Finally, it’s here. Polar’s first integrated GPS product. After years of waiting and hoping, Polar released their first fully integrated GPS product – the RC3. Previously, Polar watches connected to a separate GPS pod (about the size of a thin pack of gum) to get GPS information. But the RC3 pulls it into a small and slim package – a very solid first release at an all-in-one unit.
The RC3 isn’t a brand new watch model unto itself though. In fact, it’s very similar to its sibling, the RCX3, which is the non-integrated GPS version that released this past spring. That watch connected to the G3 and G5 GPS pods to get GPS information.
But with GPS included, how does it stack up against the competition? And with the extra electronics, how well does it work for day to day running as well as normal use in daily life? Well, I set to find out. Polar sent out an early prototype unit in July, which I used until late August. At which point they refreshed that unit with the final production version, that I’ve been using since. In fact, I’ve largely been using it as my primary running watch.
Because I want to be transparent about my reviews – Polar sent me two units to try out. One an early prototype, and one a final production unit. Once units are available in retail shops I send them back to Polar and then go out and buy my own (to be able to support y’all in the comments section down the road). Simple as that. Sorta like hiking in wilderness trails – leave only footprints. If you find my review useful, you can use any of the Amazon links from this page to help support future reviews.
Lastly, at the end of the day keep in mind I’m just like any other regular athlete out there. I write these reviews because I’m inherently a curious person with a technology background, and thus I try and be as complete as I can. But, if I’ve missed something or if you spot something that doesn’t quite jive – just let me know and I’ll be happy to get it all sorted out. Also, because the technology world constantly changes, I try and go back and update these reviews as new features and functionality are added – or if bugs are fixed.
So – with that intro, let’s get into things.
Unboxing:
The Polar RC3 comes in the standard all-black box that virtually every Polar unit before it has come in.
Inside, you’ll find the watch and the heart rate strap transmitter pod sitting atop a cardboard riser, as well as a gigantic ‘Stop’ sign that you’ll likely ignore.
Once you’ve removed all the pieces, you’re looking at a fairly straightforward pile of components. You’ve got the watch itself, the H3 heart rate strap transmitter pod (seen below the watch), the heart rate strap itself, the micro-USB connector, and the paper manual.
We’ll dive into each of the parts. First up is the heart rate strap. Like most digital straps these days, you have a transmitter pod and a separate heart rate strap. These two snap together and transmit your heart rate. You can keep them stored together. The strap runs on a simple coin cell battery that typically lasts about a year.
Those familiar with the Polar straps will notice a few things, first, this little transmitter pod is a bit sleeker than previous models. And secondly, you’ll notice the rubber shielding around heart rate strap connectors. This is in theory to reduce HR strap false spikes Though, I’ve also heard of folks that had interference, sliced this off with an Xacto blade and been gloriously spike-free since. You’re mileage may vary here. For me, in the last two months, I’ve had no issues.
Seen above, the Polar H3 heart rate strap.
Below, is the unit itself.
On the back you’ll notice the waterproofing specified (IPX7), as well as the flap for the micro-USB connector (up top). We’ll dive into that a bit more later.
When you first turn it on, you’ll go through a typical Monty Python style questioning asking for language, age, weight, airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow and more.
Moving on to other pieces in the box, you’ve got the standard micro-USB connector. This is the same as most cell phones these days (iPhone excluded).
And finally, if you finish this post, and are still curious about anything, there’s a chance it might be covered in the manual, which is thicker than most competitors.
With the unboxing complete, let’s see how it sizes up (literally) to the competition.
Size Comparisons:
I try and compare the watch against like watches in the same category – primarily price. In this case, I went with a Garmin FR210, a Garmin FR610 (a bit higher end), the Polar RC3 (middle), the Polar RCX5 (slightly higher end), and the Timex Run Trainer. I figured that offered a good sampler. Note that the FR110 is not pictured, though it’s the same casing as the FR210, just different firmware.
From a height/thickness perspective, they’re pretty similar, only the Timex unit rising above.
Here’s the back of the bands as well, same order as above.
And the front. You can see that size-wise they’re all pretty similar. Really only the Timex Run Trainer sticks out again in size.
Running:
Once you’re ready to start using the watch, you’ll head outdoors and let it acquire satellite. The first time it acquires satellite in an area, it may take a minute or two. But after that, I found it picks up satellites fairly quickly.
You can see the status of the satellite by the little dots shown below on the photo. One is for connectivity to the heart rate strap, while the other is for the GPS signal. In the below example, the HR strap is paired, but the GPS satellite is still being acquired.
Once acquired, the circles will all turn to checkmarks:
From there, you’ll go ahead and hit the red start button to begin recording:
There are seven pages of data fields shown on the RC3, which I dive into later in the data fields/pages section. Each page has a numerical Training Pages number associated with it, that can be turned on/off as you cycle through the available pages.
As I run, I can rotate through the pages by pressing the Up/Down buttons on the right side. In the below photo, I’ve selected to show my current pace (7:30/mile), my current lap distance (.49 miles), and the current lap time (4 minutes and 1 second).
As I change data fields, you can see the heart rate being displayed below, as well as the average pace, and lap distance.
You can pause recording at any time by pressing the bottom left ‘Back’ button, which will bring you to the below screen. Note that in this screen you cannot see the current state of your run. This is one area I wish Polar would change – as I find it useful to be able to pause (such as at a stoplight), and see my current stats.
Once I’m ready to go again, I simply hit the red button. Note that if you hit the back button again, it’ll end your activity. It can be somewhat easy to accidentally double-tap the back-button when trying to pause, which has caused me to accidentally end a run a few times.
The unit supports auto-lap functionality, which will automatically demark a lap at set intervals. By default, this is set as every 1KM, however you can customize that across either metric or statue, as well as the distances you wish. It does not have a time-based autolap feature.
Note that you can specify autolap settings in either run or cycling view, independently.
I’m going to dive into many of the specific watch features in separate sections (such as data views, heart rate training, zone optimizer, etc..). But I wanted to note that when you’re complete with your run, you’ll go ahead and press the back button twice.
Upon ending the run you’ll be shown a summary screen with activity total information. There’s actually a handful of screens, which can be scrolled through. I’ve included two of them below, which highlight the run summary stats, as well as the HR zone stats:
With that, let’s get into a brief overview of the cycling functionality.
Cycling:
In addition to the main focus or running, the unit can easily be used for cycling. The unit includes two default sport modes – running and cycling – as well and optional modes that you can customize how you see fit.
The primary difference between running and cycling modes is the display of distance and speed metrics shifts from pace (i.e. minutes/mile) to speed (i.e. MPH). Both of those show in metrics (kilometers) if you have that specified.
Additionally, while in cycling mode you can connect to Polar WIND cycling sensors, such as the Polar WIND speed sensor and Polar WIND cadence sensor. The unit will not connect to either of their power meters.
Within the cycling menu you’ll configure the applicable sensors. You can do this both on the device, as well as on the computer – which is pretty cool. Note that you can specify two distinct bikes, within the cycling mode.
When you head out for a ride, it’ll start the search for all specified paired devices, such as HR, speed and cadence sensors (as well as the included GPS sensor).
Once on the ride, the unit will display the same data fields as while running, but again, just in formats applicable to cycling.
One gotchya to be aware of is that while cycling outdoors, you’ll want to ensure that you specify if you want the speed sensor or GPS used for data. By default, the GPS is used. But if you were indoors and specified the speed sensor, that data will automatically override any GPS data. I got slightly bit by this on one ride when my wheel sensor got bumped slightly. Given it was an outdoor ride I didn’t think anything of it, since I presumed data would just come from GPS. In reality, I ended up getting virtually no speed/distance data for that ride.
Ultimately, the RC3 makes for a functional cycling computer, but if you’re into cycling, I’d suggest going with a dedicated cycling unit rather than a running watch that also does cycling. If you’re primarily a runner that occasionally cycles – then this will work fine.
