Polar H9 Heart Rate Sensor

The strap sucks. If you have no lats, maybe it won't slide down your body as you run. But for those of us with big lats, you have to modify this thing. You can either modify the strap, or buy the $40 Polar Pro chest strap (you’ll have to replace any strap you get probably every 6-12 months so keep that in mind). I haven't tried the outrageously-priced Polar Pro but it's the only one on the market that has grips all the way around the strap, not just in the front.The chest strap can be easily modified as follows:Buy one of the "zig zag silicone grip wave bands" you can find online, and sew it (or use fabric glue or something) to the inside of your Polar chest strap and it actually stays in place while running! Just make sure you get the strap customized to your underchest first, and give yourself some space for the inevitable long-term loosening of the strap (you might need to tighten it gradually over time).Without the extra grip, you have to find the perfect balance through much trial and error between too tight and too loose. Too tight, and it creates a little cavity where the electrodes are between the strap and your chest (so it gives you terrible readings, if any). Too loose, and it falls down to your waist.I also found that using a small dab of electrode gel on each of the two electrodes on the back side of the chest strap (enough to cover just the two circles on the strap where the strap touches your chest) makes a huge difference in getting a consistent, accurate, read. Don't use water, it just doesn't work nearly as well.I love the Polar Beat app it comes with! It was the best free app I could find for Android for a heart rate monitor. I'm sure there are probably better paid ones out there but I didn't try any of them so can't attest. The Polar Beat app gives you a graph at the end of your workout that shows your heart rate over time, and tells you how many minutes and seconds you spent in each of the 5 heart rate zones (50%-60% of max heart rate = zone 1; 90-100% = zone 5). It has certain modes that track your GPS location for accurate maps of your runs/rides and the app will tell you every mile when running how long your mile took, your pace, and average heart rate. I've never used it for a bike ride.It also tracks calories very well and whenever it doesn't get an accurate read, it does a pretty good job "guessing" (better than the old Polar Watch I have). If I start my workout on the Polar app first, THEN start the workout on my Polar watch, it will let me use both to track my workouts which is great. That way I can leave my phone in my gym bag while running around the track, and use the watch instead to track % of max heart rate. It's also nice when using my phone for anything else while I'm doing a HIIT circuit or on the exercise bike, that way I can just look at my watch to see my stats. I don't have a smart watch so can't comment on how it works with that. I think you might need to get the latest and greatest to pair it to two or more smart devices at once. But this one works perfectly for one smart device and one dumb device.

I have been using this strap for over a year to monitor my heart rate on runs and bike rides, and it has worked flawlesly throughout. I've only changed the battery on it once during this time when I noticed that it would not connect to my bike computer. I personally have never had the band slip or shift off my chest.Once you pair it to your watch or bike computer, it's remarkably simple to use - just put it on and it automatically turns on and starts transmitting to whatever device you have. When you take it off, it automatically powers down. There is no on/off indicator light, but I found that it's not needed, and would likely just waste battery.

I had previously owned Garmin HRMs and only switched to Polar for Bluetooth connectivity with gym equipment, which Polar has and Garmin doesn’t.“Even a broken clock works twice a day”…that about sums it up with this Polar HRM.Worked for a couple of months but then started getting wildly inaccurate readings…if I was training at around 140 BPM, it would inexplicably spike and report 180 BPM and other times report something very low or even 0, as it it we’re disconnected.I did everything right: I used new 2025 batteries, dampened the strap before use, properly wore the strap snugly on the correct part of my chest, gently washed it with mild soap after each use, etc.Polar doesn’t have a customer service phone number that I could find, but I was able to find an email address. After a few back and forth emails — where I had to jump through hoops to troubleshoot the problem — they suggested I send both the strap and the sensor back to them for checking. A week or two later, I received a new sensor and a note that said the sensor had malfunctioned, so they replaced it. Rather than just simply send me a new kit, they returned my old strap. Ok, fine…A month or two later, the same thing happened again. I give up. I won’t buy another Polar product again. Despite its lack of Bluetooth connectivity to my gym’s equipment, I’m going back to Garmin. Garmin is more accurate, reliable, and has an actual customer service department.

