Polar Flow Reviews

by JmarioCV

The customer who paid for their device should determine if/when to upgrade. I was greeted with a "...your version is outdated...please upgrade..." message. In fact there is no please about it. PolarFlow suddenly will not work with Polar Balance (scale) since the update message is sitting on top of the scale button. Why don't I want to upgrade? Because everytime I've upgraded in the past Polar has lost or deleted several months of weight data. Unlike the Polar Beat app which has never lost any old data the Polar Flow app seems to periodically lose old data.
May 12,2021 update: Now this poor excuse for a program has decided to switch my weight to kg - it ignores my setting it to imperial (pounds) and reverts to metric (kilograms) after I set it to imperial!

by Honestly 101

Im a fairly new user - only got my device a month. Although I like the look and feel, syncing is not a simple task. I’ll sink and expect it to be working only to find that it hasn’t or hasn’t uploaded a full days results. I’ve resorted to taking the device off and placing it on my cellular screen to sync as alternatively suggested and although that appears to work better, at times it throws the time off. Last Friday was such an example and got me into some trouble for thinking I had to leave a meeting already only to find out I had the wrong time. Embarrassing and frustrating! I had a much cheaper device and experienced none of these challenges in the past. If this experience continues, I’ll have no choice but to revert back to the old device. Pity is I bought an extra four devices to give as Christmas gifts and at the moment, I’m regretting have done so as I expect they’re going to be frustrated too.

by E618Triathlete

I bought the 430 for the wrist based heartrate monitoring and im extremely satisfied with that.

With that said when i run on the treadmill the data collected is extremely questionable. It has never given me an accurate distance. Today’s run it captured 3.5miles of 5. Unfortunately the flow app doesn’t allow me to calibrate for my stride/Light footstrike and correct the inaccurate distance. This means you’re left with a completely worthless run data history. Worse is the questions it raises about the other data captured. If it missed 1.5miles making it completely off on your pace, how accurate is the cadence data. Also best of luck if you forget to stop your workout because there is no way to correct the inaccurate data. I find myself depending on a lot of other apps just like when i had my polar FT1. The polar flow app needs a lot of enhancements and leaves much to be desired from this runner.

by RaviRamineni

I like the vantage V for HR and power but very disappointed that it does support interval training very well.
The Phased Target is a good construct but usually each phase is a lap but Flow doesn’t seem to tag them that way. When I import data into Strava or even the flow app, still don’t know straight away my average speed in each of the phases (FYI the automatic lap is turned off )

The corresponding issue on the watch is that there is no way to know what avg speed I’m going at in each phase cos the phases aren’t treated as laps.

For example I need to be able to create the phased target (see below), start the run, should never need to touch the watch until the work out ends and be able to see avg pace + avg HR in each phase and this contextual information needs to be tagged and saved so I can import and see it.

Example :
10m warmup
4 X 1k @ 3:40 with 60 sec rest
5 min easy jog
4 x 1k @ 3:40 with 60 sec rest
10 min cool down

I recently switched from Garmin and super disappointed I can’t do this over in polar. I hope this gets addressed soon.

Thanks
Ravi

by Devuker

I enjoy flexibility. I enjoy compatibility.
My vantage m and the polar app have some great features. I like seeing my progress and the ability to gauge overreaching mixed with poor sleep. I enjoy the sport profiles and being able to set heart rate monitored activities and non heart rate activities. But over the last two years I have a small wish list. 1) I have to restart the polar app every time i want to sync with my watch. 2)There is no find your phone option. 3) Cant charge the watch in the middle of an activity. This is nice for long days bike-packing. Garmin allows overnight charging without stopping the activity. This way the entire route is one post. 4) I am in the medical field and frequently need to count respirations or heart rate using a second hand. The second hand on my polar only displays for about six seconds when i raise my wrist so its not helpful. 5) Zwift: Polar does not link with zwift so I cant see my heart rate data from my watch on the zwift platform. This is a dilemma when I want to track strain and progress with polar. I have to start my watch as well as wear a heart rate strap compatible with zwift. I then have to delete the strava activity (i use both fitness platforms to track progress) Compatibility with other apps and platforms would be great!
I have really enjoyed the watch however couple things that I would like to improve. Thanks Polar!

by Credig

PolarFlow is very good. For my polar vantage v, it provides easy syncing and update transfer, while for workout analysis it provides a wide range of helpful analyses. I only wish PolarFlow had two additional features that seem to be awkwardly missing considering everything related to them has been included. First, for running workout analysis I wish PolarFlow would have similar splits functionality to what they provide on the flow website, allowing users to auto split workouts into .5, 1, and 2 mile splits. Second, I wish that, for the apple health syncing, flow provided distance data like it provides workout and other health data.