Heart Rate Training:
Given Polar’s history with heart rate measurement, it should come as no surprise that there are elements in the watch geared towards heart rate training.
The first thing to understand is that the RC3 has two heart rate (HR) training modes. The first is in a feature called Zone Optimizer. In this mode, before you start each run, it’ll automatically adjust your heart rate zones for that given day, based on the data provided by the heart rate strap in heart rate variability. This means that one day your Zone 2 could be 135-145, whereas the next it could be 125-135. You can turn this feature on or off.
Personally, I turn this off, because I’d rather assign a different zone to my workouts (i.e. Z2 instead of Z4), than shift my zones. As that makes it difficult to compare workouts in similar zones if the workouts are shifting.
But, it can be useful for folks not as familiar with heart rate zones and intensity levels and how to setup a training plan based on those.
When displaying your heart rate in data fields across unit, you can configure the data to be displayed in either beats per minute or percentage of HR maximum.
The HR maximum is defined within user profile settings for yourself.
The second method of HR zone training is a ‘BYOZ’ (Bring Your Own Zone – and yes, I just made that up). In this circumstance you need to first ensure that Zone Optimizer is turned off:
From there you’ll go ahead and define your HR zones for the specified levels – i.e. Zone 1, Zone 2, etc…
When defining them it shows you both HR specific numbers (i.e. 135bpm), as well as percentages (i.e. 71%), as you can see below. You first set the lower limit, then the upper limit – effectively creating a range.
Finally, one last really cool HR-related feature of the watch is the ability to specify a VO2Max value. You have two choices here. First is that you can complete a fitness test within the watch to establish what Polar calls their OwnIndex. Alternatively, if you have a VO2Max number, you can use that instead. For most folks, this number will range between about 45 and 65, with higher/more elite athletes going well into the low 90’s.
So in my case, I do have VO2Max test data, and went ahead and entered that in.
The end resultant of this is that you can get more accurate calorie burn data from it, when using the heart rate strap.
Data Screens:
In a bit of an ironic twist, the most frustrating and yet most expansive parts of the RC3 are actually its data screens. Like most competitive watches in this price and size range, you are unable to truly customize the data fields. Meaning that the unit offers a preset number of data pages, with each page having a preset number of data fields. The RC3 is unique though in that it offers far more preset data pages than it’s primary competitor the Garmin FR210. Seven pages in total, with either 2 or 3 data fields per page (of your choosing).
I had taken individual photos of all these dates pages while running, but they were a bit fuzzy. Then I realized they had a pretty table in the manual, which lists them out more clearly in a much more readable format. I’ve copied and pasted them below for your viewing pleasure.
Oh, one quick thing – read the chart moving downwards. In other words, if you have just the heart rate sensor, you’d only get the data pages shown below that column. If you added GPS, then those fields (vertically shown below).
Running Data Fields:
Cycling Data Fields:
As noted earlier, you can easily change from metric (kilometers) to statue (miles), depending on your persuasion.
However, this is where its strength is its downfall: You can’t turn any of those pages off. Take for example my weekly interval workouts. For these workouts, I like data shown on page 3 and an page 6. However, in order to see those different fields (because they aren’t customizable), I have to scroll through each one to get to the right page. And, I have to do this while pushing a hard interval. Sometimes you miss the page and have to go back. I just wish I could disable/enable the given data pages altogether (even if I couldn’t customize them).
The big elephant in the room though is the lack of lap pace. I love lap pace, primarily for intervals – so having it missing is a big bummer for me. Lap distance and lap time are offered, but that’s really not the same, nor terribly using for short-distance pacing (again, intervals).
Within the settings for each sport profile, you have an option in the menu to change from two fields per page, to three fields per page:
Additionally, you can turn on the ‘direction to start’ option. This option enables a simple arrow pointing in the direction you started your run at, with the distance between you and that point. This is ‘as the crow flies’, and not a ‘trackback’ style feature.
For me personally, I actually prefer this. I know that sounds odd – but hear me out. In virtually every running case that I frequent, I can retrace my own steps pretty easily. For example, running in the city (even ones I don’t know), I prefer to explore, and then at the required time, I like to head back. By having an eye on the arrow and distance remaining, I can wander a bit more freely as long as I’m headed in the right direction. I’ve been using it a lot lately actually to explore Paris. This way I can spend the entire run in new territory, eventually ending up back home successfully each time.
Where this of course fails is trail type scenarios where you want to know you’re going back the same way you came in. For that, this watch doesn’t offer an option to follow the outbound track back home.
Backlight:
I’d put the RC3 light in the category of ‘functional’, but not terribly bright. When the upper left button is pressed, the backlight will illuminate and stay on for 8 seconds. After which, it automatically shuts off.
The backlight cannot be configured for a longer duration, nor brightness.
Waterproofing/Swimming:
The RC3 is waterproofed to IPX7 standards, which is the lowest (read: cheapest) waterproofing standard that offers minimal protection against water submersion. Technically the specification states it can go 1 meter deep (3 feet) for 30 minutes. Of course, rain and the like aren’t an issue.
I’ve confirmed with Polar that they do not recommend you swim laps with the device, as the pressure of the water will likely cause a water incursion. This is inline with a similar watch, the Garmin FR110/FR210, which also is not recommended for swimming laps. Note that I state ‘laps’, but I’m implying any stroke-like activity that causes the watch to whack against the surface. Simply floating around a pool in the Caribbean drinking Mojito’s is fine.
I’ve been pretty hard on companies for not including proper waterproofing on their sports GPS watches, and I will continue to be here.
The fact that I’m buying a $200US+ watch that can’t be waterproofed properly is frustrating. As I often note, I can walk into Wal-Mart and get a watch for $15 with better waterproofing. The cost of waterproofing these watches is minimal – as both Garmin and Polar have product lines at cheaper price points with better waterproofing protection. Ultimately, companies have to make decisions around dock and charging connectors in waterproofing decisions, and in my view – they need to consider that consumers don’t want their devices dying on them, be it due to swimming – or just because water seeped in (fairly common for IPX7 devices).
Use as a day to day watch:
Over the past two months, I’ve actually turned to using the Polar RC3 as my day to day watch – likely in part because it’s slimmer (or at least feels slimmer) than every other GPS integrated watch I have. And secondly, because it doesn’t stand out like most GPS watches. I’ve also used it while walking around, just to check out how far I’ve gone:
The unit in day to day mode gets about 120 days of battery life (no activity), or a claimed 12 days with about an hour a day of activity. Meanwhile, in GPS active mode, it’ll max out at 12 hours of battery. And since we’re throwing out stats, the unit will go for a mind-bogglingly long 1,200 hours with GPS-off in training mode. Though interestingly, I’ve recorded some activities significantly longer than the 12 hours noted on accident (had it in my bag and it got bumped on). I suspect the GPS data turned off eventually. You can see that below:
Within the watch settings, you can specify both alarms as well as time of day. The unit supports two time settings (Time 1 and Time 2), where the second time is merely an offset of the first (i.e. time zone shift).
From a time standpoint you can set a single alarm, and configure it as repeating across either specific days of the week, or all days.
Additionally, on the face of the watch you can specify whether or not you want the Polar RC3 logo to display, or just the time.
What’s kinda cool is that you can do all of this either on the watch itself, or via the WebSync desktop agent software, which allows you to change any device settings on the watch while connected via USB.
GPS Accuracy and Stability:
When looking at GPS accuracy and stability I focus on two areas. First, is the ability for a given GPS unit to generally agree with other GPS units in distance measurement. The second, is for the GPS unit to have a instant pace metric useful for a human.
On the GPS measurement, it’s important to understand that the GPS units I review here typically have a stated accuracy level of +/- 2%. Meaning that one might measure 1.02 miles, while another .98 miles (for a known mile segment). I do very detailed annual GPS tests around known tracks (typically in November), however, for individual product reviews I focus on ensuring that multiple runs results with multiple GPS units are giving me a consistent number.
