Polar FT7 HRM Watch Review
Best Personal Heart Rate Monitor

The Watch That Changes Your Workout – And Your Waistline!

When I decided it was time to buckle down and take off the last few pounds that I’ve put on after holidays and birthdays, I knew that the only way to do it was by working my tail off at the gym AND keeping my heart rate monitored.

You see, I am the queen of doing things the easy way when I can, and I found out this was really hurting my workouts. I would get comfortable in a stride and my heart rate would go down. I worked with a trainer once who politely scolded me for this. If I just want to get exercise, he said, this is a fine way to go. If I want to get the heart pumping so that I drop the pounds, then I have to mix it up some.

Polar FT7
See it at Amazon

He recommended I find a monitor that could tell me the difference between weight loss and strength building, and the Polar FT7 HRM is designed to do exactly that. It has a mechanism called EnergyPointer that is supposed to tell you when you’re in the zone for fitness and stamina or when you’re in the zone that allows you to drop the pounds.

Drop Pounds By Looking At Your Watch

The difference is huge for effectiveness, and the FT7 has the ability to let you know when you’re not meeting the goals for your purpose. All you have to do is look down and see what your heart rate is at the time to know where you have to go. The zones are based on information you enter at setup such as your age and weight.

Actually Comfortable To Wear

One of the bigger issues I’ve had with previous heart rate monitors that actually monitored from the chest was the comfort level. As a female with some, uh, soft tissue in that area, it can be hard to find a chest strap that is comfortable to wear. Some of them that I have tried have been really irritating or have caused skin problems by trapping sweat under the rubber. Also, I’m allergic to Latex, so those bands are totally out.

Polar FT7 has a fabric band that is adjustable if you’re having a problem similar to mine. Obviously, that’s less of an issue for most men, but the use of the soft fabric helps regardless of the gender. It stays put for you when attached with a small about of lubrication, and it gives an accurate read without being uncomfortable.

Polar Charged And Ready When You Are

Polar FT7 is ready to go at any time because it doesn’t have to be charged. Better yet, the batteries are the same ones that can be bought at just about any store that sells watches. No calling the company for replacements. Everything is easily available.

Only The Right Side May Apply

While it seems like an overall great product, it may not be meant for left-handed people. The way the chest strap adjusts is mounted only on one side, and that can be tough for people who primarily use their left hand for adjustments. There doesn’t seem to be another band available for replacement to help lefties, and some people have complained that it’s just downright awkward. I don’t think it’s designed to increase your flexibility. It’s just a design issue.

FT7 Doesn’t Tell You When You’re Being Lazy

The watch is also missing the alerts to get right to you when your heart rate gets below where it should be (unlike the FT60 for example). It loses some of its effectiveness if you forget to check your heart rate throughout because it isn’t letting you know audibly that there’s a problem. It’s not a huge deal if it’s still a very accurate monitor, but it can be a problem if you are one of the people who gets into the zone and doesn’t remember to check.

One Major Feature, One Big Difference

Polar FT7 Watch offers the one feature that I think I would really need a in heart rate monitor. It will tell you the difference in the type of workout you’re doing and how effective it will be to reach your current goals. When I’m working to trim down, I don’t want to spend the mental energy to know how effective my workout is for that, but I would be more than happy to have that information on my wrist.

If you think that Polar FT7 Heart Rate Monitor has the features that you need in a product, click here to run on over to Amazon and add it to your cart.