Customer Reviews:
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 Great features, no overpriced frills, December 29, 2008
By C. Brown (Baltimore, MD, USA)
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It's unisex, easy to use, and has all of the features a runner needs without all of the expensive frills. I chose the RS100 because it had features that the women-specific watches did not, including interval timers, two zone limit monitors, and a back light (essential if you run at night or cross train in spin class where the lights are usually low). I recommended spending a half hour reading the manual and setting up the watch that way. It covers every feature simply and clearly.
Being able to set my own heart rate and percentage limits is great since those numbers change as my fitness improves. I also like that the running total tells me the percent of calories burned from fat, super essential for proper training.
The total only keeps track of one run at a time, which is fine. I log my runs in an Excel spreadsheet and I've found this to be more useful than storing them in the watch because I can write all sorts of formula combinations and create averages and see a big picture and completely geek out. Other models allow you to upload logs to the Polar website but paying the extra money wasn't worth it for me. I like doing that stuff myself.
The medium chest strap fits me fine once it is adjusted (female, 34" chest) and stays in place. Be sure to moisten the transmitters before wearing, a few drops of water will do, your sweat will take care of the rest ...
My only issue is that the watch is a little bulky for my small wrists, which causes some discomfort at times, but I've come up with a few workarounds to solve the bulky problem:
1. I wear it somewhat loose but not so loose that it spins around on its own. This keeps some of the pressure off. It's loose enough that I can manually rotate the face around to the inside of my wrist if I need to.
2. For longer runs, I sometimes wear the watch strapped to my gear belt or zipped in my pocket. Since the watch has interval timers and warning beeps when I go out of zone, I've been able to keep track using my hearing instead of my eyes. The beep is pretty loud so as long as my headphones aren't cranked, I can still hear it.
3. The treadmills at my gym are Polar ready so they pick up the transmission without me having the wear the watch. While the treadmill doesn't have any logging features, I can at least keep track of my heart rate during a run if I don't want to wear the watch.
Overall, it's a great running computer for the money.
70 of 70 people found the above review helpful.
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 Not that hard to use, just play with it, December 14, 2006
By Cub Fan
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Just like any gadget, you learn how to use all the functions on this watch by just playing around and pressing buttons. True, the manual should be clearer, and seems to be talking about doing things in a different order than what's really needed sometimes, but unfortunately that's the case with most electronics these days. It's really not all that hard to figure out, and anyway that's part of the fun of getting a new gadget (for some of us, anyway).
It has worked pretty well since I got it. Took a few trials to get the strap tight enough so it wouldn't slide down while running. About 1/4 mile into my first 5k wearing it that's exactly what happened, and my grand plan of closely monitoring my performance went up in smoke. I've had no problems with the receiver picking up my heart rate, or interference from power lines or cars.
So, all in all, highly recommended. I think it's got just the right level of functionality for me, someone who wants to train with a monitor to get a little faster running 5k's and 10k's, but it also makes running a little more interesting on those days you just don't feel like doing it.
60 of 69 people found the above review helpful.
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 Decent Product, Decent Value, June 26, 2008
By R. Pettey (California)
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Purchased as a replacement HRM, The unit does what its intended to do and it does it well. The quirks of changing face information or retrieving data takes a while to learn and get used to. The push-button sequencing doesn't always seem intuitive, but - the good news is - its easy to learn. I don't use my HRM as a watch except as a convenience after working out, so that feature is fairly useless to me, anyway. One simple improvement would be a strap thats a notch or two bigger - I have to wear my unit at the end notch making it somewhat more difficult to fasten and unfasten.
Given the quirks and a design you have to grow into, its a decent product and a fair value.
28 of 30 people found the above review helpful.
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Most Solid HR Monitor, September 25, 2008
By Steve Jackson (St. Peters, MO United States)
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This is my fourth HR monitor. I've owned a Nike (garbage), two Timex models (one solid and one I returned). I bought this one because it had three lines of information so I would know my total time and my lap time.
Some points:
- For the first month the watch never gave me an inaccurate HR. Since then I've had two instance when it's been whacky (you know, shows you at 185 when you're at 145). My previous HR monitors were MUCH worse than the Polar on this account.
- The three lines is nice, however it does not allow you to swap the lap time with the total time. I would much prefer the lap time to be in the middle or at least bigger (it's hard to read when you're doing a hard run and you're bouncing around).
- There is a lap number. I like that a lot.
- If you press and hold the button a little too long it will pop up Limits and adjustments and whatnot. This is annoying and happens too easily.
- If you use the light/indiglo while using the stopwatch it will automatically light up whenever you hit lap/stop afterwards. This is a great feature. Often I'm running in the dark and this feature is a lifesaver.
- Getting the information from the watch is just OK. Not terrible, but not as streamlined as the simple Timex HR monitor I previously used.
- I don't use the totals. I have a database for that.
The bottom line is that HR monitors are pretty unreliable generally. After 2 months, this model has been solid. I would still like a tweak here or there because of my personal preferences.
27 of 28 people found the above review helpful.
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I don't run without it, April 5, 2008
By L. Boling (San Diego, CA United States)
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This heart rate monitor is my first, and is in the middle of my second marathon training season, and has gone with me to five half marathons. I bought it because of the dual timer. I started as a run walker and with two timers, it told me when to run and walk to take a walk break, and then got me back running again. I tuck the monitor underneath the bottom rim of my sports bra, and occasionally it slips down a bit, but mostly the elastic strap, not the actual monitor. I also used to have weird connection problems - out of the blue I would get impossibly readings. 95% of that has gone away since I got "buh bump," an electrode cream created by one of the makers of the polar watches.
