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 Polar RS200sd Heart Rate Monitor Watch (Black) By: Polar Average Rating: 4.5 Total Reviews: 18 More Information Not for everyone  On: 2008-05-24I originally bought this running computer for my wife as we were training for our first 10k race. We found the callibration process to be problematic - difficult to callibrate, and once complete the milage was most definately off. So, Ive since inherited this device and have been working to calibrate it manually - based on some good advice in this product feedback forum, I calibrated it on a run and have been tweaking it manually. Im getting closer, but its still a guessing game. We bought my wife a Garmin 305 - GPS and heartrate - and its working great. Shes small (56") and the Garmins big, but not so big that it bothers her. Of course, after purchasing, we found the Garmin 405 - looks to be everything wed want - no calibration, no foot pod, speed/distance/heartrate. The 405 is a little pricey now but sure to come down over time. best value for your investment  On: 2008-04-04excellent watch,best i could find for $$. If your not a pro you dont need more Fantastic!  On: 2008-02-08I love this watch-it is easy to use and can be used as a watch or with the heart-rate monitor and/or foot pod. Also tracks workouts. The only difficulty is the calibrating the foot pod-the calibration is calculated in Km instead of Mi and my treadmill (Iowa in an icy winter) does not have Km. Instead, I did the manual calibration in mi/hr. Buy it! Excellent On: 2008-01-27This watch is an excellent choice for basic running. Im not an athlete, but I wanted to start some exercise after Christmas parties. I bought it with the footpod and works great. It can measure distance, speed, calories, heart rate, and time of course. It records average values and maximum values. You can access polar personal trainer on the web, open a free account and download information via microphone, to the web service. Really good for establishing a goal and keep track of your progress. The only complain I have is that you need at least 8 hours to read user manual and other 8 hours to try a test, and to know how to use it, otherwise you will be using only 20% of it capacity. Very pleased, and motivated!! On: 2007-11-16I have been using the rs200sd for a month now, and I cant be more satisfied with it, its a running computer and I bought it to keep track of my heart beat during my runs, yet I use it for almost all the sports I play, I use it while playing tennis, soccer, badminton, and basketball and even during weight lifting. At the end of each day, I use the weblink software to upload my exercise logs to the polar online personal trainer and write down notes and remarks. It acts as a diary of my exercises where I can see exactly what was happening during my activity from average heart beat to maximum, calories burnt, distance covered (if footpod was on), and compare with other exercises similar or different. Excellent way to monitor progress and set goals. The footpod is a very nice feature, if you would like to keep track of distances covered whether in a morning jog or inside the court, and to keep a record online with the total distance and average speed. Out of the box it gave me 1.03KM during a 1.0KM lap, which quite close enough for me. For those who want an accurate +5m or -5m it can be calibrated easily. One thing for sure, its barely noticeable weight-wise over the shoes lace. For those that dont want to keep track of distances, the foot pod pushes the price $80 up. Without the foot the RS200 model is only $140. Yet you save $50 if you decide to got with RS200sd, instead of RS200 and wait then go for the footpod separately which is $130. Runners main goal is distance I dont recommend this watch without the foot pod. The wearlink strap is comfy, and can be easily adjusted. Easily washed, recommended to wash everyday of exercise. Worth every cent, no regrets from my side. I would recommend it to any regular runner, yet it doesnt mean you wont be able to benefit from it during other exercises. If youre not a runner, Polar offers other product that may suit you better. Pros: ----- -Good motivator -Accurate Heart Rate Monitor -Excellent Logging Mechanism -Accurate Foot Pod -Personalized Logo can be uploaded to watch Cons: ----- -Dropped it on the ground (wood), lost a few pixels in the LCD, had to exchange. So maybe its a little sensitive watch. -LCD Backlight is the greenish one, wished it was the modern fluorescent-like one. Lots of features, footpod calibration is a challenge for some On: 2007-11-16I bought the rs200sd to assist in my training efforts for the NYC Marathon. It certainly has a lot more interesting and useful features than the other timing equipment I have used in the past. I have to say that it definitely helped with my training. Being able to switch the screen back and forth from elapsed time to heart rate, etc. and being able to easily record lap times is a plus. I used several features while training and running the marathon. The display is big enough that I could read it without difficulty even while running. Other reviewers mentioned difficulties with synching the heart rate monitor watch with their computers; I too experienced this and admit that I gave up even trying. Most annoying to me was that after many attempts, the footpod would not calibrate accurately (including