I wanted a HR monitor that would provide me with all the relevant data, was reasonably priced, and as a watch was something I could wear all day.

I like that it is easy to use and easy to set up. I can change my goals easily and navigating from screen to screen is pretty straight forward. I have had some trouble adjusting my zones.

I was disappointed that the data doesn't upload (my wife has a pretty cheap polar that does via the microphone). However i have gotten over it. The watch face is pretty large and seems to be almost convex in shape, consequently it's difficult to avoid scratching.

The chest strap is comfortable for running and biking but i need to remove it for push ups because the actual monitor is pretty thick compared to the flat plastic bands i've seen on other devices.

If a friend asked, i'd recommend a HR monitor that uploads to a computer for quantifying the data and something less likely to get scratched up. Without being able to view and track the data it is more difficult to track performance and make the necessary adjustments. If mine wasn't already scratched, I'd probably send it back.

If you're looking for an easy-to-use training watch, this is the one to choose. Out of the box, you can easily get up and running with HRM or GPS in no time. I figured out 90% of the functions without even referring to the manual--it's that easy. I really dig the training effect summary at the end of the workout. It scrolls through all your performance data and gives you a one-line synopsis of the training effect (fitness improving, maximal performance improving, overtraining, etc.).

The t4c from Suunto pales in comparison as far as ease-of-use. The FT60 is the one to beat.

I looks great. Its easy to use. The data fields are relevent and easy to read. The naviagtion is simple. And finally a Heart rate Moniter that is perfect for small wrists. I like it so much I have been using it as my everyday watch. I like how it breaks your workouts into time spent in zones, gives you a bar view as well as logged minutes view. The strap is the most comfortable, and you can unsnap the electronics, so washing becomes simple. It has a fabric feel, which is more comfortable than the typical rubber.

I recently purchased the FT60 for cycling training. The first few times I use it, the max hr value recorded during my training sessions was over 214 bpm. However, I never saw a value higher then 184 on the wrist unit and 214 is much higher them my max hr. I contacted support about the erratic HR readings and gave me an faq link with some tips. Unfortunately, after trying several tip, none seemed to help. I also found it odd that they publish a long list of things that cause disturbances between the wrist unit and the hr transmitter (below).Disturbances may occur near high-voltage power lines, traffic lights, mp3 player, overhead lines of electric railways, electric bus lines or trams, televisions, car motors, bike computers, some motor-driven exercise equipment, cellular phones, or when you walk through electric security gates. Microwave ovens, computers and WLAN base stations may also cause interference. To avoid erratic readings, move away from possible sources of disturbance.Seem unlikely that you can avoid many of these sources of disturbances while cycling (bike computers, car motors, electric lines, traffic lights, cellular phones). Maybe Polar needs to add an option to change the frequency in such cases.The other annoying thing I noticed about the FT60 is that you can not select the wrist display to display between hr only and hr and % max hr in the same screen during training. This can only be selected during setup settings and is not easily changed on the fly during training.