I always knew that I should be hitting 65% to 85% of my maximum heart rate while exercising, and I knew that I was sometimes, but this little gadget showed me how far off the mark I was. I had to double my cardio workouts in order to get into the zone where I needed to be to lose weight. Now, I am seeing real results. That knowledge alone was worth the price. Most of us overestimate how hard we work out, spend a lot of time at the gym, and then get frustrated at the lack of results. With this gadget I am able to make my workouts effective not just long and energy consuming.

The features on the A5 model are numerous enough to make this a great toy, and few enough as not to make it too complicated. This model is reccomended by Polar as one for for people looking to lose weight and increase overall fitness. This is not a model for the serious "data junkie" who wants to store all of their workout data in a spreadsheet. I don't think that this is a model for cyclists either. This is a model for someone who wants to know how many calories they've burned, time in their target workout zone, BMI, % of maximum heart rate being reached, and heart rate. You can also perform a fitness test with this model, and that is an interesting feature.

This model comes with a transmitter. The product specifications were not clear about whether or not it came with one. I was confused about that, and ended up purchasing an extra, albiet better, transmitter. The transmitter that came with the A5 does not look comfy, the front part that goes over your chest is made of flexible rubber and the back part is a fabric strap. The extra one that I ordered (for $45) is a totally fabric model called the WearLink, that has one small plastic piece in the front. So, I would suggest you buy a more comfortable mostly fabric transmitter, if you plan to wear it alot.

I bought this watch three months ago as a replacement of a Reebok HRM (by the way one of the worst decisions I ever made)

Since I started using it I feel the difference. It really help me with my exercise routine (I workout 3 to 4 times a week using a Elliptical trainer machine). The memories and the features are very helpful and easy to use.

The only negative thingh is the polar link communication it does not work. I tried to communicate with different computers unsuccessfully. Also the web page is hard to configure and the personal settings needed to be reentered several times.

Besides the software and the web page the HRM is a very good adquisition and it really helps with your training.

This has been a great product. I have used it for 1 month now and found it a great way to monitor my workout. The free web based workout logger has provided a worry free way of tracking my progress.

I've had a Polar F6 heart rate monitor for four months and use it for six or seven workouts per week. No problems until yesterday when the receiver display "froze" during a cycling workout. Thought I was going to have to return it to Polar. Called their toll-free support line and the tech walked me through a fix that took less than two minutes.

Training with a heart rate monitor (and proper coaching/instruction) will dramatically inprove your fitness level and performance. Polar is the leader in the field for good reason. They manufacture good products and stand behind them. I highly recommend the F6.

I bought the Polar for my wife and she loves it! It is much more accurate than our treadmil and really allows for a targeted workout. It is very easy to use and is not cluttered with confusing features that the novice user would never use.

Good news is that this seems to be a great product. I never thought that I would want to purchase a fancy HRM until I started to get serious about my fitness. I still am not a gym nut, and purchased so that I can monitor my heart rate while using home equipment as well as having something consistent when I travel on the road.

My parents are in cardio rehab and the folks at their center highly recommend the Polar units. They have one and have tested it against some of the sophisticated HRMs that they have there and have found it very accurate.

I purchase the F6 as it had some bells and whistles, but not the kitchen sink. The instructions are very basic, but fortunately it is a simple unit to use. One of the big reasons I purchased it was to be able to upload my settings to the Polar fitness website so that I can keep track of my workouts. (It is dumb, but for some reason it is motivating for me to see on a computer monitor when I need to work out to maintain my goals...) I must say, the instructions for the Sonic Link are a little lacking. For those of you who want to use it, you need to search through a special web site to get the free WebLink software. (You can not navigate from the main polar web site as far as I can tell.) Once I downloaded that, and figured out how to hold my watch to get a good sound connection, it was very easy to upload the data.

So, this was a long way to say, great watch, but they need to improve the instructions.

So, I purchased the F6 in October of 2006. I use it for cycling and on aerobic machines and it really works great. No complaints about performanace at all and it does a nice job of tracking exercise. I paid $99.95 for the product, which seemed sorta high, but I wanted a reliable product from a good name. Well...in August 2007, the transmitter stopped working. Despite the "2 year" warranty stated above, that does not cover batteries, which apparently was the transmitter problem. So, I sent it back to Polar to fix it...but they can't fix it, they can only replace it. All said, it cost me $52 plus my shipping costs to fix. The "replacement" was clearly not new. I'm not sure if it was mine, but it definitely was not new. So, in less than a year, I've had to shell out about $160 and, if the battery dies again six months from now, I guess I'll have to go through this again. I would not but another Polar product.

I really like this Polar monitor. I have not had any issues with the watch at all and I use it daily. The only reason I do not give this watch 5-stars is because of the software. Polar really needs to release some desktop software for this watch that provides better exercise details like graphs and charts. Currently the only interface available is via the internet. The upload mechanism is very antiquated and the Polar website is extremely slow. Further, the interface and details available on the website are pathetic.

I brought this monitor a couple of days ago to attempt to improve my cardiovascular health. So far, I'm extremely happy I brough this. It is very easy to use, but it still has a great user manual that I would reccomend reading. Also, the price might be a little expensive, but it's worth it. Considering the two prices of this watch and Polar's newest watch, F11, which is $50 more, I would definitely buy this watch again- as F11 doesn't seem to have that many new features.

Anyways, if you've had a heart rate monitor before, the strap is pretty much the same as all- it's not comfortable, but it's not annoying either. The strap measures about 33 inches long, so it will fit anyone with a waist ofup to 33 inches.

One feature I absolutely love is the file, which contains your exercise data, including the time the exercise was started, the duration, calories burned, how many calories burned from fat, your heart rate max and average, and your time in your heart rate zone. When the file gets full, you can transfer the data to the Polar Fitness Trainer website using a SonicLink- or you can just delete it.

Your diary is similar to the file, but it shows your totals that week instead of each single exercise. The totals include how many time you exercised, the duration, and calories burned.

Also, this watch is very easy to start exercising with- you just click the same button twice, and then it starts recording your heart rate, duration, calories, etc. It is also easy to see the time while your exercising, you simply bring the watch up to the belt and the clock light up and shows you the time. Also, I guess this could easily be used as a regular watch, as it shows the time and date when not being used, the only con of that is it's not exactly stylish. (Well, from a women's point of view.)

This watch also shows you whether or not your in your HR zone based on age calculations- but what if your more advanced than your age? Well, then it has OwnIndex, which is a test used to calculate your target heart rate for exercising.

My only con, so far,(Well, besides that it's unstylish) is simply that you can't keep the backlight on the entire time while you're exercising, as I exercise in the dark.

This is my first heart monitor. I selected it because it was highly rated and, since I have a very tiny wrist, I needed something sized for a woman.

I really like it, but find the instructions very hard to follow. I have trouble getting past the simple time of day and heart rate screens (those were easy). I find myself randomly pressing buttons trying to get to any display more sophisticated than those. I'm a PhD research scientist so I _should_ be able to follow these instructions. I've also been a technical writer and believe that when the user is confused it is the fault of the documentation.

This is a very nice monitor, but it shouldn't be so difficult to use past the basic level.

I regularly have problems getting inaccurate signal. I can be in a full run on the tread mill and it will tell me my heart is at 70 bpm. My real hear rate is between 140 and 160. Often after I move the watch to my chest to check the time, the watch will pick up the right signal but then will switch back to the inaccurate signal. I may be getting inference from cell phone or some other source. I think the watch's functionality is limited and the interface is poor. However, it usually achieves my main goal of monitoring my heart rate without holding on to the sensors on the machine. I like that it calculates my calories for the total work out.

