Monitor Watch take cares of that by finding that perfect training intensity for your body.

The RS400 features its Polar OwnOptimizer capability. The Polar OwnOptimizer allows this heart rate monitor watch to m determine whether you are under training or over training based on your heart rate, pace, and calories burned and. It measures and analyzes your training results and provides you with visual and aural clues for you to know how effective the runner’s training program is.

With all these data available to you through the Polar RS400, finding ways to ensure successful running training becomes much easier for anyone.

Product Features

• Material:
• Band Type:
• Altimeter: No
• Barometer: No
• Compass: No
• Stopwatch: Yes
• Chronograph: Yes
• Thermometer: No
• Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
• PC Compatible: Yes
• Waterproof: Yes, up to 50m
• Backlight / Electroluminescent: Yes
• Alarms: Yes, with snooze
• Size: Medium
• Recommended Use: Running, aerobic activities
• Weight:
• Warranty: 2 Years

Buy/More Info

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Just the kind of HRM I was looking for
I have been using RS 400 for over a month and completely satisfied with its performance. While I was already excited about its features, when I was researching for a good running computer within my price range, I was a little concerned about some of the negative reviews regarding its infra-red connectivity. The first time I tried downloading data, I did have trouble, but I realized, I was holding it in my hand and my hand was not steady, so I then took the watch off, and placed it on the table close to the USB infrared reader and it has been able to always get the data quickly after that. Other than that, the recording features where you can record your data at 1s, 5s, 60s etc. are great as I’d like to do a lot of interval training and would want to see my heart rate change almost close to real time. The Polar Personal Trainer software that comes free with it is also a big bonus as I can personalize my target zones based on VO2 max values and find out the distribution of my workout in various VO2 max percentages. I also like the fact that it calculates my calorie expenditure by taking VO2 max into account, as well as heart rate, gender, age and weight, unlike the other monitors that just use gender, weight excluding VO2 max, thereby giving my more accurate representation of the calories I am burning. When I compare it to the calories burned shown by my treadmill, bike or elliptical trainer, they show a lot higher number of calories burned almost 20-30% difference. Therefore, I think it is a much more reliable tool even if you just want to lose weight. I would definitely recommend this product to any serious runner or even a casual person, who wants more accurate estimate of their calorie expenditure during a workout.

2 Stars Good heart rate monitor, battery life issue, tough to change the battery
As a hear rate monitor this unit is really good and I like the software that comes with it (this is my third model of Polar monitors). But this is a replacement RS400 because the first one ran through batteries very quickly (to be fair I loved this watch when I first got it and I gave the first unit 5 stars in my review, albeit that was only after about a month of usage). The first battery lasted about four months, the second one four weeks. I don’t suspect this is normal behavior though, it could just be a defect in the unit…or, as I have read on some of the Polar message boards, the watch is designed such that the side buttons are very easily pushed in when setting the watch down on its side such that it could be getting turned on inadvertently and running the battery down. My guess is that it is the latter rather than being a defect. Now I make sure not to put the watch down on its side to prevent this from happening. The watch is also designed so that, theoretically, you can change the battery yourself but the back is made of such soft plastic that it is almost impossible to open it without destroying the battery cover. This is very annoying. My last Polar was great because it had a metal back with small screws that were easy to pop out, change the battery, and pop back in. My guess is you have to have a special jewelers tool to get this back off without damaging the plastic. The conclusion I have come to is that I think this design is just a poor design. They need to go back to the screw on metal backs (e.g. 625Xi) and redesign the buttons to prevent the watch being accidentally turned on and draining the battery. I would recommend you look at a different Polar model as there are other designs that appear to be better and less likely to suffer from these issues.

4 Stars A Good midrange heart monitor.
i’ve upgraded from one of Polar’s eco models to the RS400. So far after three months or so it has worked great. large enough numbers to see ok and backlighting as well. i’m pleased so far. i recommend this product.

