Polar H7 Bluetooth 4.0 Heart Rate Sensor Set

I bought this to replace my Zephyr HxM and I chose this model for 3 reasons. Firstly it's Polar, which is a long standing brand with a reputation for making top of the range heart rate monitors. Secondly, it supports Bluetooth 4.0. For those who don't know Bluetooth 4.0 is the low power version of Bluetooth, this means the heart rate monitor will go much longer on a single battery than a standard Bluetooth heart rate monitor. More importantly (for me anyway) it also means it is less of a drain on your phone battery while you are working out - important for those long runs when every battery % counts! Finally rather than being rechargeable this uses a single CR2025 button type battery. My previous heart rate monitor came with a proprietary charging lead which I could never find when I needed it, with this one I can swap the battery out in seconds. No charging connectors and a sealed battery compartment means this is also waterproof so you can use it while swimming, assuming you have a waterproof phone. An added bonus which I wasn't aware of when I ordered mine is that it also supports "gym link" so if your gym has compatible cardio equipment then all the machines will display your heart rate without you having to grip the handles on the machine. Tried it at my gym and it works like magic, you start running/peddling/cross training or whatever and your heart rate is detected in a couple of seconds. You don't have to set it up or anything. Battery life is good, I always unclip one side of the unit from the belt when I'm not using it and I've been on the original battery for months with regular use. Accuracy seems to be spot on with no spurious readings or drop outs during your workout. Comparing workouts I've done using this one and using my old Zephyr this one is much more reliable. Overall very happy, would buy again. Two screenshots attached. One shows the consistent readings from the Polar, the other shows the drop outs I used to get with my old heart rate monitor.

For my exercise needs, this is way better than getting a Polar watch. I had a Polar watch for many years, until I lost it. It was expensive and I was reluctant to replace it. So, I then tried Garmin and some other cheaper varieties. They told my HR, but I had always liked the different programmes in the Polar. The heart health tests and so forth. I really didn't want to spend money on another Polar watch. The ones with the features were expensive and I hate the look of sports watches. I wouldn't wear it apart from exercising and it's just not my style. That said, I came across this product and it suits my needs 100%. The app is easy to use and it has all the features on the watch that I like. It connects to a polar website, which is less cool than it sounds. I don't use that very much (at all). Never mind that, the app is fully functional and occasionally updated. You can buy a few extra features on the app, which is an annoying concept, but it's only 12 pounds or so for all of them combined. These features allow for different pre-set regiments. I bought them all to try them, but I don't really use them apart from this real-time cardio v fat burning timer. I don't think you get that if you don't do the in-app purchase. It runs well without any extra costs and it does what it says it does. It keeps track of your HR. It seems to respond to my changes much quicker than the FitBit HR. It also broadcasts the rate to supported exercise machines. It's a strong broadcast as well, because when I'm on the elliptical the surrounding machines display my rate as well. That brings the question as to how would two in the same room perform? Would they get confused? The answer to that is no. I tried this with someone else and their H7 sensor. Mine was broadcasting to the surrounding machines, but the moment they got on a machine next to me, the machine displayed their rate and mine displayed mine. So, no problem if you've an exercise partner with the same kit.

I've been using this for a month or so with an Android HTC One and the Endomondo training app. It's a great piece of kit, easy to setup and works well. I can't 100% verify it's accuracy, but the resting heart rates it reports are comparable to the occasions I have timed my pulse. It allows me to train at a comfortable heart rate and push harder when needed. Overall I'm very happy with it. It can sometimes take a little while to connect to my phone/app - but that could be the fault of the phone/app itself. Turning bluetooth on and off normally sorts it out if it's taking a while. Just remember you need to be wearing the heart rate monitor for it to connect to your device. The strap needs to be readjusted before each run as it has a tendency to loosen off over time which may be a problem on a long run (1hr+) but it's a cheap way to try a heart rate monitor for people who are just starting out. I've found it very helpful and offers a real insight into my improvements as my fitness increases. I think if I continue with my training for another 6-12 months then I may upgrade to the type where you get a watch as it can be a bit of a pain to keep looking at your phone to get your data but this is £45 vs £245 of a wrist worn HRM. All in all, a good product.

