Hey folks, I just wanted to add a bit of information based on some comments I've read on other Polar devices: The FT4, based on my tests, IS water-resistant and should work great to help you track your stats as you swim laps. I'll update this once I've used it for a few more lap swims, but both the heart monitor you wear on your chest and the watch itself are sealed and won't immediately flood and ruin if you take it into the pool. Only thing is, you probably don't want to be pressing the buttons on the watch while you're under water, which may mean you have to stop and dry off if you want to take a break in the middle of your lap swim.
Update: I have now used my FT4 several times to track my lap swimming. It works great! Don't press the buttons while you're actually underwater, but I have had no trouble at all with the 'pause' or 'continue' functions at the end of the lap, even with wet fingers. Oh, and - you don't have to wet the chest band before you put it on if you're going to swim in it ;)
I have the same beef as others about the FT4 - you can't see all your workout stats at once while you work out - you have to press the bottom right-hand button to change the display to heart rate vs. calories vs. workout time or what have you, and you can't see your time while you're working out (you can once you're finished and you click STOP to end the workout session...at this point you also get your upper and average heart rates and your time in the zone. You can also hit 'Pause' to see your workout time.) Basically, this little gizmo does what it's designed to do. It does make a unique double-beep when you're in your heart rate zone, which I find helpful.
A couple other details: the FT4 has a user-serviceable battery (some other Polar models don't, which means you have to pay $$ and ship the device to Polar to change the battery.) The chest band is fabric, as opposed to the stiff plastic of other Polar models, also. You can buy software to download the information off your Polar, but the software is $80 and you need an infrared reader for your computer. I haven't really explored this, as I use the [...] website to track my info and I just copy it straight off the Polar without downloading.
My one complaint is the difference in calorie burn between the FT4, my Garmin Forerunner and my GoWearFit...who knows how many I'm actually burning...but I do have a little bit of a formula I can use to convert from one to the next...
Overall, I'd say this device is well worth the money, especially if you're just doing casual exercise without the need for a GPS or an all-day calorie tracker. I'll probably buy another one should the one I bought break or wear out. Polar FT4 Women's Heart Rate Monitor Watch (Bronze)
I have spent months looking for a heart rate monitor that would fit me comfortably, but still be pretty. This is it! I've decided to finally get off my big butt and start doing something healthy - walking or biking every day - but I wanted to be able to keep track of the time AND make sure I was working at the right heart rate. As someone who is really out of shape, I find that I might feel like I am really working hard, but my heart rate ends up being at the very low end, so I needed something that I could use to be sure my workouts are actually worth it.
This watch is very accurate and stylish. I also like that it tracks my calories burned and my previous workouts so I can see if I am getting healthier. I was worried that it wouldn't fit my wrist because it is a women's watch and they tend to run small, but this fits my 7 3/4" wrist with a little room to spare. The chest strap also fits and is super comfy! I am almost 300lbs (at the time of purchase) and the M/XXL strap that comes with this fit me just fine - again with room to spare. I don't even feel it once I get it on and start moving.
So, for you bigger girls out there who are looking for a rate monitor that will fit, be accurate and comfortable AND is pretty - get this one!
I'm new to heart rate monitors, so I had a lot of searching to do to figure out what I needed from one before I placed my order. I soon found that the Polar brand was the one to get, but they have hundreds of models, ranging from affordable to incredible. I know some will say this model doesn't have it all, but if you're looking for something to keep you informed of your progress in your exercise routine, this is really all you need. Tracking up to 10 sessions worth of data, but also keeping a running total, the watch can tell you how long you worked out, your average heart rate, maximum reached, and time in the zone, and from that, how many calories you burned. It beeps softly at you every 5 seconds or so when you're under the zone, and also tells you when you've exceeded your maximum. The display is really easy to read, even in the middle of vigorous training session. The watch in comfortable and easy to clean, as is the chest strap, which is fully adjustable. I have no complaints at all, and for the price, I'm extremely pleased. I only wish there was a way to download the training files from the watch to my computer, but a spreadsheet also works just fine.
So my trainer suggested I get a heart rate monitor watch, but for one, they were still pretty expensive at the time and truthfully, not all that attractive. I didn't want some huge thing on my wrist, nor did I necessarily want to advertise to the world what I was doing! I just wanted something small enough to blend in yet hopefully cute enough to do the job. Then lo and behold, this watch was introduced, and what a great deal! One thing is, I actually thought for some reason that the strap was kind of a metal...it doesn't make sense that it wouldn't be rubber or plastic, but the photos--at least to me--make it appear like metal. On to the review!
I actually bought this watch in March but only started using it last week. It does all the basic functions. I don't know about you guys, but my primary goal was to see if what I was doing at the gym was negating all the crap I consume during the day at work (although, I eat fairly healthy. It's the desk that kills you). I find it slightly interesting to see how my heart rate fluctuated when I wasn't working out. It literally jumped back and forth between sitting at the computer to walking briskly up the hill to my car, then it shot up 15 beats while sitting in rush-hour LA traffic (ha-ha).
You get used to the strap very quickly (although it would be nice to not have one at all...I don't like struggling with it in the locker room before a workout but whatever.) It's not like it bulges out underneath your clothing, which is great.
Anyway it's not going to compile your grocery list or babysit your children, but it's a handy little device that does just what it needs to do. Oh and setup is a breeze too...you don't even need the guide, really. - Calorie Counting - Fitness - Heart Monitor Watch - Heart Rate Monitor Women'
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