Polar FT60 Works great, on land and in water. Helps motivate you

Polar FT60 Works great, on land and in water. Helps motivate you
I spent probably a month researching heart rate monitors. I was looking for all-in-one watch that would have GPS, barometer, thermometer, compass AND a heart rate monitor. I came close with Suunto vector but it does not tell you calories burnt, avg and max heart rate so I kept looking and ultimately realized I can't have it all.

The reason I went with FT60 was a)I have had a polar before and it worked great b)compared to others it had the best reviews and c)I wanted something that could track my historic data and maybe even help me set goals along the way with being a virtual coach to some degree.

I have had the watch for 3 weeks now and still am loving it. I find the menus easy to navigate, it looks great, and I can use it both in the pool as well as for all other workouts.

Polar FT60 Pretty happy with the FT60

Polar FT60 Pretty happy with the FT60
I've been using my FT60 for about 4 months now, and I LOVE IT!! Never gives me any problems. Only time it doesn't track my workouts, is when I forget to activate it (doh! user error). Seems to be very accurate. And it really shows me that the caloric burn estimates on the machines at the gym are way off, almost all the time. Chest strap took a little getting used to, but it was a new thing strapped to my chest. Now that I'm used to it, it's VERY comfortable. I'm VERY tough on my watches.... I can kill a Timex in 10 days or less (takes a licking.... NOT). I workout 5-6 days a week, doing cardio + weights for 2+ hrs per session. This HRM/watch has held up wonderfully. I'm also not gentle when I take it off, I just throw it into the gym bag, and it normally falls to the bottom where it gets knocked around a bit. Again never a problem from it. I'd buy it again without hesitation.

Polar FT60 Perfect to monitor.

Polar FT60 Perfect to monitor.
If you do not have a personal trainer and you need an exercise program, this is what you need; my husband is more motivated to go to the gym. I use the program to lose weight and he uses the program to improve his physical condition. We are rated every week based on our personal work; it really makes you keep on track. I use polar since 10 years ago and they are fantastic. Whenever I take it for service, I get it back as if it was a new one.

Polar FT60 Best HRM out there.

Polar FT60 Best HRM out there.
This is probably the best HRM out there. I use it and just love it. It keeps me within zones as I tend to far exceed the upper HR limit as I exercise vigorously. Easy to set up and use. I highly recommend to those devoted to getting or maintaining a healthy body.

Polar FT60 Very nice.
Had this FT60 for about 2 weeks now. First off, very nice looking watch, has some weight but not heavy like a dive watch. The chest strap is really flexiable, was really surprised by this, thought it would be like the old school one. Feature wise it has a lot, infact Im still dialing my watch in to make it work for me. Use the forums, dial in the watch. Heart rate is accurate to +/- 1 beat. You can upload to the site via the Flowlink ( Does not come with watch).

*Update* 11 Jun 2011

Still using this device, lost about 25lbs with it. Pretty simple in concept. Every week you get 3 heart rate zone and X amount of time you should train in each one. I have had weeks with trophy's and weeks without as i have gone 180-ish% of that heart rate zone. Ordered the RCX5 and will compare. Update coming in the next few months.  

Polar FT60 Watch Great product.

Polar FT60 Watch Great product.
I bought an FT60 after using an FT7 for a year. Black with white screen.

My workouts are typically cardio followed by weights and I really like to see how effectively my workout is going.
The FT7 was reliable but I wanted some more immediate feedback than just Calories / HR and to be able to track how I was doing in terms of fat burn vs fitness - during not after my workout.

The immediate feedback provided by this HR monitor is great - you get to set a goal in terms of weight loss vs improving fitness, and weekly calorie and zone time goals. It will tell you what zone you are currently training in, how you should divide your workout between the three zones and if you are entirely outside (above or below) them (going too hard or not hard enough).

This is exactly what I was looking for.
It is also a nice watch that I can wear outside the gym - the FT7 quite frankly looks like a cheap plastic toy.
The strap on this watch is also pretty big if you need a watch for a bigger wrist.

I would definitely recommend this watch - would have gotten the FT80 but I heeded the warnings on this site.

Polar FT60 Watch Great HRM! Flawless Performance.

Polar FT60 Watch Great HRM! Flawless Performance.
This is my first HRM and I love it. I've been using it for almost 6 months and it is solid as a rock, setup was easy, read-out is clear and features are just what I need. Not too much. Not too little. Tracks my HR w/o issue every time. Keeps me in the right zone every workout.