I have had this for a few months now. I used to have one bought from a budget supermarket. This one is comfortable and has a fabric belt strap which fits my 50 inch chest. it feels secure and does not tend to ride down. I have worn it all day before now and it is barely noticeable. I like the fact that it is low power as I don't like the idea of radio waves being sent into my body. Yet it connects easily to most of the gym equipment I have used, my iPhones etc. The app Polar Beat is not that great, but it is free. However the H7 is compatible with Apple Health and also Wahoo app which is a competitor maker of heart rate monitors. I have bench tested the H7 against optical HRM, a manual pulse rate and the onboard equipment on a treadmill and they all broadly agree. I like to use this to see progress. I maintain a certain heart rate and have noticed that as my fitness increases I need to put in more work to reach that heart rate goal. This is more informative than simply putting the gym equipment on a speed and going. It also helps with interval training . I am an 18 stone man and this is working for me. The battery has lasted well so far. Good kit.

I had a much older Polar FT1 watch/training computer with a sealed one piece coded heart rate sensor/chest band. After many years of service it finally decided it had, had enough. I needed a decent and reliable replacement, my last Polar watch and sensor did so well I immediately looked Polar up again and found the H7 at a reasonable price. The new H7 instantly paired with all of my Bluetooth tablets and phone, and it works perfectly with the original Polar Beat app as well. (I think there may now be a better updated app available from Polar too but I haven't tested that one as yet). The H7 heart rate sensor matches up with other sensors I have so it seems to be consistent and very accurate (next time I'm​ at the hospital for a blood pressure test I'll wear it to compare to hospital calibrated equipment too). It is a little bulky on the chest but it's not annoying, (especially in comparison to the older thinner sensor/chest strap I had before this), it can instantly be popped off the actual strap without needing to remove the strap too. The battery can be easily changed by the user with this H7 as well, (my older one had to be sent back to Polar or buy a new coded sensor/chest strap). I ordered the version with the XXL strap, it fits comfortably with a very small amount of adjustment left spare. I'm far from the largest guy around (roughly 44" chest), much more than 46" and it'd be a pretty tight fit!! Certainly happy with this H7 but I will need to get used to using it with the Polar app on a tablet or phone instead of a watch, for what I need it for that's just fine however. Would happily recommend and rate 5/5.

Update: Jan 2017 This stopped working with bluetooth devices after a battery change. Felt I had got good four years out of it, was about to order a new one. However, sense prevailed, I googled and there were two tips to reset the Polar H7. (The first one worked for me and unit is back up. 1) To factory reset the H7 so that it can re-pair with your phone properly take out the battery and take a paperclip to short the two battery tabs on the unit for 1-2 seconds. One tab is the copper colored center one and one is a very small silver one on the side. Simply take a paper clip and short these two for a couple of seconds, replace your battery and voilà — it will show up again to pair with your phone. 2) remove battery, close the battery compartment and and clip it on to the belt, without the battery. Put sensor on and wear for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Reinsert the battery, It will work. I have been using the belt since 2012, works very well. I use it with the Runtastic Pro App on iPhone 5. I managed to set it up in minutes first time and have no issues when using it. The App picks up the pulse immediately do not have to wet the belt.All the equipment in the picks up the pulse straight away. Never let me down. Battery lasts a long time and easy to change. I was sad when my 15 year old HearTalker that cost me US$25.00 was very simple, got audio feed back of the pulse in the headphones)broke down, however, this more than replaces it. What you get out of it dependes on how you use the App... some very good ones there, I would recommend Runtastic pro.

