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Home > Polar RS200 Heart Rate Monitor Watch (Black)
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Polar RS200 Heart Rate Monitor Watch (Black)
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Show more by Polar
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- Wrist-style heart rate monitor and stopwatch in black geared for runners
- With optional S1 footpad, take advantage of the RS200's Speed and Distance functions
- Polar's OwnZone helps determine an individual exercise zone; calorie counter and goal management
- OwnCal feature shows your energy expenditure during one exercise session and accumulated expenditure
- Dual time zone, alarm with snooze, and water resistance to 50 meters
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Product Description:
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The RS200 was made for goal oriented runners who want to prepare for their first running event or who want to enhance their running experience. Use the Polar Sports Zones and the Event Countdown Timer to manage your training for that key running event. You can even upload your settings to your running computer and then download your workout files to the Polar Running Coach Web Service for analysis. WearLink fabric transmitter included. Get the most out of your RS200 when you add on the optional S1 foot pod to take advantage of the Speed and Distance function.
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In order to reach your fitness goals, you need to exercise at the right intensity. Designed for goal-oriented runners, the Polar RS200 wrist heart rate monitor helps you to easily and accurately measure your heart rate to help you get to just the right intensity or your exertion level. It's great for both beginning runners or more experienced runners preparing for competitions. Use the Polar Sports Zones and the Event Countdown Timer to manage your training for that key running event. You can even upload your settings to your running computer and then download your workout files to the Polar Running Coach Web Service for analysis. The RS200 offers up to 16 exercise files with summaries, date and time, and total calorie expenditure. | | The RS200 features an oversized display, easy-to-use buttons while on the run, and a comfortable WearLink fabric transmitter. |
RS200 Features:- Automatic/Manual target zone
- Backlight
- Display zoom
- Easy start
- Event Countdown Timer
- Graphical target zone indicator
- Heart rate (displayed as % of maximum heart rate)
- Heart rate (displayed as bpm)
- HeartTouch, button-free operation of wrist unit
- KeyLock
- Oversized display
- User configurable displays
- Visual and audible alarm in target zones
- Water resistant to 50 meters
With the optional S1 foot pod (available separately), you'll be able to take advantage of the RS200's Speed and Distance functions, such as speed, distance and pace per kmph/mph, target pace (with alarms and differential), trip odometer, run distance, totals for mileage, calories and time training, and summaries for distance and speed/pace. Heart rate monitoring includes maximum heart rate (fitness test-based and age-based), maximum/average of total exercise and of each lap (up to 99 laps), three target zones, and audible alarms. It also offers such timing features as time of day (12/24-hour display), dual time zone, day and date display, stopwatch, and alarm with snooze. It features an oversized display, easy to manipulate buttons while on the run, and a comfortable WearLink fabric transmitter. It's a great choice for using in large groups, where other exercisers might be using wireless training gear that could interfere with your own signal. The RS100's coded transmission prevents crosstalk with other monitors so you'll get a personalized workout--even in a class environment. It also includes the following exclusive Polar features: - Polar Sport Zones: Polar sport zones provides an easy way to select and monitor the intensity of your training and to follow PolarÕs sport zones based training programs. The training is divided into five zones based on percentages of your maximum heart rate: very light (50-60%HRmax), light (60-70% HRmax), moderate (70-80%HRmax), hard (80-90% HRmax) and maximum (90-100% HRmax).
- Polar OwnCal: This feature shows your energy expenditure during one exercise session as well as your accumulated kilocalories during several exercise sessions. You can set daily and weekly exercise goals in terms of calorie expenditure with the OwnCal feature. Because the OwnCal tracks both the energy expenditure during one exercise session and the accumulated kilocalories during a longer time e.g. one week, it helps in achieving both short term and long term goals.
- Polar OwnZone: This feature guides you through an appropriate warm-up routine and automatically determines a safe and effective exercise heart rate zone--your OwnZone--while taking into account your current physical condition.
Manufacturer's Warranty
The original purchaser of this heart rate monitor is backed by a limited warranty that states that this product that the product will be free from defects in material or workmanship for two years from the date of purchase. Note:
Polar heart rate monitors are precision instruments; consumers are not advised to change their own battery. Polar recommends that all service be done by an authorized Polar Service Center which will include a warranty for 90 days on repairs and 6 months for batteries. About Polar
The first EKG accurate wireless heart rate monitor was invented by Polar back in 1977 as a training tool for the Finnish National Cross Country Ski Team. The concept of "intensity training" by heart rate swept the athletic world in the eighties. By the 1990s, individuals were looking to heart rate monitors not only for performance training needs, but also for achieving everyday fitness goals. Today, the same concept of heart rate training is being used by world-class athletes as well as everyday people trying to lose weight. Polar is the leading brand among consumers, coaches, and personal trainers worldwide and the company is committed to not only producing the best products, but also being the leading educator on the benefits of heart rate based exercise.
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Customers' Reviews:
Add Your Own Review |
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 This is the One for Me!, May 11, 2007
By Just Anonymous (Georgia, USA)
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If you're a recreational runner who runs to stay in shape like me. If you're a new runner, this works great too. If you're a super pro, I think this would work but you might want one of the Polar higher end watches - maybe the RS200sd with the foot module, or some of their really fancy (and expensive) stuff.
