New Polar FT7 - Love it, but one downside

irjeffb · January 2012

I bought a Polar FT7 on Sunday, and in general I love it. I used it when working out at home on Sunday, and it was great to be able to quantify what I did. I used it at the gym on Monday, and it works with my gym's equipment (LifeFitness systems). However, I had some unexpected results.

Elliptical - on the elliptical machine, it worked great. The machine displayed my heart rate without me having to hold onto the handles that read it from your hands. The wrist unit also received the signal and properly logged the workout. The one slight downside is that I looked at the machine next to me, and it was picking up my heart rate as well. The guy using that machine was also not holding onto the handles, so maybe that would have overridden the signal from my transmitter.

Treadmill - on the treadmill, the treadmill picked up the signal from the transmitter, but when the treadmill was running, the wrist unit could NOT read the signal. It varied from showing a heart rate of "00" to an error message about the signal. It still showed enough information on the machine to be useful, but since I the wrist unti couldn't read the heart rate, I don't have a log, and I don't have information like average and high heart rate readings, etc.

Note that I confirmed that my unit itself was working properly by stopping the treadmill. As long as the treadmill was paused, my wrist unit received the signal. As soon as I started it up again, the treadmill showed my heart rate and the wrist unit lost it. I also tried it on two different treadmills (different models) with the same result.

Has anybody experienced this or know anything I could try to get my wrist unit to receive the signal while on the treadmill?

swilkie1961 · January 2012

I want to know too just incase mine does the same thing. Still waiting to open mine on my birthday..

Di3012 · January 2012

I bought a Polar FT7 on Sunday, and in general I love it. I used it when working out at home on Sunday, and it was great to be able to quantify what I did. I used it at the gym on Monday, and it works with my gym's equipment (LifeFitness systems). However, I had some unexpected results.

Elliptical - on the elliptical machine, it worked great. The machine displayed my heart rate without me having to hold onto the handles that read it from your hands. The wrist unit also received the signal and properly logged the workout. The one slight downside is that I looked at the machine next to me, and it was picking up my heart rate as well. The guy using that machine was also not holding onto the handles, so maybe that would have overridden the signal from my transmitter.

Treadmill - on the treadmill, the treadmill picked up the signal from the transmitter, but when the treadmill was running, the wrist unit could NOT read the signal. It varied from showing a heart rate of "00" to an error message about the signal. It still showed enough information on the machine to be useful, but since I the wrist unti couldn't read the heart rate, I don't have a log, and I don't have information like average and high heart rate readings, etc.

Note that I confirmed that my unit itself was working properly by stopping the treadmill. As long as the treadmill was paused, my wrist unit received the signal. As soon as I started it up again, the treadmill showed my heart rate and the wrist unit lost it. I also tried it on two different treadmills (different models) with the same result.

Has anybody experienced this or know anything I could try to get my wrist unit to receive the signal while on the treadmill?

I had heard that there is a possibility that HRMs can do exactly what you have just described and when I wanted to purchase mine a couple of weeks back, I did a bit of research because I use the treadmill a lot and I didn't want the HRM to be interferred with because of electrical equipment.

I bought the Polar FT4 and it it fine, however, the FT4 doesn't seem to synch up with a machine, it just works on its own, perhaps this is why it works okay around the equipment.

That is a shame your one is doing that. What are you going to do?

careyharv · January 2012

I have the Polar FT7 and love it as well. There are two times my watch did not pick up my heart rate when on the treadmill - and I run atleast twice a week - it was when I did not have the strap tight enough around my chest. You are on a treadmill which requires more of a jumping motion and can be high impact. The eliptical is very smooth and low impact. The jumping can move the strap off of the area on your chest - even a small amount can affect it.

The second time was because I did not clean the strap and the link item in the front. Make sure you clean your strap and take the link on the front off after each use.

As for it bleeding over onto other machines - well that is Polar. It is a strong signal. If anyone complains, I would try to just go to a machine that is away from everyone if you can.

iuangina · January 2012

I have an FT7 and mine did that when the strap wasn't tight enough (just like OP said). It also did it when I failed to wet the transmitters on the strap before putting it on. Other than that it's never been a problem.

irjeffb · January 2012

I have an FT7 and mine did that when the strap wasn't tight enough (just like OP said). It also did it when I failed to wet the transmitters on the strap before putting it on. Other than that it's never been a problem.

That doesn't seem quite logical to me, but I suppose it's possible. The wrist unit got the signal and worked properly except when the treadmill was running. However, when the treadmill was running, the treadmill received the signal but the wrist unit did not, so the transmitter was definitely picking up my heart rate and transmitting it

Regardless, I'll try doing the treadmill first next time. I had wet it in the sink just before I went, and it was pretty tight (it didn't move the whole time I was at the gym).

New Polar FT7 - Love it, but one downside

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