Customer Reviews

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

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

 

 

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

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.

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.

This is my 4th. Polar HR monitor. It may well be my last.

I have liked previous Polar HR monitors, especially those with the ability to download continuous records of HR, which I find particularly useful. Things I do not like are as follows: The wrist strap has broken twice - clearly a design fault. The red button has fallen off and has had to be replaced. The display is cluttered with a messy 'RS400' graphic that makes the display hard to read. The IR data transfer mechanism is temperamental and right now [on a new laptop] doesn't work at all, despite downloading a new driver and trying all the normal tricks. I am very unimpressed with Polar's own support Forum [I recall one earlier comment from Polar 'we do not support Vista' which suggested a disturbing lack of interest in the many customers who had this problem]. Like others, I found the forum not at all inviting and stopped using it after one or two visits [a major error if Polar wants to encourage a community of users to solve problems].

I bought this RS400 in February 2010, in Australia. It was not cheap (over $400) and my IRDA USB interface did not come free. I recently downloaded the ProTrainer software again, having lost the original CD - it seems to be offering me 30 days free trial. If Polar asks me to pay yet more, I will definitely switch products.

Polar may feel compelled to make their products more complex to justify their price tag. That being so, I would advise Polar to improve its support, which seems increasingly necessary. Maybe I was unlucky, but I feel I bought an expensive product that doesn't work as well as its simpler precedents.

Last week my Polar 200sd was stolen. I usually run 20 miles a week and the accessory sd is extremely necessary, since I could see the distance, speed and improve my pace of each workout.

400sd The model is in my wish list, it can transfer data to the computer or the web in a way easier than my old model being used by some stranger.

Okay, I hope that by this thief becomes more a fan of Polar and learn how to buy a model rather than take what belongs to others ..

Had a Polar FT7, but this one RS 400 with footpod is beyond! With the Polar Trainer program you can measure the improvement, intensity and recovery of your work plan. Very accurate, however i find the footpod a little bulky.

Like the features of the watch. It helps me track my pace, distance, HR and time of my daily run. I like also the pro-trainer software included in the package. Only thing don't like is the "bulky" foot pad.

I've tried several Polar heart monitors before, but this is the first one I've tried with a soft strap. The strap is more comfortable and seems to be easier to get good contact than the hard straps. Having said that, I still have problems with getting good contact and often need to dump more water on the strap during the first ten minutes of my run. Be sure to really soak the strap before starting... a little dab of water is not enough.

The IrDA device is pretty touchy... borderline obnoxious. It seems more like a beta product than a reliable production product. The watch has to be pressed against the transceiver, help really steady, and typically I have to make two or three attempts before it works. I would not have been very happy to purchase the IrDA device separately, especially considering the gouging price that Polar sells it for, and experience these problems. FWIW: the IrDA port on my Thinkpad interfaces with the watch so it may be possible to get a less expensive IrDA device if you need another. Just seems like some sort of solid protected USB like plug would be far superior.

I don't use the running pod.

I really like the zone alarms which give you an audible indication if you are dogging it or pushing too hard.

If you don't really need logging capabilities, you may want to consider a less expensive monitor.

I am having some problems with my Polar HRM (syncing with Windows 7) , and I dutifully went to their customer support forums to search for my own answers. However, I couldn't actually _view_ any of my search results with filling out their over-the-top registration process (enter your email address. Now enter your password. Twice. Now type in an answer to a math question. Now type in what you think their crappy Captcha image is spelling out. Now submit. OOOPS! Server error. All those things you just typed in? Yeah, we cleared those entries (except for your email address, which shouldn't be necessary just to read their damn forum). Start registration process over ... type in all that crap again ... OOOPS! Server error.)

So I guess I could just call them, but it's past 9pm ... do you think they'll answer? ... (I called them and their support line closes at 4:15pm my time)

Polar, please allow users to at least search & read the answers on your forums WITHOUT having to go through your Triple-Special-High-Security-OMG-Theres-Haxxors-Out-There (and crappy) registration process. If someone wants to POST to your forum, fine - make them jump through as many hoops as possible to block spammers ... otherwise just let me in! tks bye.

I recommend the RS400...by itself. With the foot pod it is pointless. Save your money and don't get the foot pod!

Per the instruction manual (and from a lot of experience), the foot pod is 97% accurate when calibrated. Now, some days it is spot-on, but most days you are lucky to get 97%. However, I don't understand why anyone would want something that's only 97% correct. Why? Because I am that accurate by myself! And surely any runner would be too. Depending on your pace that amounts to between 15 and 30 seconds per mile. In other words, did I just run that mile in 8 minutes or 7:30?

You can guess pretty well how far you've run. If you normally run 8-minute miles and you want to run 5 miles, then just run for 40 minutes. Your 40-minute estimate will be closer than the foot pod's estimate of your distance.

Because we can estimate within 97-98% on our own, why would we want a foot pod to do it instead? Ideally you want an instrument that can be more accurate than your own calculations. You would want a distance calculator to know EXACTLY how far you've run. There's no point in only giving you accuracy to 97% because you can be that accurate on your own.

I am being redundant, but this product has been incredibly frustrating for me and I feel that people should stop and think about what they're purchasing!

Also, keep in mind there is a 20-hour battery life (per the instruction manual). That is not very long for those who run 30-60 minutes a day. Be sure to change it often or you will get strange results!