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My New House Guest: Polar RS800CX

For the next seven days, I will play courteous and hospitable host to a special guest in my home, the Polar RS800CX, the top of the line training watch of Polar for elite runners.  I will take him around the city, touring my favorite routes on foot, on a bike or in the water, and perhaps he may even join me on a short excursion to Clark for the TNF 100.  He’ll only be staying for a week as he is a demo unit lent to me by Polar.

Polar

Yesterday, I met Hitler Dulay of Sports Resources Inc., the local distributor of Polar Watches.  Our meeting lasted for over three hours as he introduced to me the various models of Polar watches (with more emphasis on the running watches, of course.)  He presented the Polar simulator on his laptop, which was a cool program that allowed one to click on the watch onscreen and view its features and performance during a pretend workout.

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Polar has various running watches: RS100, RS300X, RS400, and RS800.  But, it was the Polar RS800CX that got my attention; the features on this watch are simply astounding.  

I jotted down all the key points that Hitler mentioned which made it seem like a better buy than the Garmin 310 XT, to be released in June, which targets multisport athletes as well.  (Good thing I told hubby to hold off on buying my birthday gift until I can decide on the Garmin 310XT!)  Please note that this is not a comprehensive list of the Polar RS800CX’s features—you may click here for that—but these are the points that make the Polar better than the Garmin in this bull’s eyes:

  1. May be used as a watch.  One can wear the Polar all throughout the day as a watch.  The Garmin Forerunner 305 may only be used during the activity as battery life is short and, being GPS-based, it does not work indoors.  The 405 may be used as a watch but you have to charge it often.
  2. Longer lifetime.  The Polar has a replaceable battery in it, like regular watches.  The Garmin will eventually die in around 2 years; it’s as disposable as a cellphone unit.
  3. No charging.  Since the Polar is powered by a battery, one doesn’t need to charge it like a Garmin.
  4. Cadence and stride.  Both Garmin and Polar will provide info on time, distance, pace, speed, calories, and heart rate.  But, the Polar can give info on cadence (no more counting my steps!) and stride.
  5. Running Index.  This is a feature that will allow you to track your progress from previously recorded runs.  
  6. Fitness Test.  Once a month, with the click of the Fitness Test button on the Polar, your watch can test your fitness, compare it with previous records, and provide info on your current fitness level. 
  7. Shoe recording.  One can store three different shoe info on the watch.  As long as you note which shoe you used for the run, the Polar will record what shoe you used for the activity.  (No more writing this down on my journal!)
  8. 2 year warranty and local service center.  Majority of local Garmin users purchased their units in the U.S. as I did mine.  I worried over repair should the Garmin conk out.  WIth the Polar, there’s a 2-year warranty (approximately the lifetime of the Garmin) and a service center in Pasig.
  9. Heart rate zone training.  Both the Garmin and Polar allow for use of heart rate monitors.  But, the Polar’s strength is in heart rate monitors while the Garmin in their GPS systems.  For those who want to train efficiently using their heart rate, the Polar is a much better choice.
  10. GPS.  I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the Polar has a GPS option. GPS was the only reason why I bought the Garmin 2 years ago!  
  11. Lighter.  The Polar RS800CX is sleeker, lighter, and less bulky than the Garmin Forerunner 305.  I enjoyed the snug fit around my wrist.
  12. Water resistant.  For runners who swim, like me, water resistancy is important.  The Garmin Forerunner 305 and 405 cannot be used in the pool.  I read that the Garmin 310XT, although water resistant, will only work like a timer during a swim.  The Polar can swim.  I guess that’s why in the local triathlon scene, more triathletes choose Polar over Garmin.

Right now, I see only two downsides to the Polar RS800CX:

  1. GPS as a separate unit.  To use the GPS, one has to purchase the GPS3 separately, which costs around P10,000.  To make it worse, it is quite bulky and it has to be strapped to the arm.
  2. Expensive.  The Polar RS800CX costs P27,000, which excludes the GPS unit.  

