Polar S625X Heart Rate Monitor

Polar S625X Heart Rate Monitor

The Polar S625X heart rate monitor is an advanced level heart rate monitor for runners and cyclists in the Polar S series. The S625X is based on the S610i but with a number of additional features. It comes with the Polar S1 Foot Pod for running speed and distance measurements. In addition it supports the use of optional cycling sensors to measure cycling speed, distance, cadence and power.

Polar S1 Foot Pod

The main features of the Polar S625X heart rate monitor are:

Continuous heart rate monitoring
Aged based maximum heart rate calculation
Polar Fitness Test: It gives OwnIndex and predicts maximum heart rate.
Polar OwnOptimizer: This test helps to optimize training load to prevent under or overtraining.
You can measure speed and distance while running using the Polar S1 Foot Pod, which is attached to your running shoe.
Temperature, altitude, ascent measurements
Record your heart rate in 2 ways: Basic Use or Exercise Set.
Basic Use: You exercise without any settings.
Exercise Set: Choose between Basic Set and Interval Training Set. You can preset up to 5 Exercise Sets.
Basic Set: You can set up to 3 heart rate (or pace-based) training zones and up to 3 consecutive timers and a recovery calculation.
Interval Training Set: This consists of a warm up phase, followed by up to 30 repeating interval (and recovery) phases, and finally by a cool down phase. You can choose 4 types of interval types: time-based interval, heart-rate-based interval, manual or distance-based interval. You can also program a time-based, heart-rate-based or distance-based recovery calculation at the end of an interval.
Heart rate zone alarm can be turned on or off.
OwnCal calorie counter
Record lap and split time up to a max of 99 laps.
Automatic lap recording: Polar S625X heart rate monitor can record laps at set distances (e.g. every mile) when you use the foot pod or cycling speed sensor.
Stop watch
Real time information display: Current heart rate, average heart rate, heart rate as % of Max HR, stop watch, time of day, split and lap times, lap number, calorie count, memory left, recording rate, speed, pace, pace difference, distance, altitude, ascent, temperature and the following cycling information if appropriate sensors are used: cadence (*), output power (**), left right pedaling balance (**), pedaling index (**)
It can record heart rate at 3 sampling rates: 5 seconds, 15 seconds and 60 seconds. The total recording time is dependent on whether features like speed, cadence or power etc are switched on.
99 complete file: Date and time of exercise, duration, average and maximum heart rates, recovery value, distance, pace, speed, cadence (*), altitude, temperature, ascent, output power (**), pedaling index (**), left right pedaling balance (**), limits of target heart rate zones, time in, above, below target heart rate zones, calories burnt, cumulative calories burnt, cumulative exercise time, cumulative running/riding time, total distance , detailed interval training information, detailed lap information.
Samples file allows you to recall all the recorded heart rate samples, with each sample showing the heart rate and the time when the sample was taken, plus the following detailed information: stopwatch, speed, cadence (*), altitude, power (**), left right pedalling balance (**), pedalling index (**).
Records file keeps cumulative information across several sessions including calorie expenditure and various pieces of time and distance data. It also records various maximum data: max speed, max cadence (*), max altitude, and max power (**).
Basic time keeping: Time, date, alarm, two time zones
Backlight
Water resistant up to 30m
Polar UpLink to transfer data from a PC to the Polar S625X heart rate monitor. Requires a Windows PC with a sound card and loudspeakers or headphones.
Polar WearLink coded transmitter
PC communication via infrared technology. This requires a PC with a IrDA port. If it doesn't, then an optional Polar IR Interface for USB (or RS 232) port is required. The IR technology can perform both download and upload.
Polar Precision Performance Software (PPPS) : Use it for detailed analysis of downloaded training data (complete file). It can also be used to prepare settings which are then uploaded to the wrist watch receiver. Some special settings include 7 alarm sound reminders, 3 display alternatives when Heart Touch is activated and options lock (which locks your options while you are exercising and can only be unlocked using the PPPS).
The following sensors are optional: Polar speed sensor, Polar cadence sensor, Polar power output sensor

Note 1: * = only if optional Polar Cadence Sensor is fitted
Note 2: ** = only if optional Polar Power Output Sensor is fitted
Note 3: The additional S625X features over those of S610i are denoted in bold above.

Summary

The Polar S625X heart rate monitor is an advanced heart rate monitor that will be of great use to runners, cyclists and triathletes. The Polar S1 Foot Pod gives it running speed and distance capabilities. For cyclists there are a range of sensors available: Polar Speed Sensor, Polar Cadence Sensor, Polar Power Output Sensor. These cycling sensors are optional extras and not included by default. They add a lot of advanced cycling functionalities to the Polar S625X heart rate monitor.