Polar FT1 Heart Rate Monitor Review

Polar Ft1 Heart Rate Monitor, Black

Polar Ft1 Heart Rate Monitor, Black Rating:
List Price: $69.95
Sale Price: $44.90
(as of 05/16 19:37 UTC - More)

Eligible For Free Shipping
Visit Amazon:

When first beginning an exercise program, you might not consider a heart rate monitor as necessary tool.   However, when you make the decision to start setting some fitness goals, a heart rate monitor such as the Polar FT1 Heart Rate Monitor is almost as important as a new set of shoes. This monitor is designed for those who don’t need all the bells and whistles found on the most sophisticated (and most expensive) heart rate monitors, but want to have the basics covered. Let’s take a look at what makes this heart rate monitor a good choice for basic monitoring and timing purposes.

What To Look For In a Basic Polar Heart Rate Monitor

Easy To Read Display:

Using a heart rate monitor effectively often means being able to see the display. If the display isn’t large enough, it takes away your concentration on the exercise. The Polar FT1 is a glance away on your wrist and the large numerals are very easy to see.

Manual Heart Rate Target Zones:

This is the heart of the matter so to speak. Being able define your own personal heart rate target zones, based on YOUR level of fitness is critical to good training. Training at too low a level isn’t effective for improving your fitness. Trying to train at too high a level will tire you too quickly to achieve improvement.  The FT1 allows its owners to set their own target zones, and has both a visual and audible alarm to let you know when you’re pushing too hard, or not pushing hard enough.

Zones can be set as BPM (beats per minute), a percentage of your maximum heart rate, or even percentage of heart rate reserve. To determine your heart rate reserve just calculate the difference between your maximum heart rate and your resting heart rate.

 Record Average and Maximum Heart Rate

Once you have completed your training session, you’ll need to get information recorded by the Polar FT1. You are keeping training records aren’t you? Keeping records is the best way to track performance and see your improvement. It’s a great way to keep motivated.

The Polar FT1 will show you the duration of your training session, the maximum heart rate you achieved during the session, and your average heart rate, which is the most meaningful number in terms of staying in the training zone.

Easy To Use One-Button Operation

A heart rate monitor needs to be simple and easy to use, and the Polar FT1 has been designed for one-button operation.

Each time the button is pushed, a different function becomes available on the display. For instance, when you first push the button, “EXE” will appear. It stands for exercise. Push the button again and it moves to “FILE”. This is where you will find information recorded during your training session. Push it a third time and you see “ZONE”. The function where you set the upper and lower limits of your training heart rate zone.

 ”HeartTouch” Button-Free Operation

On occasion, you may find pressing buttons during exercise difficult or impossible. Polar has you covered. If you’re wearing gloves on a cold morning run for instance, simply bring the training computer (the watch) close to the transmitter on your chest strap, and keep it close until you hear a beep. Each time you bring it back to the transmitter, it will beep and display different information. It shows heart rate, duration of training session, and the time.

What Owners Are Saying About The Polar FT1 Heart Rate Monitor

Among the pluses most talked about in the reviews of this heart rate monitor from customers is that it’s great for what it is. A basic heart rate monitor. They say it does what it is designed to do. Most reviewers found that it was easy to use, although some said that using the one-button operation took some getting used to. At least one user found that unless the chest strap was properly wet down prior to use, he wasn’t getting accurate readings, but after consulting the manual and wetting it, he found it to be very accurate. Another compared it’s accuracy with professional equipment at his rehab session and found it to be completely in tune with that equipment’s readings.

The bottom line was that it is quite accurate, and it must be appreciated for what it is. A basic heart rate monitor. As users progress in their training, they are going to need a more sophisticated heart rate monitor. But for the budding athlete or those who are trying to get back into shape, the Polar FT1 heart rate monitor is a good model with which to get started in targeted training.

Amazon has the best price we found on the Polar FT1 Heart Rate Watch.

Related articles:

  1. Polar FT7 Heart Rate Monitor Watch Review
  2. Polar FS2C Heart Rate Monitor Review
  3. Polar RS300X Heart Rate Monitor Watch Review
  4. Polar RS100 Heart Rate Monitor Watch
  5. Timex T5G971 Unisex Heart Rate Monitor Watch Review