I LOVE MY NEW POLAR F11!!!!!!

BoresEasily

I love it so much I've had it less than a day and I think if it was legal to marry an inanimate object I would be wed right now. It has a fit test to determine your V02 Max and a built in training program to go with it. It also has OwnZone which determines your training zones for that particular day, so basically it knows and determines if you're tired or overworked that day and adjusts accordingly. The training program asks what your goals are and using the Fit test determines how long and how often and at which intensity you need to exercise to obtain those goals.

It has really good reviews on Amazon and it's one step up from the F6 which is what I was originally going after but for $20 more I got: a user replaceable battery, a more comfortable chest strap, and The Fit Test and Training program. So, it was pretty much a no-brainer. It does everything the F6 does, but doesn't cost you an arm and a leg to get the battery changed when it dies in a year. Not to mention you save yourself the long wait without a HRM. That's actually the reason I bought it. I had no desire to be without my HRM for a long duration, I'd have gone nuts. If you are looking to upgrade I'd check out the reviews on Amazon. Here are the features.

Polar exercise features

* Wireless ECG accurate heart rate
* Polar OwnZone®
* Polar OwnCal®
* Polar Fitness Test™
* Polar OwnCode®
* Polar Keeps U FitT - Own Workout Program
* Target zones with visual alarm
* Target zones with audible alarm
* Fitness Bullets (for every ten minutes in target zone)
* Maximum heart rate of total exercise
* Average heart rate of total exercise
* Exercise Date

Cycling features

* Bike mount (opt.)

Weight management features

* Polar OwnCal®

Computer connection features

* SonicLink, exercise data download from wrist unit to Polar web service or SW
* UpLink, settings upload from Polar web site or software to wrist unit
* SonicLink, transfer of OwnIndex results and Keeps U Fit - Own Workout Program to Polar web service

Recording features

* Number of exercise files (with summaries): 12
* Exercise file info page with date and time
* Exercise Time (total): total
* Time in target zone
* Target zone limits
* Average heart rate of total exercise
* Last OwnIndex
* Calorie expenditure (Exercise/Total/Fat%): Exe.Week.Tot.Fat%
* Fitness Exercise Diary
* Fitness Exercise Diary with personal targets

Basic features

* Heart rate (displayed as bpm)
* Heart rate (displayed as % of maximum heart rate)
* Visual and audible alarm in target zones
* Water resistant: 30m
* Backlight
* Heart touch, button-free operation of wrist unit
* Heart rate sets: pre-program favorite exercise settings: 1
* Manual target zone (% / bpm): % / bpm
* Automatic age-based target zone (% / bpm): % / bpm

Watch features

* Time of day (12/24h) with alarm
* Dual time zone
* Date and weekday indicator
* Stopwatch
* Exercise reminder (visual/alarm)

Language features

* Display text in English, German French, Spanish and Italian

Transmitter belt

* Polar T31 coded transmitter (compatible)
* Polar WearLink 31 coded transmitter (changeable battery)
* Polar T61 coded transmitter (compatible)

wendypr

Thanks.

izobel

(To be read in jest!)
I share your enthusiasm BoresEasily but I hope you are not going to put any gear reviews on the net until you have tested the product. You wouldn't do that, would you?!

I have read so many reviews for technical mountaineering gear the past few weeks and I would seriously like to remove some of the reviewers from this earth. We are talking $200+ technical fleeces and you get "I love the color. It's so cute. I bought it for back country skiing. I hope it works well". Don't write a review till you've been skiing!!!! I don't care if the colour is cute. I want to know whether it will wick moisture on a steep climb to over 6,000m and keep me warm enough to survive! You get idiots writing "I'm between sizes but nice product. The medium was a better fit" 4 stars out of 5 ... it loses a star bcs s/he is between sizes and this is the entire review - no information on performance - ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Sure information as to whether the product runs small or large is very useful - not that someone is between sizes.

Anyway lovely to rant, sorry to bore you and hope your HRM is as great as you expect and then you can write glowing reviews. Joking aside, good reviews are invaluable for choosing gear you need to buy online.

- just remembered another classic. A high performance soft-shell. "I really liked this jacket but the hood was huge so I had to return it." Yes, the hood is huge bcs it is designed to go over a climbing helmet, the jacket is not designed for downtown shopping trips. I can feel the urge to rant growing again ...

ATT949

Thanks for posting all of this info.

I have a FT40 due in on Wednesday from Amazon but, based on what you've posted, I'm tempted to send it back and get the F11.

Two items of interest:
1 - how big is the chest strap. I ordered the XXXL strap with the FT40 which bumped my cost to $130. If the F11 comes with the larger strap, it would be worth it to get the F11.

2 - how loud is the alarm? I initially bought the F7 but the alarm was so quiet, I sent it back.

Thanks,

Doug

HealthyChanges2010

<snip> It has really good reviews on Amazon and it's one step up from the F6 which is what I was originally going after <snip>

OK, the F6 being an older model, how does the F11 compare to the FT7? Which runs about $100 and looks to be sufficient for my needs. Curious on your choice of so many whistles and bells....and more curious how different it is than the FT7.

Yes as the other poster mentioned, I hope it meets up to your standards once it's been used for awhile and test driven, that's the real deal! FT7 you can change the battery yourself as well and thought was the newest model replacing the F6, mind if I ask the cost of the F11?

BoresEasily

(To be read in jest!)
I share your enthusiasm BoresEasily but I hope you are not going to put any gear reviews on the net until you have tested the product. You wouldn't do that, would you?!

