Polar F6 Watch

[Aggie_Ama]

My trusty old Timex Ironman bit the dust a couple weeks ago and I finally am giving up on those watches, this one was my third in 4 years. DH thinks investing in a HR monitor might be beneficial especially to my cycling since I often perceive my effort is greater than it is. I also think it would be good for running to keep me on an even pace. I have decided on the Polar f6 (I think) as a watch. I think I want the F6 over the F4 for the backlight.

Anyone love theirs? Hate it? I am nervous about coughing up $100-115 for one!

[Fujichants]

I have a pink Polar F6 and I must say I prefer it over my Polar F4, which I retired a few months ago. However, for some reason, when I go running with the HR strap that comes with the watch, I don't get a reading. I have to wear the strap backwards and it is really uncomfortable (I suggest you get one of those soft straps, instead of the one with the big plastic middle section).

It is very easy to use, and I like it a lot.

[divingbiker]

I have an F6 and like it, but I have to say that if the only reason to choose it is the back light, you might be disappointed. I tried using the light the other morning when I was running before dawn, and I couldn't read the watch. Of course that may have something to do with my almost-52-year-old eyes, but I didn't find it bright enough.

I haven't had any trouble with the chest strap and find it comfortable enough.

[Fredwina]

I had F6 - it should have been Yellow, as lemon. it would freeze up and the only way to get back work was to take the battery out. did out about 4 times before it did for good

[Aggie_Ama]

I have an F6 and like it, but I have to say that if the only reason to choose it is the back light, you might be disappointed. I tried using the light the other morning when I was running before dawn, and I couldn't read the watch. Of course that may have something to do with my almost-52-year-old eyes, but I didn't find it bright enough.

I haven't had any trouble with the chest strap and find it comfortable enough.

The trail I run in the winter has street lamp style lights. They aren't bright enough to read my Timex without the light but with a backlight I can read it fine. Think that would be okay?

[Miranda]

I had F6 - it should have been Yellow, as lemon. it would freeze up and the only way to get back work was to take the battery out. did out about 4 times before it did for good

Batteries and warranty...
Taking the batteries out yourself, and/or having someone other than a Polar authorized service center, mess with the battery voids the waterproof portion of the watch.

You have to google what's the closest service center to mail it in. Yes, that's a PITA, but they will check it out for everything (you send the chest strap too and I think the battery prices are competative). I actually had a problem where it came back with a button broken off. It's the one used the most (back button I think, lower left corner). It took two tries, but they sent me a replacement button (first it was the wrong button, my watch is d/c now they say... own the F6 in pink).

Watch freezes up problem...
I think I have fixed just about every single one of the spin instructors' watches at my gym with this problem... my watch included. Bottom line... Polar told me it freezes up due to sweat accumulation on the chest strap electrode piece. I tech rep asked me if I cleaned my watch after workouts. I sheepishly admitted I had never cleaned the chest strap... like in the whole two years I owned it! There is a way to re-set the watch without removing the battery. You hold down all the buttons at the same time (except one) and wait until the display blanks out and an hourglass symbol appears. Then it will rescroll thru the set up data, and viola... your Polar works again. I will try and search later for my tech reply email on how to do it and add it.

[Miranda]

I have an F6 and like it, but I have to say that if the only reason to choose it is the back light, you might be disappointed. I tried using the light the other morning when I was running before dawn, and I couldn't read the watch. Of course that may have something to do with my almost-52-year-old eyes, but I didn't find it bright enough.

I haven't had any trouble with the chest strap and find it comfortable enough.

Can't read display problem...
I don't know how old your batteries are in your Polar, but I had this problem as the battery aged. In the instruction booklet, this is the first sign of battery depletion. ...i.e. the backlit button is dim, and/or digits, and you can't read diddly ya know...

See one of my post below about procedure for batteries... after I received mine back, it lights up and works just like new... I feel sorta blind too... like I have trouble driving at night... my mom has actual night blindness and can not drive at night... hope it's just your watch being goofy, and not the eyes. Hope that helps, fwiw.

EDIT: I posted below how to reset the unit.

[Miranda]

I have a pink Polar F6 and I must say I prefer it over my Polar F4, which I retired a few months ago. However, for some reason, when I go running with the HR strap that comes with the watch, I don't get a reading. I have to wear the strap backwards and it is really uncomfortable (I suggest you get one of those soft straps, instead of the one with the big plastic middle section).

It is very easy to use, and I like it a lot.

Watch doesn't read strap...
OMG... GF! You are wearing that hard plastic sucker backwards? OUCH!

I own it, and I can say this to help maybe... 1) have you ever tried their electrode cream to make it stick and read? If the electrodes are not making proper contact, they will not read. I just spit on mine before spin class. 2) is your strap too loose, or slides further down your chest during the jarring of running and makes it not read?

I specifically ordered mine off Polar discounts dot com to get a size small strap (plus they stretch with time and get looser regardless of size, replacement parts can be ordered last I checked). The sporting goods store defaulted with only medium. These were too large, and my Polar did not make enough contact to read.

Also, if the Polar bras work for you, you can slide the plastic piece in there without the strap and get a tight contact. The don't fit me unfortunately, or I would own them. What I do is tuck my strap up under the sports bra band. Like in the back I really hike it up. So, as I sweat and if it wants to slip in the front as your girls are moving, it's held securely higher up in the back... and ultimately can't go falling down out of the contact zone.

I can sew some, and have also considered modifying my sports bras to my own Polar version. Fwiw...

[Miranda]

Hi Aggie_Amma ... Can you tell from the above posts I'm the Polar F6 pink watch "beat-to-death & fix-er-back-up" queen?