I almost returned this until I looked up how to get it working on the web. You have to pair it WITH THE APP, NOT your phone! If you pair it with your phone the app will not see it, at least as far as I can tell.The third time I used it I had to restart my phone for it to pair for some reason. Since then it has paired automatically whenever I open the app and have the thing on my chest. No restart needed.There may be better apps to use. I use the Polar Beat app which does what I want just fine. There is also an app called Polar Flow but I think it sucks. Not needed. But if you open the Polar Flow website (not the phone app) you will see that Polar Beat syncs all your data there and keeps track of all your activities on a calendar.I get the strap slightly damp as well as the spot on my chest where it goes, then put it on. I make sure it's paired in the app, then when I get to the gym or my hike I hit Start on the app. When I'm done I remove the monitor from the strap which turns it off.All I needed was a way to track my heart rate while I'm working out and it does that just fine. The cheap watches here on Amazon do not track your heart rate accurately, especially at higher rates. This thing is great.

So far so good, there was only one sweaty sesh so far the readings kept getting cut off, maybe it was moving around too much. I which the app it self was better but I’m sure there are other apps to connect to

I'm darn near 60 and recently was diagnosed with A-fib. Nothing super serious but none the less... I had been wondering if I could trust the heart rate monitor on my fruit watch (optical) and decided I needed to try something different. I should say, the Polar H9 nor the fruit watch are able to accurately detect A-fib. I read reviews an read reviews and decided the Polar H9 would be what I need. If I didn't care for it, I could give it to someone and not be out a gob of money.Well, I'm keeping it. I like it but there are a few quirks. 1 - It feels a tad odd when it's on you. Wear it snug so it works well and doesn't slip around on you while exercising. I'm sure I'll get used to it in time. Once I get it on and wet the contacts (I'll get to that) I don't notice it. The longest I've run with it on is 4 miles. It did not bother me at all while running. Quirk 2 - you have to wet the area under the strap where the contacts are so it reads accurately. I did try it out without wetting it and it worked fine. I sweat a lot so It got damp fairly quickly. Quirk 3 - Pairing. When you want to pair the device PAIR IT WITH THE APP NOT YOUR DEVICE. I paired it with my phone and then tried to pair it with my watch. Nope. I downloaded Polar Flow and it didn't work. I then recalled something I read in a review about Polar Beat. I unpaired the Polar H9 from the phone and watch and deleted the Polar Flow app and downloaded Polar Beat. I did pair it with my phone through the Polar Beat App. Now, I did not see those instructions with the device. All was good finally. Can you pair with Polar Flow? Darned if I know since I got it to work with Polar Beat. I may try it later and if so, I'll update this. But for now I'm sticking with the Beat.The battery life is supposed to be 400 hours on a single coin cell battery. We'll see. If that's true, that should last me a while. I don't think I'm going to get more than 6 - 8 hours of use a week so it'll last about a year. Maybe when it warms up I'll use it more so we'll see.Oh, the instructions indicate you should rinse the strap out after each use. Probably very good advice or this thing will get stinky and crusty and not last as long.And regarding the accuracy of this monitor vs the fruit watch, they are very similar. That actually surprised me. I'm still learning the Polar Beat App so I can't really speak to what you can and can't do with it yet.If things go sideways, I'll edit this review. Cheers and keep moving.

I have used this heart rate monitor since 2019 and between the monitor itself in the app. It is very helpful for me and tracking my overall fitness.

Muy satisfecho con el Polar H9. La conexión es rápida y estable, y las mediciones de frecuencia cardíaca se sienten precisas y consistentes durante todo el entrenamiento, he realizado comparaciones contra mi reloj y vale la pena el cambio en precisión, sobre todo cuando el ritmo cardíaco no es constante como haciendo sprints.La banda es cómoda, se ajusta bien al cuerpo y después de unos minutos prácticamente se olvida que la llevas puesta. También me ha gustado su compatibilidad con con mi samsung health. al menos mi, la experiencia de configuración fue rápida y sin problemas.En general, transmite la sensación de ser un producto bien construido, confiable y pensado para uso deportivo frecuente. Para quien quiera llevar un seguimiento más preciso de su frecuencia cardíaca durante ejercicio es una excelente alternativa.Muy buena compra y totalmente recomendado

