Customer Reviews

Polar G3 GPS Speed and Distance Sensor Set

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I was a bit concerned about this item when I read the problems that some people had experienced using this accessory. Problems with battery voltage and turning off after a short time. I ran a 6 mile run with it and there was no record of the run when I returned. The documentation gave the impression that the GPS unit would be already matched to my RS800cx Polar watch. I went through the matching procedure again and ran 7 miles through Boston Common and along the Charles River (on vacation). This time the the .gpx file opened in Google Earth and showed the whole run accurately covering the path that I had taken. I have used the same AA battery for the 3 runs used to date with no problems.

Provides reasonable tracking, great when used with Google maps. Rechargeable batteries (1AA cell) do not last long... a few hours, alkaline last approx 10 or so hours. Expensive unit... so that when combined with other components is significantly more $ than Garmin units. The RS800 is however a versatile unit and the GPS component plays an important part in that performance. GPS unit does not appear as precise/sensitive as some other GPS receivers.

The G3 GPS sensor by Polar has proven unreliable for running and bike riding pace. Since I've purchased the polar S3 foot-pod for running and have the speed sensor on my bike I'm not so sure if I'll ever use it again. I've had the G3 for about 2 weeks and the battery went dead mid-run and it often lost satellite link. It's frustrating on several levels at the loss of data and the time delays when you workout is interupted. The pace didn't didn't seem real time despite adjusting the record rate. Maybe I'm spoiled cause I used the Garmin 305 for about 2 seasons and it was excellent. In 2 years, I'm sure I'll be going back to the Garmin system. Polar products have some upside but leave the money in the bank forget about purchasing the G3.

Not sure why Polar has not yet come up with a better product. The G3 GPS sensor is out-dated, indeed. - Like the mainframe computers' age has long gone. And this thing is so similar to mainframes in many ways - except that I have not found the functions yet that justify
a) its bulky size
b) its high energy consumption (one battery per 6 or 7 hours of riding) - why don't they use li-io rechargeables like in any digi cam?
c) its long startup time - it takes up to 15 minutes to get a GPS signal.

The 2 stars are awarded for the fact that once the device has found a GPS signal then it is very accurate.

This is an awesome little add on to my FT60!
Pros: You can use it in the city or country walking, running or biking. I took my bike up to northern Wisconsin and was delighted that I could get a signal out in the middle of nowhere. My bike meter and watch matched up so I knew that it did an accurate job tracking the distance.
The GPS system keeps me motivated to go out and exercise because it keeps me engaged in my work out.

Cons: The piece should be strapped to the arm that you have your watch on and on my arms I feel like the GPS is Ginormous so it takes a little getting used to for me. I am not used to wearing the equipment and on runs I was feeling a little loaded down with a water belt, the GPS,the chest strap and the watch...... There was a touch of a lag tracking pace. I would speed up and it took awhile for the GPS to catch up.

Overall- Fun toy to use. It is motivating and looking at my watch and tracking distance gives me something to do when I am getting bored on the run or the bike ride.

I've been testing this unit, plus the Garmin 405cx. I've found the Polar G-3 to be a little more accurate than the 405cx in that it matches more closely the mileage that I map out on [...]. Another advantage is that the G-3 locks on to the satellites faster than the 405cx, especially when turning on the unit. (405cx will lock in the same amount of time if the GPS is left on all the time, but this drains the battery faster.) What I like most about the G-3 is that when used with the rs800cx, you can record your route and view it on Google Earth, along with your heart zones overlayed in the map. G-3 weight is light and I don't notice it when it's on my arm. Battery life is as stated.

This product is very good but it takes too long to char satellites and many times I don't have patience to wait and miss the beginning of the exercise.

Funciona excelente con Rs800CX, quizá el único problema que no es 100%compatible con mapa sourse de garmin y a veces Google earth no es capas de ubicar el circuito recorrido.
Quizá otro detalle es que la altitud no se corrige automáticamente.
De todas formas todo funciona bien.

Purchased the Polar GPS sensor and could never get it to work. It would not even link up to the Polar. Whole polar system is a waste and sits in my closet. I went back to a basic Cateye.

All too often, I do a ride with friends, think its great but have no idea where we went. With this device, I can now chart the ride I just took so I can repeat it in the future. Great feature.