Pros: Once you get it going, heart rate seems accurate
Cons: Can't read your times while in the heart rate mode, making timing yourself very ackward
The Bottom Line: If you want to time your intervals and get a heart rate display at the same time, get a different model. Requires scrolling through functions.
wit-for-brains's Full Review: Polar A3 Series 1902750 Wrist Watch - Unisex Watch
First, my biggest beef with this heart rate monitor(HRM):
if you want to time yourself over a given interval, you have to start pushing buttons to get out of the heart rate screen, and then push more buttons to display your heart rate again. This may not seem like a big hassle, but it is such a basic design flaw,i mention it first and foremost. Couldn't they just have put a time function on the same screen as the heart rate display?
In my opinion, the two things i want to know while excercising is the heart rate and my interval time (i.e.: the quarter mile i am finishing now was done in 45 seconds and my heart rate is 130 beats per minute). To get these two very basic pieces of information, i have to start pushing buttons and scrolling trough functions to get this info, precisely because they have failed to put a time function on the same screen as the heart rate diplay.
And if you want to check your heart rate again, start pushing buttons again...
Elapsed time and heart rate are such basic functions any athlete needs to know, and needs to know fast, why can't they be on the same screen? It is annoying because several of the functions are grouped on the same screens, so why not the two most commonly used one?
And every time i start pushing buttons and scrolling through functions to get to the one i want, i risk colliding with someone on the trail, so it's not something you care to do too often. JUST TELL ME WHAT I NEED TO KNOW!
So instead, I wear my Timex IronMan stopwatch/watch next to Polar A3 or on the other wrist. I look like some kind of idiot with two watches on.
A higher-end HRM would probably have all this on the same screen and be therefore much more convenient and usable.
And before someone suggests it, yes, with the Polar A3 you can flip the watch up to the chest strap and it will automatically display the time of day for about two seconds. But it only displays the hour and minute, not the seconds which is essentially worthless if you are trying to time yourself (you need to know the seconds).
I'm checking the return policy and if i can (which i'm pretty sure i cannot), i'm getting another model. If you need to time yourself, get used to wearing two gadgets or spending time pushing buttons and scrolling through functions.
The other functions:
Accuracy of the heart rate is a bit tricky when you first get going. Several times i have had to shut the HRM off and re-start it because the heart rate it was displaying was right off the chart- and obviously well above any heart rate i am capable of producing. This continues for several minutes and rather than mess up my whole work-out file, i just reset it (read: hassle)
As for the other functions, elapsed time recording seems to work well, but i rarely check it. Time is acurate. Once you get the start up probelm ironed out, the heart rate itself seems to be very reliable. Also, the HRM will give you your heart rate in percentage of your max. heart rate if you scroll through and want to keep it set to that function.
There is a convenient feature in which an audible beep will keep beeping if you are outside of the range you have set, and conveniently, you can shut the beep function on or off with the push of one button.
The HRM is programmable, but not at all intuitive- you could not do it without the directions by any stretch of the imagination.
The Polar A3 is an okay HRM but it would be a lot more useful if they had only put a time display which includes seconds conveniently grouped on the screen with your heart rate.
I got mine at 20% discount because i got a 20% off any purchase coupon for participating in a marathon benefiting a charity. Paid: $58. at REI.
Update 10 days later: returned it at REI (100% Satisfaction Guarantee Policy, can't beat that!), and got a higher end Polar S-150 model. The S-150 is specifically designed to give you stopwatch features on the same screen as the heart rate dsplay. It does what I need, and I am satisfied. Also, the buttons on the S-150 are phsically much easier to push, and it has a lot of features which make it better for a serious athlete. the S-120 is just as good if you are not a cyclist, but REI does nt carry the S-120). My major point is to let you know- if you are a serious athlete and want stopwatch and lap time functions, go to the S-Series HRMs.
Fantastic prices with ease & c...(Stock status: N/A)
The Polar A3 Heart Rate Monitor helps you focus on the only truly accurate measurement of whether or not your training is working the way you want it ...More at Amazon Marketplace
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.