In other words, the units agree within the stated levels of accuracy. Additionally, I look to ensure that a specific unit isn’t consistently measuring higher or lower. For example, there was one unit recently that consistently measured .02 miles short every.single.time. Ideally, we’d see one unit slightly higher one right, and then them different (lower) the next run.
With that bit of background, from a GPS accuracy standpoint I’ve found the final production units to be quite accuracy and very consistent with other units (FR910XT, FR310XT, Fenix, FR10 and Suunto Ambit, primarily). There were some initial issues with the prototype unit and underpasses/tunnels not being accounted for, but those were resolved in the final unit from my testing.
Here’s a quick look at a few photos showing end of run stats:
The next part is looking at how stable the instant pace is (GPS pace stability). If your instant pace isn’t stable, it’s useless for pacing. Yes, there are always ‘workarounds’ such as using averages, but ultimately, you want consistent data. In the last 12-18 months we’ve seen a noticeable dip in the quality of GPS pace stability, across a broad number of manufactures. In response to that, I’m now holding peoples feet to the fire and posting videos of exactly what the GPS stability looks like. I know that this is a major part of your decision making, and in doing so – I make it clear to companies that lackluster GPS pace measurements just aren’t good enough.
With that background, I filmed the below short video while running along a path with little tree cover. Note that the numbers can be a bit tough to read, simply because I am indeed actually running and holding the camera. And glare is very tough with the RC3 screen. But, you should be able to get the gist of things. The number you’re looking at is the middle line, which is pace.
You’ll see it fluctuates only barely between 7:24/mile and 7:19/mile, which is very consistent.
Overall, I’m pretty happy with GPS instant pace on the RC3.
Uploading Data to Polar Personal Trainer:
In order to get your data from the watch to the online site where you can analyze it, you’ll need to dig up that micro-USB charging cable it came with, as well install their Polar WebSync software. The software only takes a second to install (it’s free) and is available for Windows and Mac. I even tried it on Windows 8, and it works fine (in fact, everything you see below was done on Windows 8).
After connecting the cable, you’ll click in the tray to get the WebSync looking for your watch.
It’ll ask for your PolarPersonalTrainer.com (PPT.com for short) username and password, which you can select to have it remember. Once that’s done, it’ll start looking for any changes that need to be made to the device, and then move onto uploading any non-uploaded workouts. It knows which ones are already uploaded, and skips those.
Once it’s complete, it’ll show you the final upload count, and automatically open up PolarPersonalTrainer.com (if you selected that). Regrettably, it doesn’t pass authentication as well, which would be a nice touch.
The Polar Personal Trainer Site:
Once logged into the site, you’ll be brought to a general dashboard view, which shows you’re most recently uploaded activities. Additionally, it’ll also show the products you’re using on the left side. If you happen to be using two Polar products, note that the activity feed shows most recently uploaded, but not most recent by date (meaning if you upload from a device with older files, it’ll show up instead of newer files). No worries though, just click ‘Training’ on the main toolbar to access all files.
Within the Training tab you can see all of your activities across all sports. In short, anything you’ve recorded. On the left-side are some general stats and summary information, while the right side is a calendar view. You can change the view to week view, as well as month and list. I prefer month.
We’ll go ahead and dig into a single activity. I’m going to show an interval run I did with The Girl back a few weeks ago, mostly because it illustrates the most extensive number of features at once (HR, lap data, map data, etc…).
Below is the main activity overview, which gives you summary information about the activity, as well as a graph, lap, zone, and map of where you went.
You can either click to expand the map right there, or select the map tab. Either way, the result is the same. Within that, you’ll see the lap markers added to the map. In my case, I had set the unit for manual laps, which corresponded with various portions of the workout.
If we click on the Curve tab, it’ll show you your graph. I have no idea why they don’t just call this the graph tab. Within the graph, it’ll show a line for each data type collected. In my case, that’s HR and pace data. Had I also had the footpod on, it would have gathered cadence data too.
Along the bottom you can see the time spent in each of the zones, as defined by the lower and upper limits listed. In this case, I hadn’t correctly re-aligned my zones to my actual HR zones that I personally use.
Next up is the data tab, which simply summarizes all of your metrics about the run, things like pace, totals, calories, etc…
Note that in the above workout, the max pace is incorrect. This was an earlier prototype bug, but has since been resolved. I wanted to use this workout in the screenshots because it’s better with the interval data included.
Lastly, is the Benefit tab. This gives you an overview of time spent in zones, and how that correlates to the different Polar Sport Zones. Ultimately, this data is fed into the Training Load portion of PPT.com
The Training Load feature of PPT.com can be accessed from the top toolbar. This helps you understand what your overall load looks like, and allows you to plan for races. There’s tons of information out there on the various Training Load type programs (like TSS), so I won’t dive into it here. Note that only data with a heart rate strap is shown. You can see that from above, where data on my calendar is missing, as I didn’t have the HR strap on.
In addition to activity data from your workouts, PPT.com also features some basic workout plans. To my knowledge, Polar is the only device company to offer free plans integrated with their online activity platform. Garmin did offer a limited set of plans this past summer for various activities (i.e. triathlons, 5K’s, etc..), but none were truly integrated, and were a bit one-off.
With PPT.com’s feature, you can create a calendar to hit a goal race, and then have the website track your planned workouts against your actual workouts. It’s a bit like having a coach, minus the feedback aspect.
Note that as of today Polar doesn’t offer any integration with 3rd party hardware services on their site, such as the Withings WiFi scale or other weight scales – so any holistic health tracking would need to be consolidated elsewhere.
In talking with Polar, there are some updates planned for PPT.com, however, I’m not convinced they’re drastic enough to really bring the site into this decade.
Ultimately, PPT.com as a site needs a full refresh, primarily from a graphical user interface standpoint, but also from the ability to integrate with other companies data. Consumers today want that integration (both data in and data out), and PPT.com is a bit of a black box in that respect.
From a functionality standpoint, it’s sufficient for its purposes, but I’d generally suggest you store your data with another online training log site that gives more analytics and a better graphical interface, and one that has phone app access to your data.
3rd Party Software Compatibility:
Polar has not changed their formats, structures or file types with the release of the RC3, which means that any programs previously compatible with Polar GPS-enabled devices are compatible with the RC3.
When you connect the watch and download your workouts to the Polar agent software, by default it uploads that data to the web (PPT.com). However, you can also select to manually export out any given workout (or bunches of workouts). You access this by right-clicking on the little Polar icon, and selecting Training Computer. When you do this, you’ll get the following:
From here, you can select (multi if you wish) the applicable workouts to export. Once you export, the program will spit out two files for each workout – a .HRM file and a .GPX file. The .HRM file contains the workout data (HR, splits, time, distance, sensors, etc…), while the GPX file contains the GPS overlay.
This is a bit different from how the rest of the world operates when it comes to fitness files, as most solutions place them in a single file. Nonetheless, it’s how Polar does it, and most apps that are Polar compatible understand how to glue the two pieces together. Ultimately, I’d like to see Polar export out a single cohesive file. Even better would be if they’d do it in .TCX or .FIT – which I recognize are somewhat Garmin focused, but it’s also what many other Garmin competitors are moving to. They are standards based, and by moving that way, companies can ensure the widest applicable compatibility.
In fact, in recent discussions with both Strava and RunKeeper development teams, both are pushing device companies heavily towards those formats. Not variations of those formats (no hokey pokey here), but those exact formats per the specs. Ultimately, companies like those two simply can’t keep up with the numerous formats out there, and using a single standard makes it easy. If device companies don’t adhere to widely adopted formats, their devises simply won’t have widespread 3rd party support.
At any rate, back to getting the data to apps.