I consider this watch an essential part of my running wardrobe. It always shows your heart rate, and you can toggle the top level of information including the time, calories, and other features. I follow my heart rate closely because I tend to push myself a bit much, and the beeping is a great reminder to slow down, as annoying as it is. I use all the manual features on it though as the fitness test or whatever it is to find out your minimum and maximum HR is lame.
I work out at 24 hour Fitness, and I was surprised to see that their machines are Polar machines, so I wear my monitor on the treadmills and there's lots of programs that I can use without having to hold the metal part of the machine. And what's cooler than knowing how many calories you burned/have to replace. ;-)
The only thing I wish this watch would have is the ability to store more than one run in the memory (though this was more important to me in the beginning), and that Polar was as good in their GPS line (like Garmin) as they are with the Heart Rate side. But I have to remind myself that the simplicity of running can be the best part, and my watch should reflect that.
27 of 30 people found the above review helpful.
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Still the BEST!, November 20, 2007
By shooter (OKUSA)
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I tried several other brands before came back to purchase this excellent HRM. I had an old Polar that displays only heart rate, more than 10 yrs old and still works, but I thought I want a little bit more.
The RS100 has a very good transmission range, unlike others that I couldn't even put it on my bike's handle bar. HRM functions are super simple, you don't need a degree in engineering to learn how to use it. The watch function is adequate. It is also a good looking watch, so you can use it for more than just working out. Buy it, you'll love it.
12/2/07: I am waiting for Polar support to get back with me. I had a maddening problem with this HRM. In time mode, all of a sudden, the watch shows the Polar logo on the top line instead of day of week and date. I read the manual no less than 10 times and wasted hours but could not switch it back. In 2 days, if I don't get an answer, it goes back to Amazon.
3/20/09: Still working great! I have been using it at least 3 times a week and have yet needed to replace the battery. Polar is the BEST!
21 of 24 people found the above review helpful.
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Getting me fitter, May 12, 2007
By average guy (Palo Alto, CA USA)
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A great device for fitness motivation for a newcomer. Before, when I was running and rowing it was difficult to be sure of progress, now I see that, for the same heart rate, I am, week on week, increasing my pace and distance. Highly recommneded.
On the downside: I was cautious and bought the entry level model. Now, I would probably go for a model with some of the extra features. The Polar personal trainer website is interesting, but not great.
19 of 21 people found the above review helpful.
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Missing one option, September 3, 2009
By Michael A. Latorre (Seattle, WA USA)
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I purchased an earlier model of a Polar heart rate monitor a number of years ago. At that time I had no experience with heart rate monitors but always interested in new gagets not only to measure intensity and consistency of daily exercse but also to enhance interest in exercising. I can't remember the model but it was basic and met my needs. I would probably still be using it other then I lost it.
In replacing it I accessed the Polar web site and shopped around. Since it had been a few years since my original purchase I was sort of overwhelmed with the various models. I settled on the Polar RS100 which was an upgrade from the original monitor I purchased. It is an excellent device but missing one option I would really like. It does not have the capability to download data into a laptop. This was unclear to me on the Polar webpage and I'm sure Polar would have exchanged it for me, but it wasn't worth the hassle of sending it back. If I had to do it over again I would purchase the model that has the download capability.
Summary: This is an excellent product with all the basic functions, a stop watch, and an alarm. If you want download capability the RS100 is not the model.
16 of 19 people found the above review helpful.
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 Not the Polar quality of the past- Cheap and nasty, March 14, 2009
By Robert Buchan (Huntersville, NC)
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I have been using a Polar S120 for 5 years and when it finally broke I decided to go with a polar again without any research other than finding a similar model. If I am happy with a product I stick with it. I also travel extensively and Polar T31 chest straps work with 99% of gym equipment out there unlike my Garmin 305 which works with no other equipment, this being a primary reason for investing in another Polar. After duly doing my research I decided that as I was only using this for travel training the RS100 was the way to go. The item that was delivered wouldn't turn on. I sent it back for a replacement. I also noticed that it was flimsy and cheap looking compared to the S120. The replacement arrived and it activated just fine. However I realized that my due diligence was poor and this watch had only one HR zone. No worries its just for travel. This watch lasted 3 workouts before the HRM malfunctioned. I sent it back for a refund and am now looking at other brands and higher priced models.
15 of 19 people found the above review helpful.
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Inaccurate HR reading, September 1, 2010
By funlife (Schenectady, NY)
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This HRM is completely inaccurate. It's not that it is not reading my heart rate, but that it says that my resting HR is 39-40 bpm, when it is actually around 60. It did work one time but that was it. Every time I've used it, except for one workout, it has stated that my HR is between 40-55 bpm during a heavy workout! I'm going to have to return it and I'll probably get a Timex instead.
13 of 14 people found the above review helpful.
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Simple, easy to use, and reliable, August 3, 2007
By Kenneth W. Grzymalski (California, MD)
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I am a running novice and had received advice from several more experienced runners to utilize a heart rate monitor for my training. I saw this model as a way for me to easily monitor my heart rate during training. It has been reliable and easy to use. I have even used it while swimming. I haven't used the computer upload feature yet. I recommend this product for other novices.
13 of 16 people found the above review helpful.
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Great heart rate monitor for cardio, October 17, 2007
By Steve Kahle (Austin, TX)
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The Polar RS100 is solid. This is my second - lost the first one.