by Ahdkkdiqgauie

I like most things about PolarFlow and my Polar Vantage M. However there are two areas needing significant improvement. These are:
- The delay in displaying heart rate. Because of this delay it is easy to overshoot my maximum heart rate while exercising. I have verified this delay by comparing the M’s reading to that of various pieces of exercise equipment. However, when hiking, or doing other activities, without another piece of equipment to track the actual heart rate it is easy to overrun, or underachieve.
- Like many people over the age of 60, I have to get up during the night to relieve myself. Unfortunately the Polar Vantage M and or the Polar app think that I rwmain awake from that point forward, even though I do go back to sleep. Again, I see a very substantial difference between what Polar believes is my sleep time and that shown by my CPAP machine...
PS: Every NickName I tried to use to submit this review was reported as taken, including “AllNickNamesTaken”, so I am about to resort to a random collection of characters to see if that will work.........!!!!!!!!

by Me1199

1. When I wear the V800 watch to sleep, it doesn’t always track my sleep correctly. For example, I fell asleep on the couch pretty early then woke up and got in bed late. It only counted the time after I went to bed as sleep.
2. Elevation isn’t shown on the workout in PolarFlow , I have to go to the full website to see it.
3. The HR monitor strap isn’t the best - it misses measurements; I actually need to test it with the phone as well as the watch to try and isolate the issue.

I’ve mostly worn the watch as a daily tracker and used it with HR monitor for running, bike rides, hiking, etc. and overall, it’s pretty good, no major issues. My first V800 melted when I tried to recharge it and they replaced it. The second one seems to be holding up really well.

by Thomas, New York

So far, I believe I am tracking everything…
Been wearing it for two weeks now.

Still don’t know where to find statistical data.
This should be easier to get, without using a fourth party, since I have me, my polar watch, iPhone app.
If I wanted to export the data, so I can see it on another device…
That, to me, should be here too.

If it’s there… and I just don’t see it, then that’s why I am willing to concede a d give a fourth star…

You know, because it could be that I’m just an idiot who could afford a watch to monitor my heart, but only minute by minute.
(Grin)

My goal was to
Monitor my heart during all my activities, and look at the data later.

I’m hoping my synching will pay off soon.

Love the physical characteristics of the phone.
Love the swipe functionality of the screen face.
I’m sure I will love the data it’s collecting.
Happy to receive a call from polar on howI can get the data.

by NickBel0326

Polar flow gets the job done. It provides a good break down of what I did. Though I never seem to have the same distance and elevation between my device and how Strava analyzes the information I don’t know if it’s accuracy is off, but when using downloaded maps it shows turns within feet of where they are. The particular product I use V650 seems to be lacking in some modern features. I do not know if this is limited to this product or others. But for the price compared to a Garmin, it is completely worth. Any additional features would cost hundreds more with a Garmin.

by Jgoh07

Love the Polar Flow app! It syncs quickly with my Polar Vantage M2 and the UI is pretty fast. I’ve never had any issues updating my sleep data or workouts. What I appreciate is the highly-detailed info of my sleep, letting me know my REM cycles, interruptions, deep sleep, etc... It also gauges my workouts to let me know how I’m doing during the week. It’ll alert me if I’m maintaining or overreaching in my training. Data is abundant, layout is clear and user-friendly, and PolarFlow is reliable. I’m pretty pleased!

by Kerby Skurat

I’m a business guy and I love the tracking that we do to ensure that our business is running as smoothly as it should be. I had never really compared my body to my business, but in reality my body needs to be tracked just like my business does. The profit is in the numbers. And in this case weight loss is by way of tracking your food and your numbers. If you couple PolarFlow with my fitness pal for food tracking, it’s nearly impossible not to go in the direction that you want to.

by Somebodyinparticular

My goal is optimum fitness & health. My Polar Unite and PolarFlow tell me what works and what doesn’t. I’ve learned that alcohol — even 2 drinks — always has a negative effect on my sleep metrics, specifically relating to my heart. Eye-opening. On the other hand, whenever I do even the mildest exercise — a daily brisk walk and/or yoga, my sleep improves and my resting heart rate goes down. Sure, these findings may be “from the journal of ‘duh’,” but there’s something about seeing the impact firsthand that motivates me to make better health choices. Recommended.

by Yvette007!

Polar flow is the premier fitness device. It’s been around since the 1980’s. I’ve tried other devices, but none of them compare in accuracy, some devices I’ve researched don’t even show margin of error. Polar has been, and still is, used in research and in hospitals. I’m sticking with Polar because of accuracy and the best function. Makes sense, because they’ve been around long before fitness devices were trendy and after decades of experience with this technology they still have the BEST products for these markets ❤️

by Hed2084

I see nothing that would make me want to change to some other brand of devices. They clearly follow their own vision and reach to accomplish achievements that are beyond simply filling a marketing opportunity. Polar continues to set a standard that many people are not even able to recognize... my advice is. Take a good look and really think about what they are doing. A simple example: think for a second why Polar is the only device with a 40 hour workout time at the quality level they provide. They are ahead of the trend because they are the source of it

by These Nicknames Are Bad Too

Since this last update (which by the way doesn’t mention having fixed anything on sleep tracker) sleep track is down to random performance. Contacting support is an exercise in frustration in that that regurgitate to me the same things on the support page that got me to them and then tell me how I need to sleep in order for their application to work. People serving software? I thought it was supposed to be the other way around. I like the other features (other than synch, which is ridiculously slow) but my frustration with sleep tracker leaves me open to other, better solutions (i.e. non-polar).