Once you have the data, you can import it into any app of your choosing. For example, below I’ve uploaded a workout to TrainingPeaks. It pulls the two pieces together, and then presents a cohesive workout picture.
Accessories:
The Polar RC3 is compatible with a slew of accessories. Here’s the quick lineup:
Heart Rate Straps:
Navigating the waters of Polar’s heart rate strap lineup can be challenging. So here’s the lowdown. The unit can ONLY read those heart rate straps which are WIND based, and not the older straps compatible with treadmills and the like.
This means that looking at the new straps, anything with “WIND” on it is good, and specifically, the H2 and H3 straps. Here’s the key differences between the new ‘H’ straps:
Polar H1: Old school only (5khz signal)
Polar H2: Dual broadcast, old school (5khz) and new school (WIND @ 2.4ghz)
Polar H3: New school only (WIND @ 2.4ghz only)
Polar H7: Bluetooth Smart/Bluetooth Low Energy + Old School (5khz)
Got it? Again, RC3 is only only compatible with WIND. That’s the H2 and H3 straps. There’s a million other Polar straps out there, but these are pretty much the standards going forward. Look for ‘WIND’ on the strap to be 100% sure.
Cycling Speed Sensor:
The RC3 is compatible with Polar’s WIND based speed sensors, which means the CS WIND Speed Sensor. Unlike the heart rate straps, the speed sensor is simple and straight forward – only one variant out there.
The speed sensor allows you to gather speed data while indoors, as well as outdoors (perhaps for higher accuracy in situations such as mountain biking). Indoors is primarily suited for trainer or track use. If you have a Polar speed sensor already, it should work just fine.
Cycling Cadence Sensor:
The story for the cadence sensors is the same as the speed sensors. Simple and straight forward. Polar makes the CS WIND Cadence Sensor, which, as the name implies is WIND based.
The sensor will track your cycling cadence – which is how many times per minute you rotate your crank arm. This is displayed and recorded in revolutions per minute (RPM), as seen by the left crank arm. On average, most folks are between 80 and 95RPM. There’s plenty of cycling religion about cadence and what the ‘right’ range should be, but I’ll save you the political discussion here.
Running Speed and Cadence Sensor:
Similar to the speed and cadence sensors seen for cycling, Polar also offers one for running, the S3+ Stride Sensor. This footpod based sensor is also WIND based and allows you to record pace, cadence and distance when the GPS on the unit is turned off. This is primarily useful for treadmill running. Though, you can also use it outdoors in mountain/trail running to increase battery life of the unit.
The s3+ sensor is a wee bit big by todays standards, but it does the trick. Note that like the cycling speed sensors, you’ll need to be aware that it’s one or the other when it comes to GPS. Meaning that if you use the stride sensor, it’ll override the GPS data – and vice versa. In general while outdoors, I’d suggest GPS data over stride data, as I find that in most cases the accuracy surpasses that of footpod data. The only bummer here is that compared to the ANT+ equivalent, the stride sensor is pretty expensive – $100US, whereas the ANT+ ones (not compatible here) are closer to $40US.
Polar Power Meters:
I wanted to call this out specifically, simply to ensure there’s no confusion. The Polar RC3 does not accept/read data from either of the two Polar branded power meter. Neither the chain based unit nor the new Polar/Look Keo pedal based unit is compatible with the RC3. And, since we’re at it – no ANT+ devices can be read by the RC3 (or any Polar unit), thus, no ANT+ power meters are compatible.
Bluetooth Low Energy (Bluetooth Smart):
Speaking of reduction in confusion – I also want to call this one out too. The RC3 does not have a Bluetooth Low Energy chip in it, and thus, is not Bluetooth Smart/BTLE compatible. Frankly, this came as quite a surprise to me when the watch was first announced.
Given the focus Polar has on moving to Bluetooth Smart (and their leadership on the Bluetooth SIG), I thought this would be a great platform to start with. With the lack of Bluetooth Smart though, I feel that Polar has effectively pushed BTLE devices out past Christmas and into next spring – from a ‘sports masses’ standpoint. It’s somewhat ironic, given that Polar sells a Bluetooth Smart HR strap (the H7), yet there’s no Polar head units to use with it.
With the long sales cycle of athletic units like Polar’s and Garmin’s, I feel that this decision may cost them quite a bit competitively once we hit CES (January) and the offerings for next spring.
Comparison Table:
Here’s a comparison chart of the major competitors in the price range of the Polar RC3:
| Function/Feature | Polar RC3 | Timex Run Trainer GPS 2.0 | Polar RCX3 | Timex Run Trainer GPS 1.0 | Motorola Motoactv | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copyright www.DCRainmaker.com - Updated May 16th, 2013 @ 5:18 pmNew Window Expand table for more results | |||||||||||
| Price | $215.00 | $225 | $170.00 | $150.00 | $150 | ||||||
| GPS Recording Functionality | Yes | Yes | Separate GPS Pod | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Data Transfer | USB (Micro) | USB | WIND | USB | USB | ||||||
| Bluetooth Smart to Phone | No | No | No | No | Yes | ||||||
| Waterproofing | IPX7 | 50m | Yes | 50 Meters | Horrible | ||||||
| Battery Life | 12 Hours | GPS: 8HRS | 1 year (GPS separate) | GPS: 8hrs, Non-GPS 100+ hrs | 8 hours | ||||||
| Recording Interval | 1-Second | 1S | Adjustable | Configurable: 1s, 2s, 4s, 8s | 1-second | ||||||
| Quick Satellite Reception | Yes | Yes | Good via GPS Pod | Great | Good | ||||||
| Alerts | Sound/Visual | SOUND/VISUAL/VIBRATE | Sound/Visual | Sound/Visual | Audio/Visual | ||||||
| Backlight Greatness | Good | Great | Good | Good | Great | ||||||
When looking at who I ‘d recommend this watch for, I’d focus on runners, rather than triathletes. This is primary due to the lack of waterproofing, and the Polar recommendation to avoid openwater/lap swimming with the unit.
If you’re primarily a cyclist, I’d focus on other units first. While the RC3 does cycling just fine, it’s not really it’s forte, and in that range there are better cycling-specific bike computers, as well as better cross-over units (for those cyclists that want to dabble in running). For runners that dabble in cycling, this works well enough.
Pros and Cons:
As always, if you’re looking at this watch, there’s a lot to confider (as evidenced by all the black text above). I’ve tried to distill it all down to just a few short bullets below, but keep in mind there’s a ton of detail above that might help you with your decision:
Pros:
- Small form factor, super-slim
- Easy to use, simple and clean menu system
- Longer battery life than most competitors in same category , especially with GPS off
- Can be used as day to day watch
- GPS accuracy tracks well, consistent with other units
- GPS stability tracks well
- Standard charging connection (micro-USB), though limited waterproofing
Cons:
- Data Page system can be overwhelming (can’ turn them off)
- Polar Personal Trainer website lags behind competitors
- No lap average pace
- Unit doesn’t include Bluetooth Smart, so accessories limited to WIND only
- The overall unit price is a bit higher than most competitive offerings
Summary:
The Polar RC3 is a very solid first entrant into the GPS market by Polar. And one that’d I’d largely be happy with as my primary running watch. It’s slim, easy to use, and accurate. In short, in my opinion Polar has finally made a GPS compatible watch that stands up to a Garmin unit (the FR110/210).
My singular technical complaint with the device being that it doesn’t have lap pace on it. Beyond that, the device performs well and give more data pages/fields than most of the competitors (even if as noted you can’t turn them off). Price-wise, the RC3 is still a bit higher than the competition, but, I suspect that’ll come down over time.
When looking at competitors in the field, you’ll have to make a choice as to which features you value more. For example, if you value training plans and more specified training options around HR – the Polar units are hard to beat. If however, you prefer a better online portal and interoperability with other non-Polar devices, they lag behind in those area.
Ultimately though, I’m excited about the watch, and even more excited to see the GPS technology moved into their other offerings as well.