I use it for measuring my heart rate swimming, biking and cardio with workouts.
I have seen a significant athletic performance increase by working the three heart zones of 65%, 75% and 85%.
My wife also uses one for her marathon training.
11 of 12 people found the above review helpful.
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Challenging to program, February 14, 2009
By L. Anzalone (Carmel, Indiana)
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I was warned that this watch would be difficult to program and the other reviewers were right on the money. The manual isn't much help and nothing about the design is intuitive. I'll probably never take advantage of all the features because I won't have the patience to grind through the programming. I probably should have purchased a more basic watch for a lot less money.
8 of 11 people found the above review helpful.
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 lackluster at best - better deals out there, August 12, 2010
By Unfazed
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I generally don't write reviews about stuff but I really wish someone on this board would have written this...so I decided to do something about it for the next potential customer. The main issue with this watch is that there is no way to change the information displayed on the main (big font) line of the display. So, if you are doing interval training or keeping track of your mile/km times in a race, you cannot make these lap times large enough to comfortably see. Instead, you are stuck with the total time of the workout as it accumulates with the lap time in small, hard to read font above it. I am 26, have great vision, and do not normally have a hard time reading fine print - but, when you're running at 90% max HR it's difficult to steady and synchronize your bouncing head and swinging arm. Can you picture the fun?
I owned a Nike heart rate monitor and sold it because it didn't do lap times at all. I thought with this one I had solved my problems, but the staff at Polar insist on reserving this essential feature for the 200 series and above.
I will promptly be returning this for a Timex...much more bang for the buck.
Cheers and happy running!
7 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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Excellent tool to help you achieve goals, September 10, 2007
By Scott Davis (London, ON Canada)
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I have had several Polar Heart Rate Monitors over the years and have even given them as gifts. I enjoy the ability to monitor my heart rate and stay within my Target Zone as well as set goals on the number of Calories that I burn. The more calories I burn the better I feel about eating a balanced diet and the odd treat. I have used for cycling, running, in the pool and for fun wear it on while driving on the Expressway to see how stressful those moments really are.
7 of 8 people found the above review helpful.
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Response to "Polar" logo problem, February 8, 2009
By Sofa (Charlottesville, VA)
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This is in response to the problem H. Dinh "shooter" reported in his/her comment posted on 11/20/07 in regards to the "Polar" logo appearing in the top line in Time mode instead of the date:
Just FYI I figured out how to fix this problem, because the same thing just happened to me today. I remember reading your comment when I was researching this model (RS100), and when it happened to me, I immediately thought about your comment. Anyway, if you hold down the upper right corner button (the up arrow) for about 2 seconds, it switches back and forth from the "Polar" logo to the date. I found this in the manual on page 3 in the bullet points describing each button's functions. The third bullet down in the function list for the up arrow says "Change the top row information in the Exercise recording mode and in the Time mode." I know this is easy to miss, but I hope you didn't trash your watch! Hope this helps.
As another point, I love this watch/HRM as well. It really lets me push myself when I'm working out. And I love that almost every cardio machine at the gym is compatible and is able to pick up my HR.
6 of 6 people found the above review helpful.
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Good, but could be simpler, October 19, 2009
By Andre Souza (Rio de Janeiro, Brasil)
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It's a great heart rate monitor, but it's a little complicated.
I think they could make it easier to use, but it has some cool features.
6 of 10 people found the above review helpful.
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Polar sin la funcion mas importante, April 24, 2008
By Gonzalito (Venezuela)
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Este modelo es buenisimo, pero le falta lo mas importante, oder calcular al terminar de entrenar con el toque de un boton, en un lapso de tiempo q uno programe (normalmente es 1 minuto) la recuperacionlograda despues del ejercicio( exactamente el numero de pulsaciones q desciende nuestro corazon en un minuto una vez parado el entrenamiento)
Este dato es muy importatnte para medir los avances en aduision o perdida de condicion fisica
6 of 22 people found the above review helpful.
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good but not great, May 12, 2010
By SesameStick
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Over all am happy with it now that I have finally got comfortable with what button does what on it. The menu setup of your max heart rate, weight, etc is horrible, and the instructions make it worse. Maybe I have just gone soft in this smartphone era but I now expect a good bit of correlation between button location, button label and button function. All that said definitely four stars, the basic function of it is always rock solid, and has done a great bit for my cycling in the month I have had it. Transmitter works seamlessly with all equipment in my local gym.
Note: the strap on the transmitter it comes with is not huge, I am 6' 185LB and only have a bit of slack left in it. If you are much over 200lb you will probably need a longer strap, try one on first.
5 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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My First Heart Rate Monitor, January 3, 2010
By SoCal Triathlete
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This is the first heart rate monitor I've ever purchased and it's extremely easy to use. All of the buttons are in the right places when you're running and the strap is pretty comfortable. Recommend this for anyone who cycles and runs like myself. The display is big enough to see if you want to glance at it quick on the run and the backlight works great for running at night.
5 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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Polar RS100 my first HR monitor, November 8, 2009
By Jack (NC)
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I'm real happy I finally got around to buying one of these. I think the calories burned is perhaps as much as 100 per hour low, based on my comparing it with an ACSM formula, but that's no matter as long as its consistent. I like knowing what percentage of my heart rate I'm working at; it's gets me to work a little harder than I might otherwise on days when I don't have as much energy as others. It's comfortable and very easy to put on and take off.
