Polar loop - reviews? To buy or not ?

Options
1…457910

Replies

  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Options
    What's the difference between a Garmin Premium Chest Belt and a Standard Chest Belt? Do you have any idea?

    Standard is what you might call old school, but I prefer it better and bought a backup in case they were being done away with.

    It's the harder plastic across the whole front of chest, removable strap start near front on sides.

    Premium is the soft-strap all the way around with embedded sensors, with detachable sending unit with snaps on front.
    Those actually cut in to my skin on long runs. Bike not bad, but still rather sharp feel to it.
  • eAddict
    eAddict Posts: 212 Member
    Options
    There is a new one coming out that I might dump my Polar FT7 and FitBit Force for:

    http://techcrunch.com/2014/02/27/ex-apple-engineer-launches-moov-the-next-generation-of-wearable-fitness-tracking/

    http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57619516-94/moov-fitness-tracker-actually-tells-us-how-to-fix-ourselves/
  • gobonas99
    gobonas99 Posts: 1,049 Member
    Options
    In to reference later...but to answer this:
    "BUT WARNING - it only supports 4.0 BLU (4.4 kitkat android) - which is a MAJOR turn off :sad: "

    Sam,

    What is the problem with that? Exactly?

    I'm asking in ignorance, I do not know. I'm aware Blue tooth is enough to drive you daft if you get the wrong sort.

    Surely, if it were a major issue, they could fix that in a future iteration or hardware upgrade?

    The problem is that only the very newest android phones are on v4.4 (kitkat)...when I was looking at phones in November, there were only like 2-3 models that were on Kitkat. Everything else in the store was 4.2 (Ice Cream Sandwich) or 4.3 (Jelly Bean), which does NOT support BLU 4.0 - at least, not natively...not sure if there are any "hacks" to get the lower versions to read BLU 4.0. And good luck upgrading a 4.2 phone to 4.4....without an OS upgrade push from your cell carrier, it's darn near impossible without a degree in computer science engineering nanotechnology brain surgery (I'm exaggerating a bit...but only slightly..while I'm sure there are plenty of extremely tech savvy people who could do it...there are FAR more people that are not tech savvy enough to even attempt it)
  • brendanstallard
    brendanstallard Posts: 59 Member
    Options
    Heybales,

    Thanks for the help on the Garmin strap.

    brendan
  • brendanstallard
    brendanstallard Posts: 59 Member
    Options
    "The problem is that only the very newest android phones are on v4.4 (kitkat)."

    Gobonas,

    Ah, right.

    I only got my first smartphone with a Nexus 4. When the Nexus 5 came out, I got that and was amazed at how much improved it was. It does support Blu4.0

    ".there are FAR more people that are not tech savvy enough to even attempt it)"

    Which is where they've got us by the short, curly ones....

    Thanks for the explanation.



    brendan
  • brendanstallard
    brendanstallard Posts: 59 Member
    Options
    "I might dump my Polar FT7 and FitBit Force for:"

    eaddict,

    You know the Force has been recalled, don't you? All of 'em, taken off sale and recalled.

    You keepin' yours?

    If so, interesting....

    I'm pretty sure that my Force is going back, and I'll wait till something is proven to be working properly. Nothing works really well, IMO, so far. The force is the closest, but can't get wet with it, which, IMO, as getting fit is all about getting sweaty-is daft:)

    I thank you for the information on the Moov, methinks that's a little vapoury right now, for me:)



    brendan
  • weightlifter01
    weightlifter01 Posts: 564 Member
    Options
    I bought a Loop just after Christmas. To be honest - it is simply a glorified pedometer. And now it can't hold a charge past one day. I don't see the value in these wrist gadgets...unless you want to track how many steps you take daily.
  • fyoung1111
    fyoung1111 Posts: 109 Member
    Options
    The value is to encourage you to be more active ... to take more steps each day. Works for most people. There is something about wearing that little spy on your wrist or waist. Even if you are not competing with others to, for instance, see who gets the most steps, you are more likely to park as far from the store as possible if you know you are going to get "credit" for that trek across the parking lot.

    Some dieters use them to track caloric expenditure. I'm not really a serious dieter but, if I've had a very active day, I tend to splurge more at dinnertime than I would if I've been sitting on my butt all day.

