| What is the best heart rate monitor for rowers and | | | | packaging this monitor could be a winner. |
| scullers? That question was recently posed to the | | | | It comes from Polar, a well known and respected |
| readers of rowingillustrated.com, a leading rowing | | | | heart rate monitor manufacturer. It uses the popular |
| bulletin board in the United States. Three models | | | | Polar standard chest strap so reliability shouldn't ever |
| emerged as being popular with rowers and coaches. | | | | be a problem. The strap itself is easy to adjust and is |
| Which one you choose will depend upon the type of | | | | as comfortable as any other on the market. |
| rowing training that you do. Here is our review of the | | | | The watch is ridiculously simple to operate as it has |
| Polar FS1 which came out tops for scullers and | | | | only a single button. The uncluttered display with extra |
| general fitness. | | | | large numbers makes reading the watch while erging |
| The POLAR FS1 is an entry level Heart Rate Monitor | | | | or sculling very easy. Polar claims the batteries will last |
| which is perfect for those who want the training | | | | for 2 years with 1 hour of exercise use per day. Sadly |
| benefits of heart rate monitoring, without spending a | | | | after this you have to send the watch off to Polar for |
| fortune on features that will never be used. | | | | a battery replacement. While not expensive,it is an |
| The Polar FS1 has a clear easy to read display which | | | | inconvenience, even if it does help maintain the unit's |
| shows the time of day, heart rate (HR), exercise time | | | | water resistance. |
| and average HR. Easy one-button use makes the | | | | This watch is a great value way to complement the |
| Polar FS1 extremely easy to use. | | | | information the erg gives us, it provides simple |
| Polar FS1 Features: | | | | feedback when we're sculling or running. |
| * Wireless ECG accurate heart rate. | | | | The only down side to this product is that it doesn't |
| * Average heart rate of total exercise. | | | | have Polar's shielding technology. This means that it is |
| * Exercise Time. | | | | possible the monitor might pick up signals from other |
| * Heart rate (displayed as bpm). | | | | monitors being used in close proximity, like on the next |
| * Visual and audible alarm in target zones. | | | | erg, or other rowers in a team boat. |
| * Manual target zone. | | | | This is a very easy to use product, it does what is |
| * Time of day. | | | | required at an unbelievably cheap price. However the |
| * Stopwatch. | | | | lack of shielding technology and thus potential |
| * Water resistant 50m. | | | | interference from similar devices means it is probably |
| * Polar T31 transmitter and elastic chest strap. | | | | best suited to single scullers and those who tend to |
| If you're looking to spend lots of money for lots of | | | | erg or work out by themselves. There are definitely |
| unneeded options then this is not the heart rate monitor | | | | better monitors out there, but with the Polar FS1 the |
| for you. However if you want something that is simple | | | | price is most definitely right and you have to ask |
| to use, well thought out, and does what it says on the | | | | yourself - do I really need more? |