Polar S625x

fairy elephant
Reviewed: 11 March 2006

GREAT MOTIVATION TOOL

can use it anywhere

need to calibrate

large for a small wrist

fun tool great for motivation and training.

Deplodder
Reviewed: 11 March 2006

NO MORE ROADS!

Easy to use, use it anywhere.

None so far.

If you are sad like me and just have to know how far and at what pace you have just run, if you've actualy stopped the car every mile and SPRAYED an orange mark on the road along your route, if your knees are killing you from all the training on tarmac, then you'll love this bit of kit!

I was unable to run anywhere but on the road; no parks, beaches or moorland. Before holidays I'd spend ages with "google map" plotting routes, there was no way I could just go out the door and run where ever I felt. I just had to know how far I'd run. My running was boring and with all the running on tarmac, my knees and ankles were suffering.

Then two Christmas's ago my lovely wife gave me a S625x and my running life changed completely. I can now run anywhere the mood takes me. 80% of all my long runs are now off road. Touch wood, but I've been just about injury free ever since, my knees are no longer hurting and my ankles seem stronger.

The S625x isn't perfect, but as long as you don't mind a variable of between .04 to .06 of a mile over a 10 mile run (in my experiance), you'll be happy with it.
Yes it is a bit expensive, but the freedom it gives you is well worth it.
Buy one; set yourself free!

Thomas Voegel
Reviewed: 10 March 2006

WORKS GREAT - NEEDS CAREFUL CALIBRATION

Can be used indoors (Treadmill) and outdoors
Multiple time zones for traveller
PC connectivity
Ease of use during running

Needs careful calibration - you can never be sure not to be off some % ;
Not well sealed so that vapor can condense inside the display in humid conditions;thermometer is a useless feature -which temperature is measured?
Requires infrared connection on PC which is quite low speed- should be Bluetooth or USB 2.0; a pity it does not store the heart rate peak to peak distance for heart rate variability (like the 801) for HRV analysis.

Was the best tool nearly too years ago when I bought it. But I will buy the new Garmin Forerunner 305 - no calibration hassle and error - and use the 625 indoors on treadmill when I am travelling to keep my stats complete

Clive Nottage
Reviewed: 10 March 2006

SUPERB TRAINING TOOL

Very easy to use and setup, the software is superb and saves you having to type everything in with the infrared capability on the watch

Nightlight a bit weak, footpod a little chunky for my liking

Excellent, and a massive improvement on the Nike CV10 I have had for the last year or so

Got mine for under £150 from bodycare.co.uk around xmas time....£100 off shop prices

Tengu (Susumu Katayama -san)
Reviewed: 10 March 2006

WITH CALIBRATION A GREAT TRAINING TOOL.

Battery life is better than most gps, and you dont have to worry about lossing track when running on tracks where lots of trees block gps signals

Pretty accurate out the box but calibration is necessary but even so it does get confused over distances.

Good if ytou dont want toworry aobut battery life and you have a reasonably good idea of the distance you are covering, it is also a great ride a bike the optional cadence and speed sensors give it good flexibility. Prices also vary £250 way too much you can pick one up for lot less if you wiggle round the web