Which Unit : Polar vs Garmin

[BIKEJOHN]

Any one with an "informed" opinion & please explain why! What's really the better unit for MTB & Road - Polar 725X or Garmin 705

[Sammajoor]

 

Any one with an "informed" opinion & please explain why! What's really the better unit for MTB & Road - Polar 725X or Garmin 705

 

BJ  while you are new here are a few others to try

 

Raleigh vs Cannondale

 

Campy vs Shimano.

 

Hardtail or dual susser

 

O  and welcome to the hub

 

To answer your question it is different strokes for different folks

 

hope that answers it for you

 

[Bakkie]

That was the best answer ever!!!!

 

I have a 725x and sometimes wish I had a Garmin. Here are some reasons I'm happy I have a Polar and not Garmin:

 

My battery never dies during a ride.

Garmin owners have to charge the unit before every ride

My Polar isn't limited to mountain biking. I use it for gym, spinning and running

 

I love gadgets so I wish I could have one of each. I would like to have a garmin for my MTB and use the polar for everyday use and gym. I just want the garmin to download the rides in google earth.

Bakkie2008-08-02 11:29:26

[IanJ]

Bakkie I have had a Polar 725 and now have the Edge 305.

 

The 305 battery lasts for at least 6-8 hours so it won't die during most rides, last year I did the Etape du Tour in 9:50 and recorded the whole race.

 

I normally charge it twice a week so it is not true that you have to charge before every ride.

 

The big benefit is the GPS and creating a track log which makes analysis of your ride so much easier especially with something like SportTracks which is free software. With the Garmin not needing sensors etc it takes a few seconds to swap from road to MTB and no changes in settings. I have also found the Garmin HR strap to be less fussy i.e. you just put it on and it works without wetting it or anything.

 

 

The main benefits of the Polar would be flexibility, i.e. wearing it to gym (as you said) and I think the Polar is probably a bit more reliable.

 

Service I have experienced from both distributors has been equally good and excellent.

 

[siggie]

I have both the Polar 725X and Garmin 305 and I enjoy them both equally. The Polar 725X has better software but you can do more with the Garmin. I ride with both units on my mountian and road bikes.You can do much more with the Polar software than the Garmin Training Centre Software. I use the Garmin mostly for races and training where i use the courses from previous races and race the virtual partner and try and improve my time. I also enjoy checking the routes on Google Earth.

 

The Garmin came in handy today at the Stellenbosch MTB ride as I could check how for it was to the top of some of those hills.

[Bakkie]

Yip like I said I won't mind a garmin but can't part with my polar.... swapping bikes with the garmin is efffordless and I forget sometimes to switch the polar settings to bike 1 and 2.

I also want a garmin...but won't swop my polar for one... 

 

Siggie you mus try SportsTracks like 1J said. It's awesome one of the guys a t work downloaded it and hasn't looked back since.  

[DawieO]

Got both, love both.

 

Garmin you don't have any other sensors to hook up (unless you add the cadence sensor or an ANT+ power meter...) and swap between bikes is a no-brainer.

 

Garmin Training software is horrible, but once you start downloading your tracks onto GoogleEarth you'll be hooked!

 

Polar software is better, and the watch never dies.

 

Service from both vendors is fantastic.

 

 

But then there is the PRICE of the 705, OUCH!

[Minion]

I have both a Polar S725 (not X) and an Edge 705. They both possess the basic

functions of speed, cadence, altitude and HR measurement. Below are

some of my thoughts on the units (in no particular order of importance):

 

Heart rate - the Garmin HR sensor is detected immediately, but I find it a bit uncomfortable. The Polar Wearlink sensor is very comfortable, but can have trouble detecting HR, particularly after it's been washed. You can get around this by not washing it (), using a conductive gel, or dipping it in salt water solution before the first ride, or two, after washing it. Thereafter normal water does the job until the next wash.

 

 

Temperature - the Polar measures temperature on every lap (as part of

the altitude measurement). The Garmin also has a barometric altimeter,

so might be able to do this with a firmware upgrade.

 

 

 

Altitude - the altimeter on the Polar is affected by the weather, so

you need to set the starting altitude at the beginning of every ride

(I'm interested in altitude change only, so I don't bother. You can

also correct the altitude in the software). The Garmin's GPS altitude can vary with satellite signal. It corrects this by using a barometric altimeter that is calibrated by the satellite signal.

 

 

 

Speed/Distance - The Polar speed/distance sensor is pretty much as accurate as the value you enter for the wheel circumference. The Garmin (without cadence sensor) speed and distance is dependent on satellite signal and can drop off completely in some places. Adding the additional cadence sensor allows it to calculate speed and distance the same way as the Polar. The sensor overides the satellite signal and allows it to be used indoors too. The sensor automatically calibrates itself for the wheel circumference (firmware 2.2 broke this feature; 2.3, released last week, fixed it again).

 

 

Sensor location - The Polar can be sensitive about sensor location, especially if you want to put the speed sensor on the rear wheel (to use with an IDT). On my old aluminium bike, both sensors were detected perfectly. On my new carbon bike, the cadence sensor works in one position and orienation only and the speed sensor works only on the front fork. Modifying them to increase the range didn't help. The Garmin speed/cadence sensor has a 3m range, so mounting it on the rear wheel is no problem; since both sensor pickups are mounted in a single unit, you can put it only on your left, rear chainstay. I dont't see that as a problem, but you never know.

 

 

Accessories - The Polar S725X can be used with a power unit that some claim to have had problems with. It is also can be used with the Polar footpod. The Edge uses the ANT+ communication standard, so could, theoretically, be compatible with any other device using this communication method. There are already a number of power meters compatible with the Edge.

