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 Polar F4 Women's Heart Rate Monitor Watch (Blue Ice) By: Polar Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 52 More Information Decent watch, lousy instructions  On: 2008-07-21My problem with this unit is that the instructions for setting the watch did not match the actual behavior of the unit. That is, displays that were supposed to appear when pressing the "ok" button did not - others appeared instead. I did manage to get everything set up after experimenting with it for about half an hour. An email to Polar customer service didnt help. They responded by sending a PDF copy of the same wrong users manual. The watch itself seems solidly made, and the readings seems to be accurate. If it werent for the setup problems and poor customer service, Id give it four stars. Extremely disappointed  On: 2008-04-14Polar F4 Heart Rate Monitor Watch I purchased this monitor through Amazon in January 08 and had really looked forward to receiving it and being able to monitor my heart rate along with calorie expenditure. It was fairly easy to program especially with the on line tutorials from Polar. But, what a disappointment. After a couple of uses, I noticed that the heart rate seemed to stick in one place no matter how hard or easy I exercised. Even adjusting the chest monitor didnt help. Then sometimes the bpm would suddenly jump as much as 30 bpm or suddenly drop. I contacted Polar and was advised to return the watch and monitor at my own expense, which I did. After three weeks, I received my heart rate watch and monitor along with an invoice saying that the battery had been replaced and that there had been loose parts in the monitor that had been fixed. There was no charge as the item was still under warranty. Two days after receiving it back, it started doing the same thing. It will stick at one rate, even when I discontinue exercising altogether. And sometimes it will just 00 out with the heart beat symbol still beating. I reported this and my disappointment to Polar via email whereby after several days they replied suggesting several "fixes". These "fixes" did not help and the watch/monitor still do not work properly. There were some things that I did like about it, but what good is it, if it doesnt perform the primary function as advertised? I am out $89.95 for a useless piece of equipment. I would NOT recommend this product, nor will I purchase any other from Polar. Also, I have the black with amber face, and it is very difficult to read. There is not enough contrast between the face and the numbers. Love it  On: 2008-04-08Id been trying to use the heart rate feature on the equipment at the gym, with limited success. This monitor has been great and Ive been able to do more challenging interval training. I love the color--its not black and its not white. If you like tracking your progess and performance over time, it has some great feature. I havent used them yet. The only thing I miss is having a back light. Its sometimes hard to ready in spinning class. polar F4 heart rate monitor On: 2008-04-05Ive only had this for a month but so far so good. I havent had a problem at all.I was looking for a basic monitor that counts calories, time,and HR, this one has been great. Good product On: 2008-03-29I have been using this heart rate monitor for 1 month now and I have no complaints. My heart rate is always accurate (against the machines at the gym and taking my pulse manually) and the information on the wrist unit is easy to read. WONDERFUL  On: 2008-03-02I love my Polar heart monitor. I use it daily. I learned quickly that when I walked and I wanted to get an aerobic burn from my walk that I needed to just increase my speed a little and the monitor helps me to that. I use it at Spin class and it works great ( the only thing I would have made sure I had gotten for spin class would be a light on the watch so I can see what my heart rate is during class since the lights are off in the room and I cant see the watch face) I love to use it in the fitness room at the gym since it works with the built in monitors on their machines almost like magic. It is comfortable and I am a large woman the elastic strap adjust easily. I would highly reccomend this product. Polar F4 Women's Heart Rate Monitor - not working! On: 2008-02-16Unfortunately I cannot say anything good about this monitor since it worked for me only once. When I tried to use the monitor the second day it would not pick up the signal from the chest belt, no matter how I tried to reposition or tighten it. Also, the initial set-up (of the watch settings) was a bit of a chore - I nearly chucked it out of the window a couple of times. I returned it for a refund . I havent bought another one thus far - still doing research and looking for input on which one is worth an investment. Great Purchase On: 2008-02-08Very easy to use and very comfortable. Now I can finally tell if Im on track with my walking routine. Good basic model On: 2008-01-23This heart monitor is great for what I need it to do: monitor my heart rate and track calories burned. It comes with the watch