Polar S625x

Snapstinget
Reviewed: 08 March 2006

THE ULTIMATE RUNNER'S TOY

Versatile, robust, comprehensive, easy to operate once you know how

Needs recalibrating for different surfaces, but this can be done in a few seconds using your own calibration data.

Does this scare you off? It shouldn’t. Out of the box the S625X will satisfy most users, delivering great HR monitoring and software plus speed and distance data that is accurate to within 98%. That means your flat, relatively unbendy 10 k race may show up as 9800 metres.

But throw in some undulating terrain and a few different surfaces and unless you recalibrate your S625X for each variable, the accuracy you achieve will fluctuate fairly wildly. The pace monitor is only reliable on the run if you refrain from sudden surges, turns or stops. It takes from 10 to 30 metres for the watch to “catch up” as you increase the pace, for example. So your 400 metre rep on the track may show up as 350 metres when you get home to your computer.

However, on long, steady runs the S625X behaves impeccably; most of the marathons I’ve run with it come out to within 300 metres of the “correct” distance, and on woodland trails or city streets this is far superior to any GPS device I’ve come across. In such circumstances correct distance also translates into correct pace: the main reason why anyone would buy such a piece of gear. You can select the info you want the watch to display at any one time as you run; just be careful not to trip over as you take your eyes off the path to do so!

You can calibrate the S625X manually as well as by using the automatic calibration feature. It isn’t difficult. The HR transmitter doesn’t seem as bothered by electrical disturbance as some other makes. And as for those “short” 400 metre reps: do you really need a gadget to tell you how far 400 metres on the track is?

Colin Melville
Reviewed: 08 March 2006

THE ULTIMATE FEEDBACK ON PERSONAL PROGRESS

Very accurate speed and distance that also works on treadmills.
Rates your current fitness/stress levels using a variety of methods.
Can personalise heart rate band (low, low-medium, medium-high, high). I found this invaluable as an older runner starting off running.
Gives feedback during exercise.
Downloadable data to effective e-diary to follow progress by day, week, month or year.
Can add personal notes on sleep, weather, and how you are feeling.
Diary provides weekly bar graphs of progress.
Ice-breaker at events!

Need to read the instructions carefully to get the most out of it.
Need a functional IR port on your computer.

This builds up into the ultimate in self-evaluation. Being able to review graphs of training runs and events is extremely motivating. It really helps you to think about your training so that you can optimise it.

Tunks
Reviewed: 08 March 2006

A RUNNER'S BEST FRIEND

The device is light on the wrist and very light on the shoe, with a good clear display. Once calibrated it is very accurate as far as speed and distance is concerned, give or take a percent or two. Big buttons make it simple to flip between readings. Watch has a large memory, storing data on 100 runs. There are a myriad features, if you can figure them all out. Wouldn't go on a run without it.

A number of the measurements (altitude, outside temperature, top speed during a run) are inaccurate. The display light is weak and switches off too quickly once activated. The battery (even good brands) in the shoe pod is only good for 40 hours or less, so get a big stock of them. The features take time and concentration with the manual to figure out. Polar should organise free user-seminars.

If you're looking for the basic functions: heartrate speed and distance, this watch is very good but is probably too complex. It does all of the above but too much more for the runner who is not an elite athlete.

Sus Scrofa
Reviewed: 08 March 2006

ACCURATE CALIBRATION TAKES A WHILE AFTER THAT ITS SPOT ON.

Very accurate once calibrated properly and never drops out like a GPS monitor. I have ran through deep mud, heather, streams, long grass and been waist deep in the sea whilst using it and it has never failed nor has the foot pod come off. The computer software is excellent. You can examine each run in datail in terms of speed, heart rate and altitude as well as automatically showing your weekly total mileage, calories, time in specific training zones etc. The interval settings are good for making you work hard if you have to do speedwork alone. The watch has three displays and you can change two of them display to show whatever you want re time, stopwatch, lap time, split time, speed or distance. The third only shows heart rate.

The battery in the foot pod never lasts long and occasionally will die mid run. The chest strap is no use on hill runs as it always ends up around my waist no matter how tight I set the strap before hand. I found that the calibration was poor when I done it by the book. It took a long time to get the calibration anywhere near close to Polar's claimed tolerances. To get an accurate calibration I ran a known accurate distance of 5 miles which I checked against the watch. If the watch measured long I would go to manual calibration and slightly lower the calibration number and visa versa. It is now always within about 2 tenths of a mile. If the batery on the foot pod dies mid run the watch shows a error message and not the time etc. You have to press a button to get the stopwatch back which returns to the error message after a few seconds.

It takes a bit of learning and some times a bit of thought to get it to be accurate but once it is then it does what Polar says it's meant to. If you run a lot and like to keep track of your mileage and/or performance then its a great bit of kit.

Grant Russell
Reviewed: 08 March 2006

VERY USEFUL WATCH TO HELP YOU TRACT YOUR PROGRESS.

User-friendly as long as you take time to read the manual. Top quality workmanship. Some say it a bit big but there is a lot packed into this baby.

Price - but I guess you get what you pay for.

Very happy - had a problem with the foot pod after a few months but it was fixed and returned by Polar within a week as it was still under warranty.