I use my HRM when swimming, running, HIIT, elliptical and weight training.

I bought a Polar RS300x for my girlfriend and have had nothing but problems. Maybe it's a fluke - I hope it is- but still, nothing but problems with the RS300x. Nothing but satisfaction and solid performance with my FT60. The FT60 feels solid, well built and large, easy to read display.

Polar FT60 Heart Rate Monitor ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!

Polar FT60 Heart Rate Monitor ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!
I'm not a professional athlete or a runner, but I have a goal to get in the best shape of my life before my next birthday (won't mention that exact number!). I also used it as an incentive to quit smoking (which I have actually done!). I've been using the Polar FT60 for about a month now and I look around at the gym and wonder why everyone else doesn't have one! It is an awesome motivational tool... (I have had a bit of a glitch in using the Flowlink to download my data to my iMac, but I am giving them the benefit of the doubt that they'll help me straighten that out. Otherwise, I'll resort to using my brother's PC to download the info.) Thumbs up, though. No regrets on the purchase.

Polar FT60 Heart Rate Monitor works almost perfect

Polar FT60 Heart Rate Monitor works almost perfect
Let me say right off I like my FT60. This will be my forth Polar sports watch and I am amazed at how the technology is getting better and better. My FT60 is a definite up-grade for me as this watch has many more features then my previous Polar's ( M52 and F11). My only complaint is that when I am at the gym I usually work out first with weights and then finish with my cardio routine. I have noticed that when you are working out at a moderate pace and not sweating profusely that the watch looses contact with the transmitter. i have tried wetting the band/transmitter and still get the same problem. Once I start my cardio it works great. It has a load of features. It is easy to use right out of the box and it not bad looking for a sports watch. I would recommend this product.

Polar FT60 Heart Rate Monitor Finally a legible display!

Polar FT60 Heart Rate Monitor Finally a legible display!
A winner at last. I like it and recommend it. My F11 was a confusing, hard-to-read, and somewhat inflexible Polar monitor. This FT60 makes up for those past frustrations. The display uses bold characters and is easier to read. No longer do I have to deal with those awful timed training sessions such as Normal 1, Short 1, etc., ad nauseum. Now I can exercise as long or little as I like in a week and if I'm being a little too carefree the watch will suggest what I should be doing differently to stay on track to my goals. This monitor is, as you have seen, rather expensive but if you are really serious about wanting to pursue a healthy or more healthy lifestyle I think this is a worthwhile purchase. My only minor complaints are that I dislike Polar's wrist bands as a matter of personal preference. I like a watch to be able to lie flat and face up but you can't do that with the fairly stiff, curved Polar band. A washable woven nylon band would be nice perhaps with a Velcro closure. I wish the monitor's beeps were louder (even when set on Very Loud) as I really can't hear it well but my ears are old so that's just me. I like the accessories available that may be useful to me should I purchase them in the future. I am happy with this purchase and recommend it. I'm not convinced that the photo Amazon uses is of the watch I bought, at least for the men's style. Go to Polar's site and see what the watch actually looks like if that is important to you.

Polar FT60 Heart Rate Monitor Very nice.

Polar FT60 Heart Rate Monitor Very nice.
I upgraded from the F55 and so far have been pleased. I created a training session and have found it much easier to track how well I'm doing each week with the FT60 than it was with the F55. I was kind of bummed that I could not use the USB IR dongle that I used with the F55 to transmit data to [...] but once I got the flowlink I found it was easier to use anyway so overall I'm very pleased with my purchase.

Polar FT60 Heart Rate Monitor Works Great.
I bought the HRM to monitor my heartrate while I was working out. This HRM does volumes more. Establishes workout zones based on an assessment of your current condition, but it will allow you to customize your workouts, as well. Combined with the Flowlink you can monitor exercise progress on your computer. It is a great monitor and motivator. 

Polar FT60 Excellent Product.

Polar FT60 Excellent Product.
The FT60 is Excellent product with great features. My primary uses for it are: tennis, gym workouts, and daily walks.

I upgraded from a Polar F11 and am glad I did...more features and useful options. For example, its both MAC & pc compatible. I also like the ability to be able toggle to the time/watch feature during a workout and its Polar STAR Training Program capabilities.

