# Will the Suunto Abmit work with a Polar heart rate belt?



## rickster1221 (Apr 20, 2012)

Just woundering if anyone knows if you can use the Polar type of heart rate belts with the Ambit? What would be the pros and cons of doing this as well?

Thank you for any help you might be abke to provide.


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## pjc3 (Mar 26, 2012)

rickster1221 said:


> Just woundering if anyone knows if you can use the Polar type of heart rate belts with the Ambit?


No you can't.


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## Barwin (Mar 18, 2012)

Ambit is ANT compatible. To be able to use any other heart rate belt it has to be ANT+ compatible. So no, you cannot use a Polar belt, unfortunately... 

Sent from my HTC Sensation using Tapatalk 2


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## Clevor (Sep 20, 2010)

Doesn't work with the HR belt for my Sigma cyclocomputer either . . .


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## LesserBlackDog (Jun 24, 2011)

This seems like a serious oversight by Suunto... or maybe an intentional move, if they don't want you buying off-brand HR chest straps. I did quite a lot of research before buying my Garmin FR 110 and it seemed like basically every HR monitor on the market is running on ANT+. Except for the Ambit.


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## or_watching (Nov 13, 2008)

LesserBlackDog said:


> This seems like a serious oversight by Suunto... or maybe an intentional move,


Think it through. A company (Suunto) can't possibly ship an ANT HR strap with propritary codes unintentionally. It's just more of that inscrutable Finnish business acumen.


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## Clevor (Sep 20, 2010)

or_watching said:


> Think it through. A company (Suunto) can't possibly ship an ANT HR strap with propritary codes unintentionally. It's just more of that inscrutable Finnish business acumen.


+1

There have been complaints about the cost of the proprietary footpod also, which I don't think is available yet for the Ambit.

The hard-core road cyclists are also disappointed in that the existing powermeters on the market, e.g., Cyclops, which is ANT+ compatible, won't interface with the Ambit either.


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## Barwin (Mar 18, 2012)

Question for the tech-guys amongst you: Is it - technically - possible that in the future an update will make the Ambit compatible with ANT+ accesoires?


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## mondoshawan (May 14, 2012)

Barwin said:


> Question for the tech-guys amongst you: Is it - technically - possible that in the future an update will make the Ambit compatible with ANT+ accesoires?


I think YES&#8230; it's possible.
The new small SDM4 Suunto Footpod is working with a Garmin Device as well, but the same Footpod from Garmin is not working with Suunto Watches.
So the Suunto Footpod must be an ANT+ Device.
Suunto only has to do adjustments at the transfer protocol in the Ambit, i guess.

update:
I just found this: http://www.thisisant.com/ant/ant-interoperability

If i'm understanding this right ANT+ is an extented protocol based on ANT and the Hardware cipsets are the same.
And Suunto is a member of the ANT+ Alliance. Should be easy to make the Ambit ANT+ compatible.


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## tkao2025 (Jul 6, 2011)

Bringing this thread back to life. Since now the Ambit is compatible with Ant+, will it work with polar heart rate belt? If so which would you recommend? If not Polar, what other heart rate belts would you recommend based on comfort and it's ability to connect with the Ambit.


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## kmseteam (Nov 14, 2012)

No, the Polar belt is still not compatible, because Polar still refuses to join the ANT alliance and they still go on using their own standards. I would recommend the original Suunto belt! I can't understand why people seem to be so shy about the Suunto belt... I think it's the best I've seen. It's the most comfy, stays put, the lightest, it has user replaceable battery and it's machine washable.


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2013)

tkao2025 said:


> Bringing this thread back to life. Since now the Ambit is compatible with Ant+, will it work with polar heart rate belt? If so which would you recommend? If not Polar, what other heart rate belts would you recommend based on comfort and it's ability to connect with the Ambit.


uhm iirc polar uses WIND/WEARLINK+. I use the garmin HRM w/ the polar chest strap because imho it's the best strap.


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## tkao2025 (Jul 6, 2011)

kmseteam said:


> No, the Polar belt is still not compatible, because Polar still refuses to join the ANT alliance and they still go on using their own standards. I would recommend the original Suunto belt! I can't understand why people seem to be so shy about the Suunto belt... I think it's the best I've seen. It's the most comfy, stays put, the lightest, it has user replaceable battery and it's machine washable.


There are 2 Suunto Belts. Which one would you recommend? I'd go with Suunto, but as I understand it, the belt will not be compatible with any other devices other than Suunto devices.


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## kmseteam (Nov 14, 2012)

There are an "ANT" belt and a "DUAL" belt to be used with Ambit. When used with Ambit, there's no any difference between these. The Dual just gives out an additional analog signal.


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