WHY?
- Easy Easy Easy to set up and use. I took it out of the box. The screen was blank and I panicked...but there was the protective plastic that had a finger pointing to where I should press (the big red button)...the watch woke up and went through a little set up sequence, enter time, day, date, birthdate, weight, age. After I was done, I wet the electrodes on the strap, put the strap on - pretty easy and comfortable. I pushed the Red button and it said, <start>....so, I stepped outside (I was in shorts), walked outside my door, and took off on a several mile run - out of the box and through the run I understood what the watch was telling me, time, heartbeat, the basics. So very usable out of the box with little configuration.
- Lots of Features. After my jog, I dug into the features - Tons of Running Features, present cardio zones so the watch tells you where you're operating at based on your age. I know mine by heart and I knew that at 176average bpm, I was in the 90% to 100% of my heart rate so didn't need to know.
- You can really tell that the people who put this watch together a) know, care, and pay attention to runners and their needs and b)that they are very technically saavy and make the technology easy.
- Could be worn as a watch.
- Priced Right. I used to be the guy who would always buy the best of the best of the best but in this market where there are so many choices, that I'm buying what is right for me. I'm not a super runner and don't aspire to be one, I'm more than a beginner (been running for 20+ years) so this watch was perfect at the right price point with the right features. The polar website has a nice comparison on their products btw.
HARD TO FIND THINGS ABOUT THIS WATCH:
- It has a Sleep Mode so you can turn it off
- The band has a replaceable battery with instructions on the manual on how to change them (I'm not saying you should change your own or not, follow the enclosed instructions, I will probably change mine when needed)
- The band is water resistant to 30 meters, and the watch to 50 meters - so you can swim with this but not dive (silly point, I'm a diver and that's a whole different ballgame) but if you're a lap swimmer you can use this...but its primarily a running watch.
- It can tell your heart rate in Beats Per Minute or in Target Percent (%) based on weight, age - or from your Ownzone calculations. The watch has a feature where it can learn (you put it on and can make it go through a learning phase about you so it can calculate how hard you should work out)
- To me, this is basically the RS200sd without the foot module - (sold separately for about $129 or as a a bundle with the RS200sd). I don't know if I need that, maybe at some point when I get in shape.
- The watch has a history of your workouts so you can go back and see what you were doing and you an even upload to your computer and track there (I'm going to play with that next when I'm done with the review).
- Should you wear it as a watch? Some people wouldn't notice that its a running computer, it might be a conversation starter for some, others might consider you too arrogant advertising that you're a runner. Me personally, if its the first watch I find as I'm walking out the door as its not too big,tells time,date -- I would wear it with shorts and T but definitely not in a suit and very definitely not to white tie state dinners. Up to you.
- This watch has enough features that marathon runners could train with (and is designed from the literature for the runner who is more than a novice but not quite an athlete - Polar makes all kind of watches and am glad they made this one for me, not the top of the line, not the most basic...I wanted a changeable battery on the strap...just right for me).
MY FIT EXPERIENCE (a Con in here):
- The watch component is very adjustable from very small wrists to very large wrists would work
- The strap component, It is stretchy but I found myself openning it up to its maximum and although I'd like to say that I have a 48" Arnold chest for the ladies - I'm more of a 40Regular kinda guy so just FYI if you're a big big guy, you might need a bigger strap (I think Polar sells them but not sure and it has to be a special Polar strap that connects to the module)...just FYI to your big guys out there or if you're 42 - 44chest, would fit but would probably be a bit tighter than my personal fit.
WHO AM I? (So you can weigh my review accordingly)
- Recreational Runner (between 9 and 20miles a week depending on my shape...lately less than my minimum argh.)
- Run to Stay in shape (not a marathon runner, although when in good shape, I go up to 12 - 15 miles...not now...at the moment still haven't gotten back from a broken leg, long story - recommend you don't break your leg in tropical jungles of far away 3rd world countries, so long story short still in pretty poor physical shape and using the watch to keep me in a safe training environment as I work my way back up into shape. You can really tell, if you push yourself - you start to feel bad as you run and if you glance at your watch, chances are that your heart has gone up to 100% or 110% of your target heartrate for me about 190bpm but this instrument is really useful for that but more so because if your heartrate gets too slow, you know you're slacking and should pick up the pace and this keeps you training in your zone (don't know what your zone is? no worries, the watch tells you). I averaged 176bpm for 28 minutes on this first workout with a high of 187bpm and stayed in zone 5 for 96% of my workout - not bad for an old guy with a bum leg (getting that from the watch computer log which it saves). I didn't go very far and wouldn't know because I don't have the foot module option ($129 separately, or you can get it with the RS200sd).
- I try to run a few times a week, love to travel allot, love photography, love technology, try to be good to myself - and this watch is helping me get fit again.
- I don't get paid for this in any way, I'm just anonymous, enjoy privacy but do like to share my experiences, and usually I only share my good ones and really hope it helps you make an informed decision. It does seem like running computers are getting much much better these days - I'm glad.
