Polar FT60G1 Good as a training computer

I loved this product at first. I researched it well and knew exactly what I was getting. I compared the Garmin to this one and they are not meant for the same purposes. I have bad asthma and was training for a half marathon. I wanted to be able to go out my door and run in any direction and know how far I went. The Garmin is great if you want to track your routes, upload the data and don't mind something bulky on your wrist. This watch has a more comfortable chest strap that you can put in a washing machine and clean. The "OwnZones" checks your heart rate before exercising and judges your heart rate zones based on how cardio tired. This helps prevent over training.

The training program allows you to set goals (weight loss, improving fitness, or maximizing fitness) and creates a program to fit your needs. This does not mean it says bike this long, run this long, etc. Instead it gives you a weeks worth of timing in each heart rate zone that you should do to meet those goals. Doesn't matter what activities you do. There are no special bike attachments or anything.

I took my watch with GPS out a couple times with my bike and bike computer. The distances on the bike computer and the watch were only 0.1 miles different from each other. This is similar to what friends get with their Garmin. However, I live in a desert and don't have a lot of trees to contend with.

Pro's:
Easy to pack in suitcase to take on travel
Comfortable chest strap (even for women)
Chest strap machine washable and recommend to be washed every 5 workouts.
You can change all the batteries yourself
Since the battery isn't rechargeable, you can wear the watch anywhere.
Attractive watch to wear around
Good accuracy on the GPS
Training program helps you avoid over training

Con's
Doesn't have a spit timer.
Have to buy the foot-pod separately for track workouts
Have to buy the data link if you want to upload to computer directly
Data link only works on MAC's with Intel processor (or any PC)
Doesn't allow for you to map the route you did

The reason I said at first that I loved the watch at first is because I seem to have gotten a watch with a glitch. However, when I called customer service I got a person right away that was friendly and willing to help. They helped me reset the watch and tried it again. The problem happened again so I have sent it to Polar under warranty for repair/replacement.

Polar FT60G1 Reviews

Amazon.com Product Description
The smartest way to better fitness, the Polar FT60G1 men's heart rate monitor watch helps you stay motivated and improve your conditioning. The FT60G1--which comes with a G1 GPS sensor that measures your speed and distance during outdoor sports--works by first checking your daily condition, and then guiding you to the ideal training intensity for your age and fitness level. Knowing your heart rate not only helps you reach your personal fitness goal, but also improves your physical condition in general, as it's vitally important to train at the appropriate intensity level. If you exercise too hard, you may quit before you reach the real benefit, but if you work out too leisurely, you'll struggle to lose weight at all. The FT60G1 helps overcome these problems by encouraging you to map out a complete fitness routine.

The FT60G1 is packed with innovative training features to help you toward your exercise goals. First off, the watch includes a Polar Star personalized training program that adapts to your workout habits. By giving you weekly training targets and providing constant feedback, the watch guides you without being too strict, helping you reach your goals more efficiently. The watch also displays heart rate info in several ways, including as a percentage of your maximum heart rate, as beats per minute, and within a graphical target zone indicator. And should your heart rate exceed or dip below your target zone, the FT60G1 will sound an alarm that helps you return to form.

Users will also love the variety of proprietary Polar functions, including ZonePointer, Polar OwnZone, and Polar OwnCal modes. The ZonePointer is an audible and visual feature on the display of your FT60G1 that shows you where your current heart rate sits within your target heart rate zone. The Polar OwnZone mode, meanwhile, provides a customized target zone for individual exercise sessions. Finally, the Polar OwnCal mode shows your energy expenditure during one exercise session, as well as your accumulated kilocalories during several exercise sessions. You can also set daily and weekly exercise goals in terms of calorie expenditure, helping you achieve both short-term and long-term goals.

It's the G1 GPS sensor that really helps the FT60G1 stand out in a crowd, however. The sensor, which includes a SIRF-III chipset, not only makes it easy to measure your speed and distance, but also offers support for the WAAS system, thereby improving position accuracy to within 3 meters. The shock-resistant G1 runs for up to 10 hours with a pair of AA batteries, or up to 30 hours with an optional lithium battery.

Other watch features include a built-in fitness test that measures your aerobic fitness at rest in just five minutes; a ZoneLock mode that lets you activate a target zone in the midst of training with the press of a button; an OwnCode mode that prevents crosstalk from other heart rate monitors nearby; a recording mode that tracks your average and maximum heart rate, calorie expenditure, distance, and total exercise time, and then puts it in an exercise file (with 100 total files); water resistance to 30 meters; a 12/24-hour clock with a day/week indicator; a built-in backlight; an alarm with a snooze; a low battery indicator; and a Polar FlowLink connection for transferring data between the FT60G1 and a computer. Sporting an attractive black housing with a white display, the watch carries a two-year warranty.

Manufacturer's Warranty
The original purchaser of this heart rate monitor is backed by a limited warranty that states that this product that the product will be free from defects in material or workmanship for two years from the date of purchase.

About Polar
The first EKG accurate wireless heart rate monitor was invented by Polar 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 eighties. By the 1990s, individuals were looking to heart rate monitors not only for performance training needs, but also for achieving everyday fitness goals. Today, the same concept of heart rate training is being used by world-class athletes as well as everyday people trying to lose weight. Polar is the leading brand among consumers, coaches, and personal trainers worldwide and 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.

Polar FT60G1 Features

Features

• Black men's heart rate monitor watch with several innovative training features
• Displays heart rate as percentage of maximum, bpm, and within target zone indicator
• Polar Star personalized training program delivers feedback and weekly training targets
• Includes G1 GPS sensor for measuring speed and distance during outdoor sports
• Offers ZonePointer and Polar OwnZone modes; water-resistant to 30 meters; 2-year warranty

Polar FT60G1 Product Details

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #45164 in Sports & Outdoors
• Color: Black with White Display
• Brand: Polar
• Model: 90036409
• Released on: 2008-09-01
• Dimensions: 3.00" h x 5.10" w x 6.80" l, .95 pounds

Polar FT60G1 Men's Heart Rate Monitor Watch with G1 GPS Sensor (Black with White Display)

Product Description

Helps improve fitness and keeps users motivated with the new Polar STAR training program, which adapts to the user's personal exercise habits, providing weekly feedback and updated goals comes with G1 GPS Sensor