I purchased this watch after running my first marathon and having a conversation with a guy during the race, who was wearing a polar watch. It really came in handy during the race to make sure we were on pace for our goal. Using a standard watch is nice but as we all know, race mile markers aren''t certified and therefore your splits will be off. The footpod is great but you absolutely need to calibrate it. Not sure if its my stride but it was not very accurate out of the box, I ran a half marathon (13.1 miles) and it registered about 14.5 miles. The menus are fairly easy to figure out but I did need to consult the user manual a few times. I personally love the fact that you can customize and switch between 5 different views on the fly while running. The heart rate monitor is your basic type and works well. Overall, I would say this product is worth it if you do longer races including or above a 10k or if you train by yourself. Having the information this watch provides is great for pushing yourself.
Here are the functions that were useful:
-HR is reliable and the new strap is better than their old model (with a user replaceable battery)
-Keeps track of pace and overall mileage
-Holds up to 16 days of workouts
Things that need improvement:
-The setup is not user friendly and I had to carry around the manual to figure it out before workouts
-You have to purchase the flow link in order to upload workout data to a computer
-Calories are not displayed for each individual workout
-Watch is bulky and a terrible color
-Foot pod is really big and requires calibration to be reliable
Overall, if you are looking for a watch that will allow you to track multiple activities, I would go with the Garmin instead. It is slightly more expensive (about $30), but worth it. The Garmin is much more user friendly and provides tons of helpful information.
Buy Polar RS300X SD Heart Rate Monitor Watch with S1 Foot Pod (Orange) Now
I received the Polar RS300X as a gift, after mentioning to my husband that I thought it was a good deal considering the package came with the footpad an expensive addition for some other brands. The heart rate component was the first priority for me and I could have gone cheaper just to get that, but I liked the training computer options and the idea of uploading my data to Polar for analysis. The excitement was short-lived however, when I figured out that another purchase: Polar Flowlink was necessary to upload the data. The good deal became ''less'' at that point. Why not include that in the package too?When it arrived I was not overly thrilled with the dull red/orange color, or the size of the watch (huge on my small wrists). Sunto made some prettier ones and I''d considered them, but the price and what came with them was the deciding factor. Remembering this, I sucked it up and read the Polar manual.
The manual is not as clearly written as it could be, but it''s adequate. The watch isn''t the easiest to navigate, but with practice, you can get it done. The heartrate monitor is accurate and once you put in your personal data (weight, height, etc...) you can get the computer working for you saving data when you tell it to do so during a workout.
The footpod is a good addition for anyone who is a runner or walker and wants to keep track of pace, time and distance. There is no GPS on this watch (like the Garmin Forerunner), although you can buy a GPS pod to be used with it instead of the footpod. The batteries are not ''easy'' to swap out, but if you use a gentle hand and are patient, you can get it done. The footpod does attach securely to your shoe, but it''s a bear to get on and off, so I''d recommend putting it on one pair of your running shoes and leaving it there until you need to replace the batteries. You have to turn the footpod on and off each time its in use by pushing the red button on the top of it. If you forget to do so, you''ll get both a dead battery on the footpod (AAA type) and inaccurate training info on your Polar watch.
I''ve enjoyed using the footpod and then using the Polar Flowlink (not included in this package) to upload my training info to the Polar website. They graph the data you upload and offer assorted calculators to maximize your training. The Flowlink works flawlessly for me (using a Vista 64-bit machine) and I''d recommend this as an additional tool to fully enjoy this watch.
The display on the watch is easy to read, but the buttons seem as though they may lack durability time will tell. The strap seems substantial and despite its size, the watch is comfortable to wear. The chest strap is washable and you must wet the electrodes prior to wearing it for the heartrate monitor to accurately work. A ''pod'' of sorts snaps on to the strap and is removed for washing, however there is no on/off button on it, so hard to tell how the battery in it will hold up.
Batteries are a big issue for this package. The manual states you should send your watch to Polar (or go to a local Polar dealer) for battery replacement or you''ll void the warranty. Others have commented on the short chest strap tansmitter and the footpod''s battery life. Time will tell how it will work for me in that department.
I have no point of reference regarding training watches as this is the first one I''ve owned. I like the data it can produce, and I think it''s accurate. I can see it being very helpful in training for future 5 and 10K races, as well as keeping me in a good training zone while at the gym. I''m not crazy about the lack of clarity in the manual or the ease of use, but each time I use it, I feel a bit less intimidated by it and enjoy the information it gives me.
Overall, I''d recommend it, but I''m sure there are others out there that are even better. How much you''ll pay for those other watches though, may send you back to purchase this one.
UPDATE March 9, 2011:
I''m off to take a run wearing my Polar watch, chest strap and footpod. It all took a bit of getting used to, but I''ve found I like it and battery life on all three seems good. The footpod isn''t noticed after a short time, but is tough to get on and off my shoes so I have designated one pair of running shoes just for them!
The footpod has to be synced with the watch and then you can record your activity with pace and mileage included. The chest strap is comfortable to wear, and after a short time I forget it''s on. The watch is easy to read and so far, the buttons are holding up well.
I purchased the Polar Link separately and enjoy uploading my workouts to the Polar Trainer on their website. It lets me see graphically the time spent at specific heartrates, distance, pace, etc... and keep a calendar to see my progress.
The heartrate monitor seems accurate and overall I''m pleased with this purchase. It''s a great fitness tool.
Read Best Reviews of Polar RS300X SD Heart Rate Monitor Watch with S1 Foot Pod (Orange) Here
Nice, light, with good features but i dont understood why it''s not compatible with polar software. Big cons for me...Want Polar RS300X SD Heart Rate Monitor Watch with S1 Foot Pod (Orange) Discount?
I wanted a HRM to do the following functions:-Track my heart rate during Spinning
-Report my calorie burn after a cardio workout
-Track my mileage when running outside
-Report on my pace when running outside
This HRM + foot pod does all functions beautifully, simply and clearly. I lost 3 lbs in the one month since I''ve had it and increased my running distance from 7k 12k! Just knowing what''s happening inside your body and being able to keep track of mileage, pace, calories and heart rate is tremendously motivating to me!
Emily Segal
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