DISCLAIMER
- I'm just a guy sharing my experience with my watch. Undertake physical activity at your own pace and consult a doctor before starting if you have any any doubts. I recommend against getting the watch, strapping it on, and going on a 30 minute run at 96% of your heart capacity on a sunny warm afternoon if you've never run before, aren't a regular runner, or haven't exercised in a while. I'm not a great runner but I have run all my life so I can tell what my body is telling me (lately from this run, that I'm not as young as I used to be). I think that takes me to the Polar motto which is "Listen to your Body"...and stay safe. I have a baby and using this thing to help me, not substitute for safety but as a helper to staying safe. We live in a litigious society and don't want some guy going and getting a heart attack or worse having him get a heart attack and pointing the finger at me (yikes!). Be careful out there.
- I bought this from Amazon, next day delivery, had it in my warm hands 16 hours later, was running 16 hours 5 minutes later, very happy.
127 of 127 people found this review helpful
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 Many problems, March 23, 2007
By A longtime runner (Pennsylvania)
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I've owned this watch (the black one) for about a year now. I did not purchase the foot pod accessory.
The watch has on 4 occaisions gone 'all black' lighting up every pixel on the face. When this happens you have to do a 'reboot' holding all 4 buttons down simultaneously until the watch resets. Of course all your data needs to be reentered.
THe watch has also mysteriously reset to March 24, 2005 on 4 or 5 occaisions (10am I think). The time and date are all messed up but it keeps your personal info.
The problem appears to be on the RS200 only. Check out the posts on runnersworld for many, many more disatisfied customers before making a decision on this watch.
25 of 27 people found this review helpful
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 Polar: engineering "almost there", August 19, 2007
By -DC
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As with all new polar products, their chest strap for this product gets a 5 star rating, while most other manufacturers get a 3 at best. It's comfortable, lightweight, it actually fits me (smaller chest size), and the coded transmission should work very well in group environments, as they claim.
The watch itself gets a 2-3 star rating at best: The buttons barely work, right out of the box (pressure to actually get a button press is highly variable/unreliable), the LCD is one of the worst I have seen in 10 years given it's the year 2007: it is low contrast, and the upper part is a low resolution black and white LCD matrix instead of fixed. They did this to have full control over what they place there, but given the use (i.e. it's not really necessary), it looks cheap compared to products out there with full LCD matrixes, and visibility is poor (low res ugly icons, tiny 1-pixel wide font for menus).
Almost all cell phones, tiny mp3 players, most devices on the market today have a better LCD matrix - most in full color.
This is a subjective, but the casing on this product is similar to all other polar products: it looks cheap (unattractive plastic), and too big. They make most of their product bulbous in style, making for a watch that, in volume, is unnecessarily big.
Polar holds most of the patents in HR monitors - again for this product, they've made a hard customer choice between a good solid HR connection (Polar), vs. going with other manufacturers who make much better electronics (watch).
23 of 25 people found this review helpful
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Horrid customer service!!, April 9, 2010
By DJN (Chicago area)
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As a monitor it was fine. Did what I wanted and all. Then the battery died. To not void the warranty I had to send it to the company, rather than go to any jewelry store like others let you do. How much just to change a battery? $60!!
$60 just for a new battery!!
So after I got over that and the weeks of not having it(!) I went back to using it. Great and fine again until it started fogging up on the second run. Talked to Polar and their response? Well it's cracked: on the back where their people pried it open to replace the battery for no less than $60!! But it's certainly not THEIR fault it cracked. Because there's a good likelihood I cracked the back of it. The BACK of it. Where they were messing with it just the other day! But they'll gladly give me a discount on a new one--a discount that somehow still would cost me more than I paid for the original!
Yeah. That's a brilliant scam to syphon a few hundred more from people, on top of the overinflated $60 battery-swap charge. I've had occasion to deal with companies who send you replacements for damaged goods and show an eagerness to make the customer happy. Polar has not come close to those companies' commitment to customer service. Now I have a new HRM from a company that doesn't have their teeth in me.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
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 Very useful product with minor interface flaws, January 18, 2008
By Cellular Wetware plus Books (Philadelphia, Pa USA)
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I got this watch to help me quantify the workload for my roadwork. It was replacing the Polar F-11, which I was very happy with. The functionality of this watch is even better than the F-11. It retains the interesting though not particularly useful "test" feature for estimating your VO2max, and retains the OwnZone calculation, both of which simplify use somewhat. It then adds the ability to define your own multiple heart rate zones to your own specification, and then define your own exercise protocols based on those zones. I find this invaluable for keeping my workouts on track. It provides just enough flexibility for me to define recovery walks, interval sessions, and so on, without having to do a lot of planning and configuration for each session.
The weaknesses of this product are quirks of the interface. First of all, the buttons have a very cheap feel to them. This is not really a problem since htey haven't broken yet, but it is disconcerting everytime you go to push a button. Second, I found the interface difficult to use for some things. I often forget the sequence I should use to start a particular kind of session, or get a particular kind of display during the workout. I think the more commonly used functions could be made easier to use, and the less commonly used ones more complex instead. Things like starting a particular kind of workout should be much easier to do and require less experience and practice. That aspect is distracting.
Overall, this is the best training monitor I've had so far (it is my fourth HR monitor from Polar). I tend to buy new ones every couple of years rather than going through the hassle of shipping it back to have the batteries replaced. For my purposes, I would much rather the batteries be replaceable locally, but that's a complaint about Polar, not about the product.