5 Stars Great for Triathelon Training
Rock solid – to upload data to your computer via infrared follow these steps 1. make sure your computer recognized your ira port then

2. click on connect from the watch

3. then go to polar desktop software and transfer

follow those step and it rocks.

4 Stars EXERCISE WATCH
THE NUMBERS ARE NOT AS BIG AS I SUPPOSED. I STILL HAVE TO USE GLASSES TO READ THEM WILL EXCERSISING, WAS NOT THE CASE WITH A NIKE TRIAX C8 THAT I USED IN THE PAST. ALL OTHER IS EXCENENT

Buy/More Info

Related posts:

1. Polar RS100 Black Running Series Heart Rate Monitor
2. Polar RS200 Running Heart Rate Monitor
3. Polar RS400sd Heart Rate Monitor Watch with Free IRDA USB 2 0 Interface

Polar F11M Heart Rate Monitor Watch (Grey Pepper, New Design)

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $179.95

Amazon Price: View Sale Price

People looking for the best training possible for their body needs the best equipment and training program. The Polar F11M Heart Rate Monitor Watch aims to provide both of these needs in a single device.

The F11M is an innovative heart rate monitor that not only tracks your data, but also has functions that enables you to create a workout program. Like any heart rate monitor watches, the Polar F11M is able to provide you with speeds, lap times and splits, calories burned and heart rates. However, it truly shines in the way that it uses these data to make personalized workout program.

The Polar F11M Heart Rate Monitor watch features various innovations to give you the best training that you can get. It has features such as the Keeps U Fit – Workout Program that will help you reach your fitness goals. It has the Ownindex and Owncal feature that determines your fitness level, and counts the caolories and fat that you burn.

With all these features packed into the Polar F11M Heart Rate Monitor Watch, having one is the closes that you get to having your own personal fitness trainer!

Buy/More Info

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Worth the money
I have owned my unit for 2 years now and have loved it. If you want to do the work outs that come with it after you put in your stats, you can do that, it is very helpful and keeps you on task & motivated. If you don’t want to do those, you can silence the beeping and do whatever workout you choose and it still records your stats. I think some people who are saying it was giving strange readings or none at all don’t realize that you have to moisten the sensory pads BEFORE you put it on and some times have to move it to the right spot on your lower chest area. It is extremely easy to adjust the chest strapm, I am not sure what that review was about. I had one time where it kept giving me a strange heart beat reading, I simply took off the strap, ran it under the faucet again, and restarted my workout on the watch and didn’t have another problem. Sending it in to get the battery replaced is a pain, but you can take it to a local jeweler if you don’t care about the waterproofing of the watch. The one feature I wish this watch had was a GPS unit to track your distance. Other than that, I wear this watch/strap for my daily work outs of running, lifting, riding and everything in between and love it.

5 Stars Hate to work out WITH OUT my F11
I lost 60 lbs and have kept it off for 2 years using this F11 Heart rate monitor. The built in trainer is very motivating to me. It lets you know when you need to pick up the pace, and also lets you know when you can back it off a bit and “stride it out.” I love the fact that when you get tired and want to quit you look down at the watch and it looks back at you and says come on man, 6 more min. or 85 more calories. You can do it.

Best tool I have ever bought for myself![[

ASIN:B0009HN5Y2 Polar F11 Heart Rate Monitor Watch (Grey Pepper)]]

5 Stars Polar rules!
So glad to be back with Polar. I used up one of their basic models and then gave Suunto a try. Suunto monitors have big and bold designs and their belts used to be more comfortable than Polar’s but for some inexplicable reason mine got moisture inside it and began a slow dying process. It may be a pain to have to send your Polar monitor away to an authorized service center for simple things such as battery changes but they may have some valid reasoning behind it. The F11M is simply my best HRM so far. Easy to use, very accurate and (thanks to a completely new belt design) very reliable and comfortable. The belt really makes this product. It is soft and most importantly the contact points are of a spongy material that retains moisture and guarantees an uninterrupted transmission to the monitor itself. I am a cyclist and with all my previous monitors I’ve had problems with static and dryness interfering with the belt to monitor communication. No such worries here. It looks great and works great. I’ll never try any other brand ever again.

