( 78 reviews )
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Posted: Aug 10 2009
This is my first HRM and I purchased it based on name repuation, price, and reviews. So far, so good, but the instructions are so vague and I cannot enter my weight for accurate calorie burning readings. HELP!!! I have an email into Timex..hope I get a response soon.
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Posted: Aug 9 2009
I bought the Timex T5G971 after going through 3 fancier Polar monitors. I decided to switch because (1) the second and third monitors developed water leaks into the watch long before I thought they should and (2) Polar did not respond to my complaint. I also found that the necessity of sending it back to Polar for battery changes was somewhat burdensome, although the turn around time was pretty brief. I chose the T5G971 because it was recommended by Consumer Reports and the majority of online reviews were good. My biggest problem with the monitor is that I cannot find a way of entering my weight so that it can more accurately calculate the calories. The manual does not specifically address how to do this, just saying it is done in "set up". I've scrolled through the entire set up menu (setting time of day, day of week, date, upper and lower range for desired heart rate, chime preferences without problem) and no where does it provide a place to enter weight. I've tried toggling the other buttons in a variety of ways, but have not accidently toggled onto the weight setting place. I searched the Timex website for directions without any luck. I can only conclude that somehow the ability to set the weight was left off of my watch. Am I wrong? On the other hand, the monitor functions well as described. It picks up the heart beat promptly at the beginning and doesn't drop it. As a bonus, the chest strap can also transmit to the Polar cardio machines that I use at the gym. (Note that if you use saliva as the wetting agent for the sensor pads, it works better; saliva has the electrolytes similar to those seen in sweat which transmit the electrical impulse better, and you don't have to work up a good sweat to initiate a good contact.) At the end of the exercise period, recall can scroll through the exercise time, time spent in your zone, calories, average heart rate, maximum heart rate and (if you checked it) recovery time, all very accurately except for the calories. My rating was also downgraded because of inadequate information in the manual. Not only did it not specifically describe how to set the calories, but it did not say exactly where the sensor pads (which you have to wet)are located. They are on the chest piece, on either side of the logo area. I wet the entire piece from the logo area to the area where the piece attaches to the chest strap with saliva and get excellent readings for the entire workout (elliptical trainer, bicycle, weights). Some people complained that the battery did not last. My Polar manual said that the chest piece should be rinsed and dried after every workout, for as long as it sees electrolytes, it will continue to try and transmit signals, thus running down the battery long after you've quit your workout. I think that I should have also been rinsing the watch as well, because I frequently used the Polar monitor in salt water and at the beach, and suspect that salt and sand particles may have prematurely damaged the seal to my 2nd to Polar units.
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Posted: Jul 21 2009
I love this heart rate monitor. It is reliable, the watch is comfortable, easy to read and easy to use. When working out on a stationary bike, treadmill or elliptical trainer, the machines easily read the hr accurately. I have had to switch to a Polar because of an online fitness-tracking plan at my health club, otherwise I would gladly stick with this watch. This is a great watch for anybody who just wants to track hr, calories, etc. I would definitely recommend this or buy it as a gift. A great basic monitor.
