Timex Ironman Men''s Race Trainer Heart Rate Monitor Watch, Black/Blue, Full Size

The watch has "Triathlon" below the Ironman label, and the manual states it is a triathlon training tool. However, this monitor will not work while swimming. It is an excellent tool for cycling and running, and the review mode is very helpful in recording workout information. I called Timex when the heart rate monitor failed to function in the pool after re-reading the manual to see if the problem could be pilot error. Instead, Timex warranty personnel told me the watch did not work while swimming and was not intended to and there was nothing they could do about the problem. (Not very courteous in providing that information as well.) He also added none of the monitors will work in water. This is incorrect as Polar monitors work quite well while swimming. At the advertised price on Amazon, this is a very good value, and if you don''t need it for swimming, it is very good. I bought the monitor specifically for cycling and swimming, and I still considered keeping it because the other features of the watch are excellent.

Overall, I really like this HRM/watch especially for the price. My Polar was abit more intuitive, but you had to ship it in for full service in order to replace the battery. I was totally happy with the Timex until it stopped recording work-outs in CHRONO mode.

I couldn''t figure it out. There was no reference to anything like this in the manual. their website is very difficult to navigate It appears to just be an online store. You really have to dig to find information on downloads, support, etc. Once I found the right place, the only help offered online was a digital version of the same manual that I already had.

I found a customer support number, and the lady I spoke to was very nice, but told me something that was not documented ANYWHERE.

******** If you buy the watch stand-alone (without the Data Xchanger) the memory will eventually fill up, and there is no way to empty it other than with the Data Xchanger. ***************

She helped me reset the watch entirely (by holding all five buttons down until the screen goes blank) and that cleared out the memory. I had to go back through and reset everything in the watch, but at least it works now. This would have been very nice to know at the outset. I don''t mind buying the Data Xchanger, but this information should be in the book, on the package, on the order site, in customer service, or SOMEWHERE so we can make an informed buying choice.

When it comes down to it, Timex is making great prodcuts, but their support and documentation are not so great.

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4-30-2010 Update: Had an issue with irregular heart rate readings after six weeks of use. Called the Timex support center and reached a very nice woman. She suggested replacing the battery in the chest strap since there''s no way to know how long the unit I purchased had been sitting on the shelf. Even offered to send a new chest strap if the battery replacement didn''t fix the issue. Fortunately, it did.

The more I use this, the better I like it.

I used Polar F6 heart rate monitors for four years. The Timex IronMan Race Trainer is superior in several ways. It has more features. It is more comfortable to wear. And most importantly, the heart rate readings are much more accurate and consistent.

Takes a little time to set it up and learn how to use it and it''s worth it. The print in the manual that comes with the product is small, so I recommend downloading and printing the manual from the Timex website.

All in all, this is an excellent product and a good value.

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I was very disappointed. Having read the reviews, I ordered the heart rate monitor. When I received it, I read the instructions and followed them closely. I even wore it to cardiac rehab and the techs there had the same results. It just did not work. While exercising it showed my pulse at about half of my true heart rate. So I returned the unit to Amazon.com and they graciously gave me a full refund.

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The watch is great, it has all you need for your monitored training. The 12 workout memory is enough for two or three sessions so you don''t have to worry about losing your workout data before sending it to your coach. The only thing I would have liked to be able to do that I can''t is to set all the workout zones manually, but that''s minor.

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