The biggest problem is the “wrist unit”, as Polar calls it, and the built-in receiver in particular. The signal sent by the transmitter on the chest strap is received just fine by most types of fitness equipment; yet the F11 is having a good day if it picks the signal up a third of the time. What remains is an ugly wristwatch for $150 — and not a very good watch, either.

A single drop onto a sharp corner will destroy the F11 wrist unit; Polar, probably knowing the utter absence of any sort of robustness, expressly excludes this condition from the warranty.

But even if it is not broken _and_ having a good day, the F11 is loaded with junk. The “OwnZone” feature purporting to determine your optimal exercise intensity? You are better off listening to your breathing. The “FitTest”, claiming to produce a number comparable to your VO2max? Laughable. Even the backlight is ridiculous: You might as well buy a can of black spray paint and give the display a few good coats of paint; just as readable, and henceforth you won’t have to press any buttons.

The transmitter and its chest strap are usable. Well, mostly.

Summing it up, the most obvious relationship between the F11 and your heart rate is that the price and crappiness of the former will raise the latter, even though the contraption won’t be able to measure that.

The best I can say about the Polar F11 is that you don’t have to buy one.

Rating: 2 / 5

The Polar F11 is reputed to be one of the better heart rate monitors. If that is true, I shudder to think what the lesser models must be like.

The biggest problem is the “wrist unit”, as Polar calls it, and the built-in receiver in particular. The signal sent by the transmitter on the chest strap is received just fine by most types of fitness equipment; yet the F11 is having a good day if it picks the signal up a third of the time. What remains is an ugly wristwatch for $150 — and not a very good watch, either.

A single drop onto a sharp corner will destroy the F11 wrist unit; Polar, probably knowing the utter absence of any sort of robustness, expressly excludes this condition from the warranty.

But even if it is not broken _and_ having a good day, the F11 is loaded with junk. The “OwnZone” feature purporting to determine your optimal exercise intensity? You are better off listening to your breathing. The “FitTest”, claiming to produce a number comparable to your VO2max? Laughable. Even the backlight is ridiculous: You might as well buy a can of black spray paint and give the display a few good coats of paint; just as readable, and henceforth you won’t have to press any buttons.

The transmitter and its chest strap are usable. Well, mostly.

Summing it up, the most obvious relationship between the F11 and your heart rate is that the price and crappiness of the former will raise the latter, even though the contraption won’t be able to measure that.

The best I can say about the Polar F11 is that you don’t have to buy one.

Rating: 2 / 5