The Polar Pacer Heart Rate Monitor Works Great But Maybe You Can Do Better
Written: Oct 06 '00 (Updated Nov 25 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: great quality, decent features, has lasted a long time, works with certain machines automatically
Cons: better features available for less, now... batteries are not user-replaceable
The Bottom Line: It had a decent combination of features and value at the time. It works great! However, you can get more features for less money in some competing products.
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| Saxguy's Full Review: Polar Pacer |
I bought this monitor 2 ½ years ago to assist me with my workouts. I wanted to be able to gauge the effort involved for various aerobic machines and activities. At the time, this unit had the best combination of price and features. I ended up paying about $100 plus shipping, which is the current price available on this item
Use is very simple. There is a hard plastic band, with a transmitter in it, which you fasten under your chest, using an elastic band to connect it to you. Polar recommends that you wet the bend where the transmitters touch the chest. I usually do so, although it has worked without wetting it. Then, you put on the wrist unit (basically a wristwatch with a receiver for the transmitter included), touch the watch to the band or push a button, and it starts sensing.
This unit has the following heart rate features:
1. You can set a target heart rate zone, using upper and lower limits. My zone is from 125 beats per minute to 170 bpm
2. Once the workout has started (unit has been activated), it will show current pulse rate (it flashes and beeps if outside zone, shows rate without flashing and beeping if in zone), workout time since unit was activated, and shows a bar on it’s face for every 10 minutes you have spent in zone.
3. Once finished, it shows elapsed time of workout and elapsed time in target heart rate zone.
The unit treats each activation as a separate workout. You can stop elapsed time temporarily without stopping rate measurement, through use of a button.
The unit has the following watch features:
1. Time and alarm
2. Dial Illumination
3. Alarm
I got this unit in hopes of monitoring my time and effort in aerobics. The unit helps me measure whether a workout is hard enough, merely by keeping track of my pulse rate and time. I learned a bit about which exercises were better for getting pulse rates up and keeping them there (treadmill, with elevation; stepper). It’s done that very well. The initial battery has lasted for 2 ½ years, even thought the directions say that it should last about a year. The transmitter also has a battery, which has not needed to be replaced. Another nice feature is that many treadmills are set up to read the transmissions and will show a pulse readout while working out. So, you don’t have to keep looking at the watch.
Drawbacks? Well, there are other units out there that have replaceable batteries and better features, such as calories, average heart rate, etc. Bike Nashbar (www.nashbar.com, 1-800-nashbar) has a house-brand unit for $64 that has all of those features. I’ve noticed that the out-of-zone beep is not as loud as it used to be – perhaps the batteries are going. Lastly, once the transmitter is on, the receiver is sensitive and often activates itself immediately. That’s not a big deal, except that sometimes I get dressed before going to the health club and the thing turns itself on before I'm ready.
Still, they charge only $7.50 for service, including necessary battery replacements. I’ll probably replace the batteries instead of getting a new one, when it’s time.
I’d recommend that people consider this unit, when looking at pulse monitors to assist them in their workouts. Compare features and prices and see where this unit stacks up. Quality-wise, it’s been great.
Thanks for reading. God Bless!
You might enjoy some of my other fitness-related reviews. Thanks so much for your reading of these and other epinions of mine.
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Recommended:
Yes
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