5 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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Works Well, February 16, 2009
By Scott Gage (Cincinnati)
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I got this heartrate monitor to improve my conditioning. I didn't want to work too easy or too hard. This monitor works very well. Wetting the electrodes on the chest strap is needed to get accurate readings, but that is simple to do. The wristwatch makes two distinct sounds to let you know if you are outside of the range that you setup. However, if you in a louder environment or listening to headphones, you won't be able to hear the sounds.
5 of 6 people found the above review helpful.
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Excellent Product, January 3, 2008
By Michael Mcadam (East Hartford CT USA)
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This is my first heart rate monitor. What an amazing product, it is very easy to use and set up. I especially love the calorie count feature and the ability to link to machine monitors, this has dramtically improved my workouts.
5 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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Nice quality and features for an entry level unit!, January 26, 2007
By Mom to Z and M (Montgomery, AL USA)
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Nice quality, display, appearance, etc. I'm pleased with the unit with one exception: I wish it would show time of day and heart rate on a single display. I should have examined the features more closely before buying.
5 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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Good product, April 11, 2007
By AmazonUser
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Works well. Good features. I think for the extra money this is a better value than the really inexpensive models that offer heart rate and nothing else.
5 of 8 people found the above review helpful.
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Great product, April 16, 2008
By Suzanne Cardenas (Mather, CA)
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Based on other reviews I choose the RS100. I love it! I really enjoy using it in the water for my laps. That was a awesome surprise. I would recommend this product, but had troubles during my last half marathon and bike ride. I couldn't get it to read my heart rate and keep it for the duration of my workout. Disappointing to carry it without it working and not quite sure why, but next time I will make sure its working with no interference before heading to the start line.
4 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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Know how you are training, November 18, 2008
By Susana Hernandez
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It is simply the best product anyone can give themselves to workout, because you know exactly what you are doing. It gives you heart rate, calories, fat%, you can gradute so it lets you know on what basis you want to work out.
I wont work with out it
4 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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Just what I needed !!, May 15, 2008
By Superman (USA)
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I have had some another HR watches, but nothing like this, this is just great, I've been using is since the very first day, no problems so far, easy setup, ease to navegate thru all features.
I use it most in my spinning class, also while I'm running and sometimes when I play outdoor soccer, it gives you an idea of your workout.
Haven't try in the pool, I'm just afraid stop working, but I'll give a try once the summer comes
:).
If you are planing to buy a HR Monitor watch, this is one of the best options, Timex are good, but compare with the price this is much better.
Sunnto watches are nice, but to small for me, and a little bit more expensive.
I love my "chaparrita".
4 of 6 people found the above review helpful.
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New toy = win., September 23, 2008
By Insanelybored (San Francisco, CA)
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Got it today, took it for a test run.
Awesome is the one word for it.
It took me about 5 minutes to configure it fully. Granted, I would probably say I'm above average when it comes to figuring gadgets out so don't feel bad if it takes a little longer. It seemed rather intuitive to me, but when I showed it to my roommate he was completely lost.
This is the perfect self-motivation tool for someone that wants to lose weight, burn fat, and ultimately get in better shape.
Speaking as a soon-to-be (250 hours through a 500 hour program) personal trainer, I consider this a solid investment for myself.
You don't need to be a total fitness nerd to love this toy. If you're just looking to burn fat and lose weight without paying for training (which is understandable given the current state of the economy), I would highly recommend this (type of) watch to help you achieve your fitness goals. Whatever they may be.
4 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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POLAR RS100, March 8, 2007
By Phillip M. Gonzalez
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Good product. Exactly what I expected. It serves the purpose for a basic running watch.
Will buy other polar products based on future needs.
4 of 9 people found the above review helpful.
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RS100 Heart Rate Monitor and Stop Watch, January 17, 2011
By Josh
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I got this as a gift for Christmas. The watch's functions are pretty easy to pick up, but the light stopped working the 2nd day I used it. I asked Amazon to exchange and they no longer had it in stock so they only offered me a refund. My girlfriend paid $75 for this watch and the current price is $108, so it didn't make sense for me to get a refund. The watch does what I want. It only holds one workout at a time though so if you need more then you should upgrade. I track my workouts through excel so it is sufficient for me. It works pretty well with Life fitness treadmills too. I would recommend this if you just want it for basic things like heart rate, stopwatch, and calories burned.
3 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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Great entry level HRM, November 2, 2010
By Scott Hall (Houston, Tx)
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This HRM was recomended to me by about 20 people due to the ease of use and quality of build and thus far I have to agree that it is built like a rock and works great.
My only wish is that HR could be displayed as a default on the main screen with the time and date instead of going into the lap/timer screen.
3 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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Great monitor for basic use and with cardio machines, July 25, 2010
By JMP (Ohio)
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I was using a timex monitor that I got for cheap at Costco. It wouldn't work with the precor machines and I kept losing the signal. My trainer recomended buying a polar and replacing it and glad I did.
I get a reading as soon as I put on the strapband (with my timex sometimes there was a almost a minute delay before getting a reading even using heart rate cream on the strap). It works fine with all the precor machines and it is nice having the reading go on the machine and getting told the heartrate stats as well when I finish an eliptical machine work out.
There is one thing I dont like and I may just need to read up on it. I can't figure out how to get the time to show with the heartbeat. I also like to time some things and the only way I can figure out how to do it is with the lap feature. Not a big deal but I have the alarm sound turned to silent but it wsill still beep when I am outside my targeted heart rates which is annoying and embarrasing at a gym.
