I have two Polar CS 600's (wife and mine) so far, not really impressed with polar. Cost alot, and having to buy whole new sensors instead of just replacing new batteries, (each time batteries run out) seems, like polar are firmly fixed on making money.

Yes have lot's of features, but does any one know how polar compare too Garmin, for features, etc.
just bought a Mac, and yes NO software available, been told by the rep, might be 8 months, while they develop something.
I know that Garmin is big, ? so you see it better! more stuff on the screen maybe? Polar function is sometimes erractic, tried immersing the thing, KY gel, etc. works mostly, but altitude not that great, Power sensor I am told is Krrrrrap... so did not even go their. which seems like why did they bother??
But with no computer to be able to read the thing makes me think, they really don't care too much about the end user?
the New Polar I beleive is about $1200?? i paid half that for the old model (being discontinued) but I defintely would think twice even at that price buying Polar again.
Any thoughts?

Depends what you want to use it for:

If you want a speedometer and heart rate I would go for the polar but get one that is a wrist watch. My s625x has been near faultless (had the odd error in graph recording thing heart rate speed and cadence but I'm not complaining) and the altitude function is almost as good as my Suunto Observer.

If you want a speedometer with navagation and power go Garmin, Being ANT+ they can link with SRM and Powertap (but they will sting you another $1500+ for power), but a gps is only as good as the satalites(sp) it can see.

The best option may be just wait and see what happens and get a cheap cateye speedo to go on with.

No real problems with Mac's & Garmin. The main s/w you use is Garmin Connect which is web based. There is a Mac version of Garmin Training Centre but it isn't as good as the Windows version. Sportspeaks etc all have Mac Versions (I think). Get yourself VMware Fusion (or Parallels) so that you can run Windows on your Mac. Very handy for those times that there isn't a Mac solution.

I've moved from a Polar CS200Cad to a Garmin Edge 500 and love it (as do many others here on Vorb). There are still some issues. The latest firmware seems to have fixed some but not all of them. All the data you can collect is cool (if you're into that ). Do it. I made the change when Polar wanted $150 to repair a button on the computer! Wouldn't go back, and who knows, one day Santa might bring me a power meter (one of those cool in-pedal ones).

Further to what disorientated said, satellite view is necessary, but the cadence/speed sensor fixes a lot of those issues as well.

thanks for feedback, how does Garmin compare to Polar for price? spyder my thoughts too about Polar wanting $140 for new sensor for speed or cadence, each. I can buy a top line cateye that does both, plus!!. However this is a HRM and you want that specific stuff too, so you put up with that, but when you don't get it??? Yes I could run windows on my Mac too, but I have to buy windows to do that. I Miss the course profile (at the moment), but I believe Garmin also has Mapping?
Did you say "dsoriented" that you can get SRM for $1500 ! (please where) and that runs with garmin?

SirLightalot wrote:Did you say "dsoriented" that you can get SRM for $1500 ! (please where) and that runs with garmin?

You can get second hand powertaps for about that, no idea is there ant+ ones or not. For a SRM its $$$$$$$

Spyder wrote:No real problems with Mac's & Garmin. The main s/w you use is Garmin Connect which is web based.

Oops
"On February 8, 2010 Garmin decided to shut down operations at its San Francisco office and move all Garmin Connect product management/development back to headquarters in Olathe, Kansas. For as much as the team in San Francisco loves working on Garmin Connect, most of us – if not all – are choosing not to relocate to Kansas.
http://thegcteam.com/

disoriented wrote:

SirLightalot wrote:Did you say "dsoriented" that you can get SRM for $1500 ! (please where) and that runs with garmin?

You can get second hand powertaps for about that, no idea is there ant+ ones or not. For a SRM its $$$$$$$

SRM are Garmin compatible.

See already I can see that Garmin have it over Polar becuase you can use a decent Power meter with the unit! Polar's effort from reviews i have read, can be summed up with "why did they even bother" .
Thanks for the input, i will reasearch the Garmin product, and maybe for a xmas present, go garmin, and put the polar as a ........paper weight??

I also just made the transition to Garmin with the edge 500 after 3 years with a CS200, and its been pretty good. Its not perfect, and I think I prefer the screen layout of the polar.
The big thing for me was getting the accuracy with the GPS, as the polar was reading 5-10% lower. I like the altimeter, although its not amazingly accurate. I don't have or need a power meter but the cadence speed unit is necessary.
One of the best things about the garmin is the ability to create a course which then acts as an incentive to keep flogging yourself to improve your times.
The GPS tracking stuff on the garmin website after uploading the data is pretty cool, but I'm not training for anything special and so far the data has shown me that I go slower up hills and faster down them.

I have just changed from a CS600 to a Garmin 700 Edge. The garmin is awesome, i was fed up with the endless failurs of the polar and the poor customer service.

Deathshead, just what I wanted to hear, the Garmin 700 edge is the top one? how does it compare particualarly to the CS600? . My wife has a lot of trouble with the polar picking up her heart, mine is ok but occaisionally says I am beating at 220 etc, when going for a recovery ride, or whatever. usually reliable, the altitude is not that accurate. Cadence, speed etc, all ok, but then should be, my Cateye unit NEVER gets that stuff wrong either.

So really it's heart rate stuff, profile, heart zones, nice to have 3 things showing at once, but does garmin have similar? And why do you find it "awesome" ??

I've just bought a Garmin FR60 (was about NZ$220 imported from the states) - Bought mainly has a cheap running watch. Its waterproof to 50m so i can use it out swimming, and will sync up to the bike pod, if i can be bothered purchasing one. I like the Garmin setup - little things like having user replaceable batteries...

Like it enough that I'd think about getting a Forerunner® 310XT - at present I'm just enjoying the novelty of watching my heart rate.

Sims said "I like the Garmin setup - little things like having user replaceable batteries..." yes that appeals, if my cadence sensor battery goes and the speed sensor won't be far behind, well I will be looking at $240 approx.

Polar are obviously a good product, but appear to me like they are losing their (excuse the competitive note), "edge"

I have a polar s725x the tour edition one if that makes a difference, that I bought 2 1/2 years ago. I love this device and it did everything I needed. However I am a toy junkie so I got myself a Garmin edge 700 for Christmas. My weak justification for this is the virtual partner. I live out in the middle of nowhere and training on my own against my previous best times on my set circuits has been quite useful with the Garmin. Also the auto lap function is good on the Garmin, push the lap button on your first lap and it automatically does it for you when you go through the same point again. I had trouble with the cadence sensor on the Polar, and the garmin is fine, plus the speed sensor auto calibrates on the Garmin. I ride on roads I know so the map functions are no use whilst I am riding, but it's fun, in a scary geeky way to look at it on the computer after a ride. I would have got the edge 500 but I don't think it does the virtual trainer and I like the data overkill on the big 700 screen. Only down side on the 700 is the conectivity. It takes ages to upload to the computer and the link often fails.
Overall Polar Good, Garmin better. I now have one more decision, sell the polar, or keep it as an over priced, over featured watch?

My polar 720 has been faultless, i have a power meter which seems to work fine also changing batteries in speed, cadence, power unit and watch is a doddle.
And i get nice graphs when i DL it to my pc.