I really had a hard time choking over that amount of $ for it too. But, despite all the trial and errors, I am really glad I did (I think these things could happen with any brand, IMHO). I guess since I sunk a lot of $ into it (for me), I was determined to trouble shoot it. It's still kicking strong (think I bought it start of 2006).

The only thing I have not truly done, and actually am preparing to do so, is swim in it. I have a tri friend that swims with her HRM on. I don't know which one she owns. This is why the battery replacement procedure was important to me. I guess there is a rubber seal inside the watch. If this seal is not "just so" in putting the watch back together post battery change... it could get leakage and damage.

Not always does my back light pop right up... but I'm still lazy about cleaning. The greatest thing about that is no buttons to push (if the model hasn't been revamped). You are mtb, road riding, spinning, whatever... alll you need to do is bring it right up to the chest strap.

The t31 chest strap is coded which is nice too. The other gals in spin class whose watches are not the coded version of mine will cross talk with my watch... but not vice versa. I'm the queen bee leading the pack cuz my readings are locked in to not cross talk. Sometimes the teacher will just suggest the person next to me switch wrist for the class. That cures it. You could have that problem on the road also if riding two abreast closely, fwiw.

Bottom line... I'm glad I own it. Hope this mini-series of books helps your decision lol.

[Miranda]

How to reset Polar F6...

Below is my problem question sent to the Polar tech...
"...I purchased a heart rate monitor from your site and am having a problem with it. During a recent cardio workout I was using my monitor in the exercise mode and the monitor just locked up and stopped functioning. The display is locked in the middle of the workout data and no matter what buttons I press it does nothing. I read my owners manual and see nothing to answer my question--the 'low battery' symbol is not displayed on the screen either..."

This was the tech's answer to the problem...
A reset should correct the issue.

Press and hold all buttons except the light (upper left). After a few seconds the screen should all light up. Relase and press OK. You will need to reset the time and date.

Please email your results.

My response was... it fixed the problem.

[Aggie_Ama]

So I got my F6 today and immediately took it for a run, what a cool gadget. The green is a little loud but it is already growing on me. I wear blue Sidis, I kinda like loud. Of course the green will not match my pink helmet, blue Sidis or blue bike, I am a mess on matching. I don't care so I guess that is enough then!

I will have to figure out the HR training but I am really excited to see I burnt 368 calories, ran 33:10 and spent the whole time going hard. I don't think that is what you are supposed to do since it was sqwaking the whole time. Oh well, it is a tool for learning I suppose. I guess I should stop it once I am done cooling down, which is a walk and stretch?

[Miranda]

So I got my F6 today and immediately took it for a run, what a cool gadget. The green is a little loud but it is already growing on me. I wear blue Sidis, I kinda like loud. Of course the green will not match my pink helmet, blue Sidis or blue bike, I am a mess on matching. I don't care so I guess that is enough then!

I will have to figure out the HR training but I am really excited to see I burnt 368 calories, ran 33:10 and spent the whole time going hard. I don't think that is what you are supposed to do since it was sqwaking the whole time. Oh well, it is a tool for learning I suppose. I guess I should stop it once I am done cooling down, which is a walk and stretch?

Ummm, mine doesn't sqwuak as I permanently shut it up..."shhhh, ya lil taddle tell... you're really raining on my an-aerobic junkie party" lol. There is a setting in the watch to "shut off alarms". Actually, I think it takes the average fitness level for age, height, weight. If a person is more fit than average, those pre-set zones may not be right for you. You can use the "own zone" test, and put your own. If you got a book with it, they tell how to do it, amoung others ways to customize this. Glad you like it. The calorie burning visual is great. I don't know what the green looks like (too lazy to google now)... but I matched mine out by getting my wrist RoadID in pink. I just have pink on both my wrist all the time when I ride. I think it ties the outfit together.... "green wristed was all part of your master plan...", work it GF.

[teigyr]

Ama, you will love it!! I have the F11 which does not squawk because I told it not to. Before I knew what I was doing with the HR training, I'd just love to watch the calories burned number go up. I don't trust it but if I'm out and am at 700 calories and decide I want to go to 1,000, it still ultimately helps.

HR training has made a huge difference. I don't know if there's a book for simple people out there because if there was, I could've used it. I learned a lot by experience and a bit more from my doctor after he did a stress test. It's helped me do greater distance and it has let me know when I'm feeling a bit off and I don't have the mental fortitude just to realize it on my own.

Have fun!!! I still love looking my watch on Monday because it gives me the total calories burned and exercise time from the previous week.

[Aggie_Ama]

The "sqwaking" isn't nearly as bad as my husband's bike computer, good night I want to take a hammer to that thing. I may leave it on once I set my own zone. I run by myself and stopped wearing headphones for now (I like the sounds of the park) so it would be a good tool. Plus with the kids playing football/baseball and the park being on the semi-busy loop, there is even more noise to drown it out and many times last night I couldn't even tell it was beeping even though I was over my zone the entire run (oops).

The silly part? I had no idea what zone they were using, so I thought it was beeping because I was under my zone. lol I am so eager to see the times of my workouts, I brought the strap to wear commuting home. I will have to figure out the pause feature for doing organized rides with rest stops or maybe just let it go as a low period, don't know.

There is a book at REI for $18 might check it out to see if I want to buy it, otherwise trial and error will work for me.

[teigyr]

You could always look online to get a rough estimate of your zones. If you really wanted to, a lot of PT and sports medicine places have testing that will let you know what your specific zones are. I have the Triathlete's Training Bible, which I like, but it is really complex. Each time I read it, I grasp one concept. At this rate, I'll know what I'm doing in ten years

You have a fun and practical toy. You will have a great time with it!!!