track calibration efforts, hill and flats calibration efforts, etc.) Although there was a lack of precision in footpod calibration, in a "zen" kind of way, I could look at my pace while running and get a feel for my approximate speed and distance. However, in terms of accuracy, my rs200sd recorded that I ran 27.36 miles for the NYC Marathon! I realize that some people have reported they had little difficulty with footpod calibration. It is possible that some of us have very inconsistent strides which may make it challenging for the footpod to calibrate. Thus, perhaps a GPS-based unit would work better. One last issue with the footpod: after 26.2 miles (or was it 27.36 miles?), it really became a nuisance on my foot. I felt it each step for the last several miles, something that I had not noticed on previous, shorter runs. Lots of features, footpod calibration is a challenge for some On: 2007-11-15I bought the rs200sd to assist in my training efforts for the NYC Marathon. It certainly has a lot more interesting and useful features than the other timing equipment I have used in the past. I have to say that it definitely helped with my training. Being able to switch the screen back and forth from elapsed time to heart rate, etc. and being able to easily record lap times is a plus. I used several features while training and running the marathon. The display is big enough that I could read it without difficulty even while running. Other reviewers mentioned difficulties with synching the heart rate monitor watch with their computers; I too experienced this and admit that I gave up even trying. Most annoying to me was that after many attempts, the footpod would not calibrate accurately (including track calibration efforts, hill and flats calibration efforts, etc.) Although there was a lack of precision in footpod calibration, in a "zen" kind of way, I could look at my pace while running and get a feel for my approximate speed and distance. However, in terms of accuracy, my rs200sd recorded that I ran 27.36 miles for the NYC Marathon! I realize that some people have reported they had little difficulty with footpod calibration. It is possible that some of us have very inconsistent strides which may make it challenging for the footpod to calibrate. Thus, perhaps a GPS-based unit would work better. One last issue with the footpod: after 26.2 miles (or was it 27.36 miles?), it really became a nuisance on my foot. I felt it each step for the last several miles, something that I had not noticed on previous, shorter runs. Easier and Accurate On: 2007-09-04Very good product, easy for use e very accurate, the footpod works precisely and it is very comfortable for use. Watch has user frindely menus and it is easier to handle than older models. Polar RS200sd On: 2007-08-24Polar RS200sd hass the best cost-benefits relation for runners who want to improve their training and running quality. The distance measurement mechanism is very acurate (altough it requires more than one calibration adjustement) and is very simple to operate and transfer data to the computer. Polar RS200sd On: 2007-08-23Polar RS200sd hass the best cost-benefits relation for runners who want to improve their training and running quality. The distance measurement mechanism is very acurate (altough it requires more than one calibration adjustement) and is very simple to operate and transfer data to the computer. good thing! On: 2007-08-03I love my Polar 200sd but the food pod broke in 6 months... I am running without it now... The only thing I need to point is that 2 times I had to reset the watch losing all previously saved data.. But other than that, very good buy for seriuos runners. For Serious Software Analysis - Keep Looking  On: 2007-08-03Own it. Have used it since March 2007. Watch does basicly what it is suppose to do. Good features to price. BUT the online software is a JOKE. When it works it is basic at best, but trying to get the soniclink to actually upload your data from the watch is a real hit-n-miss proposition. It usually takes me about 4-8 tries to get the uplink software to let me get the exercise uploaded. It will take it and then give me an "errors in connection" message. Or just quite at the start with the same message. Then some times it just does not recognize the watch at all. There is an indicator that tells me it can "hear" the watch, but the software will not respond. Try to contact customer support and they have consistantly blamed my end claiming "there is no problems on their end". What it seems to be is a crowded server, but they will not tell you this. I work to hard to get the data in the watch to have to fight it to get to be able to analyze it. Also, if you are serious about your HR, get a different watch as this one does not take your rate in real time samples, only in averages ... so you cannot graph your HR in a minute by minute fashion. And it will not work with other software that does becasue it does not record the HR in a useable manner that other software programs can read. For my money, I would look elsewhere .... If you are still interested, I got one for sale. Polar RS200sd Watch On: 2007-07-20It is a great watch that is perfect for any competitive runner. Is has great features as well. Great tool On: 2007-04-05For those interested in getting a basic HRM this is a really good tool. The features are easy to use, and the possibility to use the online