4 Stars Reliable all around heart rate monitor, but lacking certain features for running
I’ve been using this HRM nearly daily for 5 months and it has proven to be reliable and helpful. I had no complaints, it has worked every time I’ve wanted to use it. I’m using it to run, and in that category it is lacking certain features like laps and the ability to measure speed. Therefore I’m going to a better model which includes GPS features, even though I’m pretty satisfied with the product.

5 Stars Highly Functional
I purchased this on the advice of a well respected personal trainer with many years of experience. It is JUST GREAT! The belt that I wasn’t excited about having to wear is very comfortable and even works when I swim. I can come home and load my information onto my computer with little effort and this helps motivate me more than I realized. When I meet my goals for the week I even get a trophy to look at for the entire week that follows.

Be sure you look at the functions and those of the higher end and more expensive models to make sure you choose the one suited for your needs. The computer program has the ability for me to add in distances and modes of exercise even though it idoes not track distance itself. You can even add in your medical information such as BP, HDL and LDL levels, as well as any particular personal information of your own choosing to track with the computer.

Buy/More Info

Related posts:

1. Polar S625X Heart Rate Monitor Watch
2. Polar RS200 Running Heart Rate Monitor
3. Polar RS200sd Heart Rate Monitor Watch Black

Suunto t4c Heart Rate Monitor and Fitness Trainer Watch (Black Frost)

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $239.00

Amazon Price: $208.99

The Suunto t4c Heart Rate Monitor and Fitness Trainer Watch enables you to create and track the very best training program for your body.

The Heart rate monitor allows you to track just how intense you’re workout is through its built in heart rate monitor functionalities. You would be able to see if your body is getting the burn it needs from the work out that you are doing. It provides data for real-time heart rate; calories burned, and even heart rate alarms.

Aside from simple monitoring the Suunto t4c Heart Rate Monitor and Fitness Trainer Watch even has built-in training software. It has the Coach software that enables you to know how to long and how intense to train each day. It even adjusts the rest of your ten-day cycle to ensure you get enough exercise during each phase of training.

With all of these features, the Suunto t4c Heart Rate Monitor and Fitness Trainer Watch is a great training partner for people looking to get the best for their body.

User Ratings and Reviews

2 Stars excellent but you have to praid for function works
this watch is excellent but mine works really bad, i bought it 3 weeks ago and never works on calories burned.. for example, I did 40 min of a hard spinning class and the watch said that I burned 30kcal at 84% average,,, poor watch… if you can buy a polar! i realized that a lot of users have severals problems with T series, pls find differents forum on the web and see them….

1 Star Useless!
I loved the look, feel, and the features this heart rate monitor provides, and I so wanted to keep it. However, if you use it while you move your arms around other than a stationary position you will lose your HR and therefore not have an accurate picture of your workout. I replaced the batteries in both the belt and the watch, paired the belt to the watch but it continued to lose the HR if my wrist went behind my back or over my head. I even returned it and bought it from a different store hoping to correct the problem. Both watches experienced the same situation. In desperately wanting to keep it, I researched and found this to be a common problem with Suunto. I have been a long time Polar user, but HATE the look of every single one of them, so I really was looking for the same quality. Unfortunately,Suunto isn’t the one.

5 Stars perfect HR m.
SO I bought this watch, in need of a heart rate monitor and since I already owned a Suunto watch I thought I would love this one too. I LOVE IT! It’s comfortable, it’s easy to use once you figure out all the little applications, it’s a good size for women. I’m still finding cool little things out about the watch. I suggest you buy the wireless PC Pod too and it will also log your RPMs if you buy a bike pod or even distance if you buy a GPS pod or foot pod. The PC pod will log all your workouts on your PC. I am about to purchase that. The coach on the watch give you the option to follow it but it does not punish you if you don’t. The training effect is confusing at first but when you log your workouts it gives you a range to categorize each workout. I love this watch/ HRM and would recommend it to active women who are into gadgets.

