If you regularly train with a sports watch or fully featured cycle computer, you’re well aware of the benefits these gadgets can bring to the party. Being able to track your performance in real time, as well as analysing the data post-training is both addictive and enlightening.
For many, however, investing the cash in a dedicated fitness computer is a big decision, especially if they’re not sure how committed they are, or how useful the data captured might be. It’s therefore no surprise that the number of fitness related smartphone apps has exploded over the past couple of years.
Modern smartphones are so complex and powerful that there’s very little they can’t do. With integrated GPS and accelerometer technology, most smartphones are just as clever as high-end fitness computers, and spending a few Pounds on a suitable app is far easier to swallow than a couple of hundred Pounds on a dedicated device.
The one key component missing from your smartphone is a way to measure your heart rate while you’re training, and that’s where the Polar H7 heart rate sensor comes in. Polar has been leading the way in heart rate monitor technology for decades, so it’s not surprising that the Finnish tech innovator is keen to bring HRM functionality to our phones.
But while the H7 heart rate sensor is compatible with most current Apple smartphones and tablets, it isn’t limited to those device types. You see the H7 is a hybrid heart rate sensor, so although it supports low power Bluetooth 4.0 to make it compatible with all those mobile devices, it also supports Polar’s 5kHz WearLink standard, making it compatible with a plethora of Polar fitness computers as well as most gym equipment.
The H7 looks much like the majority of Polar heart rate sensors, but with prominent Bluetooth branding below the Polar logo. The chest strap is identical to the one supplied with the Polar RC3 GPS, and is both comfortable and secure while exercising.
I had no problems pairing the H7 with my iPhone 4S, and it worked flawlessly with the Polar Beat app, as well as numerous other iPhone fitness apps. It was also happy to pair with my TomTom Runner GPS sports watch, which utilises Bluetooth 4.0 for its accessories. In all cases the H7 reported accurate heart rate data without any hint of spiking or dropouts.
Thanks to its Bluetooth support, this is a heart rate sensor that’s compatible with a dizzying amount of kit, making it extremely versatile. And given that many people change their iPhone every year, it’s reassuring that you won’t have to change your heart rate sensor every time too.
I also tested the H7 with my Polar FT80 sports watch, which employs the older 5kHz WearLink standard. Once again, it performed without incident, reporting my heart rate just as effectively as the sensor that came with the FT80 many years ago.
Most gym equipment also uses the older 5kHz Polar standard, so I tested the H7 with my NordicTrack T14.2 treadmill and my ProForm Le Tour de France training bike. Once again, the H7 performed flawlessly, showing no unusual behaviour during long runs and bike rides.
Like other Polar heart rate sensors, the H7 runs on a single lithium battery that’s user replaceable. The battery is accessed via a screw in cap, complete with a rubber seal – that should make it good for swimming, assuming you have a waterproof case for your smartphone, or perhaps the new TomTom Multi-Sport watch.
At around £50 online (the MSRP is £64.50) the Polar H7 still represents a reasonable investment, although it’s significantly cheaper than buying a fully featured sports watch solution. If you’re pretty active and enjoy using your smartphone to track your training sessions, the H7 will take your data recording and analysis to the next level. And once you start to understand the benefits of understanding how your body reacts to exercise, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without a heart rate monitor.
Conclusion
The Polar H7 is a clever heart rate sensor that’s compatible with a multitude of devices, gym equipment and smartphone apps. If you’re looking to try adding heart rate analysis to your training, it’s well worth investing in before you spend big money on a fully featured fitness computer.
Compatibility: iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch 5th gen, iPad 3rd & 4th gen, iPad mini, iPod nano 7th gen.
Score: 8/10
Pros:
- Bluetooth Smart connectivity
- Compatible with most Apple devices
- Works with loads of Polar fitness computers
- Compatible with gym equipment
- Won’t kill the battery in your iPhone
- Easy to pair and configure
- Buying a new iPhone won’t make it redundant
Cons:
- No 2.4GHz WIND support
- Not cheap for free fitness app users
- Only certified for Apple devices
Manufacturer: Polar
MSRP: £64.50
Maybe you can tell me more about the features in combination with the Polar software. Will it determine an optimal heartrate to train by or just monitor you’re heartrate when you run?