Ho comprato l'H9 poiché costa meno dell'H10 e per quello che ci devo fare va più che bene.Provato sul campo, funziona alla grandissima. L'ho usato per registrare l'andamento cardiaco in vari test, diversi tra loro: dal classico yoyo test, quindi corsa, a test per atleti di arti marziali (taekwondo). Funziona benissimo.Le funzionalità che ha in più il fratello maggiore (H10) a mio avviso sono inutili per il 99% delle persone che utilizzano amatorialmente questo tipo di prodotto o comunque non sono in grado di capirle e leggerle a dovere.Le rilevazioni dell'H9 sono fantastiche, oltre che la precisione di rilevamento, con le app giuste si può avere traccia persino dell'HRV. Questo giusto per sottolineare la potenza del dispositivo, ma ancora una volta, se non sapete che cosa sia o come si legga, non ha nemmeno senso usarlo.L'unico punto che un atleta o preparatore potrebbe davvero indirizzare l'acquisto di un H9 o H10, è la memoria interna.Ci sono sport o momenti in cui il collegamento con il cellulare o la possibilità di utilizzare uno smartwatch adatto non è fattibile e lì entra in gioco la memoria interna.Se nel vostro sport non vi muovete molto nello spazio o sé portarvi dietro il telefono è sempre possibile, l'H9 ha il 100% di validità per voi.Se invece avete lo smartphone non è possibile o difficoltoso e/o se il collegamento rischia di interrompersi, allora l'H10 è più indicato.Penso in particolare a sport come il nuoto, per cui l'acqua può fare da schermo al telefono (magari però avete uno smartwatch e il problema non si pone). Oppure anche all'arrampicata sportiva, dove avere il telefono non è sempre possibile o banalmente l' altezza e/o la roccia che fa da schermo inficia il collegamento.Personalmente facendo anche arrampicata sportiva su roccia (non boulder) mi sono trovato a dover restituire l'H9, proprio perché il collegamento su interrompe spesso e non possiedo uno smartwatch. Ne avessi avuto uno lo avrei tenuto senza alcun dubbio. Per tutto il resto, taekwondo, pesi, corsa, telefono+H9 funziona alla grandissima (e si capisce dopo pochissimo tempo quanto il plus dell'H10 sia veramente superfluo a chiunque).La fascia dell'H9 è molto buona, non scivola, facile da far aderire e aggiustare. La chiusura è diversa dalla fascia pro, ma è (s)comoda allo stesso modo. Sinceramente tutta questa differenza non la vedo, anzi..Ricapitolando, se vuoi un cardiofrequenzimetro ottimo e non hai particolari esigenze sulla funzionalità, l'H9 è perfetto e ti fa risparmiare 20-30€.Se invece per qualsiasi motivo ti ritrovi ad allenarti senza la possibilità di portare il telefono \smartwatch o se devi nuotare, allora l'H10 è l'unica opzione, poichè può registrare un allenamento.ps in tutto questo sono convinto che l'H9 non sia altro che un H10 con limitazioni via software.

Product is as described and works ok. It works 100% accurately with the paired Polar watch. It also works with gym fitness machines equipped with Bluetooth technology for HR reading (e.g. Life Fitness treadmill), but for some reason approx. after first 10 minutes of training, the HR indications on the machine start jumping up and down. I could not figure our why.

Buen sensor. Preciso y confiable.

