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- Black heart rate monitor watch with several innovative training features
- Intelligent training computer helps you achieve maximum workout efficiency
- Displays heart rate as percentage of maximum, bpm, and within target zone indicator
- Polar Star personalized training program delivers feedback and weekly training targets
- Offers ZonePointer and Polar OwnZone modes; water-resistant to 30 meters; 2-year warranty
Product Description
Optimizes strength training by providing guidance on how to long to rest between sets, delivering the information in an easy-to-read graphical display (see image above)Amazon.com Product Description
If there’s one word to describe people who train seriously for athletics, it’s dedication. And if there’s one heart rate monitor that’s dedicated to helping you achieve maximum workout efficiency, it’s the Polar FT80. The FT80 starts by checking your daily cond… More >>
Polar FT80 Heart Rate Monitor Watch
March 12, 2010 at 2:25 am
Sadly I must report quite a bit of disappointment with this product:
1) The screen is so poorly contrasted it’s nearly impossible to read except in the best of light and the backlight only makes it tolerable — and only for 5 seconds in a row.
2) I’ve unfortunately fallen victim to a problem that has affected hundreds of people as represented on the Polar forums — the inability (over time, randomly) to synch to the web service. This bug is a software/synch. issue between the watch, windows software and the web service. It prevents the upload of your training results and if you’re using the STAR program means you don’t get the adaptive training routine downloaded to your watch. Further, it means you don’t have access to the snazzy zone/interval graphs.
3) The feature set is misleading as it comes to being able to use certain functions; the realtime graph and rest interval display is really only available in the strength training routines and not for general aerobic activity as defined by the training program you choose on the web service.
4) There’s no basic interval timer.
5) The buttons are difficult to operate and the bottom button requires more force than the top to push.
If you’re a runner or cyclist, this is probably a fine watch, but the FT60 looks like a much better unit that you can actually *see*
Some of these might seem like minor issues, but I am basically left with a watch that does less than my $80 Mio Drive watch that doesn’t require a chest strap for the pulse reading.
I’m very disappointed with this purchase.
Be very, very sure what sort of activity you wish to monitor for this price…and the screen absolutely sucks.
I can’t see how this would be released as a saleable product. That picture to the right is NOT an accurate representation of the display…
Rating: 2 / 5
March 12, 2010 at 3:28 am
I purchased an FT-80 just prior to Christmas. Whilst I was fairly happy with it for the first couple of weeks (the dim back-light and anemic audio tones notwithstanding), I came across a significant bug in the workout data tracking that renders it useless. There is clearly an issue with the firmware or the memory – after my Monday workout the stats for the week switched to 255 sessions, 65535 calories burned and 99:59:59 hours of exercise. Anyone familiar with computers will realize the significance of these numbers – it looks like the entire data slot got corrupted.
I thought this might be an isolated incident until I checked the Polar forums for the FT80. The posts are full of people complaining about this same issue, along with a host of other issues. There has been no official response from Polar, which is extremely poor. I contacted Polar technical support and have not heard back yet.
I strongly suggest anyone considering this model checks the Polar forums here:
[...]
Rating: 1 / 5
March 12, 2010 at 6:17 am
I just received this watch and have only worked out with it once, but so far, it is great. I did a bit of research on this watch, and the biggest complaint seemed to be the screen. A lot of people were complaining that theirs was too dim and they couldn’t see it inside. I had absolutely no issues with it; perhaps it could have been a little brighter, but at no point during my jog did it require more than a quick glance.
The reason I got this watch was the strength training aspect. The idea of having something monitor your rest period really intrigued me. I have to say, it seemed to work as well as one could hope. You can create workout programs through Polar’s website, although the site is still clearly geared toward runners. They have a very limited number of pre-set lifting exercises; however, it is extremely easy to create your own on the site.
The watch works extremely well while using it for cardio. It works with the cardio equipment at my gym. It also breaks your rate into three different zones and makes it very easy to see which zone you are in.
Synching the watch with the computer is very easy. It comes with a USB device that allows you to synch easily.
The watch fits really well, although I have a slight issue getting the watch off due to the clasp. It’s not a big deal, but I do feel that could have been designed better. The watch looks good enough to wear in casual situations.