—
Found this review useful? Here’s how you can help support future reviews with just a single click! Read on…
Hopefully you found this review useful. At the end of the day, I’m an athlete just like you looking for the most detail possible on a new purchase – so my review is written from the standpoint of how I used the device. The reviews generally take a lot of hours to put together, so it’s a fair bit of work (and labor of love). As you probably noticed by looking below, I also take time to answer all the questions posted in the comments – and there’s quite a bit of detail in there as well.
I’ve partnered with Clever Training to offer all DC Rainmaker readers an exclusive 10% discount across the board on all products (except clearance items). You can pickup the RC3 below (with HR strap). Then receive 10% off of everything in your cart by adding code DCR10XBK at checkout. By doing so, you not only support the site (and all the work I do here) – but you also get a sweet discount. And, since this item is more than $75, you get free US shipping as well.
Polar RC3 GPS (no HR strap)
Polar RC3 GPS (with HR strap)
Polar RC3 GPS (with bike pod)
Additionally, you can also use Amazon to purchase the unit (all colors shown after clicking through to the left) or accessories (though, no discount). Or, anything else you pickup on Amazon helps support the site as well (socks, laundry detergent, cowbells). If you’re outside the US, I’ve got links to all of the major individual country Amazon stores on the sidebar towards the top. Though, Clever Training also ships there too and you get the 10% discount.
Thanks for reading! And as always, feel free to post comments or questions in the comments section below, I’ll be happy to try and answer them as quickly as possible. And lastly, if you felt this review was useful – I always appreciate feedback in the comments below. Thanks!
Finally, I’ve written up a ton of helpful guides around using most of the major fitness devices, which you may find useful in getting started with the devices. These guides are all listed on this page here.
Waiting for the same review for the Garmin Fenix
Thanks
Waiting for the same review for the Garmin Fenix
Thanks
Excluding any unexpected anythings, should be next week for Fenix.
Sweet review Ray. Got my unit yesterday, and found the lack of display customization as an immediate annoyance.. As a loyal Polar user of many years, I revel in the fact that they finally released an integrated GPS watch. I also really like analyzing my training in PPT5, and was hoping to be able to continue doing just that.. Like the RCX5 you have to attach files in your diary, no worries. Unlike the RCX5, PPT5 does not collect the time spent in individual sports zones when the training files are made with the RC3. Have you had any issues with this in your testing of the watch?
Best regards Dag
Well I am very disapointed by this review! What happened to the new, bigger and better, big rolling pin??
C’mon no bluetooth this time also? I think that it’s polar’s politic to limit users ability to add custom sensors to cheaper models. Like power sensor, only available for the top range models…
Ray i have a problem with Polar speed sensors (bike) you cant change the battery… (p.s. I own a rcx5) any work around you can recommend please? avoq50@dsl.pipex.com
Hi,
I noticed in the comparison charge you noted the Nike Sportwatch can do miles/hr. Is it now able to do that?
Thanks!
Does this new polar fabric strap work with Garmin heart rate sensors as well? The spacing of the snaps on the old one allowed this, and the polar strap seemed to be more comfortable than the Garmin strap.
Hi.
On the Instant Pace topic, it’s pretty easy to achieve a steady display pace just by averaging some number of seconds. Do you think that’s what is being implemented by default? (vs. the old ‘option’ of more/less smoothing). Or do you think it’s better raw track points?
The downside is that it takes away from the instant part of Instant somewhat. But probably the right trade-off from most runners. I like to check it with the old basketball jump stop manuever.
As always, great review.
I run with a FR410, while two my teammates run with a RCX3.
I find the gps accuracy of their units (with gps in a separate pod) better than my garmin.
If I would buy a Polar, I’d prefer the RCX3 (the belt clip is confortable)
Hi
Can PPT.com draw elevaation chart? Elevatin is usefull information for cyclists.
Excellent review! Thanks for pointing out the little quirks (like the bad pause screen).
About that swallow; African or European?
In the middle of buying a GPS watch, go thru most of your review. Very details and comprehensive. Thanks
With that rolling pin with all the watches on – would you mind baking us a cake or make a pizza? Then test for which unit makes the best flavour!
(great stuff, thanks!)
Hi, thanks for all the reviews, great.
I want to start using a GPS watch, I’m not sure about the comparison between the RC3 and the “Timex GPS Run Trainer”. If I look on the table of facts in your review, the Timex is equal or better and cheaper. Am I right or is there any I don’t have in mind?
So, what do you (or all others out there) think?
i would like to know the same!!!
This comment has been removed by the author.
As always, a great and very thorough review, but… No ANT+, no deal
Am I the only one to think Polar would double their sales if they supported ANT+ ?
@Jerc
PPT.com has no elevation chart
@ Rodrigo , ANT is a subsidiary of Garmin…criticizing Polar for not adopting it is like criticizing Chevy for not making Fords & vice-versa.
FYI, insider knowledge: POLAR will NEVER, EVER adopt ANT+…so don’t bother waiting…but then again, ANT+ is on its way out…so is that really a bad thing Polar not adopting it?
From years back I was a Polar man. My last one was the Polar 625x….. then Garmin came along and stole my heart. Am Garmin 610 all the way now!
@anon:
Ray repeatedly has noted that Garmin invented ANT+. But he’s also mentioned, which you do not, that ANT+ is generally an open standard, and is the de facto industry standard. Heck — lots of industry “Ford’s” are using “Chevy’s” product. A more accurate analogy would be to suggest that what’s happening here is that Ford isn’t including headlights in a car because Chevy had them first.
Ray’s also repeatedly noted that Bluetooth Smart looks like the future, but that the future isn’t coming for a while. So for now, the most user-friendly option is ANT+. At a minimum, current gen products should have Bluetooth Smart; Ray even notes in this review that one shock to him is that Polar didn’t include Bluetooth Smart in this watch, which at least would have opened the door to use of the watch with some non-Polar accessories.
In sum, Polar had more than one chance to be user-friendly here and chose not to take any of them. That’s on them, and has nothing to do with your Chevy-Ford analogy.
“Ray repeatedly has noted that Garmin invented ANT+” This has already been clarified.
“But he’s also mentioned, which you do not, that ANT+ is generally an open standard.” Ehhhh….not really…sure, anyone can use it…but only Garmin/Dynastream really know the nitty-gritty details of the code.
“Ray’s also repeatedly noted that…” Stop telling me what ‘Ray Know’s & start telling me what ‘You Know’.
Polar will never, ever use ANT+…period. Trust me, my contacts are better than yours.
@ Chase
I’d agree that at this point, it doesn’t make sense for them to use it. They’re going the way of BLE – eventually (they have yet to actually produce any display device for it). That said, there’s no question it cost them significantly in market share over the last 2-4 years. If they had ANT+ device and support, they’d be much further along. They lost a lot of customers.
As for being open. It’s as open as anything else. Members can submit spec requests, etc, which are then turned into device profiles. Same structure as Bluetooth (roughly), which Polar sits on the BT Consortium (they actually lead the health/fitness side). As you said, ‘Trust me, my contacts are better than yours’.
Hi Ray – I discovered your site a couple of weeks ago while looking for watch reviews and I’ve been hooked since!
I’ve had a RS300X for a couple of years now but only started using the GPS function recently. VERY frustrated at the G1′s performance (works 1 out of 5 times for me and only with fresh batteries) I’ve been looking for a watch upgrade.
Since I’m an inspiring triathlete
I’ve been looking at the RCX5. Do you think we can expect a RC5 GPS watch soonish? It seems to me like a logical (next?) move for Polar and I’d happily wait for this one to come out if it does in the next few months.
~fmd
p.s. I live in France and would happily support your reviewing efforts on Amazon. Is there any way to link back to you on the french version of the store?
Hello,
First of all, thanks for the great site. I based a few of my purchases based on your reviews or I learnt about a few cool products from your site.