receiver and the chest strap transmitter. The transmitter works with the machines at the gym so if Im doing cardio there, I dont have to wear the watch (though when I did wear the watch I noticed that the number of calories burned differed slightly from what was on the elliptical). The instructions were a little hard to understand, but luckily Im a smart girl and figured out the programming of the watch on my own. Women's fitness heart rate monitor On: 2008-01-07A lot of my work out buddies have this watch, but for a long time, I didnt want to spend the money on one. However, shortly after purchasing an inexpensive version I realized it didnt give me what I wanted and didnt last very long...So,I caved and bought the Polar heart rate monitor and I LOVE it! It is nice looking (I have the red), lightweight, and gives me the feedback that I was looking for in my personal workouts. I am not so tech savvy and I found this great watch easy to use. I highly recommend it! New spin on exercising On: 2007-11-25This is my first hr monitor and I really like it! I am now maximizing my workouts! Little did I now that I wasnt exercising within my range. The monitor is easy to use and works with the exercise equipment at the gym. I did struggle thru the set up but once I read the directions, whipped right through. Great purchase so far! love this watch On: 2007-11-13Love this watch! It is just what I needed and not more. Easy to set up and work, monitors HR accurately,keeps the target HR limits set and it beeps when I am out of the zone and need to change my pace, has fat burning zone bullets,easy to read and not too large for my tiny wrists. I do wish it had a backup light for the rare times that I am in dim lighting, but not a big deal. It evens works with my elliptical,the display automatically displays up my heart rate continuously. Evidently they use the same electronics by Polar. Im buying a second one as a gift. love this watch!! On: 2007-09-24I had the old simple version of this and lost the chest strap. So I upgraded to this model. I love it! The chest strap is the same. This watch tells you if you are in your target heart range or not and for how long. It gives your avg heart rate and your high. Then it tracks your workouts by the date. I really like it! I use it at the gym 5 -6 times a week and am lost without it! love this watch!! On: 2007-09-23I had the old simple version of this and lost the chest strap. So I upgraded to this model. I love it! The chest strap is the same. This watch tells you if you are in your target heart range or not and for how long. It gives your avg heart rate and your high. Then it tracks your workouts by the date. I really like it! I use it at the gym 5 -6 times a week and am lost without it! Try to avoid  On: 2007-09-08The problems I had with the monitor are not why I suggest against buying it. Its the difficulty I had with the costumer service. The problem is that my monitor, while measuring accurately my heart rate, report much less energy expenditure than fitness machine report, consistently by a factor of two. There could be many reasons for that, but one that I wanted to rule out is a programming mistake in the receiver. No, said the representative, impossible. Why? Because. I did more homework (which I consider their homework), searched textbooks, websites, compared different machine of different makers and different type of exercise and return to the company with a more argued case. Again, no cooperation. If I gave them my personal data, the average heart-rate and time spent exercising, will they tell me what energy expenditure is the monitor programmed to report? No. Why? They just dont do it. (Notice, I didnt ask how much energy I actually expand, there is no way to know without directly measuring. My question is whether the monitor I put almost $100 in function as intended.) Ive sent my monitor for inspection, with detailed description of the issue, and had it returned still under-reporting energy expenditure and with no sign indicating they looked closely at my claim. There are ways for me to check whats going on. I can let others use my monitor as see if the value they get is closer to the value reported by the same fitness machines (this would indicate that its me who is putting a lot of work without raising my heart rate much). Likewise, I can try use another heart-rate monitor and see if it also under report energy expenditure. The question is, should it be a monitor made by Polar? I think it not. Another way to know, less accurate though, is to try calculating how much I eat and how much I expand, according to Polar and according to the machines, and see which agree better with my body weight. I did. The verdict: Polars monitor seriously under calculate energy expenditure. At least my monitor and my energy expenditure. Great Heart Rate Monitor! On: 2007-08-29Relatively easy to set up. Once initial setup is completed, very easy to use. Very accurate. Has everything you need and no confusing extras! Ive bought others & returned them due to not being able to figure out setup!!! My mom (very non-technological) is able to use