What the F6 doesn't do: 1. allow user to time splits. Kind of important if the user is a runner. 2. have a "fitness test" function.
Ergo, it's not so great for experienced runners who are training for a race, wanting to really improve, etc.
There are also a few functions that are not so intuitive on the F6. Mine will occasionally switch off the BPM screen to another screen that displays what may or may not be my percentage of time "in the zone." The screen switches at what appears to be random times and maybe I haven't read the manual avidly enough...
What the F6 does: 1. it sets up easily and is comfortable to wear. 2. easily stores and retrieves data. 3. Occasionally loses HR signal when the user is wearing a lot of clothes over the chest strap.
It's a good unit for beginners and intermediate exercisers. Perhaps not so great for runners.

The Polar F6 is the heart rate monitor of choice if you do your cardio workouts at a gym.

This monitor is very simple to setup and use. It will log your average heart rate and maximum heart rate for a given workout, as well as the time you spend "in the zone" (i.e. cardio zone, fat burning zone, or a custom zone that you set up). It will also calculate the calories burned in a workout. In two minutes I set up a custom zone to track my workouts in the 125-150 beats per minute range and to beep if I fall below that.

If you enjoy group spinning (instructor-led stationary bike) classes, this monitor is a must. The chest strap is coded to only display on your monitor. I've seen people wearing identical Polar F4 monitors (the F4 is the cheaper, "uncoded" version of the F6) and if they sit next to each other on a stationary bike, there is occasional confusion as your neighbor's pulse shows up on your monitor! Not so the F6!

One added benefit is that the F6 chest strap will also display on the heart rate readout of any LifeFitness elliptical or treadmill machines automatically...you do not have to hold the sensors on the machine anymore to get a heart readout.

My single complaint about the F6 is about how you set your body weight. If you are on a weight loss program, you want to update your body weight so that your calories burned are correctly calculated. Unfortunately, every time you want to change your weight you have to go through the entire setup screens again and confirm that your sex hasn't changed, your birthday hasn't changed, etc. It's not a showstopper, it's just a tad annoying that you have to re-confirm about 12 items just to change your weight.

Overall, I strongly recommend this ugly monitor (and other reviewers are right...this is one ugly piece of technology). It is the ultimate cardio workout watch. I've used this for three months and I'm kicking myself for not buying this earlier.

My husband and I learned about the importance exercising with a heart rate monitor from the books Younger Next Year and Younger Next Year for Women by Crowley and Lodge. Yes, I know those book titles should be underlined or written in italics. However, this form does not allow that! Getting back to the F6, we thought we'd start with just one heart rate monitor and share it. That way we could see if we would really use a heart rate monitor, and whether or not it was worth the expense.

Wow! What a difference it makes to work out with a heart rate monitor. Now that we've exercised with a heart rate monitor, we wouldn't go back to working out without one! Using a heart rate monitor keeps you on track and working out at appropriate heart rates. It makes the difference between an effective cardio work out and hardly working! It also adds a new, fun dimension to daily work outs.

We are still exploring all the features of the Polar F6, but like what we have used so far. It is fairly easy to set up and use. The watch actually walks you through the set up.

We've now ordered a second Polaris F6 - a pink women's model for me!

I bought this watch as a backup for my other Polar (625SX) when I sent that one in for maintenance. I love it. It's easy to set up, easy to use and very dependable. While it doesn't have all of the features of the higher-end, more expensive models, it does most of what you'll need for basic exercise (stopwatch, heart rate monitor, calories burned, thresholds, etc.). In addition, it's got a great feature for computing and displaying your weekly totals. For the price, this is an easy decision for the beginner who wants professional-quality equipment or the seasoned cross-trainer who's looking for a backup unit.

Objective portion:
br /- The documentation is poor. This is not a serious issue, as we are all used to fiddling with digital watches to make them work.
br /Subjective portion:
br /- Unacceptably poor results. The harder I work out, the worse it gets. I am excersizing to lose weight by riding a non-stationary bicycle. I have worn the monitor during each of my last six workouts. On only one of those days did I experience an acceptable performance. Today was the worst. I rode in the T2 (hard) zone for 70 minutes. I am certain I was either within or above my target zone for 60 minutes. At the end of that session, the watch recorded a "time in zone" of one minute and four seconds. For most of the session the watch was showing a silly rate, like 40 or 30. At other times when my HR goes over the upper limit, the watch seems to get latched there for some time, then drop to 00, also for an extended time.
br /
br /I have read, followed and reread all the instructions and recommendations provided by the manufacturer. I have also read all the reviews in this forum. While it might not be fair to say this is a bad product, it clearly is not compatible with my body, excercise program and environment.
br /
br /I cannot tell if the problem results from poor contact with my HR or a problem in the radio transmission. Suggested improvements:
br /1. a diagnostic mode that could clarify between transmission and detection errors;
br /2. a user replacable battery (doh!);
br /3. make it easy to switch between several preset HR limits in a single session.
br /
br /The watch is going back for a refund. I am now looking at a very limited selection of wired monitors.
br /
br /

Polar heart rate monitors were recommended very highly by the trainers at my gym. After doing a significant amount of internet research on heart rate monitors I decided to purchase the Polar F6. This HRM has balanced functionality and price.

Pros: The watch is comfortable, natively works with almost all the machines at the gym, easy to read when jogging, menu system is simple. It is nice to be able to see the workout stats at the end of the week. You can set your own heart rate zones or use the pre-programmed versions.

Cons: Oftentimes I have to moisten my skin under the strap to get the sensor to start. After only a month there is some fraying on the strap.

Overall I would recommend this watch to anybody looking for a fairly cheap and accurate heart rate monitor. I have already purchased the female version (slightly smaller and pink) for my wife and she hasn't had any complaints yet.

I have had the F6 for just over a year. I love it use it all the time. I've also purchased them as gifts for others recommended the product to many who've since become customers.
br /
br /That said, after a year, my monitor needed a new battery, which you can't replace yourself. I sent it to Polar via 2-day express mail on April 23, 2008 and as of May 30, 2008, they still haven't returned it.
br /
br /To make matters worse, they are no longer responding to my "where is it?" inquiries.
br /
br /The bottom line is if you buy this product, you're going to want to use it and, in my opinion, going without it for 5 weeks (or more given that I still don't have it back) makes me want to buy a brand for which I can switch my own battery.

I never thought a device like this would motivate me to train even harder (and smarter), but it did. Informative display, and the record keeping function which tracks previous workouts, calories burned, etc. is nice feature for comparing and tracking your progress.

I've been using this for several months now. I think it is very difficult to see the labels for the side push buttons to know what they are. The "fancy" decorative pattern hides the descriptions. Admittedly, after you use it for several months, you remember what they are, but initially it is a pain.

I have a great deal of difficulty getting the thing to register my heart rate at the beginning of my workout. I don't sweat a lot and this makes the "connection" with my chest lacking. Even when I wet the sensor areas as the instructions tell you, it still doesn't do the trick. I've adjusted the strap as tight as possible (without constricting my breathing). I wind up exercising for 10 minutes before it registers, therefore, my exercise totals are off.

On the plus side, it seems accurate once it starts to monitor. It is very helpful to keep your heart rate at the desired MPH%.

I ordered this heart rate monitor on Thursday night and it arrived on Monday, so first of all, I couldn't be more happy with the speed of the delivery!

