Polar F11

OK, so I am very excited to try this expensive, superfancy heart rate monitor from Polar. What a bummer. First of all, it's a bear to program (why is it that people who are supposed to write instructions always seem to write for people who already know how to use the stuff?). With a bit of patience, I get it done. There does not seem to be a way to edit the workouts: according to their program, you should spend most of your time in the moderate zone (60-75%). With a workout like that I will never loose an ounce: I need to *sweat* (in fact, I like to sweat). So I decide that I will ignore the polar workout and go ahead with my program.

I spent most of my workout (stationary bike) between 75 and 85% of my max (which is 177). I have a Schwinn recumbent bike which I use at medium resistance and 20mph speed. After looking at the calorie count, which is a pathetic 370 (according to CC, 600; according to the Schwinn, 1000!), I realized that the stupid Polar seems to have counted the calories that I *would" have burned had I done its lame workout instead of the one I did. Then I notice that it shows a HR of 50. 2 minutes after stopping a very intense workout, my HR is down to 50? What the heck?

Moral of the story: this dumb gadget is going back to Amazon. I had to control myself necause I really really really wanted to stomp on it and throw it in the trash, but it's too expensive for that. Back to the calorie guesswork for me (I am 43, 5'2, with the metabolism of a SLOTH, and can't seem to loose weight no matter how much I work at it). If you are considering purchasing a 150$ heart rate monitor, just don't bother.

I'm sorry you had bad experience with Polar F11, but the problem is more likely in that you did not use it correctly. Don't blame the equipment for that ;)

The sensors on the chest strap must be moist, the strap must be tight around your chest (not too tight though) - otherwise the readings will be incorrect. Also make sure you run the OwnIndex test first (Polar's estimate of VO2Max) and check the Max HR and Rest HR settings. If you don't like the workout program, you can easily edit it (I always do that). Or even turn it off altogether... You can turn off OwnZone too.

Polar makes great HR monitors, and F11 is a pretty good model. Not the fanciest and definitely not the most expensive (it's actually on the lower end), but sufficient for general fitness goals.

Yep, sounds like the chest strap wasn't on right to get your correct heart rate.

I don't know about the Polar F11.  I am sorry to hear of your frustration with it.  I have had those sort of things happen to me when I buy something that others have good luck with, but I don't. 

However, I have a Polar RS200 and I absolutely love it. 

Best of luck on getting a HRM that you like.

Why thank you Maha Kisa and Amethistgirl. For nothing. Of course I did the test. I can read English, and while the instruction manual could be clearer, that part was pretty straightforward. The strap was soaked in water. It also worked properly for an hour. The calorie count was still out of whack, and at the end of the workout, during which the HR measured correctly, the same HR, with the same soaked strap, told me that my HR had gone from 140 to 50 in two minutes. I bet not even Lance Armstrong's heart does that. Yeah, it must be my fault, because I am stoopid. I then put on my husband no-frill HRM which measured my heart correctly to 102. If the strap was incorrectly placed, how do you explain that? Oh, and no interference in place. I was working out at home.

Look people, read Amazon. There are plenty of people happy with the gadget. There also is a considerable amount of people who are mad as hell because they spent 150$ on something that just doesn't work and Polar customer service is famous for its "not my problem' attitude. I should have listened to them. I know that with electronics you can always get the bum one. But with this Polar item it seems to happen a little too often. Thankfully, I won't have to deal with Polar because I'll just return this to Amazon, get my money back, and go back to a simple HRM.

gunnercade: The reason I understand your frustration is that through the years, I have had occasional troubles with electronics, particularly, concerning such items as a computer, Mp3 player, TV, or whatever, where it doesn't work for me the way I was led to believe it should; but other people swear by it (and some swear at it).

Good luck on finding the HRM that will work.  I think they are really good aids to exercising, and, for me, to help aid me in staying healthier.