I’d been doing Apple Fitness+ workouts at home for years but had absolutely no clue what my heart rate was doing during exercise. The thought of getting an Apple Watch crossed my mind, but honestly, I didn’t want something constantly nagging me about step counts or making me feel guilty for not moving enough. I just wanted heart rate data during my actual workouts – nothing more, nothing less.
After a bit of research comparing the H10 to the Garmin HRM Pro, I went with the Polar because the strap is replaceable. The Garmin might be slightly fancier, but if that strap goes, you’re buying a whole new unit. With the H10, you can just swap the strap out. Made perfect sense to me.
Product Overview
The Polar H10 represents the gold standard in chest strap heart rate monitoring, building on decades of Polar’s expertise in sports technology. As their flagship chest strap monitor, it’s designed for serious athletes and fitness enthusiasts who demand clinical-grade accuracy from their heart rate data.
What sets the H10 apart is its ECG (electrocardiogram) technology, which measures electrical signals directly from your heart rather than relying on optical sensors like wrist-based trackers. This fundamental difference delivers near-perfect accuracy, with studies showing it matches medical-grade equipment for precision.
The H10 builds on Polar’s previous models with enhanced features including dual Bluetooth connectivity (allowing simultaneous connection to two devices) and internal memory for storing one workout session. Professional athletes, coaches, and serious fitness enthusiasts have relied on Polar chest straps for decades, and the H10 continues this legacy with modern connectivity and enhanced durability.
It’s waterproof to 30 metres, boasts a 400-hour battery life, and works seamlessly with virtually every fitness app and device on the market.
First Look and Unboxing
Opening the box couldn’t be simpler – there’s the main sensor unit and the chest strap, that’s it. Clip one onto the other and you’re done. The whole thing screams “no-nonsense” which I absolutely love.
What surprised me was how light and flat the sensor unit is. I’d expected something a bit chunkier, but it’s barely noticeable when you’re wearing it. The strap feels well-made too – proper durable material that looks like it’ll last for years. No cheap plastic nonsense here.
The simplicity is brilliant. No complicated setup, no thick manual to read through. Just clip it on and get going.
What I Genuinely Like
The accuracy is spot-on
During HIIT workouts, I can see my heart rate shooting up and coming down in real-time, and it feels completely accurate to how I’m feeling. No lag, no weird spikes that don’t make sense.
It stays put during workouts
Even during intense HIIT sessions with loads of jumping about, the strap doesn’t budge. You do need to get it tighter than you think – there’s a slight tendency for it to slip down if you’re too gentle with the tightening, but once you’ve got it right, it’s rock solid.
The setup is dead simple
Go to your iPhone’s Bluetooth settings, pair it, and you’re done. The Polar app picks it up straight away and you’re ready to start tracking.
The data is brilliant
Average heart rate, max heart rate, calories burned, time in different heart rate zones – it’s all there. After a few months of use, I’ve got a proper record of my workouts and can see patterns in my fitness levels.
No buttons to faff about with
This confused me at first because I was looking for an on/off switch that doesn’t exist. The clever bit is that clipping the sensor onto the strap automatically turns it on. Unclip it and it turns off. Genius, really.
Battery life and durability are excellent
After several months of regular use, I haven’t had to replace the battery yet, though I’m quite careful to disconnect the sensor from the strap after each workout. The strap itself has been through the washing machine multiple times and shows no signs of wear or degradation – it still looks and feels like new.
What’s Not Perfect
The app connectivity is absolutely maddening
This is by far my biggest gripe with the whole system. The Polar app regularly loses connection with the H10, even though the iPhone’s Bluetooth settings show it’s still connected. You’ll finish one workout, try to start another, and the app acts like the H10 doesn’t exist.
The fix involves going into iPhone settings, disconnecting the Bluetooth connection, reconnecting it, then going back to the Polar app and pairing again. It’s not the end of the world, but when you’re ready to start a workout, it’s bloody annoying.
What’s particularly frustrating is that this isn’t a hardware issue. If I check the Apple Health app during these connection problems, it’s still happily receiving heart rate data from the H10. It’s purely the Polar app being rubbish.
Too many Polar apps
There’s Polar Beat and Polar Flow, and it’s not immediately obvious which one you should use or why you need both. It just complicates things unnecessarily.
The strap connector is too flat
After a workout, when you’re trying to unclip the sensor, the release button is so flush with the unit that you can barely feel it. Sometimes I’m fumbling about for ages trying to find the bloody thing.
That said, I can see why they designed it this way – when you’re doing floor exercises like crunches or planks, having a flat connector means it doesn’t dig into your back. So whilst it’s annoying when you’re trying to remove it, it does make sense from a comfort perspective during workouts.
Cold electrodes in the morning
Minor point, but those metal electrode bits can be properly cold when you first put the strap on. Not a deal-breaker, but it makes you jump a bit on chilly mornings.
Final Thoughts
Despite the app frustrations, I’d still recommend the H10. It does exactly what it’s supposed to do – give you accurate heart rate data during workouts – and it does it well. For the price, you’re getting professional-level accuracy without the expense and complexity of a full smartwatch.
The hardware itself is brilliant. It’s simple, durable, and accurate. If Polar could sort out their app issues, this would be a near-perfect product. As it stands, it’s still very good, just with some annoying software quirks you’ll need to work around.
For anyone doing home workouts who wants proper heart rate data without the faff of a smartwatch, the H10 hits the sweet spot. Just be prepared for the occasional app tantrum, and you’ll be fine.
Polar H10 Heart Rate Monitor Chest Strap
- Accuracy: Top-rated sensor
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, ANT+
- Waterproof: Fully submersible
- Comfort: Improved strap design
PROS
Exceptional accuracy using ECG technology
Stays securely in place during intense workouts
Simple setup and automatic on/off functionality
Excellent battery life (400+ hours)
Durable, washable strap
Replaceable strap for long-term value
CONS
Frequent app connectivity issues requiring reconnection
Multiple confusing Polar apps (Beat vs Flow)
Flat connector difficult to locate when removing
Cold electrodes on first morning application