 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 | ||||||||
 | A Review of the Polar AXN Outdoor Computers |
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||||
| A Review of the Polar AXN Outdoor Computers |
|||||||
Reviewed by Jim Dotter, President, Biometrics, Inc.
Click here to read page 1 of this AXN review..
Let’s take a look at the compass. The compass feature works very well as a simple compass, but there’s more. It has its own calibration function and the ability to enter a declination value. Declination is the difference between magnetic north that your AXN will give you, and true north as shown on your topo map. The ability to enter that value into your compass means you don’t have to do that math on the fly, and perhaps make the mistake of adding when you should subtract.
So, what about that user-changeable battery compartment on the back of the watch? Does this mean you’re changing batteries every time out, like some other products on the market? Thankfully, no. Polar claims a battery life of about 1 year with normal use. So even with a lot of use, you should plan to get 6 months. There is some double-speak going on: the manual suggests that you avoid changing the battery yourself while it is under warranty, which is 24 months. So the first one or two battery changes are on them, we suppose. But it doesn’t look so tricky to do – in fact, you can open the compartment with a dime, and you can buy the CR2032 coin type battery needed at Radio Shack or most grocery stores. That says to me that Polar is NOT taking any more grief about user replaceable batteries! They also suggest you change the O-ring when you change the battery, and they have included two of them in the package.
There are a lot of features that I have not covered here. Check the feature comparison list for the complete set. Hopefully most of those I did not cover are easy to understand. I hope I’ve given you the flavor of this new series. If you are still reading, then something about them has captured your imagination. So now I’ll spend some time comparing the three models.
At first look the 300 comes off as a little bit plain, with its all-black plastic case. Once you delve deeper, it is clear that they left out a lot of the goodies. But it is still a nice unit. It gives you the graphs of altitude trend or barometer trend on the watch. It is a great unit for the casual hiker, or skier/snowboarder that wants some information, but doesn’t need all the features of the 500 and 700. The slope counter (counts the number of ski/boarding runs you do) and vertical speed feature will be a sure winner with the snow sports fans.
But the AXN300 data is not downloadable, and they took out the compass, one of the coolest features. The altitude calibration on the AXN300 lacks the ability to set from a series of calibration point uploaded in advance, so if you're hiking and altitude is important to you, you’re stuck there by the side of the trail trying to fat-finger in the altitude from the map. Finally, they use the older style plastic chest strap in the AXN300, rather than the new WearLink fabric one. All in all, they did an excellent job differentiating the 500 from the 300. The AXN300 might be the right model for recreational skiing, and for the computer-phobic. But if you are a serious hiker or trekker, I would recommend that you spend a little more and get up into the AXN500. A year from now you won’t remember the price difference.
By choosing at least the AXN500, you will get most of the cool features that Polar has packed into these watches, in a great-looking unit. If you are also considering the AXN700, you will appreciate the armor plating on the 700 band (it is a plastic band, which you want, but with a titanium shell over the top half). The clasp on the 700 is not a normal buckle. It is a special design, with a never-fail style lock which, even if it does fail, doesn’t drop the watch down the crevasse – it would just get looser until you re-clasp it. Doesn’t matter, it won’t happen. And of course it is titanium, as every watch clasp should be.
One issue about the band. The band on the AXN700 is designed to be large enough to be worn on the outside of your parka, so you don’t have to take your gloves off to snare a compass or altimeter reading, or check your preset bearing against your current direction. It accommodates a 2 and ¾ inch diameter wrist, vs a mere 2 and ½ inch diameter for the outermost setting of the AXN500. The problem comes the rest of the year, when you would like to perhaps wear that same monitor on your wrist. The band has to be cut to fit a specific size with scissors. If it fits your wrist, it will not fit outside your outerwear. The best solution is to order the accessory wrist strap - (which is adjustible textile) or call Polar’s service center and get them to send you a replacement strap -- $20. Right now, these extra wrist bands are only available as replacement parts, direct from Polar. (but it is nice to know they are available, before you make that first cut.) Now you can take the scissors to them both, and fit one for your expedition wear, and the other for the rest of the year. The AXN500 ( and AXN300 as well ) has the traditional belt buckle style of clasp, which can be adjusted from 2 ½ “ down to 1 ½” without changing the strap.
