Buying a Heart Rate Monitor ~ 6 Polar Model Review

Polar: The Company

Polar is a company founded to specifically create and market portable heart rate monitors. Founded in Oulu, Finland, a region well known for its advanced technological research, it is not surprising that the company was able to release the first wireless wearable heart rate monitor in as early as 1982 – just 3 years after the patent for wireless heart rate measurement was filed.

Today, the company continues to be among the top creators of portable heart rate monitors. It is renowned in many parts of the world – with customers full of praises for the company’s innovation and its wide range of products suitable for runners and athletes of all levels. Through the years, it has maintained a reputation of having the best heart rate monitoring hardware and solid electronics and engineering.

Some Representative Monitors

The Polar RS 100, Polar RS 300x, Polar F6, Polar A4 Strapless, Polar F4, and Polar RS800CX heart rate monitors display the approximate number of calories and percentage of fat that a runner burns. The monitors also calculate the training zone intensity of the user following a 5-minute walking and jogging test. As an exercise tool, the heart rate monitor can be used in a variety of activities including swimming as it is waterproof up to 50 meters.

Crosstalk Prevented

Heart rate monitors have become popular over that years that crosstalk among other heart rate monitors became a problem. Crosstalk could mean that the monitor that one runner is using picks up signal from the transmitter of another runner a few feet away. When crosstalk happens, there may be fluctuations in the readings, readings rising rapidly, or sporadic readings recorded. This was solved by coding the heart rate transmission from the transmitter to its monitor partner to ensure that crosstalk will be avoided.

Understanding Some Advanced Features

Some of the more advanced models have features ideal for highly advanced users. For instance, RS800CX comes equipped with a CS cadence sensor for both running and bike training. Cadence is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm) using the bicycle while it is measured as the number of times that a foot (left or right) hits the ground per minute (steps per minute). Like the heart rate, cadence can also be used to set a training zone.

Models equipped with a GPS may be able to measure stride length or the average length of one step, speed, and pace without having to buy additional equipment. The altitude (in meters/feet ascended or descended) is measured using an atmospheric air pressure sensor available in some models.

Differences Among the Products

Polar has a wide range of products that cater to the different needs of each user–whether you want to start a fitness routine, are already active but want to improve your fitness program, or are a serious runner who wishes to maximize your performance. Because each of these products was created with a specific user in mind, each model differs from the others in some ways. For instance, the Polar F4 model was created more for the ladies than for men; thus, the product is considerably smaller in size than the other models (still, you can actually find a male edition).

The monitors created for those who simply want to “get active” (Polar RS100 and Polar F4, for example) have the basic features with a few frills and advanced features including a heart rate measurer, calories or fats burnt measurer, a watch, a timer and a stopwatch.

The Polar A4 model falls under this “get active” category but differs from the other models in that it does not monitor heart rate unless additional gadgets (a transmitter, for instance) are attached to it. For those who wish to “improve fitness”, models like the RS300x and Polar F6 offer the basic features with other additions. These models offer a fitness test and higher memory, and have the ability to create a fitness diary and training program.

Models like the Polar RS800CX were created for the most advanced users to “maximize performance” so that features like a barometer, altimeter, thermometer, GPS, speedometer and other gadgets have been added on top of the basic heart rate monitoring features to make it a top fitness all-in-one device.

Guidelines to Buying a Certain Model

With so many models by Polar alone, choosing which to purchase can be confusing. The following guidelines will help you choose which one to buy.

1.    Ask yourself why you are buying a heart rate monitor. Then, ask yourself in which user category do you belong to? If you are just starting out a routine, you are in the “get active” group but if you are a regular runner/exerciser then you belong to the “improve fitness” group. If you are into extreme and endurance sports, you belong to the “maximize performance” group.

2.    How much are you willing to pay for the gadget? Well, if you have a limited budget, something below or close to $100 would already have the basic features needed for running. You can also get the inexpensive strapless monitor but if you want a continuous monitoring, you would need to buy a transmitter for that.

3.    Check the product specifications of each of the models to see if you need all the features. If you just run regularly for recreation, buying the advanced (and expensive!) models is not a good idea. On the other hand, if you need a way of measuring your speed, cadence, the altitude you are in, the temperature, etc., then you need to get a model with all these features.

4.    Your gender also matters. Some of the models have options for men or women users. Often, these varieties only differ in size and color but all features are often similar–though there are models which include calculations best suited for women users. Still, some models are especially created for women – an example is the F4 model – so, be on the lookout for gender appropriateness or gender-based size especially if you are buying the products online.

Check out the comparison below so that you will get an idea as to what model or product range you should consider buying.