I’ll be publishing a full review of the Polar Beat app soon, which will hopefully answer all your questions 🙂
Hi
I notice you tried the H7 with a TomTom watch. Have a Polar H6 that is just not giving any heart rate data on my TomTom watch, are the 2 chest straps that different? I thought if they were Bluetooth Smart, that I could use either H6 or H7 straps?
Would be grateful for any guidance…..
Best,
Andy
Hi Andy,
Which TomTom watch are you using? I tested the H7 with the new TomTom Runner, but I’m pretty sure that the H7 and H6 are not compatible with the TomTom Nike+ SportWatch.
For the Nike+ SportWatch you need to use Polar WearLink Nike+ HRM – none of the other heart rate sensors are compatible.
Assuming you are using one of the newer TomTom Runner or TomTom MultiSport watches, then the H6 should work. Essentially, the only difference between the H6 and H7 is the latter’s support for 5kHz equipment like gym machines and some Polar devices.
I cannot get polar beat to show my location on ipod touch gen 5.
Polar H7 is not a problem but i need location to get distance etc. Any ideas??
Hi Roy.
I’m afraid you’re not going to get location and mapping data on an iPod touch, because it has no built-in data support other than Wi-Fi. You’d essentially need to be in range of a Wi-Fi network for your whole run in order for GPS mapping to work on any app using a touch.
The reason you get real-tim mapping on Polar Beat, Nike+, RunKeeper etc. on an iPhone, is because you’re using the built-in GPS chip and the data connection in the phone to download the mapping data. The touch has no built-in data connection, unless you’re running around with a Wi-Fi hotspot in your pocket 🙂
Possibility to make it work on iphone 4???
The iPhone 4 doesn’t have Bluetooth 4.0, so I’m afraid that the H7 won’t work with it.
Hi Riyad,
I purchased the H7 which suppose to be compatible with Android 4.2 supporting Bluetooth 4.0. But the only app I can get it to work on my HTC One (Android 4.4) is MapMyRun, and it doesn’t work on my NordicTrack Commercial 1750 either, even though NordicTrack said it would (my OEM monitor broke). Any idea why?
I also don’t understand why app developers won’t support HR during stationary workouts, I exercise regularly on my treadmill or bike training stand, and I have to manually enter time and distance to get a guesstimate of calories burned which is useless data. Why can’t they allow an “indoor” mode where time and HR are tracked by the app and only distance have to be entered so calculations could be much more precise.
Sorry for ranting and thanks in advance!
John
Hey John,
If you have the H7 working with your HTC One (which it should), there’s no reason why it wouldn’t work with any app that supports Bluetooth Smart HRMs. So it should work with Polar Beat, Runkeeper etc. That said, I didn’t test the H7 on an Android phone, and obviously it’s up to the app developers to include support for Bluetooth HRMs.
As for your NordicTrack Commercial 1750, it really should have worked. One of the great things about the H7 is that it supports both Bluetooth 4.0 and Polar’s old 5kHz WearLink wireless standard. As I mentioned in my review, I used it with my own NordicTrack treadmill and had no problems.
Perhaps the fact that you’re having trouble getting your H7 to work with both apps and your treadmill might indicate that it’s a faulty unit.
Finally, there should be apps that make use of the phone’s accelerometer for treadmill running and will still track heart rate while doing so. I know that the Nike+ Running app does that, but that uses a different HRM sensor. Of course if you’re using iFit Live on your treadmill it will automatically log your speed, distance and heart rate for you and send it straight to your iFit account.
Endomondo and iCardio both have this feature, but not for free. iCardio is only $2.99 (about £2) to enable HRMs. AFAIK, both apps let you connect in test mode to be sure it works before buying.
You can also try removing the battery from the H7 for a couple of hours to completely reset it. This has been known to fix various problems. (Polar will tell you 15 minutes is long enough – it isn’t.)
