Polar F11 Review

The following article is an unbiased performance and feature review of the Polar F11 heart rate monitor watch.  The company touts its watch as the only heart rate monitor capable of creating a workout routine showing the user how strenuous and how frequently to exercise in order to achieve their goal.  The device is designed around the trend where each individual’s physical characteristics determine efficient (and healthy) physical change.  This may not be as detailed as another Polar F11 watch review however the essentials will be covered.

The watch was built as a tool for more efficient exercisers with overall fitness as a priority instead of gung ho hard core work outs on the brain.  In the beginning the watch does a fitness level assessment which is based on age, weight and resting heart rate.  A workout routine is then calculated to start you on your way to your goal.  It can also be used to monitor and analyze workouts which are not a part of the routine.  The fitness test can then be repeated to gauge your progress.  The watches claim to fame is its ability to accurately generate figures for calories burnt and fitness level from only your heart rate.  Another perk is the adaptive measurement.  A person will naturally burn fewer calories as they work out more and the watch can keep track of this. This is a main focus of the Polar F11 review and a heavily marketed feature by Polar in general.

Documentation: The watch is accompanied by an exercise guide and manual. The guide gives an overview of fitness level and exercise zone basics. It is a little thick and small print but great for the advanced user.

Design: The watch is sleek and stylish and comparable in design to most mainstream sports watches. The company is know better for innovative features and not ground breaking fashion statements.

Wearlink chest belt: Improved comfort of the chest belt compared with previous models. Consumer changeable batteries and little or no connection issues make it a reliable counterpart. One drawback is Wearlinks pads are required to be soaked in water before wearing.

Interface: 4 buttons are present to navigate through the watches features. Commands are up, down, ok and back. There is one extra button to turn on the built in lighting or lock keys. Set up is easy however advanced features will require time with the manual.

The Polar F11 is a sporty sophisticated work out companion. It is a smart heart rate monitor for the educated and disciplined exerciser. An easy setup and feature rich design make it an ideal choice for the control freak or the fair weather runner. Drawbacks include perhaps too sophisticated an interface, it is expensive at a retail of 180 dollars, the chest belt is high maintenance and cosmetic appeal leaves something to be desired. Overall the Polar F11 is intriguing, useful and probably worth the money.