I recommend this product for anyone who wants to be able to quantify their workout intensity more effectively. I also recommend using Friel's heart rate zone recommendations from "Total Heart Rate Training" rather tha using the default zones that come with the monitor. Total Heart Rate Training: Customize and Maximize Your Workout Using a Heart Rate Monitor
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
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Low quality build and bad interface, but does what it says, August 24, 2007
By M. Sloan (Los Angeles, CA)
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My running store only carried the Polar brand so I went with this model. It does work, though it came with a battery that only had 5% left and I had to replace it. I design user interfaces for a living and a lot of watches are bad, but it has one of the worst user interfaces I have ever seen. The states and modes are confusing and the usage of the "screen" pixels is incredibly wasteful and confusing. The feel of the watch itself feels cheap and the buttons are flimsy. It does what it says, but using the feature set is complicated beyond the basic start running function. As with most products, the manual is just as confusing and poorly laid out. It IS accurate though and does what it says. I am much happier with my hiking watch from Highgear though.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
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**Avoid RS 2000- Worst Runners Nightmare**, November 19, 2007
By Blue Sky (`São Paulo, São Paulo Brazil)
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Have always been a fan of Polar products untill I bought the RS.
I have used for more than a year now the RS 200 and it has been a "nightmare" so far, with 3 times to warranty repair centers with out any solution and a lot of patience and time.
Apart from sync problems, the main issue is that the monitor freezes sudenly in the middle of your workout. And all previous and current data and workout information is lost. You have to start from day zero.
I wish the customer care service was better and did solve the problems, but they keep saying that they do not know what is happening. It is a shame for Polar company. I am looking for another brand right now.
Best Regards
AFAP
8 of 10 people found this review helpful
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Everything you want in a heart rate monitor, December 31, 2007
By Marc Dulude
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THe watch is easy to use and the chest strap is much improved over a Polar strap that I had with a prior model (more than 10 years ago). Polar's wide acceptance in the market is great because the monitor connects with some treadmills I use so that I can use it to drive the treadmill to leave my heart rate in target zones. My trainer has a Polar watch and she can monitor my heart rate when we're working. Finally, the watch's download capability is easy to use so I can keep a log of workouts on Polar's dedicated website. Nothing to complain about here.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
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Great little tool!, September 12, 2007
By dancerlin (Pennsylvania)
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I have used a polar heart rate monitor for my running/fitness walking in the past (Accurex), and I really appreciate the new straps (sooo much more comfortable!) and some of the features that are provided. The user-changeable battery is definitely a plus, and the weblink feature is kind of fun, although I can't seem to get my personal goals to stay programmed as a comparison for my actual sessions. That's not why I purchased this watch, so it's not a big deal, but I wish Polar would make it more consistent/reliable.
I have been using my monitor on an almost daily basis in the gym and on the street, and haven't had ANY difficulties (yet?) but I do wish Polar would make a watch that wasn't quite so bulky or cheap-looking that still has all of the features (for women anyway) - the face of this one alone practically fits across my entire wrist. It really is time to bring these little babies into the 21st century!
All in all, I am very happy with my purchase, and had no problems setting the features and settings to fit my needs (go to the Polar website to see a series of video clips that will actually walk you through the whole process...) I viewed the clips while waiting for Amazon to ship (by the way - VERY slow shipping!) and by the time I received my unit, I was able to walk right through the steps and get out the door to try this little baby out, and was very happy indeed.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
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Dont buy it., March 19, 2009
By CJ (USA)
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Let see.
Shipped with a dead battery.
Put in a new battery. Sucked it dry in a week.
AlsoPlease note that I have read the directions:
Top left button is useless. Should illuminate. Never worked.
GUI. aka Interface is all over the place. You get to a section and it wont let you back out. Mine has been stuck in stopwatch mode for a week now. It has taken 48 separate time splits without my asking it to.
I hate my watch. Im ready to throw it out if it wasnt so dam expensive. Thanks for nothing Polar.
4 of 7 people found this review helpful
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Excellent!, January 9, 2007
By Jubs (São Paulo, Brazil)
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For those who run, this is the best option. The price is ok and it works perfectly for what it was designed to. I am really happy about my last purchase.