Second, I have been working out at a gym regularly, with a trainer for approximately 1 year. While I can tell I've increased in strength, the weight just isn't coming off. A friend of mine recommended buying a HRM, and owned a polar brand herself. I did a bit of research and settled on the F6. I used it for the first time this morning and could not be happier! Not only did I learn that my workouts were not as effective as I thought (the calories burned calculation on the elliptical machine was off by more than 100 calories in a 30 minute cardio workout!) I was also able to accurately determine by my heartrate how many calories I burned while doing my 30 minutes of strength training! Previously this was a guessing game - and if you're like me, you're overestimating your guess just like I was.

This monitor was super easy to get started with. I find the strap comfortable and was not even aware of it throughout my workout. I have a wider rib cage - about 46 inches, so I was concerned about the strap being too tight but there was plenty of room!

I would strongly recommend anyone looking at getting a HRM to consider and purchase this monitor. Take a step to get control over your workouts!!

I bought this because I'm pregnant and needed to keep an eye on my heart rate during kickboxing and other aerobic activities. It was very user friendly and the instructions took about 10 minutes to read and were very clear.
I have to say I was worried about it being really bulky but it's not bad at all. I wasn't too thrilled about having to wear a strap but needed constant HR monitoring and the band doesn't bug me at all I hardly even notice it is on.
I think it was worth every penny.

I enjoy having a heart rate monitor while I exercise. I esp love the fact it saves my past exercises for a week and "counts calories". I exercise in an environment where others are wearing same monitors, and have never had a problem with my monitor picking up others' transmitters.
br /
br /It seems to have a lot of features, but frankly, I have not been able to get the most out of them yet as it is not very intuitive to use. I thought it was funny that my local fitness establishment was offering Polar HR Monitor tutorials until I actually tried to do more with mine than just track one exercise. You will have to get intimate with the user manual if you want to get your money's worth.
br /
br /My biggest disappointment was with the quality of the materials. The user manual states that the clasp is made of stainless steel and the band is polyurethane. Within a week of use, I noticed that the clasp metal rubbing a stain on the band. It will be more noticeable on any light colored bands.
br /
br /Last point, this monitor will be bulky on a small-framed woman's wrist.

I bought this watch several months ago, and used it a couple times. It was a little loaded with features, which made it confusing for the basic exerciser to scroll through the HR, Calories, and Exercise Time menus. The thing I liked least about it was its huge size. It looked like a man's watch on my arm, and since I wanted to wear it daily as a watch, it was not very attractive. I did end up returning it to the store and purchasing another Polar model that was more basic and easier to operate. Polar makes a very good product, but having to send them away when the battery dies is not acceptable. I just end up buying a new one. Polar's bands have a problem with discoloration from wear, and by the time the battery dies, the watch is a little beaten up from daily wear, so paying for extensive reconditioning (like $60) is usually not worth it when you can buy a new one for $80.

I bought Polar F6 almost 2 months ago. I wanted to increase my exercise intensity but not to over exercise. This devise changed my training. Now I exercise more intensively and feel great. I use the wireless connectivity that F6 has to copy exercises data to Polar site. It helps me to review my progress and plan next step and... to be proud of myself that I make this progress. I lost about 14 lb weight (I have few more pounds to lose). I am not sure if I need more advance model for my need. I do weight resistance training - F6 is great I rest only as long as I need to reduce my heart rate. I do different types of cardiovascular training (bike, elliptic, treadmill). F6 communicates with treadmill and I can see my heart rate on the treadmill's control panel.

I originally purchased a Suunto T1 and had to send it back - too complicated, lousy manual and no customer service from the company (the U.S. division was taking the day off for a European holiday and no one was there to help me set it up). I was really discouraged and my husband suggested I take a look at the F4 and F6. I settled on the F6 because of the size and the many features. It was much easier to set up than the Suunto and I think the pink is just adorable. It's easy enough for even a technophobe like me to use, light weight on my wrist and the chest strap is small enough that it doesn't dig into me the way the Suunto did. Overall, I think there are a lot of good features on this monitor. I haven't used it that much (only got it last week) but so far it's a 5 star purchase.

I am really enjoying my new polar heart rate monitor! It is easy to use, easy to download the information and get all the totals. It gives you a realtime look at your workouts. I do many different kinds of classes and you can really see where you burn the most calories and how many of them are fat calories. It sometimes surprises me which classes burn the most. I would recommend this watch to anyone who loves to workout and know how well they are doing.

I used to have a cheapo HRM from Sportsbeat that I bought for $25. It was very reliable - it picked up my heart rate within 30 seconds, and almost never went wild with it. When I lost it I decided to splurge on a Polar. As an example of what I dislike about this model, I went running yesterday. I moistened the transmitter, positioned it correctly and headed out. IT took a few minutes, not just seconds, to pick up anything at all. Then for the longest time it read "71" - though I knew from my own experience my HR was at least 145 or more. Then it went to 207. (I don't think so!) It was all over the place for at least 20 minutes, before settling down. This is my experience almost every time.
By the way, be more careful than I was about comparing features - this model does not (as far as I can tell!) have any kind of lap timer or other features useful for running. I didn't deduct stars for that as it was my error. But I do deduct stars for the incomplete and confusing manual - I'm very good at gadgets, usually, but I haven't been able to use any of the features on this, and can't even tell what half of them are supposed to do! If I had it to do over I would not get this model.
I gave it three stars because: the watch is attractive (I got the green one) - though when I bend my wrist it seems to press the button unintentionally, and the transmitter works fine, eventually, on machines at the gym. But maybe I'm being generous - if I could I'd give it 2 1/2.

I bought this watch about 6 weeks ago. I am glad I spent the extra money to get a Polar.

This watch is easy to use - the navigation is intuitive. I have never used a heart rate monitor before, but this watch was easy to figure out. The feedback truly helps me get a better workout.

I did have some problems with the monitor giving sporadic readings (super high and super low when I felt fine), but I learned from the Polar website that I have to thoroughly moisten the electrodes before putting it on. Haven't had problems since I figured this out.

It is super cool to upload my workouts to the polarpersonaltrainer website and track my progress.

I am not crazy about the pink, but I have actually received compliments on this watch.

Highly recommend!

I've used this monitor for a few weeks now. I've had polar HR monitors in the past (many years ago) and this one is definitely the best that I've used. The best feature to me was the ease of set up and use. I read the manual but didn't need to get started with the basics. It also has a number of features that I didn't expect (being able to load your data to a pc via their website services). The color is a bit odd -but better than black. It fits my wrist with out having a lot of extra wrist strap flapping around. I'm very pleased with the unit so far.

I found it sometimes unreliable at the high end of my running. I get my heart over 170 and it incorrectly shows the HR dropping drastically. Seems to be a problem with the contact with the chest, and either tightening the elastic band or pumping my arms less seems to help with this. Overall, an accurate, easy to use, heart rate monitor without a lot of fancy features. Excellent for the price.

I'm wearing it as I'm writing this review! It's just amazing how much LESS calories you are actually burning at the gym if you guide yourself by the machines and the standard calculations it gives you; it was an eye opener for me. The other thing I was amazed to discover was how much more calories I burn by actually walking instead of using the treadmill. interesting stuff. This watch is easy to use, I recommend it 100%. =)

This is a great item to have if you're serious about working out and getting the most out of an aerobic activity.
The Polar F6 is easy to program, easy to use, and easy to read. You have the flexibility to follow the standard formula to program your heart rate "zone" or customize it. It even archives your workouts and tracks how many calories you burned in a given time period.