4 Stars Suunto T4C
I have had the watch for a little more than a month now. I would say it is a very large step up from my Polar RS100. However I have a few complaints:

1. The backlight only works some of the time.

2. The screen scratches very easily

Other than that the watch is awesome.

5 Stars I Lovit I Lovit I Lovit I Lovit
This is a sweet piece of gear. I’ve been using it for about a month now. It works great and gathers a lot of data.

The watch itself is comfortable the band works especially well, (mine is the black volcano). A friend has a Suunto T4C as well, (his is the black frost), but his band is a little different. I will agree with other reviews that the face is prone to scratching. With this in mind I use mine only for workouts. The interface isn’t too difficult to figure out. Had it totally figured out after about 4 workouts. I saw a lot of reviews complaining about the complexity however with all the things this thing does the 5 buttons are easy enough to work with. My Timex was about as difficult to figure out.

The chest strap is OK. About as comfortable as a chest strap is going to be. It took a week or so to figure out exactly where to place the strap on my chest and how tight was tight enough. Once the chest strap placement is determined this thing rarely loses heartrate once it has captured it.

I could take or leave the coach function. It usually tells me to do long low intensity workouts or to rest. I haven’t really done much with the coach function as a result.

The data that the T4C can store is pretty extensive. There is detailed workout data available for the 14 most recent workouts. This data includes duration, training effect, average heart rate, peak heart rate, calories burned, and lap times (if using the lap timer). I don’t have the PC interface but transfer the infomation manually to a spreadsheet every few days. Long term data is available (totals) for the current week, the previous week, current month, and the previous 11 months. This data includes the number of workouts, total workout time, total running distance (Foot Pod), total bike distance (Bike Pod), total GPS distance (GPS Pod), and total calories burned.

I don’t have the Foot, Bike, or GPS POD paired devices.

I’ve found it most helpful when lifting. I’ve set heartrate targets for starting my next set so my weight workouts remain in a cardio zone. Prior to having the watch I’d just wait until if felt like my heartrate had dropped enough. Now I have hard data to start the next set.

Spent a lot of time researching before buying. I recommend buying something really cheap that you won’t mind throwing away when it fails/battery dies or buy something decent. This is something decent. Things that drew me to the Suunto T4C is a coded system. You won’t get crosstalk in a spin class with others using a monitor. With the Suunto you can change your own batteries. Most of the Polar monitors have to be sent back to the manufacturer for battery replacement, (read the reviews). The only other monitor that I considered was the Garmin Forerunner 305. Picked the Suunto T4C based on word of mouth of a friend, and I have no regrets.

That’s about all I have to say about that.

Buy/More Info

Related posts:

1. Suunto t3c Heart Rate Monitor and Fitness Trainer Watch Black Polished
2. Suunto t4c Heart Rate Monitor and Fitness Trainer Watch Black Volcano
3. Suunto T3c Heart Rate Monitor and Fitness Trainer Watch Deep Green

The combination of style, durability, and functionality places the Garmin Forerunner at the top of the list as a preferred running watch among elite athletes around the world!

Selecting a Garmin Forerunner product depends on the athlete’s budget, kind of training, and how advanced one wants their training to get.

That said, let’s take a look at our top 3 Garmin Forerunner Watches.

Garmin Forerunner 205 GPS Receiver & Sportswatch

Garmin Forerunner 205

For beginners or entry level training, Garmin offers a Forerunner model that is perfect for them, the Garmin FR 205.

On its own, the slightly more affordable Garmin FR205 is a GPS powered fitness watch plus workout tool that tracks your total training time, and calories burned.

The FR 205 also lets you create multi sport workouts. Multi Sport Workouts allows you to seamlessly transition between sports without having to reset the unit. This is a perfect setting for training for triathlons or any other event that combines many disciplines.

If you are feeling a bit more advanced, and want more training data to analyze, the Garmin FR 205 can use its ANT+ seamless wireless feature to connect with other accessories.

