Polar RS400sd Heart Rate Monitor Watch with Free IRDA - USB 2.0 Interface

by Polar

Product Features

• Innovative heart-rate-monitor watch designed for avid runners
• Includes foot pod that attaches comfortably to running shoe laces
• Accurately and wirelessly measures speed, distance, pace, and performance
• Visual and audible target zone alarms; syncs with Polar Pro Trainer 5 software
• Comes with Polar T31 coded HR transmitter belt; records 99 exercise files

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Packed with a number of innovative training features to help you toward your exercise goals, the Polar RS400sd heart rate monitor watch is a great choice for avid runners. The RS400sd--which contains all the same advanced running features as the RS400 but with a few extras--helps you optimize your performance with every step. The RS400sd comes with a foot pod that attaches comfortably to your running shoe laces, letting you accurately and wirelessly measure your speed, distance, pace, and performance level. As a result, it's easier than ever to meet your predetermined workout goals. The watch also measures your heart rate and determines whether your pace fits within specific heart rate zones, helping you manage the intensity of your training. Add in a number of basic running watch functions--including visual and audible target zone alarms, an event countdown timer, and an oversized display--and you'll be ready for track, road, and trail training.

Tracking and monitoring your speed and heart rate aren't the RS400sd's only major functions, however. The Polar Own Cal function, for example, tracks your energy expenditure during a single exercise session as well as your accumulated kilocalories throughout the week. As you progress, you can set daily and weekly exercise goals in terms of calorie expenditure, helping you achieve both short- and long-term goals. The company also included several other Polar-exclusive features: OwnZone, which guides you through an appropriate warm-up routine and automatically determines a safe and effective exercise heart rate zone; OwnOptimizer, an easy and reliable way to determine whether your training program is optimally developing your performance; and OwnCode, a technology that blocks unwanted crosstalk signals from other heart rate monitors nearby, ensuring your heart rate data is transmitted clearly. The latter feature is particularly helpful when exercising with other people, such as in aerobic or spinning classes.

You can also use the RS400sd to record your training info and synchronize it later with Polar's ProTrainer 5 software. This allows you to analyze your training progress and create new training settings from your personal computer. The watch records such data as average and maximum heart rate, calorie expenditure, total distance, exercise time, lap info, and time in target zone, and includes a maximum of 99 exercise files. Other features include a Polar T31 coded HR transmitter belt, a date and weekday indicator, an alarm with a snooze, a stopwatch, and a user-replaceable battery.

About Polar
Polar invented the first EKG accurate wireless heart rate monitor back in 1977 as a training tool for the Finnish National Cross Country Ski Team. The concept of "intensity training" by heart rate swept the athletic world in the '80s. By the 1990s, individuals were looking to heart rate monitors not only for performance training needs, but also for achieving everyday fitness goals. Today, heart rate training is employed by world-class athletes as well as everyday people trying to lose weight, and Polar is the leading heart rate monitor brand among consumers, coaches, and personal trainers worldwide. The company is committed to not only producing the best products, but also being the leading educator on the benefits of heart rate based exercise.

Product Description

The RS400sd adds in running speed, pace and distance with the S1 foot pod, so the active runner who runs multiple events each year can monitor all elements affecting performance. The Running Index feature will help the athlete to improve their running efficiency, which in turn indicates an improvement in their economy of running performance.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 6 x 6 x 6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000UOC7XO
• Item model number: 90026360
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #35,648 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Repeatable Results, July 9, 2009

By 

A. J. Saenz (Chino Hills, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Polar RS400sd Heart Rate Monitor Watch with Free IRDA - USB 2.0 Interface (Sports)

The RS400 foot pod gives very repeatable results. Initially, with no calibration, the foot pod was 7% accurate for me. It didn't matter if the distance was 3 miles or 9 miles it maintained a 7% error. I did a manual correction using data from a 7 mile run and the unit is now about 1-2% accurate. I think I can improve it better if I calibrate it using data taken from a 1600m track run. I personally like doing the manual correction because it allows me go back to a previous factor if a new one does not perform better.

My wife happens to have the Garmin Forerunner 405 while I went with the Polar RS400sd so we have been able to compare both systems. They both can measure and record your workouts and come with s/w for your computer. Both s/w packages have a workout diary and allow you to define custom workouts and upload them to your watch. This feature is great for interval training. No more having to remember how many laps you've completed or how much your pace should change. I think the Garmin s/w might have a slight edge compared to Polar's. Overall both systems work very well, each with their +/-. Here are some notable features for each.

Polar RS400 Pros:
-No need to look for GPS satellite signals
-Very Repeatable results
-Calories burned calculation based on hear rate.
-Good battery life
-Display Screens very customizable
-Capable of manual calibration
-comfortable wrist unit

Polar RS400 Cons:
-Do need to calibrate foot pod for best accuracy
-Downloading workout data is temperamental with IR connection
-Auto laping feature based on start of workout not on the start of the last lap. It would be cool to be able to record a lap manually and then continue auto laping based on that point.
-foot pod is a little bulky (but surprisingly unnoticeable while running)
-Have to manually erase workout data after download. Would be nice if this was done automatically.

Garmin 405 Pros:
-GPS receiver in wrist unit
-No need to calibrate
-Actual route can be viewed on a map
-Buttonless screen navigation
-Data download connection to computer is very robust.

Garmin 405 Cons:
-Have to set you watch out for a few minutes to look for GPS satellites
-Watch unit needs to be recharged regularly (GPS is power hungry)
-Watch is a little bulky
-Buttonless screen feature can be temperamental during a workout

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars RS 400 SD, July 3, 2007

By 

TEL "Ty" (AZ) - See all my reviews

I was using the Nike Ipod pedometer for a few weeks to track my distance and time. The Nike Ipod after a few weeks was just not accurate enough for my needs. I ended up buying the 400 SD with all its feautres. My first run was for 1 mile and the pedometer was accurate at 1.05 miles. The heart rate showed a steady increase the first minute of my run and then it leveled off as I would expect. After my run I was able to download the information into my laptop with no problems. My laptop has a built in Ir port so it was no problem with the transfer. The software is fairly easy to use and has several reports to show you different graphical curves of your heart rate.

Overall, I really like the product and for my first run it was fairly simple. My only issue with this item is the price. Sure is a lot of money but then it does have a lot of features. You really need to read the directions for this item. There are so many sub pages and functions that it is not intuitive as to how to navigate thru all the different pages on the watch.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars RS 400 SD, August 2, 2008

By 

M. Collins - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Polar RS400sd Heart Rate Monitor Watch with Free IRDA - USB 2.0 Interface (Sports)

I find this product to be an excellent tool for keeping track of my workouts. The one complaint I have is that there seems to be a glitch with transfering information to my desktop; I find that I often have to close the Polar program and reopen it in order to get the transfer to work. Other than that it's easy to use and very sturdy. The footpod has been accurate and, although it can be difficult to attach to my shoe, it has held up very well to trail runs, stream crossings and muddy days.