Polar S625x

Paul Stewart 3
Reviewed: 08 March 2006

EASY TO USE HRM WITH SPEED SENSOR

Large easy to read display with excellent Polar navigation using the buttons on the side of the unit. Very easy to use the main functions and the software is excellent which helps to analyze the readings. Foot pod although fiddly to fit to the shoe is pretty good and quite accurate. I have compared routes with my bike computer and they are very close, this is without calibrating the foot pod. The fabric chest strap is comfortable and unobtrusive compared to the mainly plastic unit previously supplied.

Only real issue I have with this unit is that in certain light conditions the screen appears to have a multi coloured sheen very similar to petrol floating on water. Also the foot pod is a bit larger than you expect from seeing it in photographs.

I bought this for my wife as I was already using a 720i and she has had no problems using this which isn't bad as she is pretty much a technophobe. This in itself is a great recomendation for this HRM. A great unit for the price depending on where you purchase it. I have marked the value as Truly excellent as I managed to find it for a good price back in October. This unit will also work on a bike if you purchase the additional speed sensor.

george karolemeas
Reviewed: 08 March 2006

FANTASTIC HEART RATE MONITOR, BUT THE POD IS NOT GREAT.

Very comfy chest strap.
Watch functions (there are a lot) are quick and easy to use (you have to read the manual!).
You can have more than one user so if you have a other half you can both use it.
Great computer software for viewing/storing results and graphs. (The new version works much better than the previous.)
You can also by a bike speed sensor and watch mount separately and it works great.

Foot pod for distance measuring is not very accurate if your stride length changes a lot (ie if you are running up and down hills or sprinting for bits). If it is a flat run at constant speed, and you have calibrated the pod it works well.
The altitude function is good for seeing on the graphs when you were running up hills and down hills in relation to your heart rate but because it works off the air pressure you need to calibrate it before each run really (especially when you run in lots of different places) and for that you need to know what your altitude is (I never did).
It is meant to be able to send your readings to your mobile. I bought the phone software butit never worked (not important though).

Great heart rate monitor and watch, which is easy to use and has really good computer software (great graphs).
The distance/speed function was not the most accurate for my running but would work well for some.
The change in altitude data was useful but it needs regular calibration if you want absolute values(which I did not do as you need to know your altitude to do it).
I love it but do not use the foot pod anymore. If I change, I think my next one will be GPS but am unsure whether any of the GPS model watches are designed as well as the Polar and are as great to use.
Overall - If the foot pod was accurate for me it would be perfect. If I were to buy it again I would go for the bike version without the footpod.

Lymbo
Reviewed: 08 March 2006

DOES EVERYTHING AND MORE.

Comfortable,easy to operate, big buttons and clear display. Infra red down load makes keeping your training diary up to date really easy.

Having 3 components to fiddle with.

Although S625X offers complex stuff it's easy to get started giving you the confidence to explore all of the remaining functions.

braveheart2
Reviewed: 08 March 2006

BEST HR AND SPEED AND DISTANCE MONITOR ON THE MARKET

Reliable, accurate and basic functions (speed and distance) easy to use.

Needs to be calibrated properly before use and calibration can be affected by running on different surfaces. Hr monitor occasionally unreliable. Manual in 10 different languages incomprehensible to me.

An excellent training tool but am I the only person who finds some of the functions too complicated to use. I never read manuals, I want something that I can just plug in and play or strap on and run with. I've had my monitor for over a year and stil haven't worked out how to use most of the functions. I've asked several people for advice but no one has been able to show me how to download information onto my computer or change some of the settings. Maybe I'm just a female technophobe, but I love running and I want to be sure that I'm ready for FLM next month?

Little lizard
Reviewed: 08 March 2006

THE BEST POD BASED HRM

Gives excellent calorific feedback, easy to use for different sports such as going to the gym, cycling, running, data transferred to PC very easy to read and play with, screen easy to read and customise.

Inaccurate mileage readings,even after callibration. They differ by around 1-4 miles depending on whether you're running fast or slow. (Slow run readings are usually more accurate for me). I tend to measure the mileage by car or on the net to doublecheck what I'm doing.

Also, the chest readings can go crazy now and again. I think this may be down to the HRM strap getting clogged with sweat salt, etc, though washing didn't appear to help ( think the detergent then clogged the fabric!) I find keeping it soaked in cold water for a half a day after exercise then drying it out keeps it hassle free. Also, when running, if the readings go whacko which they do after around 2 hours, pull it away from the chest, wipe underneath then replace, then it will settle down.

Another thing, the ascent/descent readings aren't accurate and after a run, it will show when I get back to my house it's lower than when I left it! To me though, I don't find that a problem as it's something I don't really monitor.

Finally, the battery life in the chest strap is about a year and the watch, 2 years, and Polar recommend you return it to them to replace. I wouldn't want to do that and go without it for a while as I train every day, so I replaced the chest strap when the battery was low. My watch battery hasn't needed to be replaced yet, unsure whether I'll simply replace it with a Garmin which has a rechargeable battery, or get it changed at a nearby jewellers.

If you run in an area unsuitable for GPS, I would say this is probably the best pod based HRM out there. However, if the new Garmin 305 is as good as they say in picking up a reception, I think Polar will struggle to compete unless they improve the mileage accurace and sort out an internal rechargeable battery.