It can connect with devices like the wireless foot pod for you to be able to track more data such as distance, speed and pace.

Buy/More Info

Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver With Heart Rate Monitor

Garmin Forerunner 305

Garmin also offers more feature rich products if you consider yourself a bit more of an advanced runner.

In the Garmin Forerunner® 305, runners would get more details and more advanced features than the entry level Garmin models.

The Forerunner 305 is also capable of the basic features that the Garmin FR 205 has – PLUS, it packs more functionality such as a digital coded heart rate monitor and heart rate zones.! It even has built in multiple sport profiles for running, biking and other sports.

What separates the Garmin Forerunner 305 from entry level models is that it already has a built in heart rate monitor that previous models needed additional accessories for.

This makes accessing the data much simpler and more intuitive for users.

Buy/More Info

Garmin Forerunner 405 GPS Receiver With Heart-Rate Monitor (ADVANCED)

Garmin Forerunner 405

For even more advanced training, Garmin rolls out the Garmin Forerunner 405.

One of the more advanced GPS enabled training watches; it packs the monitoring of your training time, distance, pace, calories and heart rate but also adds more functionality and style to the device.

The first thing that you would notice in the Forerunner 405 is its more compact design. This makes it more lightweight and more comfortable to wear when you are training.

The next improvement is that it seamlessly connects to the Satellites for tracking your data. GPS uplink is much quicker than the entry level or mid range models. The Garmin 405 connects to satellites in 4-5 seconds as compared with the minute or 2 in other models.

Lastly, the Garmin 405 supports Wireless data upload. When you connect the USB “ant stick “to your computer, the Garmin would automatically send your workout data from the watch to your PC.

This makes it much easier to maintain and keep track of your training records.

Buy/More Info

Again, before purchasing a GPS running watch, it would be important for you to know what kind of training you want to have.  Are you aiming for a simple stroll in the park, a morning leisure run or perhaps an intense training regiment fit for triathletes?

No matter what training path you choose however, it seems that there is a specific Garmin Forerunner series running watch that is fit for you.

Related posts:

1. Personalizing Your GPS Running Watch
2. Garmin 010 00679 05 Forerunner 50 Sports Watch with Heart Rate Monitor and USB ANT Stick
3. Garmin Forerunner 405 Black GPS Enabled Sports Watch HRM Factory Refurbished

SIGMA PC15 Heart Rate Monitor Watch

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $79.99

Amazon Price: $62.00

The no hassles Sigma PC15 Heart Rate monitor watch ensures that your exercise sessions measure up to your standards.

Like any other Heart Rate Monitor watch, the Sigma PC1 5 is able to provide you with accurate data about the way you train. Your heart rate, calories burned, lap times and splits are all recorded and measured by this wonderful equipment.

After recording your data, the SIGMA PC15 Heart Rate monitor watch even goes a step further and provides you with a Training manager feature to ensure that all your effort in your training are not going to go to waste.

With these features and easy to use interface, the Sigma PC15 is a watch that is as committed as you are with your training..

User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars HRM Reliability, not as advertised
Sigma Sport, a German Company is producing very good bike computers which I and my family used to equip our bicycles with. 2 years ago I bought a HRM Sigma balance with a few essential features. I was not satified with the touch sensors arraged on a ring around the display, because I did not really feel when it was taking the finger push. Another flaw I discovered that the data link between the breast strap and the watch failed to work occationally without having any glue why. Due to a report in a bike magazine I decided to buy this PC 15. On this HRM the buttons are much better to push and clearly to recognize but I find the menu for the features that you can choose to be displayed confusing and not very easy to find. Again I discovered that the Data link failed to work sometimes for a couple of minutes and I have no read-out. Why I cannot tell. The spot under the sensors were always wet from my sweat. I think this is a general Sigma manufacturing flaw. I have sent the PC 15 to Sigma to have it checked. They denied any discrepancy but they have sent me a new breast band(?)