But the best thing is it keeps you alerted if your heart rate is out of your "zone" - either to pick up the pace or ease up - and that mazimizes the full benefits of an aerobic workout.

The lighted display is helpful for those early-morning jogs. And another nice feature is getting the time when you're in "exercise" mode: just hold the wrist receiver to your chest and the time appears on the display, and even illuminates automatically. Pretty cool!

I've had the Polar F6 for 6 months. It is flawless. A heart rate monitor brings discipline to a workout. It provides a metric to attach to your running or power walking. Your workout achieves tighter control and higher efficiency. You won't over-do it or under-do it. You won't get too tired, nor will you get away with too little exercise.

The watch provides more than enough information for my use. It is highly responsive. If I drop the speed on my treadmill 0.2 miles per hour, the heart rate rapidly drops a couple beats. I can allow my heart rate to decrease to a pre-defined rate, then speed up my act in order to get the rate back up. In that way I control the workout and stay within limits.

A heart rate monitor is all about discipline and control and the Polar F6 is excellent to use.

This is my second Polar watch and I love the product. Gym machines over estimate the number of calories burned and I wanted something more accurate.

No need in thinking I burned 500 calories when I only burned 390.

If you are serious about losing and keeping off the weight, this is a worthwhile investment. Don't even think about purchasing a different brand. Polar is the gold standard.

They have many models to choose from. You will be satisfied.

It amazes me how often the device will lose the signal and drop to zero while im doing something as light as walking the dog. Or how it can drop from 153bpm to 40 while I'm running full stride. I think having this monitor has made my workout more difficult and frustrating because it doesn't want to work correctly. Had a good day with it once or twice but all in all if I could return it I would.

I just bought this monitor and i love it.
It provide all the important information that an athlete need.
But i just don't know why it's not compatible with Polar Precision Software. It's not fare !!!
It's replacing my older heart monitor Polar S150.
I recomend to all sports fans

I'm really impressed by how easy this is to use, and how intuitive all the menus are. Set up was really clear and easy; I took the product out of the box and was able to use it right away without using the instructions.

The only thing I would consider as an improvement is a different band. The plastic makes sense when you are working out and sweating, but it isn't the most comfortable band.

I love this watch. it is so nice to know what my heart rate during my workouts. I learned recently that your heart rate has to be within a certain zone in order to burn fat during workouts and this watch definitely lets me know when I'm out of target. I love this watch can't say enough. the only issue I have with it is that dirt is more apparent. Other than that, it's great!

This product is a cost effective tool for any dedicated fitness program. It plus the Polar personal trainer web site make it easy to track progress toward goals. Tracking calorie burn is especially effective to push my exertion levels during training sessions. Polar's personal trainer web site could be more intuitive.

My husband just bought this for me as a gift and I absolutely LOVE it!! It has been such a motivator to me to have when working out because it is able to tell me how many calories I've actually burned instead of me just going off of an estimate on my machine or a book that I've read. Wish I would have had this gadget a LONG time ago....I would have been a lot skinnier by now if I had one! I also love the feature of being able to download your workouts online so that you can track your progress and see your successes. My sister ran out and bought one shortly after I did and we just bought one for my mom to use. A definite must have if you are wanting to get more out of your workouts and have that instant gratification after working out!!

This product is for person who never exercise before and now is working out. Easy to use and do settings. Good product!

I purchased this item two months ago and I'm loving it. I am a moderate exerciser and this monitor gives me all of the information I need to maximize my workouts. The calorie expenditure feature is great. The watch and chest strap are comfortable. The directions are easy to follow and made for an easy setup. I haven't had any problems. And unlike another reviewer noted, I don't think this watch is for men only. It can be used by men or women.

This monitor has helped me get the most out of my time at the gym. By working out at my heart rate ranges I am able to burn more calories. I've seen a difference in my endurance since using this neat gadget.

The monitor works very well. I especially like the fact that it interacts with the excerise machines at the club that I go to. In other words, I don't have to wear the watch part of it when I'm at the gym--it transmits directly to each machine.

About the watch--I like it, except for the color. I specifically ordered the women's watch because I have a very small wrist and I wanted to make sure I could get it small enough (which I can). However, when I am bragging up the product to other people, I find myself apologizing for the color, and making sure they know I didn't actually choose to wear that awful pink. You know, it's very difficult to think of oneself as an athlete while wearing powder-puff pink!!

I have had the F6 for about a month and a half now. It's working perfectly. I highly recommend this product for the average user like myself. The ownzone feature gives you your target heart rate while working out. It continuiously / instantly tells you your heart rate. No buttons to push, just look down at the watch and you see your current heart rate. It tells how many minutes you have been working out. My running lap times have already improved from using the F6. It also acts as a regular wrist watch to tell the current time as well. Very handy. The cost is a bit high, but as much as I run, I feel that getting the F6 is well worth the price.
br /*PS. a helpful tip*
br / Get the F6 to tell your heart rate. Use the ipod nano with the nike plus system to calculate miles, minutes per mile, how many minutes you have ran, calories burned, your best mile ran, past workout comparisions, and you will have a complete electronic training system. You will see your laptimes and distances improve more quickly. This is my personal experence.

I like it, but the HR bounces around. How do I go from 110 to 80 in 2 seconds? But maybe I really am? But otherwise it is great. Do need to wet it when you first put it on. If that doesn't work it is because your skin isn't salty enough. Salt water is required for it to conduct electricity. Try using salt water if you have this problem.

Great product. Data is uploadable to the Polar web site to track the workouts. Very accurate and functional.

Before it got here I was starting to have buyer's remorse. I kept thinking, do I really need this?? I knew I wanted it but need it?
br /I am so glad I got it and can't believe I didn't follow through sooner.
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br /It worked perfectly. Registered all the information perfectly. I found it incredibly motivating and it really only took me about 15 minutes to figure out how to use it. It was easier than I thought.This one is a no brainer. I am grateful to another reviewer who mentioned it comes with the chest strap, because I didn't find that clear. It is fantastic and worked flawlessly.
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br /I am very happy I purchased this.
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br /UPDATE: A few days in now and I wanted to add that I easily added all my HRM data onto polarpersonaltrainer.com and that was very easy. That is another really useful tool. I just found the send feature under file, and it chirped away into the microphone and uploaded it into my account.

I have been using this heart rate monitor for two weeks and I'm extremely happy with it. It was very easy to do the initial set up by reading the manual beforehand. I had another polar HRM before this one (one of their more basic models) but I wanted to get one that was coded and tracked calories. I do a lot of group classes so the interference with other HRM's was very annoying. However, if interference isn't an issue for you but you want to track calories I recommend you get the F4 which is basically the same thing but without the coding and a lower price. I've used most of the features on this HRM already and I love them. I haven't had any difficulty understanding how to use any of the features. It is also a very nice-looking HRM (I got the black one). the numbers might be a little small for people with eyesight problems. The fact that it has a backlight is great. One of the things I like the most is that on Sunday night the HRM collects all the data and makes a summary for you. So that night you see a little envelope on your screen and when you click on it it shows you the week's summary. I thought that was excellent. I haven't used the uplink feature or tried the webpage so I can't comment on that. I recommend this HRM to anyone who exercises regularly and is interested in knowing how many calories are burned weekly and daily. It has really improved my performance.

I have had this monitor for about a month now. Programming was easy and pretty self-explanatory. It is easy to set and gives accurate information. I haven't used all of the functions yet, but I am very satisfied with the purchase.