it daily. AND i just found out its waterproof so i can wear it surfing / paddling! Worth the money. Great watch On: 2007-07-30This is a great heart rate monitor watch for the money. Ive been using Polar watches for quite some time and think this is the best Ive owned. I recently tested/compared this watch (F4) to Polars M61. The F4 provided more accurate numbers regarding my calories burned (which is the most important thing for me--heart rate and calories burned). I wear an Apex Body Bug that also monitors my calories. When compared to the Body Bug (which is extremely accurate) the F4 was on the money. The M61 only showed that I burned about 1/2 of what the F4 and the BodyBug showed. I also wear my F4 while swimming (which I cannot do with the BodyBug). So far, this was held up great to all conditions. Im considering purchasing another as a back up or in case Polar for some unknown reason discontinues the watch. Great product!!! good product On: 2007-07-09Great monitor....just wish it had a light. Also, the chest strap if moved wont read your heart rate.....which if you are exercising and not paying complete attention to it..... will reset itself. That can be a pain if you are trying to keep accurate counts. I think that is just a downfall of a chest strap... not necessarily the monitor. Great product On: 2007-07-08I was looking for something simple and easy to use and this product exceeded my expectations. Instructions are easy to follow, watch is not bulky like most other heart rate monitors (great for females), and chest strap is quite comfortable. Great product! Buttons Cracked and Fell Off On: 2007-06-05I think this watch is a great tool, especially for the price. I use it for all of my workouts and think it has just the right number of features. I love being able to tell how many calories Ive burned when Im playing a tennis match or going for a walk. The negatives are that the bands turned yellow after a few weeks of wear so now it looks old and gross (but who really cares, Im working out, not out for a night at The Ritz), and that the buttons have cracked and fallen off. It still works, but Im currently looking at the models without the plastic buttons. These buttons were never banged against anything or abused in any way, shape, or form. They just cracked and fell apart within about 2 weeks of each other, after about 8 months of use, 2-3 xs a week. Totally weird, and very annoying for a $90 item. Once you get it going, it's great! On: 2007-05-23I agree with the other reviews on here. Setting the thing up is a pain, but its great for tracking exercise and calories burned. The reason I thought Id add my 2cents is because of the following observation: My only gripe? When I wear it with a sports bra that has an underwire, my heart rate readings are grossly thrown off. I am assuming that the metal interferes in some way. My HR would sit at zero for about 10 minutes, then register (but well above or below where it would usually be). Its kind of scary when you cool down, walk out of the gym, and the gadget on your wrist is registering your HR at 200+! I was actually looking at replacing it until I figured out what the problem was. Has anyone else experienced this? More productive workout. On: 2007-05-12I bought this monitor for my wife on the advice of her fitness trainer at the "Y". She is not the technogeek type but took to this monitor right away. She uses it on every workout to help maintain her proper heart rate. (Seems as we age- this becomes more important.) She likes the style and color and she uses it. What better recommendation than that? Nice addition to my fitness equipment On: 2007-05-04This is the first heart rate monitor Ive ever owned, and was skeptical that it would be comfortable to wear. However, the chest strap is actually very comfortable and not bulky at all. The front is smooth, rounded plastic and the back is soft elastic. The watch is small enough to fit my wrist comfortably, and has all the necessary features I needed (calories, heart rate, timers, etc.). It was not intuitive to set up for first use (entering my age, weight, etc.) given that the watch only has two buttons, but once I followed the instructions in the booklet everything worked just fine. Just dont throw the instruction booklet away because as you lose weight youll want to update the settings to get accurate calorie readings! Overall, the whole unit is sleek and well designed. I use my monitor every time I work out now! Working very well so far On: 2007-04-23Just got it today. Was frustrated in my initial attempt to change the settings, but the heart rate part worked and thats what I needed. While biking it was easy to continually monitor my heart rate. I had to really push to get it up over 120, but without it I wouldnt have known I needed to push harder. Afterwards I worked again on changing the settings. My roommate tried as well. Never would have figured it out from the instructions. Accidentally finally hit the right sequence of button pushes to get into the "settings" mode. That lack of clear instruction is the only reason I dont give this five stars. Its actually