Additionally, I highly recommend the FlowLink & S1 Foot Pod accessories. The FlowLink is far superior and more dependable (compared to the F11's sonic transmission) for uploading data. The S1 Footpod allows the user to view his/her pace during a walk/run and, when the data is uploaded to Polar's Personal Trainer program, it automatically includes the distance traveled, average speed, and maximum speed. All nice features/accessories.

The things that could improve this product (and S1 Foot Pod accessory), and results in my rating of a 4 instead of 5, would be: 1) integrated pedometer feature (via S1 Foot Pod?), 2) Polar ProTrainer 5 compatibility, and 3) lower, "bundled price" when buying the FT60 with the FlowLink and/or S1 Foot Pod. Paying over $325 for all three is hard to justify (although I admittedly did).

Polar FT60 GREAT BUY

Polar FT60 GREAT BUY.
I got two of these, one for my Dad and the other one for myself, I started looking for a HR monitor about two months ago, when I realized that the training I had been doing and the way it was done was not the "correct" way for me, with this HR, set up takes about 10min the first time, it ask for your age, weight and height then you NEED to calibrate the clock so that it knows your rested HR and it can calculate what your training zones are. Once I did this and set up a training program its been working perfectly for the past 2 months, We train together everyday and never had any interference issues.

The HR will tell you exactly in which zone are you and how many minutes you need to exercise in the zones depending on what program you choose (weight loss, improve performance etc...), it does this by day and week total, it also keeps tracks of the previous training results so you can monitor it as well, This is my doctor favorite feature since he can take the watch and check all the trainings I have done and what was my HR.

Our model is the one with White display and Blue lights. The white display works great is light and low light situations, When you use the blue light its perfect, just the right amount of glow and makes everything readable in no light situations.

Polar FT60 Best Buy, just works.

Polar FT60 Best Buy, just works.
I use this watch nearly every day of the week during cardio. I really have no complaints. In general, it just works. Once in a while it will lose track of my heart beat. It makes a particular sound so you'll know when it happens. I usually just pull the band sideways slightly so it makes a better or different contact with my skin. This seems to happen more if you don't follow the instructions about washing the band. Salt seemingly builds up in the band and likely is effectively how easy it is to follow your heart rate. This seems to happen even if you rinse the band after each workout. Wash the band in a laundry bag with your workout clothes and you'll be happy. :)

Polar FT60 Best Buy, Works Well.
I've had my FT60 for about two months now and it works flawlessly. I bought it to help me monitor my heart rate when I exercise following a heart attack several months ago. Once you figure out the menu in the book, it's pretty easy to use. The HR display is easy to read when I work out; and, the three zone readings, though I thought a bit quirky at first, are actually pretty helpful for me in keeping my HR in the HR zone I want (and not exceeding my maximum).

Relatively easy to read (even without my glasses). What I really like is the capability to replace the battery in either the watch or the transmitter. 

Polar FT60 Heart Rate Monitor Very Happy!

Polar FT60 Heart Rate Monitor Very Happy!
I spent a fair amount of time researching which HRM to buy. Getting sold on a Polar was pretty easy, but then you have to figure out which Polar.
I didn't care about running which put me into the FT category. I do like "toys" and I do like data, so I settled on the FT60 and I'm glad I did.
Setup was easy, just answer the questions. Using it is also easy. It'll start/pause/stop and you can review your workout on the screen. I also like how it calculates a program for me based on my goal and I can see where I am relative to that goal. When I meet or exceed the goal for the week it even displays a trophy on the screen (cute).
I upload my data to Polar's website which has been a breeze and it's free.
Unlike some of the other Polar models, you can replace the battery in the HRM and the transmitter yourself on this model. A big plus in my opinion.

Polar FT60 Heart Rate Monitor Fantastic Workout Tool.
My first heart rate monitor and well worth the money. It is comfortable, not unsightly, packed with features and appears to take a decent amount of abuse. The strap is easy to wash and fits well around all sizes. The weight loss program is simple but great at making you realize just how hard you actually need to work out. (I would guess that without a heart rate monitor most people don't realize how they are not working in their zones at all) with diet and this little tool I have so far lost about 20lbs. Display was easy to read, and while intimidating, it is not complex despite all it can do. The weight graph is fantastic!  

Polar FT60 Best Price, Great Product.