After researching HRMs for a while, I finally decided on this one. It seems like HRMs either do the very basic or try to do everything. This one seems to try to do everything, and the only thing I use is to keep track of my workout time and my instantaneous heart rate. For that purpose, it works great. It does countless other things, which I haven't yet tried to get familiar with. Honestly, I probably could have spent a lot less money and got the functionality I needed, and after having the F6 for a while, I kind of wish I would have. Perhaps over time I'll start using the advanced features. I've turned the out-of-range alarm off in order to save battery power since the unit is supposed to be sent to polar for a battery change. The alarm can be a little annoying anyhow, especially when it is indicating you are over your zone. It would be nice if you could set the alarm to go off only if you are below a certain heart rate and not be concerned with being higher than a set rate.

Regardless, its a great HRM. If you don't need all the bells and whistles, you might consider a lower-end model. I've used this daily for a few weeks now with no problems.

Polar makes great heart rate monitors. The chest strap is basically the same for all models, from the lowest to the upper range. It's the watch/receiver part that makes the difference. I've found them to be very accurate in terms of tracking heart rate. This one has a nice feature that allows you to bring it close to the chest strap to toggle the display from heart rate, to elapsed workout time, to the actual time.
As long as you read the manual, and figure out how to cover the basics of setup and use, you should have no problems using the T31 as an excellent addition to your workout routine.
For some solid foundation & some good workouts revolving around the use of a heart rate monitor, get "Slow Burn" by Stuart Millman. His mentor/guru is Phil Maffettone, who has two great books, "The Maffettone Method," and "Fix Your Feet," both highly revolutionary and groundbreaking in terms of fitness. These books could change your life, together with your new heart rate monitor, as they did mine.

Monitor received was identical to item ordered. It fit very well with minimal adjustment. The monitor performed as advertised and set up instructions were easy to follow.

All i can say is excellent! I was impressed with it the minute i activated it.

The manual is easy to read unlike so many other manuals that make what should be a simple action seem like you must know how to read backwards and skip pages frequently.

This monitor has features you can utilize for maximum results such as,
degree of workout intensity, heart rate limits and alarms that will let you know if you are overdoing it and many more than i can describe here.

Do your research carefully and when that is done i bet you'll come back to this one.

This watch is great - a real motivation. Shows calories and heart rate (obviously :). One thing I would like to improve is showing of the lowest hear rate during a training - right now it just shows average and highest.

Cheers!

This is my second Polar heart monitor. The first I purchased almost 8 years ago and is now an obsolete model, which is why I started looking for a new one. For the most part, I'm really like this watch. They have added some great new features, like the 12 day history of your exercises and the weekly totals that you get every week. I also like the easier setting of the heart range. You can either customize it, or pick an level of easy, medium, hard (I think that is the correct wording on the watch).
The one thing that I don't like quite as much in this watch, as in my old one is getting to the user profile information. It is a lot more complicated and not quite as easy to update in this watch. But overall, I'm very pleased with my choice and I've gotten the hang of using it now.

I'm really happy with my Polar F6 and I use it all the time. I'm so happy that I bought it! It arrived on time! :-D

This monitor is great. It keeps track of your HR and determines your calories burned. Awesome!

I've only been using my Polar F6 for 2 weeks now, and it's working spot on. I have ZERO problems with it picking up my heart rate, and the features are great and easy to use.
Pros: Accurate (better calorie counter than those on machines-obviously), easy to use, using online support to track results is great and easy, heart rate monitor works perfect.

Cons: Only one.......this watch is ugly. No beans about it-it's great for working out, but I wouldn't wear it outside the gym.

This is an awesome HRM. I Love it. I Got the Pink One. It works great and even gives out a report at End, showing calories Burned etc. I never realized just How "OFF" the calorie counter was On My treadmill. This HRM, allows you to enter Height weight etc so You get accurate totals. I LOVE IT. It also beeps if You go below the target heart Rate or Above it so it keeps You in "THE ZONE". Good Purchase Im Glad I got this!

I have been using the F6 for a few weeks now. It's very accurate and trouble free. Provides weekly stats of intensity, calories burned, time spent, high and low heart rates. You can program the F6 for different intensity levels or let it automatically determine your exercise zone based upon sex, age, height and weight that you enter. A fine product. I highly recommend it. Free delivery; arrived in 2 days. Larry, Albany, NY.

I like this product very much. It is very accurate and reliable. I use it in aerobics class to stay in my target heart rate zone. It keeps me from pushing myself to far, which I found out I did a lot. It makes my work out more enjoyable.

This is the perfect product for taking your workouts to the next level. It is well designed and easy to use. I have had no problems using any of the basic and extended features. I really like the diary feature that allows me to review my weeks workout results. The F6 showed me just how hard I wasn't working out before.

The only con that I can think of is that you have to replace the entire transmitter after the battery goes in it. This is something that they should address.

I have a weak heart and my doctor says exercise with a heart rate of resting + 25% is the way to strengthen the heart muscle. I bought the Polar F6 so that I could monitor -- not only at the gym - but when I walk as well. The calorie count does not match the machines at the gym - but who knows which is correct. The heart monitor works beautifully and I can read it without my reading glasses. The chest strap stays put and is comfortable - I hardly know I have it on. I also love the weekly Diary feature. This was an excellent purchase!

I am a 27 yr old male and this is the perfect HR monitor for me. It is easy to set up and use. I am very happy with it and use it 5x a week. You won't regret buying this.

I bought this for my wife a year ago. She uses it almost daily and it works great. No problems.

This heart rate monitor was the brand my trainer told me to buy. It has everything I need and then some. It's easy to read, and I like that it has the time so I can wear it even when I'm not in the gym.

I got the F6 to monitor my heart rate and aid in burning calories. Since the watch uses your own heart rate, weight, height, age, and various other information to compute your calories burned you get a much more accurate picture. I found that my treadmill, which tells me the number of calories burned, was nearly 200 calories higher than what I was actually burning per the F6. This is extremely helpful as I aim for a certain amount of calories burned per week and need to be as accurate as I can. The watch is also user friendly, if you just go over the manual first! I looked the manual up online and knew how to use the watch before it even came. It has functioned perfectly for me both in doors and outside in 20 degree weather with four layers of clothing on. I use a treadmill as well as various DVD's and get consistant readouts each time. Knowing your heart rate while you workout can keep you from working longer than you need to get the results you want. By staying in the zone that you set up before each workout you get more out of your workout. If you are looking for a simple watch that can help you stay on track for your fitness goals then I would recommend the F6. I love this watch and would buy it again.

I have had this watch for about 1 1/2 years. I just had to send it back for a battery replacement and that worked out fine. I do like the watch, but if I can find a better option, I will take it.
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br /The good:
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br /Easy to use and decent looking. I am too lazy to change watches everyday so I just wear the polar as my everyday watch.
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br /Polar is "the" name in heart rate monitors and the watches are well made.
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br /It tracks your daily workouts and on Mondays it gives you a weekly summary, which is nice.
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br /The not so good:
br /
br /The calorie count is low. Comparing it to the calorie count on workout machines fitted polar sensors, it is extremely low, usually by about 500 kcals. Compared to others in my spinning class who are using other brand heart rate monitors, it is low by about about 200-300 kcals.
br /
br /The band discolors with time so the watch face and band are not the same color.
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br /It is hard to read the watch in dusk or dark conditions. The light feature is poor.
br /
br /It does NOT sync with Mac computers. Polar has been around forever and I would think they would let you sync with a Mac by now. So the feature of being able to track workouts on your computer is non existent for Mac users.
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br /So it is easy to use and does work well, but is not the most accurate in terms of kcals burned.