    If the charge on your Loop is only lasting a day you may be swimming with it or taking really LONG showers with it on. Either activity makes the display flicker on and off constantly and significantly shortens battery life. You may also be leaving the Flow App active in your phone. That seems to knock battery life down to 2-3 days. You may also have a bad battery. In that case, Polar will be happy to fix it for free.
  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
    Options
    I bought a Loop just after Christmas. To be honest - it is simply a glorified pedometer. And now it can't hold a charge past one day. I don't see the value in these wrist gadgets...unless you want to track how many steps you take daily.

    Do you pair it with the HRM during workouts? Also I was on vacation and did not charge my Loop for five days and when I did plug it in last night it was only down to 70 % so there might be something wrong with yours if you're only getting one day.

    The Loop is just a gadget but like Fyoung said the value for me is I like to see where my activity is at throughout the day depending on what I'm doing. But like anything else, even MFP, it's not a necessity. It just makes things easier. I mean I could go old school and track everything in a notebook and still get the same results.
  • kaaaaylee
    kaaaaylee Posts: 398
    Options
    What about the garmin vivofit?
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    Options
    I'm pretty happy with my Polar FT40. I only want to know what I'm burning during my workouts. The Loop would be perfect for someone who wants to know more beyond that. I have to say though that Polar's latest product looks awesome, I'm really weary though about pairing anything with my Nexus 4 because of fast battery drain. Something to consider too
  • arijaycomet
    arijaycomet Posts: 21
    Options
    What about the garmin vivofit?

    Just did a comparison of that vs Fitbit here:
    http://arijaycomet.com/2014/03/13/battle-garmin-vivofit-vs-fitbit-force-vs-fitbit-flex/

    I've also written my review/comparison of the Loop vs Fitbit here:
    http://arijaycomet.com/2013/12/10/battle-fitbit-force-vs-polar-loop/
  • brendanstallard
    brendanstallard Posts: 59 Member
    Options
    Frank,

    Anxiously awaiting your review of the Vivofit.



    brendan
  • spg71
    spg71 Posts: 179 Member
    Options
    Thankyou for the post on the ATLAS, looks a nice product. Not quite there with the ergonomics, could do with the strap being more of sweatband type size.

    Still using the LOOP though, and still confusing software.
  • kettlekrusher
    kettlekrusher Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    I have done a lot of research on wearable fitness gadgets and I chose the polar loop. I have not been let down. I can wear it and the heart monitor while doing mud runs, swimming or working out. Now that the Android app is out, I don't have to wait to sync loop with my computer. A lot of people complain about the button, it is capacitance so the back sensor needs to be touching the skin when you touch, not tap the button. I that because it keeps it from displaying when I wear a long sleeve or touch anything.
    I recommend this to everyone one know.
  • Luekutus
    Luekutus Posts: 1
    Options
    I have and use a combination of the Loop and H7 and I love the data I get from them (e.g., that I'm burning 800 calories working out and not 300), but I AGREE 100% that Polar's lack of integration sucks. It's a data dead-end.
  • AutumnRed84
    AutumnRed84 Posts: 26 Member
    Options
    So for those of you who use the polar loop and HRM, how do you use it with MFP since it doesn't sync? I have the HRM now and am looking to get the Polar Loop. I had the Fitbit Force but returned it due to the skin irritation.
  • Chegs1978
    Chegs1978 Posts: 5
    Options
    How accurate is the calories burned on the loop when doing a session with the HRM?

    I was at the gym this morning and it has my calories burned at 439 for the session, is that accurate?
  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
    Options
    So for those of you who use the polar loop and HRM, how do you use it with MFP since it doesn't sync? I have the HRM now and am looking to get the Polar Loop. I had the Fitbit Force but returned it due to the skin irritation.

    I just add my exercise manually. I don't find it to be a big deal.
  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
    Options
    How accurate is the calories burned on the loop when doing a session with the HRM?

    I was at the gym this morning and it has my calories burned at 439 for the session, is that accurate?

    I find it fairly accurate as in comparison to my prior HRM, Garmin and bodybugg. Meaning that for whatever activity I am doing the calories burned make sense and are consistent to that activity.

Categories