POLAR WATCH & ANALOGUE USE: The Polar H7 sensor allows me to sync to my Polar watch and record my information on the analogue system. I go to the Polar website and easily download my workout info and it stores it all there allowing me to look at the basic stats. It also syncs with many gym tread machines, such as Technogym and sends your heart rate info there. BLUETOOTH USE - The added feature (that i got it for) is it has a Bluetooth sensor which also allows me to sync it to my iphone and record data onto the Polar app (free to download). The latter gives a very basic breakdown of your stats immediately and no need to go home and download the information. (time, date, dur of exercise, calories burned, average heart rate and highest heart rate. It also shows heart rate on a graph for the duration of your activity) Still very a good level of info. Polar wants you to buy upgrades in the app to get more detailed breakdowns - 4 upgrades all at £1.99-2.50 each. 1. set specific training targets 2. see the effect of your workout in real time 3. measure your fitness in 5 minutes 4. see how your running performance is developing) But the entry level information the free app offers is more than enough to begin with. FIT & FEEL A very nice, comfortable and adjustable strap for all sizes. Easily put on and taken off. Easy to wash and maintain. Note - The H6 version is Bluetooth only, syncs with the iphone app and doesn't have the analogue capability. So if you have a Polar watch, you won't be able to use it with the H6.

I have used this bluetooth heart rate monitor for the last 3 weeks or so, I have it connected to 2 apps, the polar mobile app and 'map my fitness' on my android phone (Sony Xperia Z1 Compact). On 2 occasions I have had to remove the flat coin battery to reset the unit as it wasn't displaying my heart rate in either app. Once this is done it is fairly quick to re-establish communication however not something that was ever necessary or even possible in my old coded heart rate monitor, so a little annoying especially when you are all ready for your workout and nothing happens. That's were the first star is docked. Hopefully this is something that will not happen too regularly but if it does I may need to look at a warranty replacement. This leads to the next snag and the reason for the three start, compared to the old style heart rate monitor strap the fastening mechanism is a nightmare and very fiddly, it takes a while to get used to due to the fact that it is a very thin loop of material that you pass a hook through to secure the strap. Why polar could not have used there original design I'll never know, this makes the strap seem cheap and poor quality. As the HR monitor is detachable from the strap this may be a ploy to get you to buy s deluxe strap as an aftermarket item, I haven't seen these for sale yet but watch this space! All in all though I much prefer the new system and the amount of data that is now processable on a mobile phone app compared to reading it on a watch screen like I have done for years. This option is a lot more affordable than purchasing a new watch (which was what I was looking to do when I purchased this) as most people have a modern mobile phone which supports bluetooth LE (4.0) and it is normally something that is carried on a workout. The readings seem accurate when compared with my blood pressure monitor and also with the withings smart body analyser. Calories burn seem to be estimated much higher in the polar app compared to 'map my fitness' but this may be due to differing calculation methods. I paid the £5 or so for the premium polar app feature as I like to see the HR zones live, not essential but depends on what your goal is. Some further integration from the app with services like 'my fitness pal' would be good and also withings to bring everything under one roof, polar seem to be a little slow on the uptake with partnerships. All in all a good product, much better than the old style watch system. Maybe 5 stars with a new strap design and a software update to negate the need to take the battery out!!

I first started using a Polar coded wearlink coded HR sensor along with Polar's RS100 HR monitor after reading Chris Cowley's "Younger Next Year". Since then, I've benefited from using this combo. Recently I read about the H7 device that could pair with my smart phone, while also providing data to the RS100 and decided to buy it. I am very happy with my decision to buy the Polar H7 Bluetooth HR sensor. It feeds in data to the Polar Beat app running on my iPhone 5. The Polar Beat app has a bunch of options (you have to upgrade / pay for to use some of these functions) that allows one to train for a benefit target. The app shows the route taken and also the amount of calories burnt. The new strap that ships with the HR monitor is much improved over the earlier one - it needs to be moistened very lightly to create contact with the skin. One can export the exercise data to the HealthKit app via the RunGap app (available from the iTunes store). The Polar H7 HR Monitor also works with the Adidas MiCoach app (http://micoach.adidas.com/), which is great because that app has videos of stretches and graded plans for running and many other fitness activities. All in all, a great product to have.