Loosing data while you were running, biking or walking messes up the total results and the end of the training.

4 Stars Works well
I have the PC15 for already a couple of months, using it in the Gym mainly.

The watch is well built and solid. I wear it daily though it is not the nicest watch seen. It works fine with no prolems so far.

Pros

—–

The minimal set of features I needed is supported. This set consists of HR, Cals, HR zones, % of max HR, Tansmitter’s compatibility to Gym equipment.

Max HR and avg HR measurements are also given.

Cons

—-

Menu navigation- Navigation is hard to control while at workout. Switching between displays requires attention as normally more than 5 steps are needed with 2 buttons to control.

Back light – light stays on for about 3 seconds only. After that it turns off even if you are still not done with the menu’s buttons. You’ll have to push the backlight button again.No automatic light on.My old Polar was much better in that sense.

Watch – No week’s day, no seconds.

Stopper – There is actually no real stopper inside. Resolution is of seconds, no fractions. After 10hrs the resolution degrades to minutes. It takes about 10 buttons push to get to the stopper from the main menu. In case of no signal (if strap is off) the stopper display switches to the main time/date display.

Lap Counter- No heart rate measurements per a lap, only time/lap.

4 Stars Why Spend More?
This watch does everything you need for personal training and is an unbeatable value, especially considering that it fully beats the features of competing watches costing 30 dollars more.

The included chest transmitter belt is easy to adjust and comfortable to wear, quickly linking up with the watch and maintaining a signal throughout long workouts. The HRM automatically sets up your optimal training zones based on the initial interview and audibly alerts you as you go from zone to zone during workouts, although I found the visual zone indicator to be a bit on the small side to quickly glance at if mounted to bike handlebars. The watch gives you a per-workout and overall statistics which are very helpful and complete.

The only minor aspects that prevent me from giving this HRM five stars is the decent but not perfect build & aesthetics of the body/strap, and instruction manual & watch menu interface that could use some more refinement. This is certainly not a deal-breaker though, and you quickly get used to the interface with repeated use.

Good stuff: thanks for pro fitness equipment affordable, Sigma!

1 Star poor
Bought this monitor and found the instructions on setting the watch up very hard to understand and follow. In addition in a few days it stop working and was sent back to Amazon. Ordered a Polar RS-100.

1 Star sigma PC 15 watch
This was the first product that I purchase off of the internet that I felt is JUNK! I can kick myself for throwing away the box. The chest ban the is use fails over 50% of the time. I e-mailed the mfg. and was told to water down the contacts. That worked for less then fifteen seconds and received a no signal read out on the watch. Do yourself a favor and go to consumer report let this company rate the product first before purchasing. I will sell this watch for $10.00 because that is the only module that works. BYER BE WARE!

Buy/More Info

Related posts:

1. SIGMA ONYX Balance Heart Rate Monitor Watch
2. SIGMA ONYX Classic Heart Rate Monitor Watch
3. SIGMA ONYX Easy Heart Rate Monitor Watch

Polar RS400 Heart Rate Monitor Watch

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $269.95

Amazon Price: $179.50

Forget about trying to force yourself to get into an unsuitable fitness program! The Polar RS400 Heart Rate Monitor Watch take cares of that by finding that perfect training intensity for your body.

The RS400 features its Polar OwnOptimizer capability. The Polar OwnOptimizer allows this heart rate monitor watch to m determine whether you are under training or over training based on your heart rate, pace, and calories burned and. It measures and analyzes your training results and provides you with visual and aural clues for you to know how effective the runner’s training program is.

With all these data available to you through the Polar RS400, finding ways to ensure successful running training becomes much easier for anyone.

User Ratings and Reviews

1 Star Does not come with IR Adapter!!!!!!!
Why do they not clearly state that this product does not come with a IR Adapter. Why provide software for analyzing data when they do not provide a way to transfer the data to the computer.

Have they not heard that IR is out and Bluetooth is in!!!!

