Polar FT80

Nov 17, 2009

The Polar FT80 was released earlier this year and takes fitness training heart rate watches to another level. With it’s sleek, smooth and comtemporary lines the FT80 is easily one of the best looking HRMs (heart rate monitor) in the market.

Designed for serious fitness enthusiasts and atheletes the FT80 is loaded with features that make it a leader in it’s class. The FT80′s is a solid and robust watch with a metal case, glass face and rubber wrist band.  I suspect the the large curved glass face could become easily chipped or scratched if it come into contact with a hard surface.

The FT80 is easily operated using buttons on either side of the watch which provide a good, solid feel when pushing them. A logical menu interface scrolls through Settings, Applications and Data. The reversed LCD display features white text on a black background that compliments the modern design but does take some time getting used to. It can be difficult to view the screen quickly when running or riding outdoors in bright sunlight.

When exercising or working-out the buttons scroll through various screens to display information such as heart rate, training zones, exercise time and calories burned. Audible feedback is provided to provide alerts for when you are outside of training zones which can be turned off if required or if too annoying.

Exercise, work-out and data can be transferred to a computer with the Flow Link feature. I found this feature limited and unreliable with Polar’s web-based application. The feature is only available for Windows computers with no Mac software available at the moment. The transfer cradle requires the watch to be perfectly placed to enable effective data transfer.

The FT80 comes with a comfortable WearLink strap which secures the transmitter to your chest. With Polar OwnCode transmission is spot on everytime, even in a gym packed with electronic equipment and other people training with HRMs. The unit is ANT transmission compatible and can be expanded with the additional of the Polar S1 Foot Pod and S1 GPS Sensor to monitor speed and distance. It must be noted that the unit does not provide full mapping capabilies.

As an everyday watch the FT80 ticks the boxes for basic watch functions such as dual time zones, alarm and stop watch. Unlike some HRMs, the battery in both the watch and the transmitter is user replaceable without having to take it to an authorised service agent.

In summary, the Polar FT80 is a great looking training tool that provides all the information you would need to monitor your fitness and progress.

Watch the video (above) featuring Polar experts discussing the new features of the FT80.

For more information about the Polar FT80 check out the Polar website.

Reviewed by Lakers