This is a solid basic heart rate monitor that functions as advertised. It is adequate for anyone other than world class athletes that need more bells and whistles.

It works perfectly as it claims to does. Band is pretty comfortable and I have no complains about the watch.

I've been working out in a classroom setting the last three months and wanted to know if i'd been hitting my target heart rate. I noticed several other people in my class had polar HRMs. I went out to the local sports stores to try to find one but all they had were the pink breast cancer ones or the large black mens watches. It was nearly impossible to find this model in the store. I use this HRM for every workout and love to see how hard i'm working out. I haven't had any problem with interference or batteries yet.

This is an awesome fitness tool. It is very accurate, easy to use, and comfortable to wear. It syncs with the gym machines so you can see your heart rate on the screen versus the watch...this is very cool for me. It also gives you weekly reports :o) I love it!!

This item really does all it says. It keeps an accurate account of your exercise time, calories burned, min and max hr. It also keeps a weekly log that you can upload into free software that is located on Polar website. You can also set it for 3 different degrees of workout based on HR(easy med and hard). I really like it but the only thing I wish it had is an alarm. Otherwise very satisfied with watch and it motivates me to workout at my target HR.

I purchased the F6 watch for swimming. It works great!!
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br /My husband bought me a higher model of the Polar watch for biking and running a few years ago, that I really like. (I can get obsessed with tracking exercise data.) I started swimming and wanted to keep track of my heart rate, but was afraid to ruin my good watch in the water. (I've changed the battery in both the watch and chest strap and thought the seal may no longer be water resistant.)
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br /So, I purchased the F6 watch for swimming. It works great!! The chest strap is comfortable under my swim suit. The heart beat monitor is accurate. I haven't experienced any issues with the watch data. I did change the settings to not beap if I'm above or below the target heart range. The beap was a bit annoying at the gym.
br /Now, I find that I use the F6 watch more than my original watch. It's smaller and ligher. It also shows the calories burned on the display. My original watch didn't, I had to download the data to see the calories burned.
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br /I haven't tried to download the exercise data to the polar site yet. So, I can't comment on that aspect of the F6 watch.
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This Polar F6 has been an asset to my fitness routine. I am able to complete my goals without guess-work. I know when I am in my target heartrate and can keep up with my weekly goals. It's a great tool.

My girlfriend bought me the Men's F6 for my birthday, so I returned the favor for her birthday. These things are great. We both really like being able to monitor our heart rates, and we like the way it calculates calories burned during the workout. She also makes use of the log that tracks your workouts for the whole week.
br /
br /The coded transmitters are a nice feature so we can run together while each using our own F6. She had a little trouble with hers at first, but I think she just needed to adjust the position of the sensor.
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br /My only negative comment is that the heart rate zones are more annoying than helpful. We both had to set the zone to "intense" and turn off the alarm feature that beeps at you when you're out of the zone.
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I use it for my cardio. It makes me push myself. I keep changing the setting on the machines at the gym to make it more difficult for myself and to keep burning calories. After I came home from studying abroad in Paris this helped me lose the extra weight I had gained.

Good look, good work, just had to shut the sound down not to annoy everybody in the gym !

I bought this HRM about a month ago and absolutely love it. The only thing that I don't like about this HRM is that the watch stripe gets dirty really fast. I tried to clean it with different staff, but it doesn't help. If anyone knows how I can clean it, please let me know. Thanks!

A book I read recommended using an hrm (Younger Next Year for Women). I wish it were cheaper and had different colors, but I love using an hrm to exercise. Directions were easy to follow to set up and the strap fits comfortably. There may be other bells and whistles that I will want in the future, but for now this is great. I only use the actual hrm and then look at the calories once I'm done and cry because of the inverse relationship between time and calorie intake/expenditure, but hey, that's my problem!

I received this monitor as a gift, and am pleased with my use of it for monitoring my heart rate during cardiac rehab exercise. For that purpose it has performed quite satisfactorily. The only reason that I gave it only four stars is that I find the advanced functions a bit overwhelming, with very little explanation provided in the user's manual. This is particularly true for the PC communications functions, which I have yet to investigate and/or attempt. When I have had more experience with the device, I feel that I will be equally satisfied, but I would like more detail in the user manual.

I have owned my F6 for about a week, and I've really enjoyed testing out its features. It has brought a new awareness to my workouts, and I love having the fantastic feedback with the push of a button. I wish I could have given it 5 stars, but there are a few drawbacks:
br /1. I like the clock feature, but it doesn't display in exercise mode. I read another person's feedback about putting the watch near the chest strap so the clock will display for a second or two, which works ok, but I would still like to see a screen where it could be displayed during exercise.
br /2. All of the ads I have read say the F6 includes a stopwatch...there is NO stopwatch!! There is a timer, which counts down from a programmed time, which is NOT a stopwatch. This was one of the features I was looking forward to, and I'm really bummed not to have it.
br /3. Polar's website is not very user-friendly, and worse, they just made a horrible "upgrade" to their polarpersonaltrainer.com site. One of the F6's selling features was the ability to instantly upload data to the online diary, which was fabulous for a couple of days...until the upgrade. There are many glitches with uploading, and the diary went from fun and informative to cumbersome and frustrating.
br /Otherwise, I'm pretty pleased with the F6...and the chest strap is much more comfortable than I'd anticipated.

Having used the F6 for 6 weeks, I can say that this is a fantastic device. I've never tried anything to make my workouts more efficient or improve the time spent in the "heart rate zone" but have really noticed a difference in the quality of my workouts and the improvement in my stamina since starting its use.
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br /While I originally bought the device for something that can accurately estimate calories burned and time spent exercising, the feature I value the most is the heart rate alarms. A slow repetitive beep goes off when my heart rate goes below the 65%ile mark, likewise, a quick beep alarm goes off when my heart rate exceeds goal at 80%. At the end of the work out, I'm able to review Time Spent In Zone (65-80%), calories burned, time spent, max and avg heart rate.
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br /The device works by a "transmitter" worn around the front of the chest to pick up the heart rate and a "receiver" which is the wrist-watch unit. I have heard other products have trouble picking up signal or getting interference. So far, I have had no trouble at all. The transmitter requires some moisture to pick up your heart rate. At the start of the workout, I wet the back of the transmitter and then secure it to my chest.
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br /As I like to vary my workouts, I was concerned about using the F6 in water, or, having it work well on activities other than running. Rest assured, I swim laps without a problem with the F6. It is waterproof, although the manual recommends not hitting buttons while the device is submerged/wet. I haven't had any problem with that. I love the device biking. It obviously does not have the features of a bike-mounted monitor but I combine it with online fitness mapping like "Mapmyride" .com or "Mapmyrun" .com and I'm able to calculate pace from that.
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br /I do echo the complaint that there is no easy way to communicate results from the watch to the computer or the web. The watch is supposed to "chirp" and a microphone on the computer should be able to "read" those chirps and transmit that into data... I havent' bothered. Each workout generates maximally ten data points and so far, I have just manually typed them over when I log my rides at Mapmyride.

Love this heart rate monitor. Easy to use and logs my workouts. Just wish I could see the time while I was working out. It is a watch, but I can only see the time when it is not in exercise mode. But that might just be me not knowing how to use it.