simple to get into settings mode (starting from the time-of-day display): - Press the "set" button (the one opposite "start") three times - it will get to "settings" after going through "summary" and "totals." Another note: When setting the "user" settings, youre asked for weight in kilograms and height in centimeters. The next setting (after "user") is units. So skip weight & height the first time around if you dont want metric. Love it On: 2007-04-02I love this product!!! It is so easy to use and works really well. I am so glad I made this purchase! Nice features... On: 2007-03-19I love that its small for my wrist. Its simple to use and I love it. Its also a really cute color, I actually find myself using this as a watch when Im not exercising. Won't leave home without it On: 2007-03-17I love my Polar F4. Just love it! I dont work out without it and am happy to say that since Ive started working out (January 1) and using this gizmo, Ive lost 12 pounds. Okay, so that had more to do with counting calories than it did with wearing a heart rate monitor, but this gadget tallies the calories Ive burned so that I have a good sense of how much I can eat. If anyone thinks the calorie calculation is off (because your treadmill says you burned considerably less), Ill beg to differ. I use a spreadsheet and record calories in, basal metabolic rate, and calories out and every 3500 calories, I lose .8 to one full pound. (I attribute the .2 difference to water weight.) The monitor comes with a size Medium strap and if youre small framed, it may seem too loose. I use the band of my sports bra to hold the strap in place (in other words, I "tuck" the strap inside my bra). Changing the weight on the watch is tedious because you cant go "down"... you have to go all the way up to 300 and then start over again at 1. As a result, I only change the weight on the thing when theres a three pound difference or more. Changing the weight is important as it more accurately will calculate the calories burned. Other critiques stated that the watch had a stop watch mechanism. It does not. It doesnt have a light either but I havent used it at night or in the dark. I dont use this for time at all; I use it ONLY to report back my workout results. I do own the black watch because I thought the blue one looked cheesy and had read that it yellowed with time. After ten weeks and almost fifty uses, the black watch is holding up just fine. My ONLY beef is that the LCD sometimes shows the numbers (calories in Summary section) in such a way that you cant read the first digit. A 6 may look like a 3 because the LCD isnt in full function on the first digit. In other words, 690 calories burned may read as 390 calories. However, just before the summary, when youre done working out, you get an immediate readout and I read the calories there. Strangely enough, though, over the last two or three weeks, I havent had an LCD problem. It may have been a problem with cold weather, but just know that this might happen with your watch. Would I buy it again? Yep! Was it worth the $70 or $75 I paid? You bet! F4 is the perfect size and the perfect monitor On: 2007-03-04I am very impressed with the F4. It is very easy to use and a good basic heart rate monitor. It is easier to program than my F6, and it fits better. Polar makes the best HR monitors, and it works with all their chest straps - coded and uncoded, and even with ones that are not from them. I have Vision Fitness exercise equipment, and the strap works with their HR function. Sometimes I strap the watch to the equipment so I can read while I exercise, and Im able to continually see the HR without constantly changing the view on the equipment. The color is more of a gray color than an ice blue, so it goes with just about anything you wear. Im really looking forward to using this unit while I go out and do my walks this spring! I cant imagine buying anything else but Polar. This is my third watch and all three of them are still working well. F4 is the perfect size and the perfect monitor On: 2007-03-03I am very impressed with the F4. It is very easy to use and a good basic heart rate monitor. It is easier to program than my F6, and it fits better. Polar makes the best HR monitors, and it works with all their chest straps - coded and uncoded, and even with ones that are not from them. I have Vision Fitness exercise equipment, and the strap works with their HR function. Sometimes I strap the watch to the equipment so I can read while I exercise, and Im able to continually see the HR without constantly changing the view on the equipment. The color is more of a gray color than an ice blue, so it goes with just about anything you wear. Im really looking forward to using this unit while I go out and do my walks this spring! I cant imagine buying anything else but Polar. This is my third watch and all three of them are still working well. Clever for the young at heart On: 2007-02-20Strengths: - it is compatible with most exercise machines; - it provides all the basic heart rate functions you might need. Weakness: - I am at the age where the font size on the screen