This is just a quick heads up for new buyers; I'll review the product in more detail as I use it. The instructions that come with the sensor are terrible. There's basically a description on how to put the strap/sensor on, but not really anything about pairing to Bluetooth. There are no pairing buttons or switches, the bluetooth and pairing start when you attach the sensor to the strap which contains the electrodes. There are no LED's to tell you that you are paired or in pairing mode. In order to pair you need three things which the instructions, in a sense, tell you. However, the instructions make it seem as if these steps are used to wear and use the sensor, not that it is necessary to follow the steps for pairing. In short, you must: 1) Wet the electrodes (which is the plasticized part on the strap, although the illustration makes it appear that you wet the strap) 2) Place the strap on your chest! This is required because it helps the electrodes to connect, I suppose. Or maybe it needs to receive a heartbeat. In any case, in order to pair, the strap must be on your chest and 3) you need to attach the sensor to the strap (which should be obvious). My Samsung Galaxy 7 (Android) would not find the sensor after a scan until I first installed the Polar Beat app (free) on the phone. I had to use the Polar Beat app to pair the sensor to the phone, it would not pair up using the phone's Bluetooth setting. Once it paired up, pairing with my other app, MapMyRun, was very easy. It would not seem likely that you'd need to wear it in order to pair it, and it would be a lot better if the instructions made that clear. Research on the web also mentioned "keeping it close, like in your front pants pocket". It took me a while to realize that they were talking about the phone, not the sensor. I hope that this helps you in setting up and saving some frustration. One other thing: I have seen reviews where people cannot get the battery cover open without stripping it. Indeed, they say to use a coin to unscrew the cover but since this was designed in Finland, perhaps they are thinking of a Finnish Marrka or Euro coin. In any case, I found that a 1980's era NYC subway token worked fine but that, as others mentioned, a US quarter or nickel would strip the screw slot. So far, with a very light workout, once set up, the sensor seems to work just fine. I compared the results with a hospital quality blood pressure meter and a finger pulse oximeter and the readings all matched, so that part is great. I'll review further as it gets more use. So far, so good. 5 stars with one deducted for poor instructions and lack of a visible pairing indicator. Edit: June 2018 - I've been using this at least 5 hours a week for about 18 months now. I have changed the battery just once in that time; I imagine I'll probably replace it again in another month or two. The strap is washed every time I wear it (I just take it into the shower with me after I run) and it's starting to fray a bit, but will likely last quite a while longer before I may need to replace it. I am upgrading my review from 4 stars to 5 because, despite the trouble I had setting it up and getting a bad unit, it has worked very well and very consistently. I also deducted 1 star due to the lack of a pairing indicator. While this is true (it would be nice to have a light on the sensor) you can tell if it's paired by checking the app on your phone. As regards the instructions, this has been out long enough now that all you need to do is look online and find reviews such as this one and you'll find help if you're having issues setting it up.