If someone wants a cheaper heart rate monitor go with this one. I wouldn't recomend any of the other ones that sell for cheaper like the timex, they don't work with the cardio machines and this does, and this one is also reliable.
3 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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great starter watch!, August 5, 2009
By wendydoodle (New York, NY)
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I like this watch! It allows me to monitor my heart rate with percentages. Working out is more fun with this watch. It's also very easy to use.
3 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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Lovin it, April 7, 2009
By Guns Are Not Evil (Houston, TX USA)
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I bought this over a year ago. I use it constantly for biking, running, and general fitness. I bought this item specifically because it provides for lap tracking (this is a running monitor vs the fitness monitors that do not offer this feature). I did try to use it for swimming but the chest strap will not stay in place. I am using a strapless monitor for this purpose though I don't think it is quite as accurate.
3 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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HRM that actually works!, July 10, 2008
By matthew
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I had tried a timex hrm before this and it didnt even come close in accuracy. Even though the RS100 is a bit more than some of the timex models its well worth the money. It is accurate and simple enough to use. I would actually reccomend this one over the RS200 since that model seems to have more problems. The only gripe I had was the T31 chest strap which always felt like it was slipping down while I ran. Although my dog has recently destroyed the T31 transmitter and I am looking forward to getting the Wearlink chest strap which looks to be an improvement over the contemporary design. Apparently my dog didnt like the T31 either....
3 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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Disappointing calorie calculation, August 6, 2010
By Jeanny House (Wisconsin)
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This heart rate monitor was easy to use, once I read the manual and figured out how to set it.
However, I've used it on a couple of bike rides since I got it last week. Today, I biked 17.5 miles in just under 2 hours. Four different web site calorie calculators gave me calories-burned numbers of 879, 986 (2), and 994, based on my weight. The Polar RS100 gave me a number of 569. That seems abnormally low to me. A similar thing happened last time; the Polar was quite far below the websites.
This is disappointing, as I bought this primarily to show calories burned during exercise.
3 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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I'm sticking to my old HRM, March 31, 2011
By susan
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My ancient polar S210 needed a new battery so I decided on a long overdue upgrade. Boy was I disappointed. The rs100 seemed to have all the features I was interested in, and the price was fair, but right out of the box, it never accurately recorded my heart rate, even when I used it with my old chest strap (which has always transmitted my heartrate accurately to my S210). The only good marks I can give this whole experience was that amazon.com has a very simple return process that made this ordeal nearly painless. I have since replaced my old S210 battery and watch band and am back in business.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Two Strikes Polar is OUT!, March 29, 2011
By RunnerGirl
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I purchased this watch since I wanted a HR monitor for running. I had to return the watch since after my second run with the monitor it stopped working. I called the company, they sent me a new strap (M-XXL). I asked them for small since I am a petite women but they said I needed to purchase that as a separate ($40). The new strap did not make a difference. I returned the watch and tried a second Polar RS 100. The watch within the first week failed to give accurate HR's. It would report 80 bpm while running. Listen save yourself some time and $ do not purchase this watch. I have used both a very basic Timex and Polar HR monitor (about $30-40) and the Timex has worked fine. I spoke with advocates of Polar before purchasing and found many of those who claim "polar is the best" only occasionally run.... and are willing to spend big bucks on a HR monitor even if the darn thing does not work! I have NO idea why this monitor has the ratings that it does.....it's misleading!! I would not recommend, especially for smaller women.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Don't know why I did not have one sooner?, October 29, 2010
By Massimo Allen (California USA)
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If you are reading this review then you must know that you need such a device. I looked at all the makes and models and finally ended right back at the RS100, this is the same model my personal trainer would use when we train together.
I have found it trouble free and accurate, although I have not read the manual yet. Great Product, the backlit is from the 80's but that is what is available I presume for the price.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Great first heart rate monitor, September 29, 2010
By NotoriousBiGG
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This is my first heart rate monitor, which I use for running and cycling. It is pretty simple to use, fits great, and all components are hand washable. In addition to average heart rate, max and min, it tells you how many calories you've burned, and the percent of those calories from fat. You can also track your performance on laps, such as when you're doing intervals or speed work, but I haven't yet mastered that function.
What this HRM lacks: A GPS to track distance and pace (I use the RunKeeper app on my mobile phone to do that), and the capability to transmit your workout data wirelessly to your computer. I enter that info manually into a training diary that I created on the Polar website. If that seems too tedious, you might want to spring for a more expensive model.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Great Product, September 20, 2010
By JHC
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This HRM has great functions and works well as described. The sensor responses fast to sundden rises / drops of heart beats. The only downside of this product is that it can only store one set of workout record at a time(your workout summary for the day). Other than that, it's all good.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Good product, just few complaints, September 5, 2010
By Esteban Calf (Florida)
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Good product with basic functions and nice features like the "own zone", works with some machines at the gym.