Thank you, your review was very helpful, now I have a Polar RC3 GPS, do you know if Polar H7 can connect with RC3 GPS?, do you know if I can use it with my watch and with my iphone 5 at the same time?.
Nope, the H7 won’t work with the RC3 GPS watch since it doesn’t support WIND wireless. That said, Polar’s forthcoming V800 watch employs Bluetooth Smart for its sensors, so it would work with that.
Will it work with a compatible Polar watch and a compatible phone app at the same time? I like the ability to glance at a watch on my wrist as opposed to a phone strapped on my biceps. But at the end of the workout the phone provides more total information. Great if they would work together.
Hi, when you say low powered Bluetooth, would I need to have my phone on my person? What range are we talking about? 3-5 metres?
Thanks in advance!
Yes you’d need to have your phone with you. Bluetooth has a range of around 10m.
Hello,
Do you know if the Polar H7 can be used with a iPhone 4S and the ifit app ?
Thank you.
Laurent Costoboules
I haven’t got around to using the iFit app on my iPhone, but if it supports Bluetooth sensors, then it should work.
Can you advise if the Polar H7 will work with Keiser M3 Spin bike? (Not the M3+)
Laurence, yes the H7 does work with the computer on the Keiser M3.
Even after almost a year, POLAR’s website fails to show that the H7 is compatible with the Keiser M3.
Hi Riyad, appreciate your effort in making this document. Just wanted to share with you, this ‘Polar Beat’ doesn’t allow you to post your workout in facebook.
Also could you please let me know some credible running apps compatible with this HR7. Awaiting your reply
I’m afraid I don’t use Facebook, so I wouldn’t know about the lack of compatibility. As for compatible apps, I’m currently using Strava, which is compatible with any Bluetooth Smart HRM, including the H7.
wILL IT WORK WITH THE NANO 7TH GENERATION
I think you’ll need the Nike+ specific HRM for the nano.
I am using the Polar H7 with the Apple iPod Nano 7th generation (Model MD480LL).
It was a bit confusing to get it working: apparently I didn’t need to turn
bluetooth on, and even when I did the Polar H7 didn’t show up in the list
of devices available to pair with.
Instead, to get it working, I went into the Nike+ “Fitness” bubble, then
pressed the “i” bubble in the lower right corner, and selected
“Nike + iPod Sport Kit” and then “Heart Rate Monitor” then turned
“Heart Rate Monitor” to [ON] (default was OFF), then selected the “Link”
and waited about ten seconds (while firmly holding the pads of the
Polar H7 band to my skin while the Polar H7 is clipped to the band).
After a while, it showed the message “iPod is already linked with a
Heart Rate Monitor”. It never specifies that it’s linked with the
Polar H7 anywhere in the screen messages, though. To get it to display
the heart rate (you’d have thought they’d do that on the link page,
to prove it’s linked), you have to go into “Fitness” and select
“Run” then “Heart Rate” then “Hiking” then “Done” and then
select which music playlist for the “hike”, after which it
will say “Please wear your heart rate monitor” and after a
few nervewracking seconds it will finally display my heartrate
(it then promptly dims the screen so you can’t see it,
but pressing the sleep button shows it again (unless you’ve
configured the iPod to display the time). One way to prevent
it sleeping is to plug the iPod into a small portable charger,
it’s a bit cumbersome but it’s the only way I’ve found to
prevent the iPod screen from turning off.
I also tried a Zephyr HxM Smart with the iPod but I was
unsuccessful in getting it to pair using the above procedure,
perhaps the item is defective, but the chest strap of the
Zephyr HxM Smart is compatible with the Polar H7 and seems
perhaps a little better designed (smaller contact pads at
the front compared to the Polar H7 chest strap, which
make it feel slightly more comfortable).
Hi, I just got a Polar Loop today. I’m trying to find an app to use with it for my HTC One, but can’t seem to find Polar Beat or Polar Flow comparable. Is there a suggested app to use that will track all the same data.