is just too small for me to read! I would recommend a larger unit, even for women, if you need to wear reading glasses. Polar F4 monitor On: 2007-01-29I like the smaller size watch. This particular monitor gives a summary of each workout session. The directions made it easy to set up and read the watch face. I mainly am interested in keeping an eye on the calories burned as I give myself targets to hit when I ride my bike. However there is one annoying part with this watch - the wrist band. It is easy to strap on but not easy to take off. The buckle does not open easily too take the watch off. I have to hold down the middle metal piece that locks into the wrist band holes and play with the strap moving it up and down until I am able to take the watch off. I have to strap the watch on loosely or it is very hard to unbuckle if I make the wrist band fit properly. I didnt have this problem with my previous mens polar wrist band. The wrist band feels like a stiffer plastic/rubber piece then my prior polar band too. Looks nice and does the job! On: 2007-01-27I love this watch! Its easy to use. Its also a very basic watch. It gives your heart rate, zone and calories burned. Its very nice for what it is supposed to do. If youre looking for a watch with a lot of bells and whistles, this is not the one for you. It looks nice and its not too bulky. The only reason I would have gotten the F6 is because it says it has something that prevents "cross talk" (interference with others wearing a heart monitor watch. There are three of us where this same exact watch in my cycling class and weve never had a problem with "cross talk." As the other reviews said, there is no backlight. Would recommend! Looks nice and does the job! On: 2007-01-26I love this watch! Its easy to use. Its also a very basic watch. It gives your heart rate, zone and calories burned. Its very nice for what it is supposed to do. If youre looking for a watch with a lot of bells and whistles, this is not the one for you. It looks nice and its not too bulky. The only reason I would have gotten the F6 is because it says it has something that prevents "cross talk" (interference with others wearing a heart monitor watch. There are three of us where this same exact watch in my cycling class and weve never had a problem with "cross talk." As the other reviews said, there is no backlight. Would recommend! I love this watch... there is just one thing... On: 2007-01-22I really like this watch. The heart rate is extremely accurate. I love the reminder to work out feature also. The only thing that I wish it had is backlighting or some sort of light feature. I like to jog at night and it is impossible to read the numbers. Even in the gym, it is difficult to read in certain lighting conditions. Great tool On: 2007-01-16for helping to lose weight. Gives a visual feedback to the effort extended so you have a more accurate picture of what your are or are not accomplishing. Am happy with the accuracy and have had no problems with it to date after almost a year. Just wish it had a backlight since it is often dark when I am walking. When it is easy to see I can quickly pick up my pace or change my route to reach the goals I have set for myself. Harder to do if it is dark and you cannot read the screen. I was worried when I got it that the band on the watch would be small because I have large wrists - not a problem at all. Was also worried about the comfort of the chest strap - do not notice it any more than my bra. It was also plenty big. Geek Meets Jock On: 2007-01-10When I started working out last year, my husband got me a strapless heart rate monitor. It was big and bulky and I needed to press two buttons to get a reading. It also didnt track calories. It was very good for making sure my heart rate wasnt going too high. (When youre in your forties, those things become important.) A few months ago, I learned that some heart rate monitors actually track the calories burned during a workout. I started researching and brought my choices down to the Polar F4 and a Reebook model that was strapless. I was hesitant to get a model with a chest strap because I thought it might be uncomfortable. I decided to take a chance on the Polar and am so glad I did. The monitor is really easy to use. You can use your computer to change the settings on it. It continuously tracks your heart rate and calories burned during a workout session. It keeps track of and totals a weeks worth of workouts. This is probably my best fitness purchase ever. Geek Meets Jock On: 2007-01-09When I started working out last year, my husband got me a strapless heart rate monitor. It was big and bulky and I needed to press two buttons to get a reading. It also didnt track calories. It was very good for making sure my heart rate wasnt going too high. (When youre in your forties, those things become important.) A few months ago, I learned that some heart rate monitors actually track the calories burned during a workout. I started researching and brought my choices down to the Polar F4 and a Reebook model that was strapless. I was hesitant to get a model with a chest strap