Cons: weak sound alarm, you can barely hear it in most situations, almost useless PC utility, it doesn`t download training data to the PC.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Good even for a newby, February 3, 2010
By T. Thompson
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This is my first heart rate monitor. Bought it after comparing reviews, and I'm not disapointed. It is easy enough to figure out, and the instruction manual helps you get there quickly with good illustrations and descriptions, and a layout that helps you find what you're looking for. I've used it while doing ligher weight supersets as a fatburning/toning exersize, to keep my heartrate within the zone. It is simple enough to use that I was able to read a few targeted pages in the manual, fiddle with it for about 5min, then go get started. So far I have not had any problems with the watch losing contact, except for the first trial-run when I didn't put any moisture on the electrodes in the band.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Great Polar RS100 heart rate monitor, January 13, 2010
By The Shopaholic (Planet Earth)
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I'm very please with this purchase since I get lots of functions and utility's. I replace my old Polar FS3 Heart Rate Monitor Watch (Dark Grey) with this model and is like comparing a Ferrari with a Fiat. Basic functionality is there but this have a lot of goodies like calorie count, laps, stopwatch, and heart rate monitor, plus the new wearlink T31 coded transmitter which is more comfortable than the older models. Overall a heart rate monitor is key if you serious about getting fit and this is a great option.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Super product, November 14, 2009
By BigWaveDave (St Louis)
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I had never used a heart rate monitor before and now I wont run without it. The feedback I get on run is great and helps me challenge myself towards the end of my run. The buttons on it are very intuitive. Very easy to start, get the lap splits, see you total time, lap time, number of laps, and see what time it is. This is a very good choice for a watch and heart rate monitor.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Perfect, August 18, 2009
By Nanda Deschamps (New Hope, PA UA)
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That was a really good choice. The purchase was delivered on time and it's been working perfect. Everything new!!!
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Very happy, March 5, 2009
By M. Conlon (Murray, UT USA)
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This is one of the few items I have purchased that has greatly exceeded my expectations. I love it.
2 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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Excellent running watch and heart monitor!, May 22, 2008
By bvanstaa
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There's a reason Polar sits on top of the heart-rate monitor heap, and that's because they do it better than anyone else. This watch/monitor has received accolades for years from runners, all well-deserved. It worked straight out of the box, the manual was clearly written, and I have been happily sweating and putting this monitor through its paces as I train for my next half marathon.
2 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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Product is as it is advertised to be, April 14, 2008
By Walter S. Handy
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This product has more functions than I am likely to use but it is easy to read. This is my second polar heart rate monitor having replaced the battery in the first watch several times. I was ready for a newer model. The watch band is very comfortable to wear, something that cannot be said for all "speciality" watches.
2 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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Polar RS100, January 6, 2008
By Eric J. Oconnor
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Watch works as advertised. I had problems with the first one I order, no problem exchanging. Chest strap is comfortable and easy to activate with just a little water. A good basic monitor
2 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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Great product, January 1, 2008
By Ignite (Toronto, Ontario)
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All the other reviews are dead on, I just wanted to add another 5 star review to say that this watch is awesome. Its really not that hard to use, just read the manual and play around with it. Highly reccomended for runners looking for their first heart rate monitor plus stopwatch
2 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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Excellent to, April 10, 2007
By Marcelo Goncalves (SP, Brazil)
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For people who are interest in get the control of the running without complex features and a very good price. The only feature that I miss is measuring the distance.
2 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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Good exercise equipment, November 9, 2009
By Dave (Mukilteo, WA USA)
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Polar RS100 is a pretty good cardio monitor. Everything works as advertised. However the whole body is made of plastic including the wrist strap (part of the body). If the strap breaks then you have to buy another watch. Also the metal buckle on the strap is not designed right. The strap has a hard time to get around the buckle. This might induce material fatigue for the strap. I like the transmitter with a changeable battery. I don't want to throw away the transmitter (chest strap) even though it might be inexpensive. It is not good for the environment.
2 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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Good fitness computer, April 28, 2009
By BerlinMan (From Europe by way of Dallas)
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Quality product would recommend for anyone who wants to better understand what you doing while working out. Only con is no heartrate value display.
2 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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HR reads % of max - NOT bpm, August 13, 2011
By Dom Benhad T. (Pomfret, CT)
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I've been using a Polar HRM for many years and have been satisfied. I decided to replace my old model and noticed a HR reading of 40. Thinking it bpm, I assumed I had a defective model and returned it for a replacement which I received in 24 hours. To my surprise the new watch produced similiar readings.
I decided to read customer comments and noted a review that indicated a similiar problem. A Polar rep had added a comment that indicated that the watch default was % of max heart rate and not BPM.
I appreciate Amazons prompt response to what I mistakenly thought was a faulty watch!
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Watch works well but instructions in package limited, August 9, 2011
By norm at play
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Watch performs as claimed, easy to read when exercizing. Setting up the watch in the first place is not quite as described in the "getting started" leaflet enclosed in package. I searched the web and found a complete "user manual" which is much better at descrobing how to set up all the functions.....enjoy.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Great Product, February 19, 2011
By Amy
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I really love this heart rate monitor! The only slightly negative thing I can say is that while it is unisex, it looks big on my wrist (I am a petite female). However, since female HRMs are smaller, it's hard (if not impossible) to find one that displays all the features that this HRM does. The fact that it is bigger makes it quite easy to read while running. And, you can toggle through the top line to display your lap time, time of day, or calories burned while you're using it. There's no way I could trade it for a female HRM.
If you are a female, then my advice is to first decide whether you're okay with the larger watch (if it's any help you get used to the larger size after awhile). If so, then I highly recommend this one.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Misrepresented, April 18, 2011
By walkingfool
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This item was represented to have data download capability to a computer. it does not. I feel cheated.
