Poolmate HR

As much as I like the customer service from the people at swimovate I dislike the new watch.Is bulk, slow and have had software issues.I've finally return mine for good.Not without been told I will get my full refund so hands up to the guys there(Or Girls LOL Lisa), however I do think the software has let me down too many times.I have used all models since 2011 and I am a mac person but have also PC's at home.I don't like to use my PC's but sometimes I have no option.Have said that I have never use a software who was also designed for mac that didn't work properly.As a matter of fact has always been the other way around where I came across softwares that weren't designed for MAC's but I've managed to workout easily. Poolmate wasn't one and I do have 3 different macs at home but at the end I decided to use the PC for that task and always export via dropbox and open on my mac.This was already a pain, but it worked for 2 years.Now the new model only managed to charged once and died on me.The strap comes off every lap,I have had the same issues with softwares but decided to carry on using the pc but after being unable to charge and losing my data in the middle of my training I've decided to go for the Garmin Swim.Once again, these guys are great inventors but they have lost a little bit of space in the market and unless if they come up with some great improvements it is a no no for me.

I will now give a full review having trialled this device over the course of 5 x 2.5KM test sessions.The short version is that the device has a lot of potential but is ultimately useless as the data is drastically inaccurate and inconsistent.Design: The design is modern and fairly pleasant on the eye but it is bulky and was an encumbrance during the test sessions.Setup: The device was easy to setup and the instructions were reasonably clear.Display: The lap count figures are far too small, there is no way of reading them without stopping or slowing so you really need the option of having them dominate the whole screen.The way data is displayed when uploaded to a computer feels very dated and fiddly compared to the modern web equivalent that Garmin provides for its fitness products.Heart rate: Before purchasing I read numerous reviews stating that the HR sensor slips off every time you push off from the end of the pool. I found that the strap stayed in place about 90% of the time when fastened extremely tightly. That being said, it was still very uncomfortable so a device that was able to read through the wrist would be a massive step forwards but of course that's an issue with all HR monitors.Data: This was the big one. After numerous lengthy tests and a chat with Swimovate's tech support, I still could not get the watch to capture data that was anywhere near accurate. In a typical 100 length session the watch would always be between 2-25 lengths short. When I stopped for five seconds at the end of each length I would get much better (but still incorrect) results but at the end of the day the watch is supposed to allow you to focus on your swim, not have to focus on the watch.If you look at the images I uploaded you'll see that the more detailed data it captured from two identical swims was very erratic.In conclusion, this device is very limited but has the potential to be very useful after a few years of refinements. In the meantime you would be much better off with a simple lap counter that allows you to press a button to count the length.