Purchased the Polar F6 heart rate monitor watch for my wife to use during her Jazzercise class. She has used it for about 3 weeks as of this reporting and finds it very helpful in monitoring her cardiovascular system during her exercise routine. She especially likes the color (Pink Coral; a typical woman's preference. Others in the class have another Polar model that is black in color, purchased through the Jazzercise franchise owner, that has less functionality but cost the same to purchase. The delivery process was flawless.

I love having this! It makes me workout harder to get to where I need to be. There are minor issues, but not bad enough to where I'd stop using this and start complaining. Ya, if I get really sweaty, my band starts slipping down, but it still monitors my rate. Overall, I think this is a great product to own. There are still many features I haven't figured out yet, and I'm having issues getting my info online, only because my computer doesn't have a built in microphone to transfer data.
br /
br /The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is for simple things, like the slipping of the band, and the fact that its hard to get the info online.

I now know what my heart rate is. I know how hard to work out, when I can take it easy, when to push myself harder. I can store up to a weeks worth of workouts. It stores, calories burned, HR %, HR during workout, MAX and MIN HR, TOTAL time worked out
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br /Overall this watch is awesome. The only thing I wish it did was display what time it was up in the corner along with your current workout. It doesn't. The band is a bit uncomfortable after about an hour worth of running/jogging but nothing bothersome.
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I really like this item...the only problem is that it doesn't always get your heart rate...the band that goes around your chest slips a lot...especially if you are working up a good sweat.

This product does exactly what I wanted. I wanted an accurate counting of my calories and it does just that. It is easy to set up (the date and month are backwards which threw me off at first but I figured it out), easy to work, and easy to read results. I have only had it a month but I am happy with it. If you read the maintenance of the monitor it is a little strict about keeping it in a cool place and not storing it in a towel or non-breathable thing like a sports bag (which is what I wanted to do) but it is the same size as a watch and has the same functions as a watch so the days I go to the gym I just wear it instead of keeping it in my sports bag.

This was a birthday gift to my husband, is the first time he has one of this watch and is really happy. He just uses it for heart rate and calories, the belt is comfortable and the numbers are big, so he doesn't need glasses to see them.

I have had this hrm now for about a month and love it. I haven't had any problems with it at all. I had never used one before and it was very easy to program. I would buy it again and just sent a link for my sister to look at it to buy.

I just bought this heart rate monitor last week, but I absolutely love it! It is easy to use and comfortable to wear. It is a little big, but you get used to wearing it quickly. All the features benefit a beginning exerciser like me and is like having my own personal trainer at my side instructing me. It only took me about 20-30 minutes to do the setup and figure out all the features. I like this so much I bought one for my sister for her birthday.

The monitor works great. Helps me with my workout; I find that I can set a target and achieve it. Sometimes, it may pick up signals from others... I wish it had a better user interface.

This is an amazing watch for exercising. I use it for Jazzercise and I can see how many calories I burn. This is normaley between 400 and 800 cal. a class. I can use this watch for walking, cleaning, I am so excited I got it. The pink one looks best on all skin colors. The heart rate monitor on it is so precise that I try not to go out of my heart rate range. It beeps whenever you do or you can turn that off.

Not at good as the original polar watch. No large button on front and not the best looking. Own Zone a pain to use. The display a little harder to see. But still a nice heart rate monitor - I use it when swimming. I would suggest buying the Garmin 405 instead - only $200 and includes a full GPS to provide pace, distance, calories, heart rate etc.

This heart rate monitor is working great for me for biking. My wife also has one and even when we are exercising close together, the monitors do not interfere with each other. The only problem (or advantage depending on how you look at it) is that it tends to keep me stongly in the pulse rate zone I set for my exercise session - I tend not to exceed or drop below the target heart rate for more than a few seconds with it on. It beeps slowly if you are going too slow, and quickly if you are going too fast, but you can shut this beep off if you want to get an average pulse, but not be constantly reminded how you are doing. I would have like a bit clearer information on how the "own zone" setting works in the manual, but otherwise no complaints

I love this heart monitor. It is precise and never gives me problems. Since I started using it a month ago I have lost almost 10 lbs.

Received my Polar F6 Men's and Women's Heart Rate Monitor Watchfrom Amazon on July 20th and have been very pleased with it so far. It performs exactly as advertised and I have experienced none of the problems described by a handful of the other owners of this monitor. The plastic chest transmitter is not uncomfortable to wear and I don't think the added cost of the cloth chest transmitter would be necessary for most people. I am a 59 and appreciate the size of the watch face, which I can easily read without having to bring along a pair of reading glasses on my jogs. No problems with Amazon and received my monitor within 5 days of my purchase.

I love love love this heart rate monitor and I love how it calculates your calories burned too!! It has so many great features!!! I would defintley say it is worth the money!!

Works as advertised. Able to calculate my calories and it is not at all similar to what is on the actual work out machine. Being a female, it is somewhat more difficult for me than my boyfriend in getting the initial heart rate to read, but when it does, it never is lost through the entire work out.

I love this heart rate monitor. I have been trying to lose weight and have been keeping track of my meals and exercise. This made me realize I was under calculating my calories burned during exercise. It is an easy product to use. LOVE IT!

Heart monitors have been part of my workouts for some time. This Polar F6 has served me well in the few short weeks I have had it.
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br /I'm not the sharpest tack in the box with computers, and instructions; however, I have been able over a period of time to get the features actualized that I want and need.
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br /From my usage I recommend it highly.
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br /Mr.EB

I have used this watch for approx. 1 month and loved it, but just recently it just froze up on me. Couldn't get it out of the mode it was in, which was in the middle of a exercise session. I took it to a watch repair and they took out the battery and told me it was a little on the weak side. Put it back and now the watch is totally dead. Barely lasted 6 weeks.

Seems to be built well. Yes, its a little difficult to set up (that's why I took one star off). I've been using it for a few weeks and works just fine. Does what it says it will do!

I have had 2 Polar hrm in the past and bought 1 hrm that was not a Polar - what a mistake it was so difficult to use. I am so grateful to have another Polar. This is easy to use w/o reading the book! Very reliable.

Nice piece, menus and instruction a little confusing, will have been almost the same to purchase one model down.

Nice monitor, lots of functions, works as advertised. The display is not very bright and I have to push the back light button when I need to read it in a dim room. I've used cheaper models of this brand that had a better display.

The monitor is absolutely simple to use, and the heart rate it indicates is spot on.

The number on the monitor jumps around a lot. I am not sure if I am using it wrong, or what.

This was an update from my old Polar watch. This watch has many great functions if you like to keep track of your workouts. I am still learning all that it does. If you are a runner you may want one of the other Polar watches made just for the runners out there.

Polar F6 Heart Rate Monitor Watch


I have owned a Polar F6 for five years with no real problems. I recently bought two more (for my two sons)for presents.I have become so use to them, that I feel slightly lost using the treadmill without it.
I do think it would be usefull if the real time stayed on during the
workout. It does show the amount of workout time used but I tend to forget about the real time and sometimes stay in the gym to long and late for appointments.

Polar F6 Heart Rate Monitor Watch

I purchased two of these; one for each of my two daughters.
They are both in late 20's and working out is part of their lives.
They are learning more about themselves and really love the whole idea.
My younger sister told me her grade school has the kids put on these before gym class. Item came quickly and works wonderfully. So much you can do with this item ! Time reading the pamphlet is suggested so you get the most this device has to offer. Thank you! Mrs. Valdovinos

At first, it was a little difficult to understand how to use the monitor, however, once I determined how to access the additional menus and data on it I have gotten great value from using it in my workouts. It is very useful to get this information while working out. I like the lightweight aspect of the watch. I also thought the price as compared to the features offered was a good deal.