1 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Review Polar RS100, November 17, 2009
By Martu (Buenos Aires)
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Very practical and good relationship between quality/price of the product. Relatively easy to use and hasall the functions I need for monitoring my weekly jogging performance
1 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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LOVE THIS HRM!, May 17, 2008
By mommaT (Virginia)
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I recently purchased this Heart rate monitor less then a week ago..took me a day to get all the functions down and I wore it for the first time yesterday while working out.. I have wanted one for a LONG time and while working out yesterday I saw I burned 400 calories running 2 miles and another 400 during my Weight lifting class "body pump" which lasts and hour...I was so suprised I cant wait to wear it again and try to burn more and more...5 stars from me!
1 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Serves its purpose well., September 28, 2011
By Kris Monier (Oklahoma City, OK)
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Love this watch. It tracks my heart rate perfectly. It let's me know how many calories I've burned in a single session. Hold the watch up to your chest monitor and it displays the time and your heart rate limits. Very easy to use, helps me track my workouts perfectly.
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It's a little confusing and a little annoying...., September 27, 2011
By KMLeo (Charleston, SC)
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I bought this heart rate monitor because it met my four requirements in a HRM: Polar, able to display HR as a percentage of max, backlight, and able to store a training session. In those areas, it's a stellar product. But the two things I don't like about this model are really annoying to me. It doesn't have a walk test, so it is difficult to program my zones. I can guess, but it doesn't feel right to me. Also, the beep it produces when you are not in the zone is obnoxious, and unlike my RS5, I can't turn it off. It gets the job done, and I'll live with it, but if I knew then.....
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Polar rs100, September 18, 2011
By Jean
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It was easy to set up. It is very easy to use. While at the gym interacts with the machines that use a telemetry strap. Excellent product for the value
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Great While It Lasted, September 5, 2011
By czfw89
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Bought this for my wife's birthday. Good features for the price. It worked great for the first two times she used it.
Third time out, it was giving unrealistic heart rates. I have read this complaint in reviews for several heart rate monitors, but I was skeptical that there may have been some user error involved. My wife has successfully used several heart rate monitors, including another Polar, so I am convinced this is a product defect versus user error. For what these things cost, it seems like they could work reliably for a few years. We will return and try again.
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70% of the way to perfect: ok value to cost, functional, comfortable but I won't buy this buy again, September 4, 2011
By klucassm (Washington, DC United States)
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This is my first heart rate monitor and I spent a good amount of time researching. I use it for tracking how I'm doing with endurance running, which I have recently taken up again. My body wants to force myself faster, and I burn out quickly. The HRM helps me stay in peak cardio zone while forcing my body to stay at a pace slow enough that I can keep it up for a long time.
WHAT I LIKE: this was affordable enough and from a trusted brand and had overall very strong reviews. The chest strap is comfortable. I like that it's easy to use. I love that it interfaces accurately with the Arc Trainer and the Treadmill at the gym, so I can just look ahead and see how I'm doing, rather than checking the watch. Apparently many HRMs don't play nicely with the gym equipment.
WHAT I WISH HAD BEEN CLEARER IN THE DESCRIPTION: the watch's measurements were not listed! I would prefer a slightly smaller watch, as this one is a bit bulky for the size of my wrist and hand (I'm a woman; unlikely to be a concern for a man). Also, while the HRM tracks how long you spend in "zone" it only has a binary option. I thought, based on the descriptions, that it would track three levels of cardio performance--warmup, effective cardio, and peak cardio. There's a real difference between a workout in which I jog for 20m with my heart rate around 140-150, spend only 15m with the rate above 165 and a workout in which I jog for 10m with my heart rate around 150 and spend 25 minutes with it above 165. But this monitor records them both as 35 minutes in cardio zone.
WHAT I DO NOT LIKE: So this thing files all my workouts. Great. But I read the brochure front to back and it never mentioned an app or a website to which I can transfer that data and track it over time clearly and easily. I still need that. If this HRM did that easily or the brochure included the info I need to get started, I'd call it a 90% perfect purchase. As is, I hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking for the things I've described in this review.
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best cost benefit, August 22, 2011
By spd5
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bought for my wife. great you can have 3 lines of information i.e. bpm, timing and elapsed time. not all models do that, even the most expensive ones.
cant go wrong with that. will buy another one to replace my old FS1.
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Polar RS100, August 5, 2011
By penname
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The Polar RS100 works great. Have had no trouble with it whatsoever. It reads my HR great and the strap is very comfortable.
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good starter model, July 20, 2011
By Alexey Shvechkov (Natick, MA, US)
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Easy to use starter model. Looks great and sits conveniently on wrist .
Note that this watch does not allow data uploading to Web/PC using sonicLink technology (it allows only logo downloads and setting alarm). Look at its sibling RS200 if you need to upload your exercise data to PC/Web
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Recommended training watch, July 11, 2011
By Mirinda
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This watch and heart monitor was recommended by a friend who is also into fitness. Now that I've used it, I, too would recommend it. I like the interval timing function.
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Polar RS 100, June 27, 2011
By drwise
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Have had the RS 100 for about a month now and use it almost daily on my bike rides ranging from 1-3 hours. Instructions are pretty straight forward and setup only takes a few minutes. It has all the bells and whistles I need and more. Have had minor cross feed from power lines and transformers but it never last more than a few seconds.
My major concern is with the WearLink. Both my Edge and later S120 transmitter chest straps seem to be much more substantial,granted you weren't able to change the batteries in those units like you can on the RS 100 but both of those lasted well over 5 years of heavy use and when the batteries finally died, the belts were still in good shape.
The cloth/rubber/snaps configuration just seems like you're asking for trouble. As a result I've really babied the chest strap unit much more than I ever did any of the previous ones. That in itself is somewhat of a hassle but I'm afraid if I don't, it won't last more than a few months.
