Polar A3 Heart Rate Monitor Watch

by Polar

Product Features

• Wireless ECG gives accurate heart rate measurement from chest to wrist
• Wrist receiver water resistant to 20 meters
• Large, easily read LCD
• Zone Pointer visually indicates where you are within your target zone
• Also displays your heart rate limits (which can be set manually), fitness bullets, exercise time, date, time, and average heart rate of total workout

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Offering a step up in features from the F1, the Polar A3 heart rate monitor offers manual and automatic heart rate limit settings and personal target heart rates, in addition to display of current/average heart rate, exercise time, and time of day. You can use the A3 monitor to conveniently view your heart rate while walking, swimming, cross-country skiing, or any other exercise without disturbing your exercise rhythm. It comes with the A3 wrist unit (which resembles a watch), a transmitter that's worn comfortably around your chest, and an elastic strap to hold the transmitter in place.

The A3's visible and audible Zone Pointer feature on the monitor's display shows your target heart rate zone and where your current heart rate is within that zone. The Fitness Bullets feature shows a bullet on the monitor's display for every 10 minutes spent exercising/training in your target heart rate zone. The Time in Target Zone feature calculates the amount of total exercise time spent in your personal target zone. You can use this feature together with the Total Exercise Time to determine the effectiveness of your exercise program.

Feature Detail:

• Displays heart rate, exercise time, and average heart rate
• Manual and automatic heart rate limit settings
• Personal target heart rate zones; heart rate Zone Pointer with alarm function
• 24 hour clock with day/week indicator and stopwatch
• Large easy-to-read display with split screen
• One-year average battery life
• Water resistant to 30 meters (100 feet)

What's in the Box?
A3 heart rate monitor watch unit, wireless transmitter, elastic strap, battery (built-in CR2032 lithium cell), printed instructions

Manufacturer Warranty
2-year limited warranty

Note:
Polar heart rate monitors are precision instruments; consumers are not advised to change their own battery. Polar recommends that all service be done by an authorized Polar Service Center which will include a warranty for 90 days on repairs and 6 months for batteries.

Product Description

Set Your Own Limits! Let your heart rate monitor guide you like a personal trainer. The A3 has the new Zone Pointer" feature that helps keep you in your Target Zone. Every exercise in your TZ puts you one step closer to your goal. File storage allows you to view previous workout data to help establish goals for your current workout. Main Features: Continuous HR Zone Pointer - visually guides you within your TZ Auto/Adjustable HR Limits % of Max HR Fitness Bullets - visual indicator of exercise time spent in TZ Exercise Timer Watch Functions 1 Storage File Avg. HR Total exercise time. An economic, yet very durable heart rate monitor from the trusted leaders in this field. The Polar Target Heart Rate Monitor is designed to indicate heart rate during physical activity and no other use is intended or implied.

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00005MEOA
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #140,369 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A real user review, July 3, 2006

By 

Johnny (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Polar A3 Heart Rate Monitor Watch (Sports)

I've owned my Polar A3 for about four years. I bought it from a sports equipment store. I would give it 3.5 stars if I could do so. It has been robust and reliable. It has functioned well over this time and I would recommend the product with a couple of reservations:

1) The battery in the chest strap is not replaceable because Polar wants to sell you a whole new chest strap later with a list price of $39.95 (rather than a $2 battery). Speaking from an ecological or financial perspective this is disappointing. Fortunately for me, the chest strap from my stationary exercise bike works just fine with the Polar A3 so I now use that.

2) When using the A3, the standard display is your current heart rate (clearly shown in large numerals) and above it the upper and lower limits you've set up to cause it to beep when your heartrate moves out of the desired range. You can switch the display to elapsed time, but you cannot (or I have not yet figured out how to) simultaneously display elapsed time and current heartrate, which would be ideal.

I've learned a couple of things as a new user of heart rate monitors:

1) The age-based pre-programmed heart rate range on the A3 was much lower than what my exercise physiologist recommended for me. If you feel you cannot get a proper workout staying within this range (or conversely if it feels like a strain) you should get the help of a professional to determine the right range for you.

2) When you first put the chest strap on and activate the monitor your heart rate sometimes doesn't register or appears erratically high or low. As soon as you start exercising and sweat a little it works fine. To avoid this I wet the underside of the chest strap a little when I put it on. This comment is not specific to this product and applies to any chest strap-type device.

3) I was surprised how high my heart rate was when running and I am very glad I bought a heart rate monitor because otherwise I might have caused myself serious harm and never even known that I was overdoing it. Getting a heart rate monitor is a great idea, especially if you're not young any more.

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Polar A3 is on-target, August 9, 2005

By 

Temple Caretaker (Texas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Polar A3 Heart Rate Monitor Watch (Sports)

I owned a simple Polar heart rate monitor a few years ago and always wished that it had a watch function. I was delighted when I noticed the A3. I wanted a very simple HRM, and the A3 fit the bill. It has even more functions than I need. But I'm very pleased with how it works. Just set your age and it automatically calculates your target heart rate. I found that my perceived exertion exceeded my actual heart rate! Like other reviewers, the only change I would want for the Polar A3 is the battery -- I'd like to be able to change it myself.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent choice, August 27, 2005

By 

Arwenmed "Medusa" (Mexico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Polar A3 Heart Rate Monitor Watch (Sports)

Easy to read, acurate reading (even w/o glasses), it helps me with my workout.

If you don't want anything high tech but looking for something worth your workout, this item is it, **NOTE** It DOES NOT count your calores as the description says.