tool from Polar gives you a way to do a nice and structured training diary. The calorie counter seems far more accurate than those you see in fitness centers etc. Only complaint I have is that I cannot get the weblink to work and have to update my data manually on the website, but that is no real trouble. I also noticed that the HRM band is fairly small, so for a big person it might be tight. For my next HRM I will also select polar!! Great HRM so far On: 2007-02-14I havent used all the features yet, such as the foot POD, but it has been very dependable so far. I found that I dont have to bother wetting the electrodes prior to my workout. It seems to pick up a signal just fine. I really like the "heart rate target zone lock" feature so I dont have to constantly watch my heart rate. It simple beeps at me when Im above or below my target. The coded transmitter works with the "Polar ready" equipment in the gym. The calorie counter is far more accurate than any cardio machines. Was Good but now is broken On: 2007-01-12My wife gave me this unit as a christmas gift. I am a fairly active person , I run , bike , swim and go to the gym . I used to join triathlons and be competitive with my biking . I used to train with a heart rate monitor until it broke more than a year ago . I have been meaning to get one but have been putting it off and just enjoying my routines without having to monitor my heart rate . I am glad that my wife gave me this new unit and the foot pod that goes with it . Features such as target zones , pace and distance travelled , and the ability to upload data into a training diary and to be able to get training programs from the polar training site are really really great ! I would have originally been content on just keeping it simple and using a primitive monitor with just basic heart rate readout , but now I am excited to do my runs or bike sessions and use the programs , log the stuff into my electronic exercise diary/journal and hopefully track progress in the next few months. The watch and software is easy to use and fairly easy to learn . Am very happy with the item ! The only way I could see an improvement for it would be to go GPS since the footpod is kinda bulky and looks strange when you are wearing your running shoes casually . FYI after two months of use the display of the unit is now defective and the speeds given by the footpod are flaky ( even with new bateries) , My unit is now in for warranty Great choice On: 2007-01-10Very nice product. I would surely recommend buying this if you like running without knowing the exactly distance. The only problem is that it takes a little bit time to calibrate the distance "calculator". Great trainning tool!!! On: 2007-01-09I love this heart rate monitor, now I cant go running without it. The foot pod is great and it has worked every time. The watch is not too big and looks nice for everyday use. Very close to a 5, but... On: 2007-01-03Ive had this watch/foot pod combo for 9 months now and have logged over a thousand miles in that time, so Ive come to know this systems ups and downs pretty well by now. Im happy to report its mostly ups. In terms of design, the watch (aka "running computer") is exactly what Ive been looking for. Its taken Polar a long time to design a watch I truly like, but theyve finally done it. What I like most is that its options are almost completely customizable. During exercise, you can set five different screens with three different lines of output (eg, heart rate, pace, total distance, total time, lap time, calories, etc), which is fantastic. In fact, because I can customize each of the five screens, I find that I can put all the relevant info I need on just two and then toggle back and forth between them while Im running. You can even set the heart-touch function to change screens for you if you wish (whereby, you bring the watch close to the chest strap and it triggers one of three functions - lap conclusion, back light, or screen view). Aside from output, the watch also has a host of other great features, including fully customizable workout routines (eg, free, basic, interval, and user-created). What Ive done is create "Easy", "Long" and "Fast" routines, each with a different heart rate range so that I can easily monitor my effort without having to think. The watch also has a "sleep" mode, where you can turn off the watch when not in use to conserve battery power, as well as other key features like a fitness test (which measures your resting heart rate (RHR) and VO2max) and even an event countdown calendar. I now know at any moment how many days I have before the San Francisco Marathon (my first). Its a true motivator and really nice touch. Polar really did think of everything with this watch in terms of design. Perfect. The foot pod is also well-designed. Physically, its very sturdy and feels like a smooth round rock you might find at the bottom of a stream. Its actually larger and seemingly heavier than I expected it to be, which concerned me at first, but after attaching it to my shoe, I literally could not tell it was there. As a result, its the best of both worlds: rock-solid sturdy but unnoticeable while running. Another great feature is that the foot pod will automatically turn off after a certain period of inactivity, again conserving battery power. Great. Not much to say on the chest strap, except that its infinitely more comfortable than the