A Comparison

Let us compare 3 of the models presented above: the RS100, RS300X, and the RS800CX which are representatives of the “get active”, “improve fitness”, and “maximize performance” categories, respectively. The basic RS100 is the cheapest (at $119.95) while the RS800CX is the most expensive (at $419.95 to $499.95). RS100 can display text in English only and can save just 1 training file – RS300X can display text in English, German, French, and Spanish and can save 16 training files – RS800CX can display text in all these languages plus Italian and can save 99 training files.

RS300X has the smallest face of the three while the RS800CX has the largest. The RS800CX model also contains the most number of features. In fact, it contains features that the three others do not have: it can act as a thermometer, barometer, and altimeter and can record combined training files and intervals between successive heart beats for use in the analysis of heart rate variability using the ProTrainer 5 software. The user of RS800CX also has the option to use the gadget to remind him/her of training sessions or various tasks; the gadget also has a user-replaceable battery and dual time zone.

In terms of measuring body parameters, RS100 and RS300X can only measure the average and maximum heart rate of each lap and training period while the RS800CX can also measure the minimum heart rate. Moreover, heart rate can be displayed as bpm or % or % HRR (heart rate reserve) in RS800CX as opposed to bpm only in the two models. Because the RS800CX is designed to “maximize performance”, it also comes equipped with the Polar OwnOptimizer which helps the user set the gadget to ensure increased training performance without overtraining or undertraining. =

In terms of training features, RS300X and RS800CX both have automatic lap recording, display zoom, time and distance based interval timers, ZoneLock (locks the gadget to a desired training zone), and ZonePointer (indicates if the user is within the target zone).

It is easy to judge which among these models is the best as Polar RS800CX has the highest number of and more advanced features available for the user. However, if these models were judged according to the needs of the user, it can be quite difficult to find the best model in terms of that certain category because what use would those extra features (which make the model cost more) be for the average runner? Thus, it is better to determine which user could benefit most from a certain model.

All of these product models are available at the Newsfitness Fitness Shop.

Who Should Buy It?

If you buy the heart rate monitor at a local (mortar-and-brick) store, you can see firsthand how the gadgets look. While there, you might as well ask for a test to be done to find out the differences among these gadgets – this will help you choose the right product for you. By checking some of the products mentioned in the above review, it could be concluded that each of the products is ideal for a certain user. The features tested in the models help point to a certain user group that the product was specifically created for, the people who would benefit most from buying that certain model.

The Polar RS 100 is ideal for beginners who need to have something to keep track of their heart rate and fitness. Because the gadget has all the basic body measurement features needed for an exercise session, it can be used by students wishing to monitor their heart rate for gym or physical education classes, office workers who need to find time and motivation to exercise so as to augment their sedentary lifestyle, and other regular users who just wish to have a gadget to make sure they are not pushing their hearts too much when they exercise.

Recreational runners who wish to have all the essential timing, speed, distance and heart rate features will like the Polar RS 300x. This model is ideal for those who run daily or at least several times a week – it does not matter if the user is young or old, student or worker as long as he/she exercises on a regular basis. This would be a good gadget to give to marathon runners who often practice for a long-range activity.

The Polar F6 model is used by runners who want to make sure that they are running or training at the intensity ideal for them–be it low, medium or high intensity. This gadget is especially important for those users who are training on their own and do not have a coach or teacher to guide them. For instance, a student who wants to try out for the school’s track and field team needs to first train him/herself first so that he/she can get into the team.

Those who do not want to have gadgets attached to them while exercising but need to measure their heart rate at some point may consider using the Polar A4 strapless model. Because the model is actually quite inexpensive compared to the others, this is ideal for those who are low on budget. This is also good for users who exercise at sporadic intervals. For instance, the office worker who wishes to join the annual company-organized marathon might want to buy this gadget for use during the yearly event only as what use would advanced products be when he/she only uses the equipment once or twice in a year?

The Polar F4 product is the best model for women and for those who are looking for a gadget with the basic features at an affordable price. This is a relatively inexpensive model – in fact, it is the least expensive of the continuous heart rate monitors reviewed here. Thus, aside from being ideal for women users, it is also a great option for those on a tight budget but need a monitor that could continuously record heart rate.

Lastly, the Polar RS800CX model is preferred by those who want a device ideal for achieving maximum performance in intense trainings and endurance sports. It can be used by those who regularly compete for various regular and extreme sports such as cycling, running, kayaking, triathlon, long-distance races and marathons, cross-country skiing, and racing. Because of the altimeter, barometer, and thermometer features, it is a great gadget for those who want to climb Mt. Everest or other high-altitude places.