I have a suggestion and a request to make from you: As a newbie to HRM training, I was wondering if you could make a post about how to make HRM data useful. How do you analyze the information you have? What do you look at? For me, it’s there to see how I’m progressing (i.e. how my heart responds to the same part of the forest I run/bike, and see if my heart rate drops lower over time). Also I use it to track and log my data to motivate myself (mostly for weekly and monthly distance, time, calories, etc kind of things)
I’m a Polar user and I use Polar ProTrainer 5 and PPT, and I must admit I’m kind of lost in all that information. I’m sure a lot of other readers would be grateful if you share such a post.
Thanks!
Can the data be uploaded onto a Mac? My previous old RS200 can’t do it..
thanks, great review, i think i’m going to get this watch…
Thanks for the great report. I’m thinking of buying this one.
But one small question. When I do a fitness test I have different Zones for cycling and running. Can I set my running zones in the running profile and my cycling zones in the cycling profile? or do I need to chance the zones before every running and cycling training?
Greets,
Lieven
On elevation charts , do you know if Polar intends to upgrade PPT to include elevation charts based on gps data? I ride the corcovado mountain and surroundings in Rio once a week and elevation is key for me. Should I have bought a Garmin 910 or a Rcx5 ?
Luc
One small mistake on the review :”In addition to activity data from your workouts, PPT.com also features some basic workout plans. To my knowledge, Polar is the only device company to offer free plans integrated with their online activity platform. ”
Suunto has been offering plans for few years in Movescount.com. Over 1000 plans available. Few of those made by suunto, but mainly by members of the site.
Hi
I have a question regarding the use of a stride sensor.
If I pair the watch with a stride sensor you say that the sensor overrides the GPS.
Does it work like the Garmin 405 where the GPS is still working and you can see the workout on the map afterwords or does the GPS switch of when connected to a stride sensor?
I know that on the 405 you can see your actual speed and cadence transmitted from the sensor but the GPS is still logging your distance as usual. How does it work on the RC3?
Thanks a bunch for a great webbside.
Thank you for that nice review. I have some questions:
- Can I use the RC3 GPS with the Polar Pro Trainer 5 Software? I don’t want to upload my data on the Internet…
- Is it easy to transfer the .gpx file on a Garmin GPS device?
Thank you and best regards!
Hi Ray, thanks for the review, it’s exceedingly detailed
How can I do to overlay the altitude in my workout tracks. I’ve searched on the PPT website but I can’t find this option. I remember you said it was going to be set up on beginning September?
I’m quite glad with my Polar RC3 but I think this (lack of altitude information based on GPS) is one of its worst drawbacks…
Good work!
Hi,
Same question as José.
I want this watch but i’m interesting by altitude. this feature should be implemented in September. Is it the case ?
Thanks
Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like it yet. I just checked in on my account with my RC3 activities and I don’t see anything.
I’ll hit up the Polar folks and find out what’s up.
thanks
…indeed!
Ok, checked with the Polar folks.
They ran into a few bugs, and the feature got delayed. It’s currently scheduled for the first week of December.
Hope that helps!
Perfect! I’ll wait patiently
“first week of December”
Just before Christmas
I’ll become for news
Thanks
My RC3 is on the way, and this review definitely helped my purchase decision, thanks DC Rainmaker!
Also, it seems like Polar has updated PPT.com to include elevation data in the GPS maps, just in time. Plus the ability to transfer programs and targets to the RC3 (and RCX3) via WebSync.
Can anybody confirm the consideration of the height on the graphic interface?
Thanks !
Going through the manual and found out the rechargeable battery lifespan is 300 charge and the battery cannot be replace. so mean after 300 charge time for new watch?
Thanks – really great review and useful comparative information.
I am trying to decide between the Polar RC3 GPS with HRM and the Garmin 110 with HRM and I was wondering from your experience of both which you would recommend? I run and cycle but already have an odometer on my bike so am less fussed about having a duel purposed watch. Based on your reviews my main concern with the 110 is that it does not display current pace however I understand that the Polar RC3 GPS does not have an average lap time which also sounds a little annoying.
This will be my first GPS watch so I am not too fussed by having huge amounts of data but just want something that provide me with a useful distance, time, elevation, heart rate, calorie read out post runs…
Thanks
They are a bit different. A more even match would be RC3 vs FR210. That said, comparing RC3 GPS vs FR110, I’d go RC3 GPS.
Hey guys – loving the RC3 GPS… especially after the recent software update brought the enhanced training features.
I have x2 minor moans about and otherwise mighty fine piece of kit:
1. Satellite acquisition takes an age (>90 secs) every time I use the watch. Pretty much all my runs start in the same spot (lots of clear sky above, not crowded by overly tall buildings – a problem in Hong Kong)
2. Running at night is a pain as there is no option to keep the backlight on. I do most of my training in the dark and could do with a ‘always on’ option or an auto ‘light up’ on laps, training phase transitions etc.
Finally, a huge thank you to DCR for another first class review and Q&A.
Cheers
Phil
Hi, Ray!
Yet another great review.
I have just one question, does the RC3 have the same great feature as the RCX5; both auto-lap AND manual lap, witch I can view in PPT.com?
Best regards,
Mikael Klingbjer
ad Phil: which features came with new firmware update? Does rc3 supports any form of interval training?
I used to use a polar watch before I switched to a Forerunner and I am still using it. But what I liked about the Polar it was a feature that you could, by touching the heart belt with the watch, switch from one screen to another or add a lap or do whatever you wanted (you could configure it). Does the new Polar RC3 still have this feature?
Thank you.
Just wondering if anyone else has experienced any problems with the audio levels on the watch? I have set to ‘Very Loud’ and have all the sound set to ‘on’ as required. Only audible response I have managed to get from the watch so far is when I set the alarm and even then in order to hear the alarm I need to take the watch off of my wrist and press the back of it very close to my ear!
Thanks.
Thanks for a great review, I bought one of these few days ago. I have a problem though. In Bike mode, the watch shows the cadence and the data is stored in the hrm files but the cadence data doesn’t show up on ppt.com and not either when I’m reviewing the workouts on the watch. Any ideas what I could be doing wrong?
Thank you.
Hi,
I recently bought the RC3 GPS and the s3+ stride sensor. I can’t believe you can’t watch the cadence on the watch so you have to wait to sync to ppt.com. I hope polar will fix this problem in the next firmware update.
Does anyone know when is it planned to be?
Unfortunately, I wouldn’t expect to see a firmware update for it. They aren’t too big on firmware updates in general.
Hi there
Firstly, can I say a big well done for the RC3 GPS review – it must have taken a lot of time and effort – much appreciated. I am seriously thinking of buying this watch (thanks to your review) and have a few questions. Any help would be very much appreciated. Here goes…
1. I like the idea of setting up a training programme on the polar.com website and sticking with that and using that for training. My question here, is that the website will detail what each training session consists of. Is this information transferred to the watch, so on Monday (for example) it know that my session needs to be 60 minutes with 10 minutes warming up at X bmp HR and then for the 45 minutes my HR needs to increase to whatever? What I don’t want is to have to write down my workout details on a yellow sticky and attach it to the running machine.
2. Whilst most of my training will be on the treadmill, I do walk the dogs and find it useful to know how far we have all walked. I would like to store this information, so over an 8 week period for example, I know how far we’ve walked and the calories (for example) we’ve burned. BUT, I don’t want this data to pollute the running data that I upload to the polar website (or to pollute the running data on the watch). So, is it possible to store this walking data on the watch only or if it has to be upload, can it be stored separately from my running data?
Thanks for your help, much appreciated.
Regards, Stirling
Is Rainmaker going to actually reply to this latest post or not? Perhaps try Polar for a response, couldn’t be any slower.
