The Best Out There But Still Could Be Better
By Michael Oct 22, 2006 | 1 out of 1 found this Polar S625x Hear Rate Monitor review helpful
Pros: Software, HRM, Speed/Distance, Temperature, Altitude
Cons: IR Transfers Not Always Reliable, Footpod A Little Uncomfortable
The Basics The watch comes with a HRM and a foot pod to track speed and distance. Data from the watch can be uploaded to my laptop via infrared. Since my laptop does not have an infrared port, I had to purchase an USB/Infrared port (about $40 from P...olar). Also included with the watch, Polar includes their Polar Performance software to log and analyze the workout data. The HRM is fairly standard, supporting up to 5 heart rate zones, max and average during a session along with % of max. The software will breakdown a session by showing how much time is spent in each session. This can be used as a good measuring stick to make sure I'm working hard on tempo days but not too hard on easy and recovery days. I've learned a good tempo pace for me is around a 6:20 - 6:30 min/mile with my heart rate around 150-155 BPM. In my experience, the foot pod has one main advantage over my Timex BodyLink GPS: battery life. The Timex runs about 8-10 hours on one AAA whereas the Polar foot pod will go about 20 hours. While I'm able to use rechargeable batteries (2200 am/h) in the Timex the same batteries don't seem to work in the Polar foot pod. Not sure if the GPS requires less power but I think it is worth noting. The foot pod does require calibration (run around the track a couple times). The GPS units don't require any calibration although you do need to triangulate (lock onto 3 satellites) prior to starting a run which takes about 30 seconds. I've heard people complain about losing signals on tree covered trails and in mountains. I do a lot of running on trails and in the mountains and it's never been a problem for me. I've worn both devices on rainy runs and never had problems, although I've heard complaints losing GPS signals under cloudy skies. My concern with the foot pod is trail running and crossing creeks/streams and covering the foot pod in mud and dirt. It seems like the unit's seal and locking mechanism keeps things dry on the inside so this may not be a worthwhile concern. One final observation has been the foot pod has gone through a couple pair of shoe laces. During the Salt Lake City Marathon, the foot pod rubbed through a brand new pair of shoe laces 14 miles into the race. Nothing like trying to makeshift tie your shoes with only half a lace in the middle of a marathon. At the same time I was leading the 3:15 pace team. It took a few minutes to catch up after the pit stop. Accuracy: GPS vs. Foot Pod I've found little difference in accuracy between the GPS and footpod. I consider the GPS to be the most accurate measuring device. Running with both units on, I receive similar results. But all things are not equal. The footpod lasts twice as long on a single battery but it takes a little time to switch between shoes. Here's a summary of pros and cons: Footpod Advantages Long battery life (15-20 hours) Unobtrusive Footpod Disadvantages Sometimes turns off Requires calibration when switching shoes Not as accurate as GPS right out-of-the-box More Data The S625X provides a lot of data. The altimeter is one of the bonus features that I did not have on the BodyLink (Timex has included an altimeter on their newer trail model). Analyzing workouts and being able to chart an elevation profile can be impressive. You can also view total feet ascended/descended, max/min/avg elevation and % of grade. Subtle Differences But beauty is not skin deep, and the real beauty of this watch is in the features and software. It took some time to master the basic functions of the watch. Most features are nested in menus and it takes a few times to understand the menu functions of the watch. The watch also doubles as a bike computer, providing lots of data (speed, cadence and power). If you are a triathlete, I highly recommend investing in the bicycle attachments and power add-on. So by the time you have bought all the extras, the total cost is going to be around $6 Read more Less
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