Ta
Hey Cassie. I know this will sound bizarre, but the Polar Flow app works perfectly with the HTC ONE they haven’t fully tested it so its not something you can install from the play store. I had to find an APK which is an android installation file for the app someone basically backed up from their non HTC phone. I have the HTC ONE and the LOOP myself so I’m telling you this from personal experience. I just tried this a couple days back with no issues.
Please can share APK on mediafire APP for android Polar Flow – Activity & Sports my HTC ONE dont download in google PLAY
Great review. I’m new to HR monitoring while running. I have several apps that will track the HR and give me the data at the end, but I am trying to stay in a specific zone during different workouts. Any recommendations for an iPhone app that will alert me when my HR is too high?
I’m pretty sure that RunKeeper allows you to set heart rate zones and will give you audible information about which zone you’re in. Haven’t tried it myself though.
Is there a difference in the H7 that is sold in a retail store and the ones sold directly from Polar? Basically, is there more than one type of H7?
I think there’s only one H7 sensor.
Hello,
I recently bought H7 sensor and started using for the gym, However I am unable to find any information as to how to use it during swimming, the manual says the we cannot use it during swimming with bluetooth but we can using gymlink techonology.
can you please help me get this information ?
Regards,
Arqum
Hello,
I can’t get the distance infromation on my iPhone 5, can you tell me what could be wrong or am I missing something should turn on? Tks.
Which heart rate monitor and chest strap are compatible with BOTH the Iphone App Strava and the Keiser M3+ Spin bike?
It looks like the Keiser M3+ uses the old Polar WearLink standard, which means that the H7 should be compatible. And yes, it’s definitely compatible with the Strava app.
This morning i went spinning on the Keiser M3 bike with only my H3 Heartrate monitor that comes with the RC3 GPS watch.
The spin bike didn’t want to pick up the heart rate monitor automatically. Why is that? I bought it this week, It’s brand new.
I was under the impression the Keiser bike will pick up the heart rate monitor automatically without wearing the watch also. Or does it not work like that? Do i need to use the watch also?
The H3 only supports the Polar WIND wireless protocol, while the H7 supports both Bluetooth and GymLink – the latter being what most bikes and treadmills support. It’s unlikely that the H3 will work with spin bikes, what you need is the H2, which will work with both your RC3 GPS and most gym equipment.
The fact that Keiser bikes can pick up heart rate on certain polar watches does this help with a more accurate calorie measurement?
Hey, great review; thanks !
I wonder if the belt can be paired to a Polar FT80 and iPhone in the same time ? So that iPhone can log the HR data with any of the compatible apps in my pocket while I can see the values on my wrist on FT80 ?
Thks, & regards;
Zoltan
Hi Riyad! Thanks for the useful review of the H7!
I wanted to know if it’s possible to pair the H7 with the Polar Loop and iPhone 6 at the same time. (2 devices with BLE simultaneously)
I use to run with the iPhone in the armband and I need to check the HR everytime so It would be a lot easier if I could see it on Loop.
Thanks and Regards,
Mauricio
Hi Mauricio – as far as I know, Bluetooth Smart only allows a single connection between devices at one time, so if the H7 is connected to your Loop, I don’t think it can also connect to your phone. However, Bluetooth may have been updated since the last time I tried it.
Hi there,
Can the H7 transmit simultaneously to RCX5 and a Bluetooth device? Or only device can be paired per session?
Hey Yorda – I don’t think that the H7 will work with the RCX5 at all. The H7 supports Bluetooth 4.0 and WearLink+, but the RCX5 uses WearLink WIND, which isn’t supported by the H7.
That said, most Bluetooth Smart sensors will only connect to one device at a time.
I have it but it looses battery in 3 months, after I work out I clean it but do not detach the sensor from stap. could this be it.
also when I am in a very strong work out around 2 hours into a run, it stops sending me the HR. What could be causing this?
Yes, you have to detach the sensor from the strap or it will carry on transmitting and looking for a paired device, essentially running the battery down.