Polar RS300x Review

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Jan 292012
 

Polar RS300xThe Polar RS300X is one of the most popular heart rate monitor on the market and with good reasons. It provides a complete set of features, can be connected to PODs for extended functionality and has an easy to use interface.

The Polar RS300X starts you up by having you perform a fitness test on which it will base your maximum heart rate and then derive your various heart rate zones from it. This makes having the RS300X an easy to calibrate and means that your target heart zones will be accurately identified.

During training, the Polar RS300X will provide real time heart rate as well as calories burned. Alarms will warn you when you get in or out of your determined target heart rate zones making it easy to adjust the intensity of your workout on the fly.

The default log of the Polar RS300X can track your last 16 training session, but this can be extended by uploading your training sessions to a PC software using a Polar Flowlink tool (sold separatly).

The Polar RS300X can also be extended by connecting to the Polar G1 GPS POD. Polar even has a package containing the RS300X and G1 GPS unit.

Overall, the RS300X is a good, reliable product for fitness enthusiast that offers good versatility.

Pros:

  • Easy and intuitive to use
  • Integrated fitness test makes sure the unit is properly setup for you
  • Extended functionality with Flowlink and GPS unit
  • Affordable price

Cons:

  • Only 16 training session log book

 

Our Rating: 8/10

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Suunto M5 review

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Dec 132011
 

The motto for the Suunto M series is “taking the thinking out of training” and the M5 lives up to that.

Right at the start, the Suunto M5 will allow you to take a fitness test. During this test, the M5 will monitor your body metrics to identify your current fitness level. Once your basic fitness level has been identified, the Suunto M5 allows you to choose your fitness goal between improving fitness, weight loss or basic free training and will tailor a training program for you if you select one of the first two options.

From that point on, the Suunto M5 will tell you which days you should train and which days should be recovery days. Not only that, but it will give you feedback as you train telling you whether you are training too hard or going too easy. All these options are easy to use and the user interface is intuitive.

The Suunto M5 comes in a few different color option and it should be noted that the display on the one illustrated can sometimes be a bit hard to read when in dim light. I have not tried the models with a more standard “black on white” display but from what I hear they are much easier to read.

The Suunto M5 can easily be linked to Suunto’s foot POD, Bike Pod or GPS Pod to provide distance and speed data. A running pack is even sold which include the Suunto M5 and a foot POD.  If you purchase the Movestick Mini (also included in the running kit) you can easily upload your training sessions to Suunto’s online community and training diary, Movescount. You can even customize the M5 training program by downloading one from Movescount.

Pros:

  • Fitness test and personalised training program
  • Easy to use interface
  • Connectivity to various PODs

Cons:

  • Missing some advanced measures such as Training Effect
  • White on black display can be hard to read.
Our rating: 8/10
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Suunto t6d review

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Nov 082011
 

With its extensive set of data and its versatility, the Suunto t6d is clearly targeted at people who take their training seriously. In fact, all of that data can be intimidating at first, but the Suunto t6d offers two completely customizable displays that allows you to select what he wants to see or not. The ability to configure two such displays is also of great help when changing between two activity types. The data set one would want while running might be different than the one desired while cycling. With this flexibility it is not surprise that the Suunto t6d is used by many professional triathletes.

Suunto went out of its way to provide deep physical data for the t6d. Not only can you see the usual heart rate and calories burn, but you can also see real time EPOC (Excessive Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption) and the Suunto Training Effect. This measure provides real time data on the intensity of your current training session based on your body metrics (age, weight, and height), fitness level expressed as activity class and the data gathered during your current training session. This helps make sure that your current training session is suited to your training plan and that you do not over exert yourself or under train.

To provide speed and distance information, the Suunto t6d can be paired with the Suunto Foot Pod Mini, Suunto Bike Pod or the Suunto GPS Pod. Pairing these devices is easy and the data they provide can be added to your customizable displays.

Another great tool provided with the t6d is the connector allowing you to easily upload your data to Movescount.com, Suunto’s online community training diary. This helps not only share your training information but also analyse said information by providing great visual feedback and detailed graphs.

All in all, the Suunto t6d is a great product offering a lot. The amount of informtion provided can be a bit intimidating at first, but the customizable displays make it easy to filter through all that data to see only what you want to see.

Pros:

  • Lots detailed of information about your training
  • Easy to connect to various PODs to extend functionality
  • 2 easily customizable displays
  • Easy connectivity to movescount community

Cons:

  • Amount of data can be confusing for new users

Rating 9/10

 

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Polar FT80 Review

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Nov 052011
 

The Polar FT80 is a great monitor for people of any fitness level who want to combine cardiovascular training with weight training. Its integrated fitness test and adapted training program are great tools that help tailor your training to provide the best benefit possible.

While it provides the standard set of training data (heart rate, real time calories burned, etc), the Polar FT80 differentiate itself with its weight training feature and its graphical guidance. When doing weight training, the Polar FT80 will guide you through your set identifying with an easy to understand graphic. This will help you get the most out of your workouts by optimizing your lifting and rest periods.

For people focusing more on cardiovascular training, the ability to connect the Polar FT80 to the Polar S1 Foot Pod or the Polar G1 GPS Sensor is a great addition. These tools can provide feedback as to the distance and speed of a particular training session.

While some users of the Polar FT80 have reported that the model with the black screen had poor contrast and was hard to read in bright light, the model we tested was the traditional black on white display and we had no problems reading the display even when training outside.

More and more, heart rate companies put the focus on online diaries or communities. Polar is no exception and the FT80 comes with a tool to easily transfer your training data to polarpersonaltrainer.com to create a personal training diary. Sites like this can be a great source of motivation and tool to help you keep on track with your training program.

Overall, the Polar FT80 is a great product for fitness enthusiasts. It really shines with its fitness tests and adapted training program and its weight training features is a big differentiator.

Pros:

  •  Integrated fitness tests and training programs
  •  Weight training features
  •  Ability to connect to GPS and Foot pod add-ons
  •  2 years warranty

Cons:

  •  Hard to read display on the white on black model.

Our rating 9/10

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