Customer Reviews

Polar T31 Non-Coded Transmitter and Belt Set

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I had to buy a replacement transmitter for my Polar heart rate monitor because I must've not read the fine print that said dry off the transmitter when not using. Sweat moisture activates the transmitter that drains down the non-replaceable battery. I failed to dry the unit when I quit exercising, so the battery ran down quickly -- about 10x quicker than expected. Not too bright of me considering I have an advanced degree in engineering. So I'm telling you all now.

BTW, the new one works fine. No problem.

I am on my second transmitter-chest strap in three seasons. The first one lasted approximately 100 hours of wearing the belt and getting a heart rate, not sure if that is good or bad. I read somewhere to wipe down the transmitter after each use and store in a dry place, or the transmitter continues to try and produce a signal thereby using more battery. So, now after each use I wipe down the transmitter and make sure the strap, while still wet doesn't touch the back side. The strap has some antibacterial as there is no odor after repeated uses without washing (I tend to wash the strap after 2-3 uses). The strap synchs nicely with the crdio equipment (Precor) at my gym. I hope by following these tips I get more hours out of this transmitter than the first one.

Ordered Polar T31 to replace a lost or stolen transmitter. It came in perfect condition in original packaging. Worked perfectly with my old wrist watch from the previous belt.

This unit worked well while it worked. It synched with both my Polar and Suunto receivers. But it didn't last. I bought this one in January and now it's November and it's dead. I checked that by using other transmitters and other receivers and this one is definitely dead. And yes, I wiped it off after each use. I used it once or twice per week for anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours. For forty bucks it really should last at least two years. Or they should just make the battery replaceable! What's the big deal? All the other HRM transmitters I've used have replaceable batteries. This is a bad design decision. I'll be using other brands from now on.
Update: A few months back I bought an Omron HR100 for someone else in my family. I tried the Omron transmitter belt with my Polar and Suunto receivers (uncoded) and it works great with both. Plus the Omron has an easily replaceable CR2032 battery. To cap it off the whole Omron system costs less than the replacement transmitter strap for the Polar. So that is the nail in the coffin for my relationship with Polar.

This is a fantastic and useful product that I will never buy again. There is an inexcusable flaw. The battery lasted just over a year of light use. We then learned that it cannot be replaced! Not only does Polar lie that it can last 2-5 years, they want you to buy the product again. Excellent product ruined by unacceptable ethics.

This product is designed with the battery sealed in. So essentially, their business strategy is to have you throw it away when the battery fades and buy a new one.
I bought this 2 years ago and am finding that it does not transmit a steady signal to the treadmill. It looks like the battery is dying. However, Polar says it cannot be replaced and the "discounted price" for a replacement strap is $30. That is ridiculously high - you can buy another brand including the watch, for that amount. I would instead recommend SportLine where the battery can be replaced.

I got this product to replace a very old one that showed symptoms of the battery finally dying. The replacement sensor works with my old Polar watch, and most importantly it works with my model WM100 Oregon Scientific SmartSync Heart Rate Logger with PC Download. The only downside is that it comes packaged with a size Medium elastic strap, which is useless to me because I still have to use a size Large at its maximum length. Good product that performs its function as designed.

Note: according to the manufacturer (Polar) the battery is theoretically not replaceable and therefore the whole sensor strap must be thrown away. I plan to dust of my old miniature electronic equipment repair skills to see what I can find in there, and if I am lucky I may be able to salvage the old one. An environmentally friendly improvement for Polar would be to redesign it with a replaceable battery. The logo sticker on the front eventually peels off anyway, so that would be a good place to start.

Excellent delivery time and price from Amazon.com. I use the polar T31 transmitter when running, nice fit, good pulse response, belt usually wears out before the battery does.

I sent my watch in to Polar twice. They kept replying that it was fine. But it wasn't. I wish they had suggested that it could be the transmitter, because that's all it took!

I bought this to use with my Schwinn Airdyne Evo Comp Exercise Bike and it works. It would be nice if there was an on/off button but it does the job. Based on the other reviews I hope the battery lasts a few years at least.