I have yet to play around with my new toy this week.  Tomorrow, I’ll run with both the Garmin Forerunner 305 and the Polar RS800CX to check on the Polar’s accuracy.  I’ll let you know how it fares.  Maybe then I’ll decide if I should invite him to stay in our house permanently!

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Posted on 05.16.09 to 04 Gear & Product Reviews. Tags: , , . Subscribe to follow comments on this post. 22 comments. Add your thoughts or trackback from your own site.

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22 Responses to “My New House Guest: Polar RS800CX”

  1. Nice!!! I’ve been drooling over that same model whenever I pass by this sportshop. Ang mahaaaaallll nga lang. =(

    also ms jaymie, i hope you don’t mind putting a link of TBR on my blogspot.

    thanks!!!

    Rod said on May 16 09 at 12:07 PM Reply

  2. Thanks. You just made me feel good about mine after being surrounded by Garmin users all this time. But it really is a good gadget. And it really looks cool. hahaha

    It’s also pretty accurate with its distance readings (reads the same as my car’s km readings). Pace and speed are exactly the same as Joar’s Garmin whenever we compare during our runs. Just make sure you calibrate it properly preferably in a track oval.

    Enjoy. Tell Polar to give it na to you!!!

    TRY-Athlete said on May 16 09 at 4:39 PM Reply

    • Jamike, your last sentence should’ve been ALL CAPS para madaling makita hahaha.

      Great to know it’s accurate. That was my main concern.

      Oh no, I completely forgot about calibrating mine. I’m planning to use it at tomorrow’s race!

      thebullrunner said on May 16 09 at 5:52 PM Reply

  3. will you swim with it? hahahaha. dad’s polar has braved family swimming excursions and a bathtub mishap. ;)

    marga said on May 16 09 at 7:58 PM Reply

  4. I second the Polar warranty, bought my Polar from the U.S. and was attended to locally. You might have to cite to the attending staff (some are not aware) though that Polar has this warranty.

    Just make sure you rinse your HRM straps after workouts with water or you might end up replacing these much earlier that it’s expected lifespan.

    Enjoy the Polars Biofeedback!!!

    Idnod said on May 17 09 at 7:21 AM Reply

  5. maganda ang 800cx miss bullrunner… if calibrated correctly, it can be as good as manong garmin….

    mukhangguilty said on May 17 09 at 3:25 PM Reply

  6. I first heard about 800cx from a friend.
    Hope to hear more about it from you after you’ve tried it.
    Now I think Polar has to pay you AND give you the unit for free advertizing… he he.. :-)
    P. S. Hope it’s ok to link your site.

    Alfred / El Kyoshi said on May 18 09 at 10:13 AM Reply

  7. Hi Jaymee,

    Looks like you’ll be swooping a Polar soon. I am using a Polar 625X and GF305 alternately.

    I’ll be waiting for your evaluation posting. I am thinking of selling my 2 years seldom used Polar 625X and settle to a Polar RS series with GPS….

    Have a great day…

    Mhel

    Mhel De Leon said on May 18 09 at 2:38 PM Reply

  8. hi jaymie! nice polar…been struggling with the thought of buying a garmin vs. polar. looking forward to your post.

    polar has a fantastic service office here in manila. you can take it to any toby’s store and they will send it to the office in pasig.

    thanks and looking forward to how your new house guest rates this week!

    weennee

    weennee sambrano-lagdameo said on May 18 09 at 3:17 PM Reply

  9. I just made inquiries with garmin support, the guy said that in the event your F305 conks out, they”ll be happy to replace the item with an overhauled unit at a cost of 79 USD.

