Customer Reviews

Polar Flowlink

5 star:		(54)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(20)

 

 

First off, this product works amazingly well. Works 98% of the time on the first try with no interference, amazingly easy to upload and track information via [...]. Please note several things that may require this item to not work on your computer that many people overlook:

1) The installation software MUST be downloaded via Internet Explorer.
When I tried to download the software via Google Chrome or FireFox, the Daemon would not install at all, which rendered the product useless, as this daemon file is what allows the upload to the polar website. If you don't download the software via internet explorer, odds are it won't work. Tried this on 4 computers, none of which would install it correctly using ANY browser other than Internet Explorer.

2) The FlowLink itself can NOT sit on a metal surface and successfully sync your Heart-rate Monitor.
It says in the instructions, in smaller print, that the syncing process is based on a magnetic field to transfer data between your watch and the flowlink pad. If the pad itself is on a metal surface, such as a metal desk, the sync between the watch and your computer has a *very* high chance of failure. I experimented with this and found that it only successfully synced about 30% of the time on a metal surface compared with 98% success on my wooden desk. Please take note of this.

3) Despite what the website and other reviewers say, the software and the product are both very compatible with OS's.
This product is NOT compatible with a Mac, unfortunately, but it is widely compatible with Windows. I have installed on 4 different machines, 2 running Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit, one running Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit and one running Windows XP 64-bit. Works flawlessly on all of the installed machines, so those that complain about a lack of Windows 7 or 64-bit support are probably either trying to download with a browser other than Internet Explorer or have their FlowLink sitting on a metal desk.

**NOTE**
Be sure to right click the installer file and select "Run as Administrator" when you install. This file does install a Daemon file, which is writing directly to the Windows Services part of the OS. This requires administrator privileges, and just to be safe, make sure that you don't skip this step!!

I hope you all find this review helpful, as these are some tidbits of information that I believe will solve most of the problems that people are experiencing. Good luck and happy training!

Cheers,
Landon

I was not plagued with the uploading problems many other reviewers had but what use is uploading the data to the polar personal trainer website when you can't analyze the data? I like to graph and do statistical analysis with the data. To this end, I copy the information into an Excel spreadsheet where I can work with the information. It also lets me look at much more of the data at one time than Polar Personal Trainer does. Save your money as you can read the data off of wrist unit and type it into a spreadsheet where you can do something with it.

Let me preface my following comments with: I am a big fan of Polar products. I have used the F4, and am currently using the FT60, which I find to be a very key piece to me fitness efforts. Polar makes good stuff.

But not the Flowlink. Not even close. Main problem is that it simply doesn't work very well; the data flow from the FT60 is consistently interrupted (even though I am VERY careful to make sure the device is totally still and undisturbed). The longer I used it the more this problem seemed to be happening. Checking on the Polar website leads me to think they have had some firmwear issues. I do know that my emails to Polar customer service have not been replied to.

I am a competitive age group triathlete and recently purchased a Polar RS 300 HR montitor and footpod that work great. I decided to purchase polar products because they do make great HR montitors and have a good reputation with their online polarpersonaltrainer. I received my FLOWLINK today in anticipation of simpliying evaluating my fitness. It simply DOES NOT WORK. I have spent all day performing multiple rituals hoping for proper alignment all to fail. Purchase this product with an open mind. I would not recommend this product to my friends.

TAKE TWO:
Amazon has been great. I returned my initial flowlink and within 2 days received my replacement. It again does NOT work. I thought that it might be my computer; however, it does not work another CPU. I can NOT even get it to Align more or less flash green. Is it my watch? I'm very unhappy with this product.

I've e-mailed polar's customer service. I'll update my review pending their response.

Week 1: Automatic computer response replying that they will post reply in 24 hrs. 7 days later no customer support feedback.

3 Months later: Polar has finally acknowledged that they have received the products in Feb. It is now mid March and Polar continues to send my automatic computer responses appologizing for the delay, however, they are experiencing an increase in volume.

Respectfully,
J from Texas

Likely the worst product I have purchased to date. Check out the Polar site blogs. Everyone is complaining about this device. It is extremely sensitive. I have had it for over a month and I am yet to upload a week of training results without it failing. I have been extremely disappointed with this purchase.

Received Polar F7 watch which seems to capture heart rate, give calories burned etc. Wanted to download to polar web site. Watch came with NO MANUAL. Web site had manual but no trouble shooting. I followed instructions exactly but product does not work as manual says. It is not clear if the watch needs to be in a particular mode to share data. Polar FLowlink was an extra $55 dollars and came with NO information on how to use. The watch lights up the Flowlink as it should but no data transfer occurs and no help file to trouble shoot. This product is very difficult to use and poorly documented. If you think you are going to want to load data and use web site. Buy with Caution. It is not well documented and there is no help available.

I wish I could rate this as a zero. After reviewing a number of the comments here, I was still stupid enough to order it. I read many of the "tips" that others provided for installing the Flowlink, and could only get it to work once to down load two training sessions. After calls and emails to Polar customer support, as well as attempting to correspond to the blog moderator on the Polar site, I have given up and am returning it.

I was very disappointed. I should have paid more attention to the reviews here that suggested that to be the case. I thought I was being prudent by contacting Polar to ask if they had worked out the Apple problems mentioned in other comments. They said yes, so I ordered. The thing wouldn't work. I had downloaded the software properly and my hardware meets the stated requirements. Yet, nothing. This item comes with no instructions and what you find online does not help if it doesn't work. I love my Polar watch and hoped to use this to transfer my data to my computer, but I'll just do it the old fashioned way---with pen and paper or I'll key the results in to an Excel file.

Hate is a strong word, wasted on this, but it definitely deserves one star.

Buy this with caution.

I ordered the Polar FlowLink only to discover that it doesn't work with Macs. Which is both surprising and frustrating. Mac users beware. And if you are so inclined I encourage you to contact the company and urge them to support Mac users -- an ever growing demographic.

I have the Polar FT40 HRM and syncing the watch via the flowlink has never failed. There has never been an alignment issue. The watch is aligned immediately after placing the watch on the flowlink. Data transfer starts automatically. I've never had a failure thus far. The usefulness of analyzing
data on the Polar personal trainer website is perhaps not that useful as at least one other reviewer noted.