1 Star Get the Garmin 305 Instead
I got the RS400 to replace the Polar 625X–which failed to connect to my computer just after the warranty expired. key thing about this device is being able to download data to the computer to use the analyzing software. Unfortunatly, I am RETURNING the RS 400 becuase it FAILS TO DOWNOAD to the computer–even using the very expensive POLAR brand IRD interface device. The old watch (625x) was always very touchy to download, took many tries. This fails to transfer at all. I’ve had the Garmin 305 for 2years and love it. It downloads thru a USB connector every time. the only reason I tried to get polar again is to for the OWN INDEX test. But I don’t need to spend $249 for only that functoin when the Garmin 305 does everything else and also has a robust analytical software program (but you cannot print it). really wanted to give Polar another chance and really disappointed. GET THE GARMIN 305 INSTEAD!

-middled aged female athlete

1 Star Polar WebLink is useless
I have been using a RS200 for a few months. The unit works fine capturing the data but the hassle that one needs to go through to get the data uploaded to the Polar site via Weblink is very very cumbersome. It is a hit and a miss and I have given up on transmitting my data because of this useless feature.

5 Stars Perfect for planning workouts and maintaining workout records
Often products that have a multitude of functions and settings can be a little daunting. I was a bit concerned that this heart rate monitor would be too difficult to program, but was really interested in having the ability to program/customize my own workout zones. Much to my delight, the watch is very simple to program, the directions are easily understood, and I am able to transfer data back and forth between my watch and my laptop via the infrared function. (People with computers without infrared readers will need to purchase the optional cable.) I now have records of my workouts and am able to plan my interval training in advance and program the workouts, including 5 zones, into the watch. The only downside is that there is not a design/color option for women. The watch appears to have been designed more for a man than a woman.

5 Stars My third Polar and the best yet
I have no problems with the IR transfer others have mentioned, although this has been problematic on my two previous models (one i broke and one I gave to a friend as an excuse to buy this cool new one). My S610 worked well for the first couple of years but then struggled to connect via IR. One thing I will say is steer very clear of that Polar after marker IR device (see my other review on that specifically). It is an absolute overpriced piece of garbage (I usually don’t speak out that strongly against something but after spending $120 on two of them I want to help others not flush good money down the drain). For $20 you can get a Startech model that works flawlessly. I use this monitor 5 days a week and the Polar Precision Performance software that comes with it is solid. I do recommend upgrading to a model that includes this software as their weblink tool is pretty worthless (my wife uses it because her F55 is not supported by the Polar Precision Performance software). Overall though the Polar watches and chest bands are the best.

Buy/More Info

Related posts:

1. Polar RS300X Heart Rate Monitor Watch Orange
2. Polar RS300X SD Heart Rate Monitor Watch with S1 Foot Pod Black
3. Heart Rate Polar RS400 Monitor

Forget about trying to force yourself to get into an unsuitable fitness program! The Polar RS400sd Heart Rate Monitor Watch take cares of that by finding that perfect training level for your body.

The RS400sd features its Polar OwnOptimizer capability. The Polar OwnOptimizer allows this heart rate monitor watch to m determine whether you are under training or over training based on your heart rate, pace, and calories burned and. It measures and analyzes your training results and provides you with visual and aural clues for you to know how effective the runner’s training program is.

The Polar RS400sd Heart Rate Monitor Watch also comes with a free IRDA USB 2.0 interface and Polar Protrainer 5 training planning and analyzing software. This makes it easier for any runner to upload his data to the computer, and analyze the results of his workout.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Very Repeatable Results
The RS400 foot pod gives very repeatable results. Initially, with no calibration, the foot pod was 7% accurate for me. It didn’t matter if the distance was 3 miles or 9 miles it maintained a 7% error. I did a manual correction using data from a 7 mile run and the unit is now about 1-2% accurate. I think I can improve it better if I calibrate it using data taken from a 1600m track run. I personally like doing the manual correction because it allows me go back to a previous factor if a new one does not perform better.

