recommendations for a Polar heart rate monitor?

[masking_agent]

I'm looking for a decent Polar accurate hear rate monitor with chest strap. I'm basically looking for a wrist watch unit and chest strap. I'm not interested in the models that attach to the bikd.

Are there any models more recommended over others ? any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Or should I scrap Polar all together and get another brand ?

I'm hoping to spend no more than $300 CDN

thx

 

[brianf7]

None of the POLAR bike computers are any good they are expencive toys.
they all have issues and dont last long enough for what you pay for them

The basic Polar watch is OK just for heart rate

I recomend Garmin if you want a bike computer and Heart rate monitor.

You get what you pay for if you want GPS so your wife can trace you on the net you can do that also.

 

[Race Radio]

I agree with Brian. Polar sucks. They are ridiculously hard to set up, customer service sucks, and their functionality is not as good as the Garmin.

 

[straydog]

Garmin and Suunto both do options that can be bought as basic watch and chest strap and added to in the future, with bike comp and GPS, foot strike monitors etc. As do Polar incidentally, who also do a power function add on for your bike.

How much is 300 canadian dollars worth nowadays? Is it still about 3 pounds sterling?

 

[Master50]

Well I sort of agree with the above. I have a polar 710 with computer interface that only works on 32 bit operating systems like XP with a speed sensor, 2 chest straps and handle bar mount that I'd sell for 100 and postage.
the 710 is a very good monitor and has worked well as a bike computer but they don't support it anymore so I replaced with a Garmin 500.

 

[straydog]

Actually one complaint I really do have about Garmin, is that the chest strap is mightily uncomfortable if you actually have two lungs larger than the size of hamster. Really really poor.

 

[Le breton]

I'm looking for a decent Polar accurate hear rate monitor with chest strap. I'm basically looking for a wrist watch unit and chest strap. I'm not interested in the models that attach to the bikd.

Are there any models more recommended over others ? any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Or should I scrap Polar all together and get another brand ?

I'm hoping to spend no more than $300 CDN

thx

Do not buy POLAR .

I got my POLAR VANTAGE NV heart rate monitor in 1995, used extensively, abused it of course and now, 15 years later, I am still stuck with it.

I have no objective reason to ditch it as it still works perfectly (although I am on my 3rd or 4th wristband), does not miss a beat, has all its digits working, etc. in other words as good as new, what a drag. If it failed in one way or another I would have an excuse to replace it.

POLAR sucks.

 

[masking_agent]

thanks for the help guys. It looks like I will go the route of a Garmin 305

 

[Boeing]

None of the POLAR bike computers are any good they are expencive toys.
they all have issues and dont last long enough for what you pay for them

no doubt the multi functions are useless

 

[StyrbjornSterki]

None of the POLAR bike computers are any good they are expencive toys.
they all have issues and dont last long enough for what you pay for them

The basic Polar watch is OK just for heart rate

I recomend Garmin if you want a bike computer and Heart rate monitor.

You get what you pay for if you want GPS so your wife can trace you on the net you can do that also.

Step away from the crack pipe, sir, you clearly have surpassed your limit.

 

[Archibald]

I've had an S725X since about 2002 and I have no reason to use anything else. Has worked just fine cycling, running and anything else I've used it for.
Software has been fine for the purposes I use it for, and it's easy to use.

I got a Garmin F60 for my girlfriend for her running, and the software is rubbish to use. The navigation of the watch in terms of setting up and using has been a nightmare - some serious logic issues with its setup and not much assistance from the manual...

I doubt I'd look at Garmin again should we lose or destroy either unit

 

[elapid]

I have had a Polar S510 and an S625X. The S510 was good at the time (but downloads were a nightmare), but the S625X (and the subsequent so-called customer support) just sucked.

I then bought a Garmin 305 and can only sing its praises. I also more recently bought the Garmin Edge 705 and again am very pleased with its functionality and ease of use. Both are excellent to use while on the road and downloading the information is simple and quick (with the added bonus that they are Mac-compatible). The few dealings I have had with Garmin customer support have also been very good. Personally, I would never buy Polar again.