I consider myself a beginner when it comes to running. After looking around for several options, I decided to get the Polar RS300X G1 because of its multisport capabilities. I could easily run or ride my bike with it, and I would be able to measure distance and pace with the same device, without having to install/uninstall things to my bike every time I wanted to change excersices. After considering the Garmin 305 I decided to go for the Polar because of the extremely big and uncomfortable size of the Garmin. Everything looked nice in the website, but the story changed after only a few weeks I've owned the training computer.
1) The watch itself is incapable of transmitting data to the Polar site (or any other running website) which makes it a little boring for you as a user to log in and "manually" enter your data every time you complete an excersise. I was very sad to know that in order to do this automatically I have to separately purchase an extra device (Polar Flowlink @ $55.00).
2) I have been experiencing some problems with the accuracy of the distance. Since I just got my watch a few weeks ago, I entered in several forums to see if any other user was experiencing what I was going through, and to my unpleaseant surprise, yes... they were. Basically, the battery life of the G1 GPS Sensor is so short that you can only use it for up to 8 hours. More than that and you will start getting incorrect data from your runs. What is the purpose of a GPS sensor if you can get accurate data from it? Now I will have to constantly purchase batteries just to keep my distances correct.
Very sad that Polar hasn't come with better solutions for this issues. I saw several users unhappy about this same thing in their own web site. Polar RS300X G1 Heart Rate Monitor Watch with G1 GPS Sensor (Orange)
I love this thing! The custom zones are great. Had my zones and VO2 levels tested at the gym and my trainer was able to set the watch to MY zones. This also allows me to see a more accurate calorie count.
A couple notes that didn't keep me from giving it 5 stars, but just to keep in mind:
1. The orange is MUCH brighter than on my screen. Think, street construction cone orange. It's much more neon orange.
2. The G1 GPS Sensor is AWESOME on most days. I recently ran with it on a very cloudy/rainy day and it completely lost track of the signal. I haven't used the footpod, so can't compare, but I may end up buying it for use on cloudy days.
I bought this watch about six months ago and have been pretty happy overall with its performance. I also bought the Flowlink along with the watch (and GPS arm band), but I have yet to use it because of the hassle of downloading the Polar software from its website. Even without being to download my workouts, I still take pleasure in using the watch and GPS. It has been invaluable to know what my pace and distance have been, although I'm not sure if the speeds, and therefore distances, are totally accurate. I say this because I have run with my boyfriend who has a Garmin with built in GPS and his watch says that we're going slower than mine does. Regardless, it gives me an idea of where I'm at.
The only issues that I have had with the watch have been one, if you accidentally hit your arm against something while not intending to exercise, you can start the timer. Two, while running in lightly wooded areas (big paths cut between fairly dense trees) the watch will lose satellite connection and will beep at you until it finds them again. I have found that turning the GPS off and then back on again seems to work. Of course, you have to stop and fumble around with it, but that's what it is. Issue three is the fact that the chest belt transmitter sometimes loses the ability to "talk" to the watch while working out. I have found that before each workout, one really needs to wipe down the chest strap (warm water) before starting. Like the instructions say, the strap needs to be moistened before working out anyhow, but a good wipedown is essential to have uninterrupted transmission for the duration of your workout.
First this watch and GPS can work very well. The GPS can report extremely accurate distances and can on occasion perform well in lightly wooded areas.
But, the watch/GPS gets completely confused about 25% of the time. The manual says that you should let the watch find your HR before you turn on the GPS. Once you turn on the GPS it seems to takes a minute or so for the GPS to find Satellites. (I have not timed this....perhaps it is an extremely annoying 20 seconds, I just know I am ready to go but am standing around in my driveway waiting for my watch) "So, why not just turn on the GPS a bit before I am ready?" you may ask. Well, I have NEVER gotten it to work any way other than standing outside well away from my house, with the watch entirely ready to go other than the GPS and then turning the GPS on last. Assuming you do that you have a decent chance that it will work. If the watch starts complaining about the GPS once you are a good ways down the road there is probably about a 50/50 chances you are out of luck for the day. Sometimes it has just lost the Satellites. Lose of satellite it usually recovers from this fairly quickly and the lose will probably not effect your total distance. However, if your watch wants you to check the GPS it is done for the day. When I do check the GPS, the GPS indicates that it is on and is tracking satellites but the watch continues to be periodically unhappy with it. Sometimes will continue to track your pace reasonably well. You may also be encouraged to see your total distance increasing. This probably means your moving away from your starting point. If you are on a closed coarse, by the time you get back to your starting point your total distance is zero. If this is a coarse you know, then I suppose this is no great loss, except why did you spend so much money on a watch with GPS.
Also, you must let the watch know if it should or should not be expecting a GPS sensor. This is a global setting. I think it would make much more sense for this setting to be associate with the exercise. I have tried to use the watch with different exercises. (e.g. jogging / resistance training / stationary bike) I don't really wanna wear the GPS unless I am jogging. But, the use must change both the exercise and the S-Sensor setting separately. I suppose which way is better is a matter of opinion. I can also see where this complaint on my part might be considered whining. But, I think most users who would be notably impacted would be happier with the S-Sensor seeing associated with the exercise. As a software engineer if I can do a little extra work to save users a handful of seconds everyday, I do it. I consider that fact Polar did not, a sign of apathy and complacency. I have similar feeling about the apparent fickle startup procedure for the GPS.
Finally, I trust the watches calorie approximation very little. If you set your VO2Max manually instead of trusting the watches test it does get closer to every other reference I have used as a baseline for comparison. Since I didn't know mine, I self tested using the Rockport test and if you are having a good GPS day the Rockport test is easy to perform. In any case I feel the Rockport test is destined to give much better results than the at rest test Polar performs. It seems to me that building in a Rockport test in addition to the at rest test would have been ideal for a company that would enjoy selling more GPS units. They may have very good reasons for not doing so, but reading between the lines, I again find myself assuming it to be a sign of apathy and complacency.
The watch is still a cute toy and I am not exactly throwing it away, but I can't help but feel I could have gotten a better value elsewhere and were it more than a toy to me, I would be replacing it. - Gps Watch - Gps - Garmin - Polar Rs300x'
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