Heart Rate Monitors BLOG

Comparison - Polar RS800CX - Garmin Forerunner 405Cx and Suunto T6C

Tris — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:54:28 +0000

We - heartratemonitor.co.uk - often get asked “which is BEST” between : Polar RS800CX - Garmin Forerunner 405Cx and Suunto T6C?

Good question. In a recent email - this was my reply:

Any of these : the Garmin Forerunner 405CX , the Polar RS800CX RUN or the Suunto T6C would make perfect marathon training tools. They are truly excellent units that all have the ESSENTIAL features that any heart rate monitor / speed distance training device should have like - AUTO LAP - MUTLIPLE countdown timers, Stopwatch with LAPS and SPLITS and full PC download.

The Garmin has the advantage of being an “all in one unit” - no foot pod or separate GPS unit, PLUS, it has the very useful VIRTUAL PARTNER feature (you tell it how far and in what time.. it paces you along to help achieve your objection). However, it is quite bulky and needs regular charging. The PC software is ADEQUATE, but not very analytical. There are no FITNESS TEST options. Garmin Forerunner 405CX here

The Polar RS800CX RUN has better software, far more analytical (see here for examples of Polar Pro Trainer 5 screen grab). The Foot POD is VERY SMALL and lasts over 200 hours, so no charging hassle (it also provides LEG cadence and STRIDE LENGTH). You also have a FITNESS test (OwnIndex - provides a VO2 max figure) and an over training test (Polar OwnOptimizer - tells you on a scale of 1 - 9 if you are under / over trained) - Polar RS800CX RUN

Then, there is the Suunto T6C with FOOT POD. This has the advantage of REAL TIME TRAINING EFFECT, telling you just how hard (aerobic fatigue) a session is. Suunto TRAINING EFFECT is great to help recognise patterns of over / under training. Suunto T6C available here

I have used them all - and would be happy if I had to stick to just one…..

If you like DATA analysis and want to keep long term PC graphs for comparison and you think an over / under training feature is going to be useful, then I’d suggest either Polar (post exercise over training test by way of 5 min lying and 5 min standing test - Polar OwnOptimiser) or Suunto T6C (realtime over / under training by way of TRAINING EFFECT).

If you want to train with realtime VIRTUAL PARTNER, then the Garmin is going to be great. Now with IMPROVED calorie burn formula.

Garmin Forerunner 405cx in stock now

Tris — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:27:47 +0000

The new Garmin Forerunner 405cx is now available from heartratemonitor.co.uk

This new unit has a VASTLY improved CALORIE algorithm

Previously GARMIN did not use heart rate while calculating calories, just speed and distance data

The new Garmin Forerunner 405cx gps uses a more accurate formula to give representative calorie burn for session by session comparison

Polar RS800CX PTE Pro Team Edition

Tris — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:22:40 +0000

Polar’s new all BLACK Pro Team Edition of the Polar RS800cx is now available

Polar RS800CX PTE Pro Team Edition Heart Rate Monitor available here

The new Polar RS800CX PTE Pro Team Edition comes with BIKE SPEED and BIKE CADENCE sensors.

You may add the Polar G3 GPS unit for multisport speed and distance and mapping.

You may also add the Polar S3 stride sensor for running speed, leg cadence and stride length

Click here to buy the Polar RS800cx PTE online from heart rate monitor specialists.

Polar RS300x heart rate monitor now available

Tris — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:16:15 +0000

We are pleased to announce the arrival of the Polar RS300x heart rate monitor

The Polar RS300x is a multisport heart rate monitor that supports both the S1 foot pod and the G1 GPS.

Polar RS800CX RUN BIKE MULTI

Tris — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:21:00 +0000

Heart Rate Monitor UK are pleased to announce the arrival of the new Polar RS800CX Polar RS800CX RUN Polar RS800CX Bike and Polar RS800CX Multi

Polar RS800 / RS800SD / RS800G3 / RS800CX (bike/run/multi) - an explanation of the different available models. OK - let’s start with the important stuff. A Polar RS800 (without the CX suffix) is NOT the same as a Polar RS800CX. A Polar RS800 can only support either the G3 GPS pod (RS800G3) or the S3 stride sensor (Polar RS800SD) - A Polar RS800, RS800SD or RS800G3 can NEVER support the BIKE speed or bike cadence sensors. Only the Polar RS800CX can do this. The RS800CX is a direct REPLACEMENT for the soon to be obsolete RS800(RS800SD/RS800G3). The RS800CX is a multi sport unit and it can support ALL of the WIND devices (except Power) - that includes G3 GPS, S3 stride sensor, WIND bike speed and WIND pedal cadence.The product range for the Polar RS800CX is as follows:

Polar RS800CX - comes with WIND Wearlink chest strap - but no accessories. Customers can add run, bike and/or GPS components as they wish at a later date

Polar RS800 CX RUN - comes with WIND Wearlink chest strap AND the Polar S3 stride sensor. Customer can add G3 GPS and/or bike / pedal sensors at a later date

Polar RS800CX BIKE - comes with WIND Wearlink chest strap AND the Polar WIND bike speed sensor. Customer can add G3 GPS, S3 running stride sensor and/or pedal cadence sensors at a later date

Polar RS800CX MULTI - comes with WIND Wearlink chest strap AND the Polar G3 GPS sensor - for people undertaking ANY outdoor sport that requires speed and distance feedback, plus GPS mapping / tracking. Customers can add the running S3 stride sensor and/or bike sensors at a later date

Suunto Memory belt - DATE WRONG

Tris — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:44:57 +0000

We at heart rate monitor UK have had several customers complaining about the date being recorded on their memory belts - the date shown is generally in the year 2000 - and NOT the proper time and date of the exercise session

SOLUTION:

Connect your SUUNTO MEMORY belt to the Suunto TRAINING MANAGER software

Left click on LEFT HAND SIDE header - under “Suunto Device” - Memory Belt

Now in the bottom right hand quarter of the screen - under ”DEVICE” - select the “EDIT” button

In the “VALUE” field opposite “PERSONAL DATA” - clear this field

In the “VALUE” field oposite “USERNAME” enter a unique ID - for example ”TRISTAN_MEMBELT”

THEN PRESS SAVE - this is the important bit !

By pressing SAVE the PC will write this data to the BELT - while doing this it will transfer the TIME and DATE from your PC to your Suunto MEMORY BELT

Subsequent files will have the correct - PC synch’d - time and date

Hope that helps

Tris