    A fair shake!

    mikey said on May 19 09 at 7:26 AM Reply

  10. Hi Jaymie,

    Good timing for Polar test. I’ve been thinking which training gadget I will buy. Garmin, Polar or Suunto. I even print the features of different Polar watches and compare it to garmin. Still, I haven’t decided which watch will I buy. Your review will help me decide what to buy :)

    FlyingBoar

    Carina said on May 19 09 at 9:30 PM Reply

  11. Like others, I have been struggling with the very same question. Polar RS800cx run or garmin. As a HR junkie I am thinking polar but look forward to your update and comments.

    dave said on May 20 09 at 7:52 PM Reply

    • Go polar! I wanted the RS800 as well but I settled for the the RS400sd because it was cheaper, around 350$ online, almost half the pricre. Never regreted the purchase. I think the footpod is better suited for running than the GPS and it can be used indoors. I’ve tried the Garmin and sometimes had problems getting signal.

      Oliver said on May 23 09 at 1:28 AM Reply

  12. I’ve had my Garmin 305 for about 4 years now. It still works fine, actually better than when I got it with the software update they had a couple years ago.

    I love the GPS and will get the 310xt over the Polar because I don’t like the idea of the separate GPS unit, and damn it is expensive. The cadence/stride feature is pretty cool, but not enough.

    Has anyone compared the accuracy of the heart rate monitors on both? My Garmin 305 seems to be pretty accurate. And I guess the new Garmin 310xt is going to have a more comfortable strap, although I haven’t minded their current one.

    josh said on May 28 09 at 6:04 PM Reply

  13. Hows the test going? I’m leaning towards the Polar, however would like to hear your thoughts on Polar vs. Garmin.

    dave said on Jun 17 09 at 8:25 PM Reply

  14. I just bought a 310XT and will retire my RS800CX. I have always bought Polar in the past as I live near Polar America. I figured if there is a problem I could easily get it fixed there. Unfortunately I’ve had it repaired at least 5 times and I am tired of bringing it back to Polar America.

    Unfortunately, what finally did it for me is that their GPS unit is so terrible. (I have the G3 unit. The G5 unit is smaller and is said to be compatible to the RS800). Besides being a separate unit which is large and bulky, it sometimes refused to sync to the satellites. Even when it was synced it would repeatedly send me “zero” speed readings. This is after returning it to Polar America twice for repair. I always replaced the battery whenever I went for a ride or a run. This is particularly disturbing as it means that the importer does not know how to test the GPS unit for proper functioning.

    RS800CX Pluses:
    Built in fitness tests and calibration.
    Watch battery lasts ~ 2 years. This device can double as a watch for casual use. I will miss that after I sell the RS800CX.
    Protrainer software is better than Garmin Training Center. Right now I like the Polar desktop software better as I am more familiar with it. I believe that most Garmin users are utilizing third party software like training peaks etc.
    I happen to like their soft strap better. (I mean the strap itself , not the sensor which is not compatible as Polar and Garmin use different systems. And guess what? The soft strap works with the Garmin Sensor.)

    RS800CX Minus–
    Can’t connect a power meter. This is a big deal for some triathletes. My Tri coach demands that his students get a power meter for their bikes.
    No Mac version of the software. When I traveled with the RS800CX I installed Windows XP via boot camp on my Mac book pro just so I could upload the data.
    GPS issues (see above!). I could go on and on about this. The 310XT provides some visual feedback about syncing up to the satellites just like my old Garmin GPS V did. The RS800CX just has a couple of blinking LEDs.
    The RS800CX watch crystal is incredibly soft and fragile! If you just bought one , put the HRM in a plastic bag, wrap it in soft tissue and order a Zagg invisibleshield for it. I finally had Polar America replace outer case as I had problems seeing through the scratches.
    Finnish Software makes me cry! Think Nokia vs iPhone. It took me much too long to traipse through the menus to learn the HRM. One example is that they have a “Features” selection that exists in different places and mean different things!

    Dave Ruedeman said on Aug 10 11 at 4:00 AM Reply

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