Polar is a very well established and well known brand when it comes to making heart rate monitors. They have a total of 21 different heart rate monitors that are divided into three categories, their "Get active, improve fitness and maximize performance." Considering the price that you pay for some of these monitors, it is worth it to find out if it is really effective.
I want to make sure that you get the best deal when it comes to getting a heart rate monitor, and want to cut the grain from the chaff. Polar is the leading brand when it comes to heart rate monitors and we have reviewed each of their categories separately so that you can make an informed decision when it comes to buying them.
Get active
This is their lowest end and therefore their cheapest option. The price range is between and 0 and is worth it if you are going to be exercising regularly. They have a number of sub categories each supposedly geared specifically for runners, cyclists, strength trainers etc. The main difference between the cheaper ones and the more expensive ones is that the more expensive ones will use a coded signal between the chest strap and your watch. This will neutralize any "cross talk" from other monitors being used by others nearby, especially if you are in a gym. The problem with this cross talk is that you will get incorrect readings because their readings will get mixed up with yours.
They are probably the best value for money and even if you pay more to get their higher end ones it is still worth it simply for this feature. Plus they give you the option of uploading all information to the Polar site where you can track your daily improvement.
Improve fitness
This is their mid range option and costs anywhere between 0 and 0. We find that they do not provide anything substantially more than the previous models except that most of them give you a graph that displays your average heart rate. This means that you can configure it to make sure that you are training within the optimum range for you. You can set weekly targets and if you are in strength training, you can plan your recovery periods between sets based on the heart rate. You also get to spend more and buy their food pods that you fit on to your shoes so that you can get info on how far you have run etc. You even get a really high tech GPS system with some that use GPS to pinpoint exactly how far you have come.
Maximize performance
This is their most expensive range and costs upwards of 0. These models are specifically targeted at professionals who need more information, but if you go through the features you find out that for such a massive increase in price their features list is woefully inadequate. Of course they give you all sorts of graphs that is supposed to help you train better, but then if you were a professional athlete you would have better software to get this info. Plus you have the option of spending more on their running accessories that will give you information on how far you have run etc.
Polar heart rate monitors are very good quality, but then apart from their basic models their higher end ones are really not worth the money that you pay for them. Just imagine, you could get a laptop for the price of some of these heart rate monitors and do all your analysis on it. You find simple calculations on how to calculate everything from how to calculate calories burned to everything else that you may need easily on the net, and the computer can take care of the calculation for you. Almost all of it is based on just your average heart rate and duration, and even the simplest models give you this information. The choice however is yours to make.