This heart monitor works just great. I like that it keeps track of how much exercise you get in a weeks time. The only thing that I don't like is that it is difficult to see in the dark without my glasses as the light makes the numerals green. Other than that, I think it is well worth the money. Strap is really comfortable, don't even know you have it on.

This is a good solid product, works as advertised and has really helped me in monitoring the calories I burn during my workout so no guessing games anymore.

I've been using one of these for years and just bought one for my wife. The encoded transmitters allow us to run next to each other or use it in a health club without interference. Polar works with most club equipment such as treadmills and bikes. The watch is easy to set up with your age, weight, etc. Easy to review your workout. Shows average heart rate and max, total time and calories burned. Can set up heart rate zones for light, moderate, and hard workouts. I don't really use that feature nor do I use the Own Zone feature to automatically calculate zones. I just strap it on and go.

Takes a little getting used to, but it works great. Helping to keep my overachiever husband with a heart problem safer while working out.

It's very useful, especially for people that had had a heart attack.The only thing I didn't like was the size of the nombers For me it's difficult to read without my glasses

I love my cute HRM. It has really changed the way I work out. At the beginning it was discouraging to see that I am actually burning less than the gym machines say, but now I know the truth.

This is very cute, very easy to set-up and very easy to read! I love it.

Excellent watch, does everything you need to monitor your training. Also, it size suitable for men; not small at all.

I am glad to buy it because I found the functions required for my personal training. So, I recomend it to everybody which are going to begin to taking control of heart rate.

it works well but it's kinda troublesome to keep the belt wet if you simply want to monitor how your heart works without running and sweating.

The heart rate is good and special for my wife. Is very beatiful and woman style.

Thanks for the great service and ease of both purchase and delivery. My heart monitor came right away, just in time for my long distance bike training! CMB

I really like this HRM and recommend it. It has improved my exercise sessions enormously. The watch is comfortable, as is the chest strap.

Good product, does what it is supposed to do. May not be 100% accurate, but close enough given the price.

I bought this Graphite Black, Polar F6 heart-rate monitor to replace my old Polar A5. Karstadt Sporthaus München charged me Euro 99.95 (equivalent to Indian Rs. 5,780).

It looks and feels great.

I created a personalized logo with the downloaded tool: Polar UpLink Tool v1.60.

To upload, in the Time of Day display of the watch, you have to get to SETTINGS mode.

Had to experiment a little with the audio-based uplink communication.

It wouldn't work with the laptop built-in speakers, but then the manual said so.

It wouldn't work with my Plantronics .Audio 625 USB Stereo Headset.

Finally I exported the .wav file to my Nokia N82 mobile phone and played the modulated signal through its onboard loudspeakers.

The upload to the watch started. Its display showed a blinking 'UpLink'. Finally the sound stopped and the watch showed, 'UpLink OK' with a beep. Back in the Time of Day display, holding in the upper right button activated my new logo.

Happy. :)

Ram

Price is good, but the post service solving questions not good enough. Also they need to improve their customer service after sells. No nice to receive mails from them to discuss about my opinion.

I've been using this for about a month and it has worked out great! I feel good when I'm done exercising when I wear this so my HR doesn't go to high. I can get a good sweat going but don't feel like I'm dying when I get off the treadmill.

Albeit a very good HRM that does very well it's primary job (to monitor heart rate), I was quite disappointed with the count down timer resolution. It can count to at most a minute boundary. No way to set it to, for example, 1'30". I would buy it anyway, even if I knew that. I only think that Polar website could be clear about that.

The software (website, actually) is pretty much useless.

This POLAR HRM I bought when I wanted to shape my body. In simple terms if you want to lose weight buy this watch and keep you HR at a desired level and follow a good diet. You will be really amazed to see the results. Definetely recommend it.

You can't simply enter what heart rate targets you want - it only gives you ones it makes up on its own. You even must enter what DAY you were born, before you can use it - preventing others from using it without loads of set-up time. It comes with a transmitter and strap you must THROW AWAY when the battery dies. How green! And expensive. If the watch strap breaks, you must BUY A NEW WATCH because the strap is unusual. Many of the features can't be used without additional software and trouble. Polar should be picketed for this unit.

Polar did make a better watch...I am talking about the functions and display options. You can read 3 things at once (Calories, timer, HR).
It should be sold with the other chest band.

If you spin, this product is not for you. The display of the heart rate is very small (in relation to the time, stopwatch, other bells and whistles) and you cannot see it in a darkened room unless the backlight is on. You have to hit a button to illuminate with the backlight and it turns off again within seconds.

I bought this product mainly for use in my spinning and weight training classes. I confess that I rarely read directions for anything, and I haven't read these. But I intend to. The basic setup is easy, and you can easily find the calories burned, maximum heart rate, heart range, etc. without hassle. BUT there appear to be many more settings that I should really figure out...what is the little "you've got mail" box? And what is that infernal and incredibly irritating beeping? (I solved this mystery by turning off the volume.)
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br /What I'm saying is, it's pretty easy to set up and you can find basic info. There are some advanced settings that would probably be helpful if I get around to reading the directions.
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br /On the down side, the strap is somewhat awkward. I discovered that if you put the strap on below the sports bra, the strap wanders around and down your torso until your heart rate reads zero. So now I put the sports bra on over it to keep it in place. Seems to work pretty well.
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br /One complaint I have is that it doesn't "talk" very well with the computer on our spinning bikes. This isn't a huge deal to me, but you pretty much have to decide to trust one or the other, because they rarely agree.
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br /The watch itself is rather blah and feels pretty huge on my arm. My only other complaint is that anytime my heart rate jumps signficantly (like going from warmup to sprints), the monitor takes several--and I do mean several--seconds to reboot. I'm not sure if this is because it's a cheaper model or if that's just the way all monitors are. But I'm pretty sure my heart doesn't go from 130 to zero and back to 145 again.
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br /Overall, I think it's a decent product and it is worth $100. And yes, I have found that my actual heart rate does surprise me sometimes.

Love the features on this watch, but the band is made of a poreous synthetic material that is impossible to clean. I now have a two-toned watch--pretty soft pink casing with a discolored greyish pink band. Does anyone know how to clean this??? Buy this and you will soon be shopping for a basic black replacement.

Purchased this watch (men's black watch) and the Pink F6 for my wife. The watch I purchased was delivered (on time) in the factory box today. Set time / date etc. All looked okay. Put watch on wrist, then tried to remove from wrist. The pin that holds the clasp to the plastic band came out. Thought the pin may have not been securely in place, so I put pin and band back together, all looked okay. Again placed on wrist and again tried to remove, and again the pin and clasp came apart. In my honest opin this is a really cheap watch band on what I believe to be a fairly good watch. I would give ZERO STARS if that were possible. Wife's watch appears okay, she can remove from her wrist with no problems. The band on the ladies watch is more flexible, maybe that's the difference?

Worthless. Half the time it doesn't work -- picks up other monitors, or doubles your heart rate, or doesn't show one, or shows a ridiculously low one. Nice, when it works, but completely unreliable. Don't waste your money.

Este equipo es muy bueno, le permite supervisar de cerca la evolucion de tus ejercicios. El color es muy lindo y agradable. Lo compre para mi esposa y esta super feliz y super delgada gracias a la ayuda y la informacion que este reloj le brinda en sus ejercicios. Lo recomiendo.

I wanted to purchase a watch that also had a heart rate monitor. What I got was a heart rate monitor. The item is definetly misnamed. Returned immediately.