Review: FT80 Polar Heart Watch vs. Garmin 310 Heart Rate Monitor

With the release of the very first EKG wireless heart monitor in 1977, Polar has always been at the top of the heart rate monitor industry. Not only have Polar monitors revolutionized the industry; they have stayed a step ahead of the competition. However, with technology increasing and evolving by the day, the Polar Company is now being pushed to new heights by the ever improving competition. One such competitor is Garmin. The year 2009 has been an exciting one for Garmin with the release of two new heart rate monitors, the Garmin 310XT and FR60 heart monitors. The following is a short review on the FT80 Polar Heart Watch and the Garmin 310 Heart Rate Monitor.

Review: FT80 Polar Heart Watch

Polar FT80 - Buy Now

The Polar FT80 is definitely no ordinary heart rate monitor. This Polar heart monitor is for the serious and dedicated person. It is for those that want to achieve or reach their goals whether they are in fitness or weight loss. For maximum efficiency in training, the FT80 will help you do that with its intelligent training technology computer. This is perfect for elite athletes looking for that extra edge to help them get better.

This Polar Heart Watch has target zones for monitoring your heart rate. This is displayed in percentages. Feedback from weekly and daily training goals and target can also be extracted from the FT80. Other unique Polar features on this monitor include the Polar OwnZone and ZonePointer Modes which give an accurate display of where you stand in relation to your heart rate.

There is just one issue and that is the contrast of the display screen. It is quite poor and is a problem when you are quite into your workout. However, this Polar Heart watch is great overall for anyone wishing to take their workouts to the next level.

Garmin 310 XT Heart Rate Monitor

Garmin 310 - Buy Now

The 310XT heart rate monitor is Garmin’s latest invention that is surely going to take the industry by storm. There is a lot of hope and hype around it because it is being dubbed as a swim proof GPS monitor. Almost all other GPS heart rate monitors are either not waterproof or just plain useless in it. There is an abundance of technology and features on the Garmin 310. It is born into the successful Garmin Forerunner series which have become favorites for many for quite some time now.

The 310XT is perfect for triathletes not because it is waterproof but also because straight out of the water, it fits perfectly on bikes and is able to accurately read cycling and running data. It has that all in one package that many people look for. The Garmin 310 easily adapts to any fitness or workout regimen and routine.

One of the major drawbacks with this heart rate monitor is that it does not read heart rate data when in the water.