Polar FT60 Best Price, Great Product.
My wife wanted a HRM for her birthday and after alot of research I ordered the FT40 for her. She loves it so much that I decided to get one for myself. I opted for the FT60 instead, since it has the option where it simulates a personal trainer telling how long to work out and at which intensity based on what you tell it you want to accomplish (weight loss, fitness improvement or Max fitness level). Set up is very easy and documentation is good. You enter your height, weight, age, etc and then your goals and it creates a profile for you based on that information.

I have only had the FT60 for a week, but I find myself working out longer and at the correct intensity for my goals. Before I had no real logic to my workouts, I would just break a good sweat. With this HRM I target certain levels of intensity to be more productive and accomplish my goals. After entering all the required data and doing the fitness test built into the watch, it gave me my goals for the first week. It included overall time to work out and how much time to spend in each of the 3 zones of intensity. It tracks your progress in data and bar graph form and is real easy to understand and keeps you motivated to accomplish all the goals they give you for the week. I am a person who is competitive and find myself working out more on days where I might not have simply b/c I want to meet the goals for the week.

The watch is a great size and actually can be worn outside of the gym as its quite attractive. The Chest strap is very comfortable being made of cloth instead of plastic,like some competitors versions. A very cool feature that was a suprise to me is that the equipment at my gym picks up your HR from the chest strap wirelessly and displays your HR, which matches the watches display. Much easier to look at that then to keep glancing at your watch. This works all the cardio equip in my gym (Life Fitness treadmills, Precor ellipticals, and the Stair Master).

I also ordered the FlowLink so I can upload the data to polars personal trainer website. It works great so far. You can join competitions on the website to "compete" against others in all kinds of categories (ie. Most calories burned in a month, most miles run in a week, most weight lost, etc. You can also create your own competitions).

All in all a great product and I highly recommend it. If you don't think you will want/use the built in "personal trainer" option, then save yourself $40 and get the FT40.

Polar FT60 Best Price, Works well, highly motivating.I've had the FT 60 for a week and find it easy to use, and highly motivating.
I'm already curious about what next week's training targets will be. I wouldn't want to work out without this monitor.

The Flowlink accessory works perfectly and there have been no problems with the Polarpersonaltrainer web site so far. I recommend this HRM to anyone who is serious about fitness and who understands the crucial role of heart rate in measuring intensity of exercise. 

Polar FT60 So far so good!

Polar FT60 So far so good!
I had some Reward points to use from AMX so I settled on this watch. I thought it was too many points and now I realize why - I wound up getting a model with the GPS unit included... Now I have to start running!

It is very easy to set up right out of the box. My main reason for owning it was to get a measure of my fitness level as well as my heart rate. Basically, I put on the chest strap, start the exercise DVD (thank you, Gilad) press the button twice, the stopwatch starts, my heartbeat is picked up and it tells me how fast I am beating by glancing at the watch, and afterwards it tells me my average heart rate, my maximum heart rate, calories burned and how much time I spent in each "zone" I found that when doing cardio with Gilad I am mostly in zone 3, and when doing "sculpting" I am in zone 1 and 2. I do not have the "flowlink" yet, as I do not mind inputting the data manually on the website (its only 5 or 6 numbers to put in for each session- and I think I am more apt to "look" at the numbers if I type them in manually. Plus, it does not work with a mac yet.

The watch is not gorgeous. The display is very large. Looks fine but is a lot thicker than my dress watch, which is not surprising.

Polar FT60 REVIEWS

Polar FT60 Great workout device.
It took me a week of reading to decide which HRM watch to try. After a few days I narrowed the brand down to Polar, but then there're about 30 models from them to choose from.

My intended use: I don't run outdoors much so I don't need a GPS. I do cardio and weights in a home gym and have been writing everything down to keep track of progress, weight loss, etc.

I wasn't sure if I would use the extra bells and whistles beyond a Polar F6 but I was intrigued with the higher end models' ability to test your resting fitness, plan a workout régime, monitor your progress, record weight loss, revise the plan and repeat while recording this all to the web.

So, I narrowed it down to the F55, the FT60 and the FT80. Well, the FT80 is getting horrible reviews due to dark screen, unreliable software, and other basic `version 1' problems. The F55 seemed perfect for someone who lifts weights in their workout routine as I do so I researched further in that direction. The problem is that it only has 17 types of lifting sequences (e.g. Curl, Squat, etc.) and I agree with other reviewers that with those few, I probably wouldn't be able to take advantage of that feature (e.g. when I do a bicep workout I do about eight different types of lifting to prevent muscle memory. And, I really didn't like the way the F55 looks. A minor point but if you're spending $200 on something you wear, you at least want it to look good.