4 of 10 people found this review helpful
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Excellent Heart rate monitor, March 8, 2008
By D. Wallom (El Dorado Hills, CA)
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Purchased the Polar Rs 200 and love it. I am new to running and it greatly assists my workouts. The chest strap is compatible with my gym's cardio equipment so it makes it easy to monitor my training sessions. Highly recommend this Polar product. I plan to add the foot pod shortly to better my 5k/10k training for events later this year.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
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Good performance, easy interface., December 27, 2007
By Meilcowski
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I have been using this HR Monitor for about 6 weeks and I like it quite a bit. the interface is easy I haven't had any problems with the watch talking to the strap via a wireless connection, no interference or something like that. It tracks the work outs over time which is nice. Overall I would recommend this to a friend.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
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athletic polar rs200 heart monitor, August 28, 2007
By reporter1 (Charlotte, Mi United States)
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I found the product as described to be. One function unique is a VO2 calculation of fitness. Personal settings are more than basic and some are automatically recorded after performing fitness test if that option is selected. I was disappointed with workout history data as it is primarily designed for runners. I use a powerbike with varying stress periods and while various work zones are indicated it would be necesary to review other data to relate the graph to heart rate numbers. All in all it is a powerful fitness tool. I lost the transmitter while travelling and ordered another chest strap for $50. The monitor recognized the new coded transmitter with no problem. Accurate and I also noted that exercise equipment will pick up the transmitter and report out on excersize machines with heart rate info.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Excellent HRM, October 6, 2008
By M. Tilelli (Utah, USA)
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I bought this to replace the Polar F11 I had for a few years before. Even though the F11 is more expensive, this has more features which makes it more fun to use. I've yet to get the foot pod but that's not far off. People complained about the buttons but they feel just like the ones on my old F11 so I'm not sure what the deal is. The extra button on the top is very useful when doing manual laps. If I broke the one I bought, I would definately buy another one.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Good product!, January 13, 2008
By Daniele (New York, NY USA)
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After a month or so of heavily usage (I had chance to jog a lot lately), I can say that I'm satisfied with this watch (it is my first hear monitor). It looks like it is accurate (I tested it) and simple to use. I had to get familiar with terms (zones, ownzone...) but after reading the instructions (I think you have to) it becomes easy. I'm not using all the functionalities that this watch has, but I like the fact that you can create your custom exercises (playing with the zones) and the log of the exercises is showing a lot of info. Sometimes the buttons are a little unresponsive, but nothing major when you get used to it.
In general I think this is a good product that as more than just the basic functionalities. I would consider it as middle range.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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heart rate monitor, October 18, 2007
By K. Kalvelage
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This product works great and does everything that I need it to do. Only complaint is the display, I wish it would keep the display that you used the last time you worked out so I dont have to keep changing it. Workout records are little challenging to find all your information until you can remember where everything is within your workout report. Would like to get the foot pod if it wasnt so darn exspensive.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Works decently, July 3, 2007
By Darrin Lancaster
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I am happy with this product. There are times when it seems to lose full signal. I don't know if this is the fault of the product or if it is the shirts I am wearing. Overall it is really helpful in my running and training.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Very Comfortable, June 26, 2007
By Joe P. Krisch (Ames, IA USA)
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I haven't bothered with any of the advanced features yet but this one seems pretty nice. I especially like the chest strap. Polar has come a long way from their hard plastic straps of the past. This one is comfortable enough I forget it is on.
5 if it came with the computer cable.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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 Very cheap product, April 18, 2008
By M. Abed
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I have owned older Polar hear rate monitors, my favorite was the S210. Is really cheaply made, belt is integrated into the watch, which is a very bad design, since the belt will be worn out with a year of usage. Overall, I think Polar products have gotten worse over the years. I am glad to see competitor like Garmin with much better products capturing the market they deserve.
2 of 5 people found this review helpful
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Polar RS200, May 27, 2010
By Alessandro Campailla
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The watch works good and has even more functions that i Need. The thing that I appreciate a lot is that it syncs with the lifetime machines.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Be advised of lifetime Issues, October 17, 2009
By Kivian (Panama, Rep. of Panama)
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I previously owned a Polar HRM, but lost the belt. Decided to buy the RS200 on march 2008. After a year of working very well it starte to take several tries for it to find a heartbeat. I Changed the battery onn the chest monitor about a month ago worked well for a couple of days an then died on me.
I find that for 180 bucks it's lifetime should be at least 3 years.
If you're buying this be ready to shell another 180 bucks in about a year and a half.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Don't buy - Polar is no longer the same, July 20, 2009
By Rogerio R. Moreira (Campinas, SP Brazil)
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This is my third polar watch. I'm back from the old days when they were made in Finland.
Bought this watch as a replacement for my old S210 (http://www.amazon.com/Polar-S210-Heart-Monitor-Watch/dp/B00075MGP0).
The BAD:
1. Watch is totally plastic. Of course, I'm aware it is not scratch-resistance, but comparing to my old S210, quality went way down.
2. Watch has poor sensor reception; several times even the thread mill manages to receive the heart rate information better and it is not an interference problem, since I am far for other runners and no other environment problems I can notice.
3. Three-line display poor customization; for instance I cannot set Total Time + lap time + heart rate. It is tied to these pre-defined sets one has to choose from.
4. "Please wait" message - come on, Polar; this is not a smart phone!!! Whenever you finish an exercise session, you have to deal with an up-to-10-seconds message.
5. Overall software: they picked something that used to work and tried to make it more user friendly to reach a broader audience - now menus are more complicated, navigation is deeper and more confusing.