Bei meiner Suche nach einem Pulsgurt den ich mit meinem iPhone 5 verwenden kann bin ich hier bei Amazon auf den "POLAR H7" und den "Wahoo Blue HR" gestoßen. Der POLAR Gurt war zunächst nicht lieferbar weshalb ich mich zuerst für den Wahoo Gurt entschieden habe. Diesen haben ich aber wegen verschiedener Probleme wieder zurück gegeben und bin nun mit dem POLAR H7 sehr zufrieden. NEGATIV: ============ - Der POLAR Gurt wird in einer verschweißten Plastikverpackung geliefert die man nur mit Schere und viel Gezerre öffnen kann. Da macht die wieder verschließbare Box des Wahoo deutlich mehr her und deutlich weniger Arbeit. - Der PLOAR Gurt hat an einem Ende einen Haken der durch eine Schlaufe am anderen Ende geführt werden muss um diesen zu schließen. Das ist kein Beibruch aber unnötig fummelig. Der Wahoo Gurt löst dies deutlich besser indem er den Sensor als Verschluss nutzt. Dort schließt man schnell und bequem zwei Druckknöpfe vor der Brust während man beim POLAR Gurt Haken und Schlaufe an der Seite zufummeln muss. - Beide Gurte sind scheinbar aus dem gleichen Material, den Wahoo Gurt fand ich beim Tragen jedoch etwas bequemer. Der POLAR Gurt hat gelegentlich etwas gescheuert. POSITIV: ================= In Sachen Bedienung und Funktion liegt für mich der POLAR Gurt eindeutig vorne. Das liegt vor allem daran, dass der POLAR Gurt funktioniert. Gurt umlegen, Sensorflächen leicht befeuchten (WICHTIG!), Sender anschließen, App Starten (Polar Beat, Runtastic, RunKeeper, alles kein Problem), koppeln, fertig. Der POLAR Sender wird schnell und zuverlässig erkannt und liefert konstant gute Werte. Der Wahoo Gurt machte hier mehr Probleme. Dieser verlor während des Sports schon einmal die Verbindung oder musste am nächsten Tag komplett neu gestartet werden (Batterie rein/raus) um überhaupt wieder erkannt zu werden. Diese Probleme gab es beim POLAR nicht. Die POLAR eigene App "Polar Beat" macht einen deutlich aufgeräumteren Eindruck als das Gegenstück von Wahoo. Generell verwende ich den Gurt aber nicht mit den Herstellerapps sondern Dritt-Apps wie RunKeeper oder Runtastic. Von diesen wird der Gurt problemlos erkannt. FAZIT: ============ Leichte Abzüge gibt es für den POLAR H7 nur beim Komfort. Funktional ist es aber ein sehr gutes und zuverlässiges Gerät das bei mir bislang tadellos funktioniert. Ich würde 4.5 Sterne geben. Da man nur volle Sterne verteilen kann und die Tendenz klar nach oben geht ist das Ergebnis klar: 5 Sterne von mir. WICHTIG: =================== Ich habe mir Mühe gegeben das Wesentlich zusammen zu fassen. Wenn noch Fragen offen sind beantworte ich diese soweit möglich gerne in den Kommentare. Aber natürlich bin ich kein Support und kann nur aus meiner eigenen Erfahrung berichten :-) War die Rezension hilfreich? Dann würde ich mich über eine entsprechende "JA" Bewertung freuen! Vielen Dank!

Lo uso con mi iPhone 5 y cumple sin problemas. Al principio cuesta un poco emparejar el pulsómetro con apps de terceros y cuando estaba a punto de perder los nervios decidí probar con la app gratuita de Polar que lo detectó al segundo. La app de Polar es algo básica, yo uso iSmoothRun que a mi me gusta mas que RunKeeper. iSmoothRun reconoce el Polar sin problemas y me avisa por los auriculares de los cambios de rango en el pulso cardíaco (¡los cincuentones nos tenemos que cuidar!). Algo interesante en este modelo H7 es que emite en multifrecuencia. Además del bluetooth para los smartphones emite en otra frecuencia que es compatible con los relojes Polar así que si en el futuro adquiero uno de esos relojes puedo usar el pulsómetro con el reloj. Me sorprendió también que los aparatos de cardio del gimnasio (la bici elíptica y la cinta) mostraran los pulsos por la pantalla que medía mi cacharro. Luego supe que esta segunda frecuencia es un estándar y el Polar H7 vale tanto para los smartphones (vía Bluetooth) como para los relojes Polar y los aparatos de cardio (vía la segunda frecuencia). No tengo idea de cuánto dura la pila, van tres semanas y sigo.

GALAXY S5 の健康管理アプリ S Health 3.0 には非対応でした。