because I thought it might be uncomfortable. I decided to take a chance on the Polar and am so glad I did. The monitor is really easy to use. You can use your computer to change the settings on it. It continuously tracks your heart rate and calories burned during a workout session. It keeps track of and totals a weeks worth of workouts. This is probably my best fitness purchase ever. A good product, but you might do better. by: gasparro14 On: 2007-01-09 I trained for a marathon and several 10K races using a heart rate monitor. They are very good instruments for training and I recommend them to everyone who wants to lose weight or get in shape. After youve purchased one or two of them, you become a better shopper. I purchased an F-4 for a friend, and I was very, very disappointed in the battery life when I found out how soon the battery in the main unit wore out. Some of the newer heart monitors - Nikon for one- have user replaceable batteries so you can save a lot of money and time replacing batteries after one or two years. A good product, but you might do better. On: 2007-01-08I trained for a marathon and several 10K races using a heart rate monitor. They are very good instruments for training and I recommend them to everyone who wants to lose weight or get in shape. After youve purchased one or two of them, you become a better shopper. I purchased an F-4 for a friend, and I was very, very disappointed in the battery life when I found out how soon the battery in the main unit wore out. Some of the newer heart monitors - Nikon for one- have user replaceable batteries so you can save a lot of money and time replacing batteries after one or two years. Becoming accountable On: 2006-12-21I love this. It makes me accountable for my exercise. Its accurate and I love that it keeps calories and records and logs it all. I have used it in water and on land. It is perfect for all levels of exercisers. It is comfortable and looks nice. Great features. Not what I thought On: 2006-11-11Its just a simple watch, because my sport is spinning this isnt a good watch because it doesnt have light so in my spinning classes I cant see the monitor, always the spinning classes are with no light, it doesent work well enough. Great HRM! On: 2006-11-10This is our second Polar HRM. My husband kept on borrowing my F6 & I decided to buy this one for myself instead. Its easier to use than the F6 was and if your main goal is to monitor while you are working out this is a great product. Awesome monitor On: 2006-11-06Im enjoying my heart rate monitor quite a bit. I agree with previous reviews that it could definitely use a night-glow feature, and it takes a little while to change the time since you have only a two-button interface, (so dont use this as your main watch if you change time zones often) but the controls are easy to figure out, and id rather have just two buttons than more buttons making things all difficult. I love the nub at the end of the watch strap that makes it much easier to hold down slack from the watch so it doesnt get caught on everything. This is the only non-velcro watch Ive ever had that hasnt had slack that gets caught on anything. Also, the band has a lot of holes so you can wear it if you have really tiny or fairly large wrists, or use it as an emergency hair-tie. The monitor functionality also does everything I want it to. Awesome monitor On: 2006-11-05Im enjoying my heart rate monitor quite a bit. I agree with previous reviews that it could definitely use a night-glow feature, and it takes a little while to change the time since you have only a two-button interface, (so dont use this as your main watch if you change time zones often) but the controls are easy to figure out, and id rather have just two buttons than more buttons making things all difficult. I love the nub at the end of the watch strap that makes it much easier to hold down slack from the watch so it doesnt get caught on everything. This is the only non-velcro watch Ive ever had that hasnt had slack that gets caught on anything. Also, the band has a lot of holes so you can wear it if you have really tiny or fairly large wrists, or use it as an emergency hair-tie. The monitor functionality also does everything I want it to. Basic, User-friendly Heart Rate Monitor On: 2006-10-18I bought this watch several months ago. It is great for basic use and is easy to set up. Keeps accurate HR readings, and the fact that it estimates calories burned is great. It does store an exercise file of your last workout. This model does have a few drawbacks, though: 1. the light blue band turns yellowish from wear, so the black model would be better; 2. The one-touch button that activates the HRM activity is very easy to accidentally bump and turn on -- I woke up one morning and the HRM function had been running during the night; 3. When you lose weight and you go to adjust your user profile, it doesnt have a down function for weight, and you have to scroll up and all the way around to your lower weight; and 4. it doesnt have a backlight, so using it at night, in theatres, etc. doesnt work. The watch is a good size for women -- Ive had other Polar models that were huge like mens watches. Overall, not bad for the price, but I will buy one with a few more features next time. Perfect heart rate monitor On: 2006-09-24This is my first heart rate monitor and I love it! It has greatly improved my workouts. Its very user-friendly and doesnt take long to learn how it works. You can set it to show your heart rate or the %. It also keeps track of how many calories you have burned. The chest band is not uncomfortable to wear...I forget I even have it on. I highly recommend this monitor for anyone. The only negative thing I can say about it is that the watch is a little flimsy. It doesnt feel very durable but I havent had any problems with it so far. Perfect heart rate monitor On: 2006-09-23This is my first heart rate monitor and I love it! It has greatly improved my workouts. Its very user-friendly and doesnt take long to learn how it works. You can set it to show your heart rate or the %. It also keeps track of how many calories you have burned. The chest band is not uncomfortable to wear...I forget I even have it on. I highly recommend this monitor for anyone. The only negative thing I can say about it is that the watch is a little flimsy. It doesnt feel very durable but I havent had any problems with it so far. Must have On: 2006-09-19I bought the F4 Heart Rate Monitor almost a year ago and love it! It is the perfect size for a womans wrist and has everything you need to track your progess during a workout. You can toggle between settings so you can see everthing from your current heart rate to your target heart rate to calories burned. I use mine in spin class, but have also used it when I go jogging or walking. It has a stopwatch, which I love, and many other useful tools. I especially love the calorie counter so I know exactly how many calories I burn during and after my workout. All you do is enter your height, weight, etc. and it is ready to go. I definitely recommend this monitor. It does have a chest strap which I found uncomfortable the first couple of times I wore it but Im used to it now and it doesnt bother me. Polar Ice blue HRM On: 2006-08-04Gift for wife who works out at 5:30am. Primarily because it would support her current routine: Lots of Aerobics. Nice that its compatible with many of the treadmills/ steppers... Easy to set-up and use. Medium chest strap fits her, (size 4) and adust to fit me as well(42 chest. had to try it). Got this primarily because of design, color. Ofcourse the features are very important, and I trusted that this model had most of the valued features in HRMs. Ive owned Polars before, and it helped me maintain a great workout schedule. My wife uses it everyday, and really enjoys the summary feature which recaps the week totals. Polar Ice blue HRM On: 2006-08-03Gift for wife who works out at 5:30am. Primarily because it would support her current routine: Lots of Aerobics. Nice that its compatible with many of the treadmills/ steppers... Easy to set-up and use. Medium chest strap fits her, (size 4) and adust to fit me as well(42 chest. had to try it). Got this primarily because of design, color. Ofcourse the features are very important, and I trusted that this model had most of the valued features in HRMs. Ive owned Polars before, and it helped me maintain a great workout schedule. My wife uses it everyday, and really enjoys the summary feature which recaps the week totals. Polar F4 Heart Rate Monitor On: 2006-07-22The functionality of the monitor is excellent. It is cumbersome so make adjustments using the two buttons on the watch because the numbers only advance so you have to go all the way around to lower your weight by two pounds as an example. The quick way around several of the personal settings is by using software available on the Polar web site but not mentioned in the manual. Using the software on your computer you can directly set some of the items using your computer. It would be nice to have a cloth, velcro closure for the wrist band rather than the plastic wrist strap. Straps get yellowish, buttons cracked. On: 2006-07-01I received this watch as a Christmas present in 2005. I have been using it for the past 6 months (average 2x per week). I spotted this exact watch but with yellowish straps at an expo from Polar after I got my watch for only 2 weeks and was diligent about keeping it clean, but to no avail, it turned yellowish after about 2 months and now it just looks dirty and old, the face is still the original "ice blue". If you are thinking about this watch, buy the black one. After I started using it, I wished I went with another model since this one doesnt store any previous data. I track all my runs and sometimes I forget to record before my next run and I lose all my previous data once I press "start". In addition, it doesnt have a stopwatch. Once you press stop, it thinks youre done with your workout instead of just a pause or break so you cant track your actual total workout time. I just let it run even when I am at stoplights or water break. If lap feature is important, go with another model. Another complaint about this watch