Polar H9 – Longterm Feedback

Polar H9 Chest Strap

I’ve been using the Polar H9 chest strap since February this year which must mean between 100 and 200 hours of usage for running and cycling. I can’t do the maths on the exact number as the number is too big 😉 This post is a quick update to say ‘all is OK’ (except where it wasn’t) and all the products details and updated opinions remain in the Polar H9 Review.

I’ve had zero issues with the quality of the HR data from the H9, at least none that I’ve been aware of.

The only things I would briefly state are

• I always unfasten one end of the pod from the strap. Doing that I have had no issues with battery life and battery life was an issue with the H10 and I always thought it was because the H10 was continually searching for a connection to a wat/app and so wasting juice.
• On one important occasion, I had the clasp on the left-hand side of my body and it undid itself. You should wear the clasp to the right-hand side and then the material cannot slip downwards off the metal part of the clasp. Or you should use the H10 strap which has a different connecting mechanism. Perhaps my problem was exacerbated by having the strap quite tight which twists the clasp mechanism to a degree, making it easier to come undone by itself? But then wearing it looser might cause slippage.
• Whilst the H9 stays in the correct position on me, I can see how Polar’s claim’s of better accuracy from the H10 strap might be true for some people as the H10’s strap will probably stay in place better on some people.
• Don’t get excited and wear it under your wetsuit for your first post-lockdown OWS. You will have forgotten that the H9 neither caches data nor is compatible with the Polar Vantage underwater (5Khz signal isn’t supported by Vantage). I would never do that because it would be embarrassing if I did 😉

So far the ANT+ connections have been cool. Polar BEAT tells me the battery is half full (half empty) and I’ve just used the new Polar Beat fitness test – same old test, new and GOOD interface to the test…if you can find it.

Time to move on to a new chest strap. Guesses anyone?

Take Out

After many, many tens of hours of usage, I’d say “The Polar H9 is a more logical choice but the H10 looks nicer and has a nicer strap. I wish it supported underwater ANT+caching for non-Polar devices and similar functionality over BLE for Vantage“.

In the USA, the H9 is available with a 10% discount from PowerMeterCity (checkout code: the5krunner10) and you help this blog and this Polar H9 Review in a small way by purchasing from there. Thank you. UK links to Wiggle and others, Wiggle Platinum members can get up to 17% off certain items.