El Polar H9 es de esos dispositivos que no hacen ruido, pero cumplen exactamente con lo que prometen. Sin florituras ni funciones innecesarias, este sensor de frecuencia cardíaca se centra en ofrecer mediciones fiables y consistentes, que al final es lo que la mayoría buscamos cuando entrenamos. Es una opción muy equilibrada para quien quiere dar un salto de calidad respecto al sensor óptico del reloj sin complicarse la vida.⸻Precisión ante todoSi hay algo que caracteriza al Polar H9 es su precisión. Al colocarse en el pecho, la lectura del pulso es inmediata y estable, incluso en entrenamientos intensos o con cambios de ritmo. Da igual si estás haciendo entrenamiento funcional, ciclismo indoor o sesiones de cardio más largas: los datos son coherentes y fáciles de interpretar. Para quienes entrenan por zonas de frecuencia cardíaca, es un aliado más que fiable.⸻Comodidad que se agradeceLa banda textil es cómoda y ligera, y una vez ajustada apenas notas que la llevas puesta. No roza ni molesta, incluso en sesiones largas. Además, se mantiene bien en su sitio, algo fundamental para evitar lecturas erráticas. Es de esos accesorios que te pones al empezar a entrenar y te olvidas de que lo llevas.⸻Compatible con casi todoOtro punto fuerte del Polar H9 es su amplia compatibilidad. Funciona sin problemas con relojes deportivos, aplicaciones de entrenamiento en el móvil, ciclocomputadores y máquinas de gimnasio. La conexión es estable y rápida, lo que facilita mucho el día a día: lo emparejas una vez y listo, sin peleas ni configuraciones raras.⸻Sencillo, pero muy efectivoNo tiene memoria interna ni conexión múltiple avanzada, y tampoco lo pretende. El Polar H9 va directo al grano: medir bien el pulso y transmitirlo de forma fiable. Y lo hace. Además, la pila dura muchísimo, por lo que no tienes que estar pendiente de cargarlo cada pocas semanas.⸻Conclusión: justo lo que necesitasEl Polar H9 es perfecto para quien busca fiabilidad, comodidad y simplicidad. No es el sensor más avanzado del mercado, pero sí uno de los más equilibrados. Si quieres mejorar la calidad de tus entrenamientos sin gastar de más ni complicarte con funciones que no vas a usar, es una apuesta segura que no decepciona.

This review is for the Polar H9 Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) in Black. I purchased the HRM to prep for a Half Marathon, my first ever, with the hope of using it for Low Heart Rate training. It has been an excellent choice for a beginner like me and has helped accurately track my heart rate during runs. This has helped me improve my runs over the 2 months I've used it so far.Build and Quality:The HRM unit and the strap come packaged as separate items. The HRM unit is compact and lightweight, made from a durable plastic and the quality feels solid. Just holding it in your hands you can tell that the plastic is strong enough to withstand any bumps, etc. It houses a CR2025 battery that you can get to using a prying tool. The 'Soft Strap' is just that, a strap with a fine-weave and feels velvet-feel to the touch. The quality seems good and like anything elastic its durability will depend on how much it is stretched. It is adjustable and is fastened using a hook into a loop and the HRM unit and strap are connected together with a pair of snap fastener buttons.Features vs Functionality:Polar HRMs are known for their accuracy and I can confirm this sensor is spot on. The H9 is accurate and also very responsive to changes in the heart rate with minimal lag. Where my Garmin wrist sensor would lag before reacting to heart rate changes, the H9 was pretty much instant. Although, for the strap to measure heart rate accurately, the conducting area on the strap needs to be made wet before use to begin with and the sweat then keeps it wet for the rest of the workoutThe strap is made from a comfortable and flexible material and sits snugly against the skin once adjusted appropriately. I've not had any chaffing and on tuns I don'teven realise I have the chest strap on. I don't particularly sweat too much so all I do it wipe the strap down after use and its good to go for the next workout. For sweaty runners, you may need to wash it more often which might impact its longevity.As for connectivity, the HRM is easy to connect to Bluetooth devices and once paired will automatically connect the next time as long as the HRM is snapped to the strap. I've also tested connecting two devices and both recieve the heart rates in real time. However, if you ever need to let your running partner to use the HRM then you'd want to unpair this from your fitness tracker first before they connect to it. Else it would send their heart rate to your tracker.The claimed battery life of 400 hours is great but difficult to verify. So what I do to ensure the battery lasts is to unsnap one of the button from the strap to break the circuit.Value for money:The H9 provides accurate heart rate data for a fraction of the price of the H10 as long as you don't need the memory of the H10. This as brilliant value for money, specially for beginners.