is that theres no backlight. I have to wait till I run under a street light to see my data. The data sheet said it has a backlight but I cant manage to find it. Today both the buttons cracked and fell off my watch. Now its useless. I still have the most basic model from Polar (bought in 2000 and its discontinued) that only monitors my HR and that thing still works because theres no buttons to push. Polar makes good HR monitor and I would still buy another one from them. Just not this one. Love This! On: 2006-06-06Works great, easy to set up, and transmits your heart rate to gym equipment. I love the calories burned feature of the monitor, it validated something Ive long suspected - the elliptical machines at my gym overestimate calories burned by approximately 30% and the treadmills underestimate by almost 40%... I WAS actually running very hard! Im sorry I didnt get this months ago... Love This! On: 2006-06-05Works great, easy to set up, and transmits your heart rate to gym equipment. I love the calories burned feature of the monitor, it validated something Ive long suspected - the elliptical machines at my gym overestimate calories burned by approximately 30% and the treadmills underestimate by almost 40%... I WAS actually running very hard! Im sorry I didnt get this months ago... Great Motivational Tool On: 2006-04-15Love this hr monitor. Easy to set and allows me to get the most out of my workouts. It is also very rewarding to see the calorie burn at the end of each workout. It asks for your height, weight and gender, and calories burned are predicated upon your specific data, rendering it much more reliable than estimates from most pedometers and gym equipment. My personal trainer recommended this brand (this is what she owns as well), and although you may see flashier, more attractive monitors, they will not be as reliable or user-friendly. Great Motivational Tool On: 2006-04-14Love this hr monitor. Easy to set and allows me to get the most out of my workouts. It is also very rewarding to see the calorie burn at the end of each workout. It asks for your height, weight and gender, and calories burned are predicated upon your specific data, rendering it much more reliable than estimates from most pedometers and gym equipment. My personal trainer recommended this brand (this is what she owns as well), and although you may see flashier, more attractive monitors, they will not be as reliable or user-friendly. Get gaget On: 2006-03-31I love this heart rate monitor. It give me the total calories burn the time that I was in my zone (70 to 90% of my maximum heart rate), total time and totals to date. Great Product!!! Get gaget On: 2006-03-30I love this heart rate monitor. It give me the total calories burn the time that I was in my zone (70 to 90% of my maximum heart rate), total time and totals to date. Great Product!!! Simple and easy On: 2006-03-24This watch is simple to use. The instructions are very easy to follow. Its fun being able to see my heart rate while Im exercising. It works with the heart rate monitors on the equipment at my gym. I dont have to hold on to their handles. The signal is transmitted from this heart rate monitor to the treadmill, elyptical, or whatever, and shows up on the screne. I wish the watch had a stopwatch and a light. No such luck. Polar Heart Monitor On: 2006-03-22I used my Polar F4 consistently for 2-3 weeks before I ever had any trouble with it. Now I cant get it to pick up a heart rate, and if it does, it isnt even close to correct. I have tried all of the trouble shooting techniques, and nothing has worked. I will be sending this back to my great disappointment. I will probably buy a different one, but I wouldnt recommend this one to anyone. POLAR On: 2006-02-21THIS IS A GREAT WATCH WORKS GOOD IN THE GYM YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HOLD THE BARS TO GET YOUR HEART RATE THE CHEST STRAP WORKS WITH THE MACHINES IN THE GYM Easy to use On: 2006-02-21I have enjoyed the Polar F4.. it took some time to understnad it at first, but it really is easy to use, very simple, I was making it more complicated than it really is. I would buy it again for a gift or myself. POLAR On: 2006-02-20THIS IS A GREAT WATCH WORKS GOOD IN THE GYM YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HOLD THE BARS TO GET YOUR HEART RATE THE CHEST STRAP WORKS WITH THE MACHINES IN THE GYM Easy to use On: 2006-02-20I have enjoyed the Polar F4.. it took some time to understnad it at first, but it really is easy to use, very simple, I was making it more complicated than it really is. I would buy it again for a gift or myself. A great gift for my lovely wife. On: 2006-02-12This is a great watch and its why I got it for my wife for our anniversary last year. She likes to go walking so the heart rate feature was also a nice added feature. It has manual and automatic heart rate zones so you can find your target heart rate and then monitor from there to see your progress. It also has a stopwatch feature so you can time your walks as she does. For the price I think its worth it as it has so many great features. She has really enjoyed it. |