previous design and seems to work well (I havent had the problem of having to clean the contacts before every use as one reviewer mentioned; I merely wet it before starting, and then lightly wash it in warm water when finished). If design were the only issue, this watch/pod combo would earn six stars from me. However, there are a couple of minor concerns of which one should be aware: 1) It took me a LONG time to calibrate the foot pod. Initially, I did as the manual suggested and ran around a track at a medium pace for 1200 meters (three laps). At that time, the calibration read 1.093, meaning that I was covering 1,093 meters for every 1,000 meters the foot pod was detecting. This is quite a margin of error, especially because Polar stated the foot pod should be 97% accurate right out of the box (implying that any calibration should end up somewhere between 0.970 and 1.030). This clearly was not the case for me. Worse still, the resulting mileages were way off when I actually ran known distances. Thinking hills could affect the calibration, I proceeded to recalibrate on a variety of courses and at varying distances (up to as much as 10K/6.1M). Every time, I got a different reading, ranging from 1.004 to 1.027. Finally, through triangulation and a bit of interpolation, I arrived at a manual calibration of 1.010, and it now seems to be accurate within +/- 2 meters per kilometer. Still not perfect, but certainly closer to the 99% that Polar claims you can achieve with individual calibration. So, whats the moral of the story? If you only need/want approximations of your running distances, the foot pod is great right out of the box. However, if youre competing and need/want more accuracy and precision, expect to make a concerted effort. Incidentally, I recommend calibrating on courses that most reflect what you normally run and at as long of a distance as you can stand while maintaining good form. Doing so should help improve the accuracy. Also acknowledge the fact that changing shoes and/or courses (eg, from asphalt to grass) will affect the mileage output, thus resulting in the need to recalibrate. Fear not, however, because youll eventually become more efficient at knowing how to find your best calibration. 2) Another niggle is that the watch freezes up or blanks out from time to time (half dozen times over the past 9 months). This is especially annoying during an important training session because you not only lose that days data, but also because you have to stop what youre doing to reset it. Unfortunately, you cannot simply remove and replace the power source like you can on other electronic devices (eg, pulling the plug on a computer and then replugging it in to reboot); you have to do a "global reset", which involves pushing all four buttons side buttons simultaneously (not an easy trick for the less dextrous among us). In any event, I have since learned to do a preemptive global reset if I have a race or an important training session ahead of me that day, especially if I havent had an "episode" in many weeks. The good news is, you dont lose any of the data stored previously thank goodness, just that days. 3) One final (small) annoyance is with the footpod. It doesnt have a (sufficient?) low battery indicator, so you never know when youll have to replace its 2 AAA batteries. If it dies mid-run, youre out of luck. Like with the watch freezing, I change batteries if theyve been in more than 20 hours of use and I have a big run ahead of me that day. In sum, I think this is a fantastically-designed watch with a couple of functionality issues, but none enough to dissuade me from buying it. I absolutely love it and wonder what I did for so long without it. Way to go, Polar! An Excellent Heart Rate Monitor On: 2006-11-30I upgraded from a beginners model to the RS200sd and am glad that I did. I love the ability to track my pace and distance while running. The countdown event alarm allowed me to stay focused for a marathon while I trained. The only drawback of the design is that the watch and the wrist band are molded together. My guess is that if the band breaks you have to buy a new model. Ive had it for a year now and the wristband is still in good condition. I gave it four stars for the wristband. If the wristband were replaceable I would have given this review five stars. An Excellent Heart Rate Monitor On: 2006-11-29I upgraded from a beginners model to the RS200sd and am glad that I did. I love the ability to track my pace and distance while running. The countdown event alarm allowed me to stay focused for a marathon while I trained. The only drawback of the design is that the watch and the wrist band are molded together. My guess is that if the band breaks you have to buy a new model. Ive had it for a year now and the wristband is still in good condition. I gave it four stars for the wristband. If the wristband were replaceable I would have given this review five stars. rsd200sd--Awesome On: 2006-09-16I got the watch as a gift in December. I use it 3 to 4 times a week and run approx. 15 miles a week. I have used it in very cold outdoor weather, rain, and in the hot summer with no problems. I use the heartrate monitor when Im swimming laps in the pool. Free website is excellent. Transfer all your runs to the website and see progress on graphs. Very accurate footpod and heart rate monitor. Watch also looks good on your wrist(not big and bulky). |