Hi John-
I try my best to response to questions. As I’m sure you know, this isn’t my full time job, and rather, I have one that takes quite a bit of time. The last two weeks I’ve been travelling (for work and non-work), so things have been somewhat quiet. In addition, on the average day I get about 100-200 questions and comments to respond to. Again, I respond to the vast majority of questions that aren’t already covered somewhere else. Thanks for understanding.
Hi Stirling-
Happy to help!
1) Yes, you can create your own sports. I talked about this a bit above in the section about sport profiles where I say “you can customize how you see fit”.
2) You can seperate it out by calling them different sports, and you could recategorize them online as such, and then pull totals from that.
Enjoy!
@Rainmaker, is this watch useful for interval training? E.g. setting alternating intervals of a couple of minutes each, with a heartrate target zone for each interval. I understand that the RS300X provides guidance required for this kind of training.
No, it does not.
can anybody help me? which is better, the Timex Run Trainer or the new Polar RC3? I want buy one in these days and i dont know which one. Thanks
The TRT is far more customization than the RC3. But the RC3 is much slimmer/cleaner than the TRT. The new TRT 2.0 was just announced last week, and a test unit was supposed to arrive to me yesterday (though DHL shows it out for delivery, but it still hasn’t shown up). The new TRT comes in a smaller form factor than the original TRT. I would expect to have a review in March, around the time they finish the software on it.
Brand new RC3 “lost” one of its buttons during a plain vanilla running training. Quickly googled the issue, and discovered that this seems to be a known issue. Has anybody gone through the repair process with Polar – what about the turnaround time of the repair and recurrancy of the problem?
I had the same problem, but firstly only half button got lost, after it finished…
Got my RC3 back from Polar Tech Service Center quite quickly.. well kind of. As a matter of fact, they sent me a brand new watch including all accessories. Conclusion: 10 out of 10 for the support, but sub-zero for the robustness of the watch.
Myself and someone I know had also a button cracked. And i purchased the watch from eBay and therefore had to pay for the repair. They couldn’t replace s single button and and had to replace the whole case which cost me 39 Eur.
Otherwise it works fine – 5.5hrs of cross country skiing in -15C with both HR and GPS working and there were no signs of battery dying (my smartphone was already dead in my pocket). And the monitor was on the jacket sleeve.
Hi,
I was proud to receive mine about a month ago. Now there are a few things I’m dissapointed in. 1) why can’t I just see my heartbeat, without having to start a training session? Each time I do this, I have to delete this “session” and if I forget it before synchronising, I have to delete it twice. 2) when I want to log in on polarpersonaltrainer, each time I have to fill in my email and password. Should be better if I was able to choose “remind me” for use on my own PC. Don’t you agree? Maybe I’m overlooking something and you can help me, but I’m sure these functions don’t exist. I already passed these remarks to Polar through there contact form, I hope they read it…
Hi Rainmaker!
Awesome review, thanks a lot your time to explain it all.
By the way I love the duck in your tub and the RC3 looks fantastic right beside it;).
By the way…have you heard about a small company called BB Runner? They sent me a great watch to write a review about…
Anyways…cheers from cold and freezing Germany!
Keno
Interesting, hadn’t seen that BB Runner watch before. Doesn’t remind me of any other OEM’d watch (meaning, a watch by a different name, just re-branded). Cool.
Also have a comment regarding the waterproofing. I train in a kayak and occasionally swim (not intentionally). The watch is attached to my boat and does not go into the water that much but the port has become corroded due to the salt water and cannot connect to the computer any more…. I’m speaking with polar australia in order to see whether something can be done about this.
Also, I must say that I’m disappointed in the build quality of the watch – have had it for 4 months and the rubber on the face is beginning to come off and a button has broken off. Having had a FT7 for around 4 years and finding the build to be excellent, i have to say that the build quality is not great, however the features are excellent
Great review – my sister and i bought two of these…and both had buttons fall from the watch… so basically the plastic cover just breaks into two pieces and falls off. the button now shows the actual mechanism…still operational but for a watch that expensive this should not happen. I just wanted to share this with everyone and Polar. Very disappointing yet again…to see quality issues…which I think all owners will eventually get hit with this…
Thanks for the review!
Big disappointment the data fields cannot be adjusted!
Still a good looking watch with integrated GPS!
Thanks for the great review !
Than you for the review!!
Which one do you recommend to me? RC3 VS FR210 VS FR410?
I can get them for the same price..
thank you!
I would focus on the RC3 or FR210 between those two. You can see some of the pros and cons above in the charts/sections. It depends a little bit on which features matter more to you.
Thank you for this review!
I have question about Polar sportzones. I recently did lab tests where my heart rate zones were determined (aerobic and anaerobic threshold). Now I would like to use those limits to follow my training intensity. Polar own max.HR based zones seems to be inaccurate for me.
How do you understand polar sportzones and how do polar understand them? for me polar zones seems to be controversial comparing to joe friel’ zones. I would like to find correct zones to be able to use training load function.
I can’t believe it… is it Polar really going to charge a fee for the firmware that adds the altitude feature?? how can they be so miserable?? i’ve heard that the fee is about 20€… can’t believe it… (link to polar.com)
New revision which shows gps altitude data:
link to polarusa.com
Very nice review, because of that I bought today this watch.
When I opened the box and tried to start it for the first time, nothing happened. I charged it for 2 hours but again nothing happened…….
I do not know if this watch is broken…….can you give me some adivce?
Thnaks
Eek, at this point if it’s not responding the best bet is hitting up Polar support. Also, Chris and Wayne are on Slowtwitch and can help there via posts/DM’s as well (just search for Wayne and Polar on the Slowtwitch forums).
Hi am a beginner but looking for a good running watch. If you compare Polar’s RC3 GPS vs Garmin’s FR610 which one would you go for?
If you’re a beginner, the RC3 is probably sufficient for what you’re looking for. The FR610 is probably the most advanced running-specific GPS-integrated watch out there today.
Very nice review(s) here. Thanks. Having peviously used the RS800cx I must say I was surprised to find a lack of functionality on the RC3 in terms of programming the watch for workouts (either timed intervals or distances) and having used and enjoyed the PolarProTrainer5 with the RS800cx, the PPT is a big step down. Any knowledge if Polar plan to release an RC”x” with increased watch functions such are found in the RS800?
Cheers.
Hi DrT-
See my note a few comments below regarding the interval firmware update.
Enjoy!
BUTTONS KEEP FALLING OFF
I bought this watch in November 2012. By January the plastic cover started to peel off – but that was easy to glue. But then the bottom left button
suddenly broke and fell off. I went to the retail store where i bought it and got a new watch without any fuzz. After about two weeks the upper left button fell off. Again, I returned the watch and got a new one. This time, after only two days the bottom left button fell off. Returning to the store they did not have more and they shipped me a new one, hoping this problem was limited to their batch. But no! USPS delivered the watch today and paying extra attention when unpacking it I noticed that the upper right button was loose. I am returning the watch, and claiming my money back. I really like the watch, but this simply is not good enough. I am not buying a new Polar again.
Great review. Wondering if the RC3 can do interval workout ie distance and rest time?
thanks
There’s been an update made around interval training from Polar, though it does require you to send in your unit. I’m looking at getting my unit updated so I can post about it. In the meantime, here’s some info from Polar about it. link to youtube.com
Hi Rainmaker, I have read two of your reviews this one and the one of the FR310XT. I am a runner from 10K to Marathons looking for a first GPS watch.
and I have a doubt about the RC3 Polar:
does it allows to do interval training? like beeping and telling me that I must start running faster, or does it show me the speed that I have defined previously before the training, and the speed that I am running at the moment? I couldn’t find it in the review.
I think this is a crucial feature, and if the RC3 does not have it I think I will go for the FR310XT. But I didn’t want to go for a more expensive watch if the feature is already on the RC3.
Hi Filipe, see my previous comment for a bit more there.
Hi Ray,
Which model is better to you? The one with the “classical” screen or the new one with the high contrast screen?