Then I started reading about the FT60 but there are very few reviews from actual users, and I always read reviews before I purchase anything these days. But it looked like it would give me what I wanted, and I like the looks much more than the F55. So I got it yesterday and used it for the first time today. I have a 42 inch chest and the band fits fine (some reviewers were saying some of these bands don't fit larger chests). In about 5 minutes I was able to enter my demographics, test my resting fitness, set a goal (maximum fitness) and begin a workout.

The screen is very easy to read, easy to change the readout while working out, and really made a difference in my ability to stay in a good cardio zone. The watch creates three zones for you (60-70%, 70-80%, 80-90% of Max Heart Rate) based on your fitness test, demographics, etc. Then it tells you how many hours per week you need to be in each of those zone to achieve your goal (maximum fitness, improve fitness or weight loss). These are all graphed on the watch so you can see where you stand for that workout or for the week. It's a great idea and really keeps you motivated to achieve your goal.

Also, if you're interested in tracking weight loss, the watch asks you weekly to enter your weight and it tracks that for you graphically as well. It also takes the weight change into account when planning your next week's workout goals.
I haven't synced it up to the web (still waiting for my usb/irda dongle) so I can't comment about the site, but I wonder if it's really needed because the watch is pretty easy to use to review your workout history. That said, I'd still like to have it on the web for historical analysis.

Bottomline, if you're new to HRMs like me and are not sure if you need all these features (the F6 is about $150 cheaper!) I would take a serious look at this watch. And, if you are in the same boat as me (cardio, weights, variable routines that change so I don't get bored) I think this watch is the best way to go. 


Polar FT60 Excellent!!
I love this monitor....I like that it provides you with stats on your work outs after and during. I recommend this product to anyone. 


Polar FT60 Works flawlessly with Macintosh Computer.
There is a lot of discussion at [...] about wanting polar software that works natively under Mac OSX. However, I have worked with this fantastic HRM and was able to upload all the data acquired by it to the website blindingly fast on the first try using the Flowlink interface. I am running Windows XP under bootcamp. The polarpersonaltrainer website gives you lots of ways to analyze your workouts and to understand what you need to do to improve. This should not be undervalued when looking at HRMs from the various manufacturers.

I do note that the FT60 does not record your actual heart rate as a function of time for upload but it does record a whole bunch of metrics derived from your heart rate and performance over the course of a workout that are useful for understanding and improving your performance. (Frankly, I don't know why one would want to stare at a graph showing how your heart rate varied as a function of time.) The FT80 does make an actual record of your heart rate together with these other metrics. For me, this did not really matter as the FT60 has everything I need to keep me motivated and to help me to understand my progress. You must be clear on this before deciding between the FT60 and FT80. (The FT80, as of April 15, 2009 has lots of problems and flaws from what I can tell. I wouldn't buy it - it is an extra $100 for a bunch of misery.)

What I was after is a set of metrics or some rubric that I could measure my performance against. I now understand that just looking at your body weight is not going to do it and may be quite detrimental to your progress. The FT60 gives you several great ways to keep tabs on how you are doing and also offers a weight log so you can record that to the website as well.

By the way, the picture give for this product does not do justice to it. It is a fantastic looking watch! I wear business casual most days and frequently a suit out to dinner. This fits my wardrobe perfectly! Very handsome. It would certainly go with bluejeans and a baggy sweatshirt, too.

I have already recommended this fantastic product to co-workers and other gym rats. 

DD> SALE Polar FT60 Men's Heart Rate Monitor Watch

Polar FT60

Helps improve fitness and keeps users motivated with the new Polar STAR training program, which adapts to the user's personal exercise habits, providing weekly feedback and updated goals

Product Details

• Size: Men's
• Color: Black with White Display
• Brand: Polar
• Model: FT60
• Released on: 2008-09-01
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 2.90" h x 5.10" w x 6.90" l, .55 pounds

Features

• Black men's heart rate monitor watch with several innovative training features
• Displays heart rate as percentage of maximum, bpm, and within target zone indicator
• Polar Star personalized training program delivers feedback and weekly training targets
• Polar OwnCal mode tracks energy expenditure for single and accumulated workouts
• Offers ZonePointer and Polar OwnZone modes; water-resistant to 30 meters; 2-year warranty