 

 

Software - Polar software, good. Garmin Training Centre, bad. Both can be used with the excellent, free, Sport Tracks software and the not free TrainingPeaks software. The Polar software is much better for analysing your training data and presenting summaries of HR zones etc. The Garmin software allows you to overlay your ride routes on the detailed Garmap Streetmaps, or any other Garmin map you may possess. You can also export your session to Google Earth or Motionbased. The Garmin is compatible with Garmin Mapsource software (see Navigation).

 

 

Training Sessions - The Garmin wins this hands down.The Polar allows you to set five custom training sessions that can be time- or distance-based intervals or non-interval sessions, all of which can use custom HR limits. You are, however, limited to one interval type per session i.e. go for 20min at 95% - 105% threshold HR and repeat once.

The Garmin supports many more sessions and seems almost limitless in their scope. You can create a session with any combination of time, distance, HR based intervals with different speed, HR or cadence limits in each one. The Training Center software provides an easy wizard for setting up these sessions.

 

 

Battery - The claimed battery life for the 705 is 15 hours and it can be recharged from a wall socket, car lighter socket or PC and should be compatible with 3rd-party solar powered chargers (it's an almost trivial exercise to find at least one of these four before riding again). My Polar battery lasted over two years before I had to take it in for a replacement.

 

Recording intervals - The Polar can be set to record data points every 5,15 or 60s. The choice affects the storage capacity as well as the validity of the data for some applications - 5s intervals are, apparently, too large to adequately indicate peak power outputs. The Garmin can be set to 1s intervals or Intelligent Recording, where it records a datapoint only when it detects a change in one of the measured variables such as HR, speed, cadence. Intelligent Recording uses less storage, but I haven't turned it on, since I don't think storage capacity will be a problem (see below)

 

 

Storage - The Garmin can take additional microSD cards and has (I think) 256MB of onboard memory. It averages at about 1MB per hour of riding. It's storage is thus virtually limitless. The Polar's storage is limited by the sample interval amd accesories used. With a 5s interval and HR, Speed, Cadence and altitude, it will last for about 8 hours before you have to download it to a PC (not always easy to find before the next ride). This storage limitation, I think, outweighs the Garmin's battery limitations.

 

 

Navigation - The 705 has navigation capabilites with detailed streetmaps (included with SA units are the same maps as those included with car GPSes such as the Nuvi). You can create routes, waypoints and Points of Interest in Mapsource and upload them to the Edge. You can also upload custom routes and POIs from the 'net. NOTE: the Edge does not really work as a unit for navigation in a car. The screen is too small and the controls not suited to car navigation - the Nuvi series is significantly better at this.

 

 

Display - both Polar and Garmin displays are visible in bright light. When viewed through polarised lenses, the Polar is slightly blotchy , but not enough to make it unreadable; the Garmin is completely blank if viewed side-on (this just means your polarised riding buddy can't look across at your screen). The Garmin's screen large and is completely customiseable. You can scroll through two custom screens of ride data, the map screen and a screen that displays the elevation profile of your ride so far. The smaller Polar screen always shows HR and has two other fields that can scroll between speed, cadence, time etc.

 

 

Buttons - the buttons on both units can be operated while wearing winter gloves. The joystick on the Garmin makes it easy to switch between screens on-the-fly.

 

Updates - Garmin releases user-installable firmware updates for the Edge that correct problems (and sometimes add new ones) and allow additional features to be added (provided the hardware supports them). The Polar may have firmware updates, but they need to be installed by the Polar dealers. On the other hand, I've never encountered a problem with the Polar that would need a firmware update.

 

 

 

Multisport - the Polar can be used off the bike, in the gym etc. The 725X also has the option of using the Polar footpod for running.

 

Price/Value - A new Edge 705 goes for R6200. A new S725X for about R3400. You do get R2800 worth of additional functionality/features with the Edge so, valuewise, I think they're pretty much the same.

 

[Spaceboy]

That was one helluva report/comparison Edman.

 

I have a 725x, and it does the job for me, but I think sooner rather than later a Edge 705 will be in the mix as well.

 

Cheers.

[Racer X]

The polar, its cheaper

[turtlek]

personal preferance dude go for the one that you think is the better option both are great units but while you at it why dont you throw suunto into the mix also a great product

[Bateleur1]

I would like to revive this thread.  As you can see it is fairly old as is all other threads I can find on Garmin and Polar.  I am still using my trusty old Polar S725X but the writing is on the wall that the Polar might not be functioning so well in the not too distant future.

 

I am a disappointed with Polar who will not release and updated IRDa driver for the Polar devices on Windows10.  Although I won't be buying soon I would like to start investigating which product will be replacing my 725 when it retires.  

 

What are your thoughts?

[the nerd]

The polar software sucks. 

 

The garmin software is better. 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I would like to revive this thread.  As you can see it is fairly old as is all other threads I can find on Garmin and Polar.  I am still using my trusty old Polar S725X but the writing is on the wall that the Polar might not be functioning so well in the not too distant future.

 

I am a disappointed with Polar who will not release and updated IRDa driver for the Polar devices on Windows10.  Although I won't be buying soon I would like to start investigating which product will be replacing my 725 when it retires.  

 

What are your thoughts?

Multisport or single use?

 

If multi - the Fenix or 930 get my vote. If single - then one of the Edge units.

 

I'm a Garmin fan, always have been. I think (personally) they give much more complete units, and Garmin Connect is a lekker tool.

[ZakAttak]

I second Myles... I had a Sigma Rox before and I know this thread is not even closely discussing, Sigma, but when I changed to the Garmin Edge unit, it was by far better than the Sigma... I wouldn't change to anything else... Garmin FTW

[PhilipV]

I very impressed with my wife's Polar m400. Much better device than my Garmin fr15.

And I don't like the Garmin connect interface at all.

I am however very impressed with the Garmin support though.