Best Reviewed
Heart Rate Monitors
- Best heart-rate monitor Timex Ironman Race Trainer *Est. $120
- Heart-rate monitor for serious athletes Polar FT60 *Est. $200
- Budget heart-rate monitor Polar FT1 *Est. $60
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Heart-rate monitor for serious athletes
- Numerous training features
- Replaceable battery
- Comes in men's and women's designs
- Optional GPS and foot pods
- Expensive
- Data uplink costs extra
- Setup can be confusing
The Polar FT60 does more than display heart rates, and reviewers say this training partner is surprisingly motivating -- much like having a virtual personal trainer. The Polar FT60 tracks heart rate and calories, and its training program calculates workout zones based on your current level of fitness. The FT60 will also tell you if you are working too hard or need to speed it up. Other features include a fitness test, 100-workout history, alarm and backlit display. Optional GPS or foot pods track speed and distance. The FT60 gets high marks for accuracy and reliability. A user-replaceable battery is another plus. However, you will have to spend extra if you want to transfer your heart-rate data to a computer -- the Polar FlowLink (*Est. $55) must be purchased separately. Some reviewers say the initial setup can be overly complex, and we saw some complaints that the display can be hard to read in certain lighting conditions. If you don't need features like a customized workout program or fitness test, the Timex Ironman Race Trainer (*Est. $120) also gets high marks at a cheaper price.
The Polar FT60 is reviewed by a number of publications, but the most detailed review comes from a recent article in The New York Times. The newspaper enlists the help of a personal trainer to review five heart-rate monitors, including the Polar FT60. An older article in The New York Times is also helpful. FeedtheHabit.com and Runner's World magazine also test the Polar FT60 in real-world settings. Shorter reviews are available from Bicycling and About.com.
Polar Flowlink
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Timex Ironman Race Trainer Heart Rate Monitor Watch, Grey/Lilac, Mid Size
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| Polar FT60 Women's Heart Rate Monitor Watch (Black) | |
(19 reviews) In Stock. Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping |
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| Featured Stores | Store Rating | Notes | Total Price | |
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Our Sources
The New York Times enlists the help of a personal trainer to test five heart-rate monitors, including the Polar FT60. The tester likes the variety of workout features, but he has a problem maintaining a consistent heart-rate reading.
Review: Gear Test, Heart Monitors, Jennifer Bleyer, March 23, 2010
Danielle Belopotosky tests the Polar FT60 for The New York Times' Gadgetwise blog, finding it comfortable, sturdy and reliable. However, she also says that it takes some time to set up the monitor and there is no lap timer.
Review: Marathon Tech Review: Watches, Danielle Belopotosky, Aug. 18, 2009
3. RunnersWorld.comDetails/Subscribe
Runner's World enlists the help of one runner to test the Polar FT60. Bob Parks finds that the device develops a "surprisingly insightful plan," assigning total exercise time and workouts of varying intensities.
Review: Times Are Changing, Bob Parks, July 2009
Jason Mitchell tests the Polar FT60 (with the optional G1 GPS pod) for several months. He says he likes the training programs and easy review of workout data, but he thinks the buttons can be hard to press.
Review: Polar FT60 G1 Heart Rate Fitness Watch Review, Jason Mitchell, Nov. 24, 2008
5. Bicycling.comDetails/Subscribe
Liz Reap Carlson calls the Polar FT60 one of her "favorite training tools," thanks largely to the personalized training recommendations. Carlson also says the FT60 is easy to use.
Review: Polar FT60 Training Computer, Liz Reap Carlson, Jan. 2009
6. About.com
Paige Waehner, About.com's exercise guide, lists the Polar FT60 as one of the top six heart-rate monitors. She acknowledges that the FT60 is pricey but says its training programs are motivating. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
Review: Best Overall Heart Rate Monitors, Paige Waehner, Oct. 13, 2010
7. Amazon.com
The Polar FT60 gets high marks in more than 70 reviews at Amazon.com. Reviewers say the monitor is easy to use and delivers accurate heart-rate readings, but some users complain that the display is hard to read.
Review: Polar FT60 Men's Heart Rate Monitor Watch (Black with White Display), Contributors to Amazon.com
8. T3.com
While T3.com calls the Polar FT60 one of the "101 Gadgets You Can't Live Without," this review offers little except a general overview of features.
Review: 101 Gadgets You Can't Live Without, Editors of T3.com, Aug. 8, 2009
Heart Rate Monitors Runners Up:
3 picks including: About.com, Amazon.com…
2 picks including: Amazon.com…
2 picks by top review sites.
2 picks by top review sites.
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Suunto M5 Men's Heart Rate Monitor and Fitness Training Watch (Black)
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Suunto t3c Heart Rate Monitor and Fitness Trainer Watch (Black Polished)
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