I’ll try to update this review as I use it more; I just wanted to get a review up here. I was trying to gather as much information on this watch as I could, and I was struggling to find any reviews on the web. So far, I’d recommend getting this watch if you want to use it for cross training. You may want to see it in person if you are concerned about the screen’s brightness.
Rating: 4 / 5
March 12, 2010 at 8:48 am
Great watch… except for the display, its fatal flaw. Outside during the day it looks great, with almost as much contrast as you see in the product picture. However, indoors it definitely is less legible than normal black on white watches. Furthermore, the crystal is very reflective – not a problem outside with only the sun, but in the gym the display is made harder to read by the multitude of reflections from the various lights. It’s not illegible, but you have to work to make it out. Also, the largest time display (which is very large and easy to read) leaves out the seconds ; there is a display mode that shows the seconds but this one wastes half the screen space with an FT80 logo.
On the bright side, the battery is user replaceable, as in all the new FT watches, so you don’t have to send it away for replacement as recommended with the older Polar watches. Furthermore, it’s actually a very thin watch, almost 50% thinner than my old Polar F55 and a Timex Ironman watch I had, so it’s comfortable to wear as a normal watch.
If it weren’t for the display and crystal, this would be a great watch. If they come out with a firmware update that lets it display the normal black on white I’d recommend it without reservations. As it is, the FT60 might be a better buy – it’s legible, and is missing only the stopwatch, OwnRelax, and strength training functions from the FT80 (according to Polar’s comparison site).
Update after two weeks:
It’s grown on me. I still wish it had a normal display mode, but the lack of contrast makes it more decorative. I wear this as a normal watch, which I didn’t with my FT55 due to its appearance and thickness.
I’ve discovered one annoying additional quirk – if you don’t set it to autolock you actually have to press two buttons to make it lock.
I also started using the Flowlink attachment – it’s super cool. Basically you can just set your watch down upside down on it when you get on your computer and it’ll upload your training sessions automatically – a very convenient feature, it’s no longer a big production to do this.
There used to be many more reviews for this watch in the 3-4 range, the all disappeared along with mine so I’m rewriting it.
Rating: 3 / 5
March 12, 2010 at 8:53 am
The FT80 (plus chest strap, plus GPS tracker) will help you achieve your fitness goals. At least, it has helped me achieve mine. I haven’t bothered to explore all the bells and whistles: rather, I have focused on using it to track my aerobic exercise. It does this by recording the duration and exertion of my routines, compares them to its customized weekly goals (in my case, about five hours per week), and tells me what I’m doing wrong.
There’s a little more to it, but in essence you just do N hours/wk of exercise, let the watch figure out if you’re exerting yourself too much (or not enough), upload the info from the watch to Polar’s website, and rinse & repeat. You could do this with a cheap $80 Casio watch and chest-strap, but you would have to punch the numbers into the website, instead of uploading them with the weird-looking docking station (I swear, it looks like something for warming a very small pot of coffee).
My first FT80 died after a month, so I sent it back to the manufacturer. Polar kept me informed from start to finish, charged me $0 for repair (as is appropriate), and only took a couple of weeks to return it in full working order.
The synchronization issues, which have been mentioned in other reviews on Amazon and elsewhere, are still ongoing. I have to unplug and reconnect the docking station from time to time. However, the data still makes its way from the watch to the Polar website, so I’m happy.
The face of the watch is easy to scratch and the wrist strap is not very flexible. Then again, the watch isn’t built for looks. I wear a $20 Casio most of the time. Even if I didn’t, I wouldn’t wear this watch on a daily basis.
Its best feature in my opinion is actually in the chest-strap: it transmits my heart rate to the treadmill at the gym. This causes the treadmill to adjust its incline in order to keep my heart rate in the right zone. This keeps me from wearing myself out. So, before I know it, I’ve run for an hour, burned a thousand calories, and not torn anything. (I am nursing a groin injury.) So, for coaxing me into the gym and keeping me there without encouraging me to overdo it, this package has my vote.
Aside from the synchronization issue and the initial fault (covered under warranty), it’s an excellent watch. The GPS tracker is good too. I am happy with my purchase. It helps me keep myself on-track with my fitness goals, it is utterly unforgiving of my ‘lazy days’, and it helps me to maintain the weight and the level of fitness that I need. I believe Polar’s Quality Control Department made a serious error by allowing this product to be released for general sale when it was still exhibiting these issues, but the watch is still an excellent product in my opinion.
Rating: 3 / 5