by MKKreuger

Firstly, i have the Polar m400 which is an awesome watch. I'm impressed with PolarFlow too. I prefer this to the desktop, which isn't as flawless when syncing (download a new version and lose my data? Nope) and so far this works fine mechanically. Feed Interface is a little cluttered and seems harder than it should be to navigate back through the calendar and see timings. Pretty good graphs, trying to see if there's a way to compare timings but that is my only nitpick. Might have to import into Excel. As mentioned, the watch itself, an m400, is Rock solid after busting a few Garmins that are irreparable. Very simple easy to use menu. It just works.

by Can'tcarryatune

I can’t rave enough about my Polar Grit Training Watch. It is amazingly rugged & durable. It has all the functions I need except for logging interval runs, but that is a minor take-away from an outstanding watch. The only problem I have with it is that I run with a focus on my heart rate and zones. I am also slightly color blind so when it move from the 4th into the 5th zone I have trouble reading the heart rate number. Wish there was a way to change the color scheme to suit my vision issues...Don’t get me wrong, if mine should ever fail/break, which seems highly unlikely considering the beating I have already given it, I will definitely get another one!!

by JackPansegrau

I had a pair of Polar AXN700 for over a decade and had one I finally had to strap together with duct tape. I finally purchased a Vantage V and absolutely love it. Everything about the hardware and software is outstanding.

I considered an Apple but Polar holds a charge so much longer it just works better for my needs. The Pilar Flow program is great. If I had a “magic wand” I would like to see a couple fields added where I can add information - such as the name of my trail route, etc. But this is a small detail. The other thing I’d really like is an automatic link to my Dark Sky weather app so it would be visible on my watch as well as embedded in my data.

So I love my Polar and recommend it highly.

by GRhaines

I’ve been using Polar Heart Rate Monitors for over 10 years as I had rate induced A-fib and really needed to keep a check on my heart rate. I have used Polar Flo and their software before to download my activity and analyze various things. Can’t tell you how easy PolarFlow is to use and seamless it is to download from my monitor. With GPS I am able to tack all of my routes, compare rides from previous ones, etc. Use mainly for cycling but when I ran, also used to track my running, cadence, etc. Great product and great software.

by Freckle Fart 90

So this is probably my first negative review ever. It has to do with my experience dealing with PolarFlow. I’ve been using it for over a year and it has been absolutely solid. Recently there was an update and PolarFlow won’t stay open longer than 8 seconds. At first I thought it was my phone but everything works perfectly. Brand new iPhone, latest IOS, latest version of flow app etc. PolarFlow continues to crash. It seems to pick several times of day where it won’t crash and those time are random.

Customer service is useless, doesn’t listen and suggest things I already reiterated to them that I tried. I’m just frustrated. It WAS the most used app on my Phone second to iMessage. Now it’s useless. Thanks Polar

by Harr21

I have trouble syncing my watch with PolarFlow about a couple times a week. I’ve looked at the troubleshooting page and tried the few different ways to get it to work, but unfortunately it doesn’t. It eventually catches up a few days later when it “decides” to sync. Also noticed a few times the heart rate monitor is turned on and mid activity, it starts to beep non stop and quits working. I have to stop my activity and re-set the heart rate on my watch, and again a bit annoying. Over all, it a bad watch but the glitches need to be fixed.

by SassyOnefromAR

I’ve always loved Polar and the A370 is no exception. The only problem I’m having with it is it will lose connection and shut down after about an hour and a half of exercise. Sometimes I️ do two workouts back to back (such as weights then Zumba) and it will lose my data and reboot. I’ve tried stopping and starting the second exercise but it still shuts down and I️ lose my second workout. I️ really love the ease, reliability and heart monitoring along with the enhanced sleep tracking. Just wish it wouldn’t reboot in the middle of my workout.

by Tan ONati

I have the M400 GPS sports watch and the M450 bike computer, along with a couple accessories, and I love PolarFlow as a hub to track my activity in a multiple-device Environment. It might not be for you if you are looking to mix and match brands, but if you buy consistently PolarFlow will take care of you. I love that you can customize your sport profiles to show you the live stats you want to see using PolarFlow . This will keep me in the Polar for the foreseeable future.

by Fireball7733

Seems really fast how fast it sinks it tells you the day and what time and you could set a timer for how long you don’t want to disturb you I like does your heart rate and you could Choose a sport for it and And it sets a Timer and how it showed your heart rate and tells how much steps how much calories you burn for a sport and you could and that you could play it again and you could do many different things with the polar watch I just very love the polar watch