Thank you!!!
I assume your talking about the orange one? I haven’t had a chance to check it out quite yet. Probably in about two weeks.
Yes, I’m referring to that one. I’m in doubt between that and the TRT2.
Wating for your thoughts
Thank you!!
They’re very similar. Check out my thoughts at the end of the TRT2 review as to which one is a better fit, depending on what you’re most interested in. A few folks have also tagged along similar questions in the TRT2 comments that are worthwhile reading.
Cheers!
Hi Ray!!
Thanks for your reviews!!!
Are you planning to do a new full review for the orange rc3 or an update in this page?
Thanks!
I’ll likely just update this page. It’s not terribly different, and the updates are also available to existing RC3 units for those that send in their units.
Thanks
I´m in doubt between that and the TRT2, so waiting for your update
Have you thought about a NEW RC3 VS TRT2 review?? just like the TRT VS FR210 you did.
Hi Ray!
Great website, the best in its genere imho…
I’m about to buy this Polar or the fr210: since i won’t use the heart monitor much, i was thinking about going with the 210. Could you please make a little deeper comparison between these two? Thanks and again, great work!
Excelent post man.
I have a RC3GPS with the podometer and I used it only for running, and I this is my opinion.
PROS.
- The watch looks great, excellent size.
- The HR band is really confortable.
- The battery is really good.
CONS:
- I don’t know why but when I use the podometer the distance is measured different, (not the real distance).
- Maybe more training views, I know it have 7 training views (for running) but any ajust for my needs.
- You have 5 training profiles (running, bike1, bike2, other sport1, other sport2) but you can’t change the names of the profiles.
- HR doesn’t work on treadmill machines.
- The podometer is bigger than other ones (nike, garmin).
- The page http://www.polarpersonaltrainer.com is really ugly in compare with the garmin, I hope they put some money on the page, more user friendly, compare with other friends, something like that.
- Ok, no water resistance, but everyone knows that.
- The backlight is like the old watches, not really a good backlight.
IMO is a good watch, but I think there are better ones, more configurable.
I have just purchased the RC3 …it does not “see” the heart rate sensor ” heart rate sensor cannot be found” yet it there and its battery is new . please assist
Is it hard to switch back and forth between the run and bike modes? In other words, I don’t care about the swim part of a tri – could I slap the watch on in T1 and switch over to the run mode in T2 on the fly? Thx!
I’ve been looking into purchasing an RC3, but have used Sports Tracks 3.0 with a Garmin 410 for many years now.
Can’t seem to find a direct plug in on the website.
Looks like I wouldn’t be able to use the RC3 in Sports Tracks or lose some of the data.
Am I correct ?
Please let me know.
Juan
I don’t see or know of any way to do that at this time. Just poked through some forum threads on the Sport Tracks site and don’t see anything there.
You could manually import the GPX file in, but it won’t be connecting directly to the RC3.
You algo can merge the .hrm and .gpx files into a .tcx file and them import to the garmin page or sport track site
I’m not sure whether to gat a Polar RC3 of a Garmin FR610. What would be the best choice? What commenly used options / functions are better on the Garmin and at what functions of the Polar are better?
Just for a random person, what would you recommend (from the abovementioned models) if money isn’t an issue?
The FR610 has more features than the RC3 (see the chart above, but click to expand it). It’s more flexible and more customization.
But, it’s also twice the cost of the RC3. The RC3 is a mid-range watch designed to compete with the other mid-range watches like the FR210. Whereas the FR610 is a high end watch in a different price and functionality bracket.
Enjoy!
Thanks!
Polar RC3 is € 220
Garmin 610 is € 280
I think I’ll take the Garmin, since it has more options and the difference in price is acceptable.
@Nicole
I have the same problem with waterproofing issues and i am going to get a refund.
Previously i had the Polar F7 (which was waterproof) for 3 years with few issues of the watch itself.
I just returned my unit to Polar in Australia.
I only use this watch for running and gym.
After 3 months the screen fogged up with mist and fine drops of water and then the screen went blank.
I think this watch has waterproofing issues.
How can this device not be waterproof?, I am a heavy sweater and i jog intensely, unfortunately even my heavy sweating is enough to destroy the watch.
Maybe i pressed the pause button to get a drink from the water fountain and this could be a problem. I have been reading about some of the Garmins and note they have an auto pause function which sounds good.
Since then I was focused on looking for a watch with waterproofing only and GPS built in.
I was left with almost no choices.
As a result, I have bought a Garmin 910XT which unfortunately i don’t think i can use as a regular watch. Does anyone know if it displays the time including the seconds (as i like to stretch for 30 seconds for each stretch but i don’t think i can do this with the Garmin?)
I was really impressed with the Polar up until this point and how easy it is to press the buttons, how simple it is to navigate the menus until i came across waterproofing issues.
Under the USB port there is corrosion so the screws. So i’m not sure how the technician will be able to remove the screws?
Hi Ray,
thanks for the accurate review!
I’d like to ask you a few more questions. I’m sorry, but my English is limited. Maybe I’ll ask some of the questions you’ve already answered.
I want to upgrade my old HRM watch for new ones. My favorites are Garmin 310 XT or Polar RC3 GPS, better ones are out of my budget. What would you recommended?
I’m cyclist/runner, during the winter I do cross country and about once a week I swimm in the pool (as part of the regeneration).
1) I spend most of the time on a mountain bike in the woods, so I need a more sensitive GPS sensor (when I use my smart phone for tracking, so often lose the signal)
2) Do they have the ability to set interval training (for circuit training / Tabata etc)?
3) I like things logically organized with an intuitive interface.
Thank you for your help.
Tade
0) the FR310XT definitely has the most features, but lacks the day to day watch style. So it depends on whether you want functionality or form. Neither option is bad.
1) Both are pretty sensitive, you won’t see any differences there when it comes to trails.
2) The FR310XT has interval + workout functionality, the RC3 has interval functionality (new units as of last month). The RC3 interval is a bit more basic than the potential of the FR310XT, but it gets the job done.
3) Both have a logical interface that is easy to use. The RC3 is probably easier to use simply because it has less features though.
“2) The FR310XT has interval + workout functionality, the RC3 has interval functionality (new units as of last month). The RC3 interval is a bit more basic than the potential of the FR310XT, but it gets the job done.”
I assume these features can be added to older units with firmware update?
Yup…but the catch is you do have to send it in to Polar for the upgrade. The good news is that it’s free.
The interval functionality was added months ago via websync update. If you want the in-watch altitude, THEN you have to send the watch in. I think Ray has misunderstood something along the way?
Hello!
Great review! I’m planning to purchase a RC3 GPS HR Tour de France version and I have a few question about it:
You have mentioned in the review, that the watch does not have a Lap Pace functionality. Is it possible to view lap paces after the workout at the PPT website?
You have also mentioned, that the PPT website is user UN-Friendly, so you would urge everyone to use 3rd party softwares. Can you recommend some 3rd party software or website? It would be great if the software had an iPad app too, so I could upload the data on my PC, than analise it on my iPad.
Thank you for the answer, I wish you good health to accomplish the goals you want to achieve!
You’ll get lap Duration, Distance, and Avg HR. That’s it.
For sites, I’d recommend Sport Tracks, Strava, and Training Peaks as solid options. Sport Tracks has a new online variant that may also work on the iPad.
Yes, you can view lap pace in ppt.com.
Ahh, I see, you’re right, if you go under the ‘Curve’, and then change to lap view below the curve, you’ll also get the avg speed/pace. Nice catch!
Hi,
That’s a nice review, one thing bothers me, though. The current pace is said to be stable, than on the chart from the ppt.com one can see huge differences in the current pace. I bought the watch recently and I can say that trying to keep the constant pace using this watch simply cannot be done. Unless the average pace is display on the screen the gps featue is completely useless during the training sesssion.
Anyone else noticed the same?