The AXN700 watch looks larger, I think it is slightly larger, but the face is the same size, and the weight is the same as the 500 due to titanium instead of stainless steel in the body. You’ve got to love the armadillo effect of that band.
Ok, enough on the band. The AXN700 also includes another special feature called Acclimatization testing. Both the 700 and the 500 have the famous Polar fitness test, which gives you a value that is equivalent to your VO2max. The extra test in the 700 is really just a resting heart rate test. You lie down for a minute with the test mode on, and voila, it tells you your resting heart rate. The documentation that comes with the AXN700 suggests, helpfully, that if you are at a higher altitude and your test result shows a ‘significantly higher’ resting heart rate, you might want to hang out there a little longer, or go to a lower elevation. It is up to you, of course, to decide what counts as significantly higher. All in all, given such a precise recommendation, I think I could also manage well enough with two fingers across my carotid artery
One really nice compass feature was reserved for the AXN700. It was devised to help you as you are taking periodic compass readings, and trying to decide if you are still on the bearing you intended. At a moment of relative calm, you can take a bearing reading on some landmark. Later, when you are down in the bracken and can’t see that landmark, you can take another compass reading, and see from the display how your current direction compares to the bearing you set for yourself. It is a very understandable display, and in my opinion could be very useful if you like to get off the beaten path.
Another feature that Polar has put in the AXN700 is a slope counter. It automatically counts any descent of greater than 50 meters ( 165 feet) as a slope. And, it counts how many slopes you have done since last resetting it. Good for those days spend on the ski slopes. (The AXN300 also has this feature, the AXN500 does not.)
And finally, the AXN700 has the ability to store three different heart rate limits, compared to just one in the AXN500.
I came around, for the most part. The AXN series shows the kind of attention to detail and quality workmanship that has been Polar’s hallmark in recent years. In terms of physical design and manufacture, the series is, I would say, another notch higher for the company that is currently making the best stuff available. In the creative design category, they nailed it – a really great macho look and feel, with display detail that makes it simple to understand and use and, let’s face it, aesthetically superb.
I would say that Polar has succeeded in defining a new (for them) product category. It required a different mind-set on the part of their product development team from their previous products. I can tell that they have put a lot of thought into the functionality, and have risen to the occasion with a well-defined, useful feature set. A job well done, guys.
Moreover, Polar has done an outstanding job making the argument that there is a place for a non-GPS product in this category. Especially, looking at the GPS watches, and the compromises they force upon me in terms of changing batteries or recharging, and in terms of size and weight, not to mention the whole lost-in-the-woods-without-a-signal thing, this approach seems to have a lot going for it.
I can see going out with a Garmin in the pack, and an AXN on the wrist, to give me redundancy in altimeter, and a watch and compass that is rugged, accurate and convenient. There is nothing wrong with a little redundancy up there
I can also see making The AXN500 my ski watch, because I’m not excited about carrying a Garmin all day at the resort. And of course, because of the bragging rights, I mean conversation material, après ski. (It doesn’t have the slope counter feature, but you can always get your number of runs by looking at the altitude graph.)
The AXN500 is my favorite, offering all the features that are essential and without the whole watch band adjustability issue. But if you like the whole titanium body-armor thing ( Ok, I’m tempted) or if 2 ½ inch diameter just isn’t enough for the layers you’ll have on up at the top of the world, then go with the 700 and order the extra band.
I just wish they didn’t weigh as much as my cell phone. But what seems clunky in the office can be just right skiing. And for adventures, even though you’re working hard to trim ounces out of your pack, an extra ounce packed with this much information would be good to have along. (Just ask those hikers who end up lost, eating berries for a week.)
So my wish for you, if you are fortunate enough to pick up one of these tough little characters, is that you are also fortunate enough to find an adventure that is worthy of it. And of course, that you get out of it mostly unscathed.
To Read the first part of this article ---> Go to AXN page 1
Polar AXN 300 - $229.95 |
