Polar FT80 vs. Garmin 310xt Review

If you are looking into purchasing a new heart rate monitor, you have probably read a Garmin 310xt review or two recently. Most people are searching for the Garmin 310xt review to determine whether it is really the most advanced heart rate monitor watch to hit the market. So, how does it really stack up to one of the most popular Polar models on the market?

The Garmin 310xt Advantages

The Garmin 310xt was designed and marketed to be a companion for the triathlete. It is waterproof to 50 meters so it has no problem being immersed in a pool or other body of water and with the purchase of a separate quick release kit it transfers from the pool or your body to a bike very quick.

While many consumers find that it does not track as well as expected while in the water, it does track every movement of your body with great detail while you are on land. It generally records your pace and distance, unless you get it with the optional heart rate monitor bundle.

Since it is GPS enabled, there are some features that make this model stand apart from the competition. For instance, you can instantly transfer feedback from your watch into your computer without actually connecting the watch to the computer. You can also map out a walking or running route on the computer and send that information directly to your watch. It will then monitor your progress and show you the route as you perform it during your next workout.

The biggest advantage to the Garmin 310xt is the GPS system.

Polar FT80 Advantages

The Polar FT80 doesn't have the GPS system, but it does include a heart rate monitor without making a separate purchase. It is waterproof to 30 meters, but is not designed to track distance or measure time while in water.

The strengths of this heart monitor watch are in its ability to track and record a wide variety of valuable workout information. It will actually store workout records for up to 100 sessions, allowing you to compare your progress over time.

You can either allow the FT80 watch to select a heart rate target zone that is beneficial to your age and fitness condition, or you can program in your own target heart rate zone. Either way, it will alert you when you go above or below that target range and will even monitor how many calories you are burning. The 5 minute resting fitness test is another perk that many users find useful.

Workout information can be transferred into the computer with this watch as well, but you have to connect it through a USB cord.

Which Is Better?

Whether the Polar FT80 or the Garmin 310xt is best depends largely on your fitness goals. If you are training for a triathlete the Garmin may be your best bet since it is designed to track time in the water and transfers to the bike so fast.

If you train on land only, then it comes down to whether you want the GPS system or not. The Polar model is a top notch watch that comes already equipped with the heart rate monitor and excellent feedback options, making it a great pick if you do not need GPS tracking.