I have read so many reviews for technical mountaineering gear the past few weeks and I would seriously like to remove some of the reviewers from this earth. We are talking $200+ technical fleeces and you get "I love the color. It's so cute. I bought it for back country skiing. I hope it works well". Don't write a review till you've been skiing!!!! I don't care if the colour is cute. I want to know whether it will wick moisture on a steep climb to over 6,000m and keep me warm enough to survive! You get idiots writing "I'm between sizes but nice product. The medium was a better fit" 4 stars out of 5 ... it loses a star bcs s/he is between sizes and this is the entire review - no information on performance - ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Sure information as to whether the product runs small or large is very useful - not that someone is between sizes.

Anyway lovely to rant, sorry to bore you and hope your HRM is as great as you expect and then you can write glowing reviews. Joking aside, good reviews are invaluable for choosing gear you need to buy online.

- just remembered another classic. A high performance soft-shell. "I really liked this jacket but the hood was huge so I had to return it." Yes, the hood is huge bcs it is designed to go over a climbing helmet, the jacket is not designed for downtown shopping trips. I can feel the urge to rant growing again ...

Izobel, absolutely not I was just letting people know what it does. I bought it because of the glowing reviews on Amazon and the guys at Fitness Depot told me about the cost of having the older strap sent in to be replaced. I've never written a review in my life.

ATT949, I found the chest strap to be smallish but I'm sure you should be able to order a larger one and the beeping seemed fine for me. I did a HIIT workout earlier and it was beeping at me like crazy when I was sprinting. I'll get back to you on that though.

BoresEasily

I'll definitely let you all know because I definitely plan to put it through it's paces.

Healthy, I'm not sure you would have to compare the the list of features I showed with the list from the FT7.

I wanted more than basic needs but didn't think I'd find them for the price I paid. Funnily enough on the Fitness Depot website it was listed as 228.88 until today.

debbiepringle

That is awesome. Does anyone have a review between this monitor and the bodybugg? I would like to purchase one and have heard a little about the bodybugg. Now I don't know what to do.

BoresEasily

debbie, it really depends on your goals. The Bodybugg isn't a HRM though for starters. For me I want more than just a watch that counts calories. I wanted something that would guide me to improving/maximize my performance. Basically I want to train hard like an athlete would.

If my goal were to lose weight I'd absolutely go with the Bodybugg.

HealthyChanges2010

That is awesome. Does anyone have a review between this monitor and the bodybugg? I would like to purchase one and have heard a little about the bodybugg. Now I don't know what to do.

Someone just a day or so back wrote a review for bodybugg so you might do a quick search and see if you can find the thread. The thing with the bodybugg is you will need to join their site to download your stats. I think it's under $10 a month but the bodybugg itself is pretty pricey from what others have shared.

If I can find the link I'll share it here.:flowerforyou:

Edited: I did a quick search and came up with so many recent threads on bodybug that it might be far easier to have you check them out and see what you can learn through others experience in the threads.:drinker:

ATT949

ATT949, I found the chest strap to be smallish but I'm sure you should be able to order a larger one and the beeping seemed fine for me. I did a HIIT workout earlier and it was beeping at me like crazy when I was sprinting. I'll get back to you on that though.

Thanks for the update.
If they're not shipping with the XXL, that means I've got to spend another $18 for the larger strap and that's a little to rich for my blood ($159 + 18).

I appreciate the info.

Wolfena

I've had my F-11 for two or so years... and STILL love it!

Got it after having an F-6 for two or so years.... which I also loved (but not as much!)
LOL

HealthyChanges2010

Thanks for posting all of this info.

I have a FT40 due in on Wednesday from Amazon but, based on what you've posted, I'm tempted to send it back and get the F11.

Two items of interest:
1 - how big is the chest strap. I ordered the XXXL strap with the FT40 which bumped my cost to $130. If the F11 comes with the larger strap, it would be worth it to get the F11.

2 - how loud is the alarm? I initially bought the F7 but the alarm was so quiet, I sent it back.

Thanks,

Doug

Here's what they share about the alarm on several sites Doug: "It is possible to set the alarm to quiet, off, or loud "

I'm really liking what I read on the F11, it's not much pricier than the FT7 and it has far more features that I would use plus you can download the info from your computer in a far easier fashion. Hm... the cost is very reasonable in my opinion, checked locally and it's only about $25 more than the one I was planning on purchasing so it'd be close to $125 (strap and all is part of that pkg). The FT7 is $99 on a sale, $110 regular price. Hm....

**BoresEasily ..thanks so much for the review/stats, I do appreciate it I didn't realize the cost was not that far off from what I had planned on getting, I can see why you chose that model!

Enjoy the features!! I can see why you would:drinker:

HealthyChanges2010

ATT949, I found the chest strap to be smallish but I'm sure you should be able to order a larger one and the beeping seemed fine for me. I did a HIIT workout earlier and it was beeping at me like crazy when I was sprinting. I'll get back to you on that though.

Thanks for the update.
If they're not shipping with the XXL, that means I've got to spend another $18 for the larger strap and that's a little to rich for my blood ($159 + 18).

I appreciate the info.

Doug, Here's what I just found for the strap size...

"The chest transmitters weigh only 2 ounces, are molded to the shape of the chest, and are quite comfortable with a one size fits all expandable elastic · Extra large elastics are available for $5.95 for chest sizes over 52". "

http://www.heartmonitors.com/polar/polar_f11_heart_rate_monitors.htm

debbiepringle

Thanks for your input. I will check out the Polar F11.

lorettatat

bump!