Polar M400

beaches222

Thinking about getting the Polar M400. Is this polar mostly for runners or would I be able to use it on Gym/home workouts too? Is this watch better than the FT4 and FT7. I have both the ft4 and ft7 so I was just wondering should I keep what I have or is this m400 a way better hrm? Thanks in advance for anyone that can be of help.

beaches222

anyone ? lol

Upstate_Dunadan

I love my M400. I use it with an H7 HRM and find it all very accurate. I also have a Polar Bluetooth Stride Sensor linked up to the watch. I don't run outdoors all that much, but when I do all the bells and whistles get shown off. Up until a 2 weeks ago, I was using my M400 at the gym 6 days a week (strength training and treadmill cardio). I've transitioned to Crossfit at my gym, so now I use it every morning for that. I wear my HR monitor whenever I workout for HR and calorie burn feedback (and I fully understand the limitations of using HR to calculate calorie burns doing non-steady state cardio). I've knocked off the H7 sensor only twice doing Crossfit (never while strength training in the gym), the first time going chest to tractor tire one morning for a warm-up and the second while struggling with my form on a push press. Both no big deal, I just popped it back on and am careful of my form.

Here are my thoughts:

Polar Sync with MFP App only works with IOS now. Android support is coming. Same with smart notifications if you care. You can get your data into MFP via SyncMyTracks (I believe is the App) which can sync with Polar and then Endomondo and then MFP. There's a post about it in one of the M400 threads.

As far as the watch goes, it works great. Lots of flexibility to add sport profiles (I use Crossfit, Strength Training, Treadmill, and Running) and then customize the screens (how many, the layout, the information shown, etc.) base on what you want to track and see. For instance, when I do Crossfit, I don't want the GPS on and on my main screen I want to see my HR, HR Zone, and workout time. I have 2 other screens active I can flip through as well. When I run, I want GPS on, but on my main screen I want my pace and cadence (since I have the stride sensor) and second screen with HR and HR zone. On both since I'm only showing the 2 data points, they each take up half the screen making it easier to read. I then have a few other screens with 4 pieces of data on each (elevation run, auto splits, etc.). I use the Treadmill profile when running indoors, for which of course I have GPS off and slightly different screens.

I liked the looks of the V800 a bit more, and would have liked some of the extra features, but not for twice the cost.

Battery is great. I don't use GPS much since I prefer to run on the treadmill at the gym, so a single battery charge lasts me weeks. Every 3-4 weeks I charge the watch via micro USB just to be safe, but I've never come close to running it dead. Prior to my M400 I had a Microsoft Band, and that batter barely lasted 24 hours (and the optical HR monitor was horribly inaccurate).

Activity tracker is nice. Tells me when I've been sitting at my desk too long.

Sleep tracker has just enough information. Prior to the M400 I had a MS Band with optical HR. That sleep tracker sliced and diced my sleep so much, I felt horrible about my sleep each morning after reviewing what it said. If it really is that bad, don't tell me

Comfort is fine. I wear mine 24x7 except when I shower. It is waterproof, but when I shower is when I usually wash it off and rinse out the micro USB slot as it suggests after each workout.

Overall, I can't imagine not having it. Definitely one of the best fitness purchases I've ever made. The only reason I didn't go the Polar route years ago was I was dead set against using a chest strap. I now realize it's not that bad, and if you want to get a true calorie burn (or as true as possible) and want to train in HR zones (I do this sometimes on the treadmill) then you need the accuracy of a chest strap.

ScubaSteve1962

The activity monitors are great if you want all day tracking so you would get your total estimated calorie burn for the day instead of just your work out session, I have the V800 (twice the price (LOL)) I'm very pleased with it, I used the FT80 and Loop before this one. don't have much to add to what Upstate said, The difference between the 2 is the V800 does everything the M400 does plus read heart rate under water, so it adds some swimming and tri-athelon profiles

coryrood

The watch itself is great but the software side of it has been terrible. ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE.

ScubaSteve1962

coryrood wrote: »

The watch itself is great but the software side of it has been terrible. ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE.

which software side, I have no problem with Polar Flow

XavierNusum

I have the Loop and been thinking of upgrading to M400 or A300 (still can't decided), but as far as the software it was a rocky start on android but it's gotten 100x better!

beaches222

Thank you all so very much for your input! I appreciate it so very much!

beaches222

Upstate_Dunadan wrote: »

I love my M400. I use it with an H7 HRM and find it all very accurate. I also have a Polar Bluetooth Stride Sensor linked up to the watch. I don't run outdoors all that much, but when I do all the bells and whistles get shown off. Up until a 2 weeks ago, I was using my M400 at the gym 6 days a week (strength training and treadmill cardio). I've transitioned to Crossfit at my gym, so now I use it every morning for that. I wear my HR monitor whenever I workout for HR and calorie burn feedback (and I fully understand the limitations of using HR to calculate calorie burns doing non-steady state cardio). I've knocked off the H7 sensor only twice doing Crossfit (never while strength training in the gym), the first time going chest to tractor tire one morning for a warm-up and the second while struggling with my form on a push press. Both no big deal, I just popped it back on and am careful of my form.

Here are my thoughts:

Polar Sync with MFP App only works with IOS now. Android support is coming. Same with smart notifications if you care. You can get your data into MFP via SyncMyTracks (I believe is the App) which can sync with Polar and then Endomondo and then MFP. There's a post about it in one of the M400 threads.

As far as the watch goes, it works great. Lots of flexibility to add sport profiles (I use Crossfit, Strength Training, Treadmill, and Running) and then customize the screens (how many, the layout, the information shown, etc.) base on what you want to track and see. For instance, when I do Crossfit, I don't want the GPS on and on my main screen I want to see my HR, HR Zone, and workout time. I have 2 other screens active I can flip through as well. When I run, I want GPS on, but on my main screen I want my pace and cadence (since I have the stride sensor) and second screen with HR and HR zone. On both since I'm only showing the 2 data points, they each take up half the screen making it easier to read. I then have a few other screens with 4 pieces of data on each (elevation run, auto splits, etc.). I use the Treadmill profile when running indoors, for which of course I have GPS off and slightly different screens.

I liked the looks of the V800 a bit more, and would have liked some of the extra features, but not for twice the cost.

Battery is great. I don't use GPS much since I prefer to run on the treadmill at the gym, so a single battery charge lasts me weeks. Every 3-4 weeks I charge the watch via micro USB just to be safe, but I've never come close to running it dead. Prior to my M400 I had a Microsoft Band, and that batter barely lasted 24 hours (and the optical HR monitor was horribly inaccurate).

Activity tracker is nice. Tells me when I've been sitting at my desk too long.

Sleep tracker has just enough information. Prior to the M400 I had a MS Band with optical HR. That sleep tracker sliced and diced my sleep so much, I felt horrible about my sleep each morning after reviewing what it said. If it really is that bad, don't tell me

Comfort is fine. I wear mine 24x7 except when I shower. It is waterproof, but when I shower is when I usually wash it off and rinse out the micro USB slot as it suggests after each workout.

Overall, I can't imagine not having it. Definitely one of the best fitness purchases I've ever made. The only reason I didn't go the Polar route years ago was I was dead set against using a chest strap. I now realize it's not that bad, and if you want to get a true calorie burn (or as true as possible) and want to train in HR zones (I do this sometimes on the treadmill) then you need the accuracy of a chest strap.

Thanks for taking the time to go into detail. I so appreciate it!