If anyone has any long term feedback on the WearLink, I would appericiate hearing it.
If it had the old style chest strap I'd give it a 5 rating especially for the $68 price.
*******************************************************************
After over two months of use and some assurance from other owners about the durability of the WearLink (chest strap) I'm up grading my rating from 4 to 5 stars.
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excellent, May 20, 2011
By mnason williams (florida)
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this is one of the best heart rate monitors out there. It has all the little features you want that make it better than the basic ones, yet is reasonably priced. I use it while swimming mostly and it has held up well over the last 100,000 meters. The lap function is priceless.
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Great return for your money., May 18, 2011
By Ofir
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all the simple basic functions I was looking for are here and they work great.
and it can go as a everyday watch, unlike all the ftX polars.
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run Forest... run!!, April 19, 2011
By Freerider661
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Works great. Super accurate. Easy set up and menu navigation. I should have purchased the model that also calculates my speed. Good buy nontheless. Monitor and strap are comfortable too.
~Jeff
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What I was looking for..., April 18, 2011
By Stefan
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This is a pretty solid product. If you are looking for a simple and reliable heart rate monitor, this is the one to buy. It stores the total amount of calories you have burned and your last work out. If you are looking for specific work outs, it will lack there, but it does a great job of reporting the basics. It reports your curren heart. Creates a training zone or you can manually enter in where your target training zone would be. I'm very pleased with the quality and information this item provides.
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Rugged, effective, indispensable, March 22, 2011
By 9t2hoo (Washington, DC)
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I use this HRM between 4 and 6 times per week. I can't imagine working out without it. The features are relatively basic. If you want to download your information to a computer, it is probably worth stepping up to one of the higher priced models. But this one provides all of the information about your heart rate that you really need.
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Great Deal!, March 2, 2011
By JDP
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Got this as a gift for my wife. Fairly easy to set-up, and works great. The chest strap is comfortable, and it's even water resistant to use for swimming (although we haven't tried that yet). Added benefit is that it automatically syncs with exercise equipment that uses Polar as well. Like treadmils, orbital machines, etc... No grabbing the bars, it sends the hear rate right to the machine. Great!
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RS100 Heart Rate Monitor, January 11, 2011
By Maryann (Gresham, Oregon)
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I have had this HR monitor for about a year. It is very simple to learn to use, and really comfortable. I bought a second one for a friend for Christmas. She found it really easy to get use to too. Very affordable and a must tool for runners.
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Great product, July 9, 2010
By Summfun
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This is my first HRM so there was a learning curve on using the features of the product. I'm typically pretty good with electronics and functions/menus. For some reason it has taken me a little longer to get this one figured out. That said it works great, really helps me focus on the performance level of my workouts, I should have had one years ago. The workout summary is great and helps me track my progress. It took awhile to get used to the chest strap, it is not uncomfortable, but was different having a strap around my chest.
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Great product!, July 8, 2010
By CarlosSM
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The Polar RS100 is simple, objective, does what it is supposed to do in a clear way. The most important thing about this product is the price, which is very good for the functions, appearance and quality.
Product recommended!
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Not what was desired, but works well., April 11, 2011
By allenm28
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I called Polar and stated that I wante da monitor that would deplay the heart rate and the time on the same screen. In order to make this happen i must actiavate the timer even though I do not need to time the event. The Heart Rate does not appear on the main screen with the clock but the clock appears in small font on the screen with the timer.
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Excelent monitor and good watch functions, February 4, 2011
By Fernando Gonzalez
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This is an excellent heart rate monitor, also having good regular watch functions. the only detail is that due to the lock between the clock and the strap can't be connected to other exercise equipment like Spinning bikes.
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Excelent low cost option, January 26, 2011
By msm
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Excellent low cost watch, perfect for measuring energy loss and lap times. Not recomended for every day use as a watch since the red button on the front tends to press itself and starts the chronometer.
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Great Purchase, January 16, 2011
By bmurad
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I don't have much to say about this, does what it has to, no problems whatsoever, cheapest price on the internet, would buy it again.
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Came fast, works great, November 17, 2010
By Richard
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I couldn't believe that ordering a product from Sweden on Amazon would cost 500 SEK less than in the stores here and on top of that be delivered in one day.
Thanks a million for great service for a great product.
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Buena relación precio/calidad, September 1, 2011
By Franco
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El producto lo adquirí a un precio bastante conveniente. Si bien es un tanto básico, cumple con todo lo que necesito como un corredor principiante.
Puedo medir mi frecuencia cardíaca, establecer zonas, medir tiempo por vuelta y cronometrar las actividades. Muy simple de usar, en un par de días ya manejas todas las opciones.
Un contra es la cantidad de actividades que guarda. Solo deja en la memoria una actividad, la última y el la suma de todas las actividades que hayas realizado. De todas formas no es algo relevante y es algo a lo que estoy dispuesto a renunciar para pagar menos.
Producto recomendable. Ideal para nivel principiante.
0 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Shouldn't it be grounded in some way?, March 18, 2011
By PracticalWaysToSaveMoney (USA)
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Bought it, put it on, then it went dead. I may have shorted it out with static electricity. I've done that before, with several watches and other small cheaper time keeping devices. Must just be me, but since I can't write a review w/o a star rating I choose 3 stars to stay in the middle. Never got to use it since it shorted out. Shouldn't these types of devices be grounded in some way?
0 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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