The GOOD:
Only spent $140; I was about to by a RS800 and with these quality issues I would be so mad. Next time, will try a Suunto - just waiting for my watch to die in order to be a former Polar customer.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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So far so good, May 15, 2008
By Robert M
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Like any Polar product, this heart rate monitor works great. It accurately reads my heart rate and has enough features and sub menus to keep even the nerdiest occupied. My only real complaint is the sheer complexity of the sub menus. I accidentally pressed one button too long and it changed the display to something that wasn't useful for me (two lines of data instead of three). I fiddled with it for a couple workout sessions until I finally gave in and opened the manual. After digging through the manual for 15 minutes, I figured out what I did. Not the end of the world, but it gives some indication of the complexity of the menus. I could have gone for something a bit simpler and still been happy. Overall I would still recommend this product.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Looking at My H/R!, June 30, 2010
By Roberto Andara
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If you really care about your health, detail info about what you are doing during excercise I mean heart rate, time and calories with a look a your wrist "THIS IS THE TOOL YOU NEED". Simple to test you phisical condition and set it up. Simple to Start, Stop, Check and Save the info about the excercise you are doing.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Torn about reviewing giving a good review, March 20, 2010
By C. Chu (Taiwan)
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When it was working, I liked this watch, because it did everything I wanted. It measures my heart rate, works as an alarm clock.
I am a beginning runner, and most of the time use this watch in the gym.
However, I've only had this watch for a year before it broke. I wore this watch when I swam, and in jacuzzi, and one day the screen started to blinked out, and I thought it was the battery being low. And then I went to hot spring, and after one day, the water got into the watch, and the watch was dead. When I tried to replace the battery, hoping it would work again, and found out the battery was corroded already, meaning it got water into the battery before I went to the hot spring.
Therefore, I am very hesitant about getting it again.
The other thing I didn't really like was the data transmission. The watch makes this buzz sound, and thru. this very 70 century technology, it sends your workout summary via voice codes to your computer. Anyway, I tried it once or twice and weren't able ot make it work, so I give up.
Right now the watch is selling for less than $90, when I bought it less than 2 years ago, it costed me $200.
So, would I pay $90 for another watch like this? Maybe, but still it's far from perfect.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
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All good so far, January 18, 2007
By Michael John Perry (Singapore)
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Have only had the Polar RS200SD for a few days but it seems to be exactly what i need. the footpad is not overly accurate straight out of the box, about 10% off for me, but after calibration it seems very good, probably about the 1% claimed. Autolapping is a good feature
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Pretty awesome device!, December 22, 2008
By Nikhil Joshi (Arlington Heights (Chicago)
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I was recommended this device by my instructor at a local fitness center. Though he was trying to peddle me the ware sold by that center, I found this on Amazon for about $40 cheaper. This is an awesome device, and very compact. Though I have been a user for only a month, I find its capability, user design and benefit quite high. The online interface, and especially the method to synch data (sonic sync - or transferring data by converting it into sound signals and then using the computer's microphone to listen to the device and interpret the data) is pretty awesome - in fact I have not seen this in any (in my experience) other human-computer interface - except R2D2 perhaps. The data transfer can be a bit buggy since ambient noise can influence the signal, but overall - pretty cool!
I like the fact that I can program my exercise zones in and then use my instructor defined program completely to ensure a complete workout.
The only thing I miss is a bicycle mount - so that I dont have to get my hands off the handle bar everytime I need to check my performance...
But all in all - great buy!
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Good training watch, but, post work data analysis lacking, September 15, 2011
By broken_ankle
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Like many long time users of running watches/HR monitors I used to be a big fan of Polar. Unquestionable, they were the premier heart rate manufacture in years past. When this HR monitor was offered as an "amazon deal of the day", I figured it would be a nice backup HR monitor for when I did not need a full GPS watch (I had been using the Garmin 305). The watch does what it says and I have no complaints with it as a interactive running computer. With the foot pod it includes your workout pace and distance. However, if you want to do any detailed analysis of your completed workout data related to your HR, you will be disappointed. I like to see how my HR responds to my course so I was hoping to upload the data and see a graph of HR versus time/distance.
Things I like:
1) Polar has a couple of unique features: i) fitness test - this is a good test to execute monthly to measure if your training routine is yielding results. ii) ownzone - this feature helps to determine your personal training zones (however, you can configure traditional HR zones).
2) The watch is easy to setup, and the manual is simple to follow.
3) The display is easy to read and can be configured to your preference.
4) Pairing with the HR strap and footpod is seamless and distance measurements seem reliable once calibrated (however, there is no pacing feature).
5) HR zone alarm (however, the sound is not very loud -but this seems to be a trait of many HR monitors I have used).
6) Exercise intervals can be configured by time and/or HR zone..
My complaint with polar is three-fold - but, is a deal breaker for me as I think there are better alternatives.
1) One of the features of this watch is to upload your workout data to the polarpersonaltrainer.com web site. Don't count on it. I have never successfully upload to my PC , even after trying multiple different PCs, trying many user suggestions. Searching the WEB, I am not alone. This is annoying since without this capability you loose a lot of the logging and analysis features --at least I assume it will graph your HR versus time? --but, again, I have given up on trying to upload my data. I can just review the time in zones on the watch and record manually into my training log.
2) Even on the polarpersonaltrainer.com site, unless you have their high-end watch you cannot configure it for all five HR zones that are the accepted standard when it comes to HR training. While searching their forum for a solution to this problem, it was stated that their used to be a work-around, which Polar shutdown --and now you need to have their high-end product to accomplish this.
3) They do not use the ANT+ standard so their chest strap and footpod cannot be used with many of the new smart phone apps. Why would I care --because when your battery needs replacement, expect to be without your watch for at least a month.
I would recommend that before you purchase a Polar HR watch you check their forms and you will quickly discover as I did that it seems that Polar participation on solving products and addressing customer concerns is woefully lacking.