My wife happens to have the Garmin Forerunner 405 while I went with the Polar RS400sd so we have been able to compare both systems. They both can measure and record your workouts and come with s/w for your computer. Both s/w packages have a workout diary and allow you to define custom workouts and upload them to your watch. This feature is great for interval training. No more having to remember how many laps you’ve completed or how much your pace should change. I think the Garmin s/w might have a slight edge compared to Polar’s. Overall both systems work very well, each with their +/-. Here are some notable features for each.

Polar RS400 Pros:

-No need to look for GPS satellite signals

-Very Repeatable results

-Calories burned calculation based on hear rate.

-Good battery life

-Display Screens very customizable

-Capable of manual calibration

-comfortable wrist unit

Polar RS400 Cons:

-Do need to calibrate foot pod for best accuracy

-Downloading workout data is temperamental with IR connection

-Auto laping feature based on start of workout not on the start of the last lap. It would be cool to be able to record a lap manually and then continue auto laping based on that point.

-foot pod is a little bulky (but surprisingly unnoticeable while running)

-Have to manually erase workout data after download. Would be nice if this was done automatically.

Garmin 405 Pros:

-GPS receiver in wrist unit

-No need to calibrate

-Actual route can be viewed on a map

-Buttonless screen navigation

-Data download connection to computer is very robust.

Garmin 405 Cons:

-Have to set you watch out for a few minutes to look for GPS satellites

-Watch unit needs to be recharged regularly (GPS is power hungry)

-Watch is a little bulky

-Buttonless screen feature can be temperamental during a workout

3 Stars RS 400 SD
I find this product to be an excellent tool for keeping track of my workouts. The one complaint I have is that there seems to be a glitch with transfering information to my desktop; I find that I often have to close the Polar program and reopen it in order to get the transfer to work. Other than that it’s easy to use and very sturdy. The footpod has been accurate and, although it can be difficult to attach to my shoe, it has held up very well to trail runs, stream crossings and muddy days.

3 Stars Works alright
I’ve tried several Polar heart monitors before, but this is the first one I’ve tried with a soft strap. The strap is more comfortable and seems to be easier to get good contact than the hard straps. Having said that, I still have problems with getting good contact and often need to dump more water on the strap during the first ten minutes of my run. Be sure to really soak the strap before starting… a little dab of water is not enough.

The IrDA device is pretty touchy… borderline obnoxious. It seems more like a beta product than a reliable production product. The watch has to be pressed against the transceiver, help really steady, and typically I have to make two or three attempts before it works. I would not have been very happy to purchase the IrDA device separately, especially considering the gouging price that Polar sells it for, and experience these problems. FWIW: the IrDA port on my Thinkpad interfaces with the watch so it may be possible to get a less expensive IrDA device if you need another. Just seems like some sort of solid protected USB like plug would be far superior.

I don’t use the running pod.

I really like the zone alarms which give you an audible indication if you are dogging it or pushing too hard.

If you don’t really need logging capabilities, you may want to consider a less expensive monitor.

4 Stars RS 400 SD
I was using the Nike Ipod pedometer for a few weeks to track my distance and time. The Nike Ipod after a few weeks was just not accurate enough for my needs. I ended up buying the 400 SD with all its feautres. My first run was for 1 mile and the pedometer was accurate at 1.05 miles. The heart rate showed a steady increase the first minute of my run and then it leveled off as I would expect. After my run I was able to download the information into my laptop with no problems. My laptop has a built in Ir port so it was no problem with the transfer. The software is fairly easy to use and has several reports to show you different graphical curves of your heart rate.

Overall, I really like the product and for my first run it was fairly simple. My only issue with this item is the price. Sure is a lot of money but then it does have a lot of features. You really need to read the directions for this item. There are so many sub pages and functions that it is not intuitive as to how to navigate thru all the different pages on the watch.

Buy/More Info

Related posts:

1. Polar RS300X SD Heart Rate Monitor Watch with S1 Foot Pod Black
2. Polar RS200 Running Heart Rate Monitor
3. Heart Rate Polar RS400 Monitor