While, I understand that the RS200sd is a entry-level HR monitor watch, it should be "easy" to upload my data to my PC. The upload uses sound which is akin to my 80's computer which had a cassette tape recorder interface.
I would highly recommend looking elsewhere if you want seamless logging and analysis tools for your workout data.
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Best Price, August 18, 2011
By Jose the Bear
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Everythings going great.
HR Zone on board should be the best thing it had.
It'll be my best choice at this price.
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Perfect sports watch, July 25, 2011
By Sybert
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Many of my friends recommended this watch. I bought it four months ago. The wrist belt is a little bit uncomfortable but this heart rate monitor does a really good job.
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Great for Spinning, March 15, 2011
By Spinner
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I have always purchased Timex Ironman heart rate monitors in the past and the strap or watch continually breaks down. So I spent a little more on the Polar RS200 and am very happy so far with the performance of this HR monitor. I really like the calorie counting function and the strap is very comfortable. I could live without the image of the runner on the screen but it does everything I want it to do. And it does not pick up other peoples heart rate!.
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From the Days of Fat, to the Sands of Iraqi..., February 17, 2011
By S. Casper
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A friend of mine commented the other day that I only seem to write negative or less than positive reviews of products, which gives the impression that I'm somewhat of a crusty old curmudgeon. Setting aside the fact that my knees constantly remind me that I am getting up there in age I realized that he was partially correct. It seems I only get passionate enough about a product when the product well and truly sucks. So I've set the goal to go through my products I own list and write reviews for those I've rated highly.
And I can think of no better product to start with than the Polar RS200.
In July of 2006 I stepped up on a scale, blinked, looked around, stepped back off it, shook my head and climbed back on. I looked down and couldn't believe it. I was almost 200 pounds, and for guy that graduated high school 124 pounds of twisted steel and sex appeal that was saying a lot. I got serious about losing weight, going to the gym, working out, jogging, even running, and I found that it was frustrating. It was slow, and the more I learned the more I had no clue as to what I was doing. One recommendation that kept coming up was to get a heart rate monitor (HRM), something I could track and quantify effort with. Originally I purchased a Polar M61 HRM (which is currently unavailable), and which I loved until I realized I had made a mistake. The M61 did everything I thought I wanted an HRM to do, but after having it for a few weeks, I discovered that I needed it to do a lot more than I thought it did.
So I purchased the RS200 and while I've flirted with other systems, such as the Garmin Forerunner 405 Sport Watch with Heart Rate Monitor Kit - Black, I keep coming back to the RS200. It does everything I need it to. It keeps track of splits, records my workouts, tracks my progress, and provides it all in easily understood presentations. While using it, I lost over 40#'s in ten months. It allowed me to dial in my workouts, it enabled me to look and see just how much effort I was expending, compared to how much effort I felt like I was expending (on a good day 80% of max HR, can feel too easy, while on a bad day, 60% can feel like its too much). When I re-enlisted, it survived BCT and AIT (one of the joys of being out of the Army for 15 years), and went on a deployment to Iraq in 2008. The watch has never let me down. I've replaced my battery, and despite advice and complaints you read about on here, I've never had an issue doing it myself. Concerns about the straps and construction are unfounded. Its taken a beating and has kept on going much better than any Timex I've ever owned.
The only damage I've found is that while in Iraq the clear front case got a little scratched up and the wear link strap has stretched out. Those are annoyances that I'll live with. Its taken five years of use and abuse with aplomb.
Now that I've said that, the curmudgeon with the creaky knees does have to come out. While I love the watch and the wear link, the foot pod, while a nice idea, was completely useless. No matter how much calibration I did, I'd get strange and wide variances on my distance results. Given that I own an iPhone and use it listen to music on my runs and rucks, firing up MotionX GPS app, takes care of my tracking distance requirements.
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I'm pretty happy with it, January 21, 2011
By C. Mc Graw
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I've used this watch through a couple mini-triathlons and other races and it has held up pretty well. So far, despite changing batteries a couple times, the watch is still waterproof. (Actually they call it water resistant to 50M, but you know what I mean. I can't say the same about some Ronstan "water resistant" sailing race watches that I've bought that have died in the face of water--not cool!)
The Polar 200 does a good job of doing it's main function which, for me, is serving as a heart rate monitor while exercising.
The plastic front cover of my Polar 200 has built up a few scratches, but still works okay. The menus on the watch aren't designed particularly brilliantly, so you might find yourself poking around for a bit if you, say, want to set your watch for a time zone in a city you are visiting. Also, I've found that the interface that it has with a computer is too kludgy to use. I interfaced it a couple times but found it wasn't worth it. (I've had this watch for a couple years, so maybe there's something on the market now that actually has a better sync from the watch to a computer.)
If I were buying a replacement these days, I might consider the Polar FS2C Heart Rate Monitor, that's listing on Amazon about $40 cheaper currently (Just because it's a little cheaper and seems to have most of the functions I use). The only downside I can see with the Polar FS2C is that you have to mail it in for new batteries that I think runs you around $10 plus $3 handling or something like that. The replacement battery I just bought for the Polar 200 cost me about $5 from the drugstore and I put it in myself with one of those glasses screwdrivers. A lot less hassle.
All in all, the Polar 200 has served me well. If you are looking for a heart rate monitor to help with your exercising it's a pretty good buy.
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Works your work-out, August 16, 2010
By bellshedo (Carpentersville; IL)
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I love this product...it works like a charm!!
Tamara Simmonds
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Excellent watch, April 25, 2010
By Juan Gonzalez Suarez
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I use if for training and for running 10K races. It has customizable screens that give you the information you need and want,. Perfect for beginners and intermediate runners.
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Good Product, April 21, 2010
By J. E. Large
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This Polar RS200 is a good beginning watch. From previous models owned, it has some quick start features that are nice. The most important thing is to take the necessary time to go through the entire set up process and then things work well.
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Works, but glitchy, June 9, 2009
By Ed Hammerbeck (Louisville, KY United States)
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I've been using the Polar RS200 for a little over a year, and on balance, I have been happy with it. It has done precisely what I have asked it to do until recently when I have been trying out more complex workouts. More on that in a second.
I believe I got a defective unit, because the watch will spontaneously emit these strange sounds, similar to a static or old-school modem sound. I guess it's some software glitch that causes the WebSync speaker to fire off. It comes and goes without any kind of pattern. The downside of it is that the battery discharges after 6-8 months instead of the 2 years or so the manual says. Also, the noise prevents me from wearing this as a watch, day-to-day, because it would be too annoying to have it go off all the time. This sound glitch must also cause the battery to drain. I've scoured the web looking for answers, and the answer seems to be ship it back to Polar for evaluation and repair, at my expense. But I'm not going to do that because of the expense and my compulsive need for a running watch.
Another annoyance is that, although you can create custom exercises so that you can do -- for example -- interval training, you can only configure a maximum of three exercise segments. So you can configure a warm up, effort, and a cool down. Or you can configure a typical interval workout of a hard effort and recovery [no warm up and cool down, however.] But if you want to run, for example, a ladder-type speed workout where you run a 1600, 1000, 800, and a 600 with 400 meter recoveries, then you are out of luck. [I should mention that I bought the S1 foot pod separately, and I use that to gauge my distance in these sorts of workouts. I guess I should have bought the RS200sd package to start with. Oh well.] I suppose I need a more advanced watch since I am now doing more advanced training.
Apart from these complaints, I am happy with the unit. It's a decent watch with good features and a reasonable price for most recreational runners. If you plan on doing more advanced training, then I would look for something else.
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I love it!!!, May 30, 2009
By Suzanne M. Sharp
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It was just as told!! I really love it and very simple to use. Has given me no trouble. i would tell all of my friends to buy, it;s great!
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Accurate Heart rate monitor, May 17, 2009
By Erik C. Brown (FPO, AE USA)
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Accurate and an important part of my routine, it calculates everything I need to account for my work out. It works with both gym's I work out in equipment I use; from elliptical to the stair master. It is calibrated for use with my body weight index, and heart rate and it gives me the greatest accuracy for my work out. I highly recommend anyone who both works out in the gym and jogging. I do not have the foot accessory for this, but will invest in it later on.
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A lot of information, but not complicated, March 22, 2009
By Claudia (Miami)
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This watch is working very well for me. I really like looking at my statistics after a workout. There is a lot of information available through this watch, but it is not complicated to understand or navigate. I wish that Polar offered a female-sized version of this watch; it's a bit chunky for a female wrist.
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great watch, March 18, 2009
By SN (Minneapolis, MN)
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I've had my watch for about a month now and I love it. I had a little trouble getting my personal sport zones in it because this is my first watch but my trainer was able to do it without a problem. In fact, the trainer liked it so much that the gym is now planning to sell this watch. The rest of the set up was very easy. I love that I can personalize it to display the info that I want to keep track of during my workout. I would definately recommend this watch.
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run for your life., January 11, 2009
By Kevin Brady (san diego, california)
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this product allows you to accurately measure your heart rate and is great for receiving quick, needed, health advice.
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effective, July 30, 2008
By ThinkingCap (North Carolina)
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I have always done cardio but with very little results. Being better able to target heart rates using this watch has been very effective in helping reduce weight and increase my general health. Buttons on the side have a tendency to come off.
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Improved my workout, April 18, 2008
By am15 (Frisco, TX United States)
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When I use the heart rate monitor, I get much better weight loss and more calories burnt. I still can't get the software to work with the computer as it uses audio signal to connect to the computer. A bit of a pain really. Nonetheless, the summary on the watch itself is informative enough. I use it to keep track of my heart rate so don't really need to connect to the computer. It would be good though if I had that option.
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polar, April 12, 2008
By Heidi L. Brewer (gilbert, az United States)
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works good as a heart monitor, it does require the foot pod for full function, which for the price just get a nike Ipod much cheaper for distance and pace, and it does need special equipment to connect to the internet site.
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Polar Heart Rate Great Experience, May 4, 2010
By Zandra A. Drugan
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A wonderful watch to know the burned calories and heart rate makes you want to work for superb health and longevity in the only life you will receive. The ease of it all.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
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good, May 16, 2010
By Max (Michigan)
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Pro: It does what I expected.
Cons: it says how many calories you burned, but it doesn't indicate the percentage of fat.
0 of 3 people found this review helpful
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