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After my Papago GoSafe 330 Dashcam review, Papago asked if I would be interested in trying out their new GoWatch 770 and GoHeart 100 heart rate monitor.  I had just started out with the P90X3 program and was already curious about how many calories I was burning and what my heart rate was, so it was completely perfect timing for this review!  

Initial Thoughts

When I received the watch and monitor, I was happy to see each were similar to my old heart rate monitor.  The watch is black and yellow and nice and big.  I personally like the size and shape of it but others might not.  It fit well on my wrist and was comfortable to wear.  The charger was a proprietary one rather than a universal USB one.  It fits on the underside of the watch and allows you to also connect the watch to the computer.

Besides measuring heart rate and calories burned, the Papago GoWatch 770 can measure distance with it’s GPS capabilities as well as speed and is waterproof, truly making this watch perfect for outdoor enthusiasts.  I’m a newb to outdoor activities and really look forward to taking this watch on adventures with me.  It feels tough, so I won’t be scared to really get into hiking, biking, or kayaking with this on my arm.

Use

There are 5 buttons on the sides of the watch.  A Lap/Return button, a Mode/Power button, 2 arrow buttons for navigation, and an OK/Selection button.  The lap button let’s you manually track your laps or it can be held down to lock the display, as well as go back one “page” on the watch while you navigate it.  The mode button takes you from watch to menu to workout stats like heart rate, calories burned, and pace.  The OK button will select the option that is highlighted as well as pause your workout.

I mentioned the P90X3 program and using the GoWatch along with the GoHeart to monitor my heart rate and calorie burn.  While this watch is definitely geared towards walkers and runners, I was able to use it to easily track my cardio fitness as well.  I set my activity type to “others”, strapped on the heart rate monitor, and started my workout.  Very easy to use.

For walks, the two best features for the GoWatch are the Auto Lap and Auto Pause feature.  Both will beep to alert you of a completed lap or when the workout recording has been paused due to inactivity for 3 seconds or more.  Both also need to be activated in the settings to be used.  The GPS seems very accurate and powerful, exactly as it should be.  A nice bonus if you’re in dim lighting is the back-light.  Just double tap the display for it to turn on!

As for the GoHeart 100 heart rate monitor, it uses ANT+ wireless technology which allows it to connect to many different products including treadmills, smart phones and more.  When I read this, I immediately opened my Samsung Galaxy Exercise Mate and was able to connect with no problems.  So I will be researching all the apps to come up with a great list of ANT+ compatible Android fitness apps.  Love that!

Available Software

The simplicity of the GoWatch is great but what if you want more information?  You can install the GoLife Run! software on your computer and upload your workout information to get even more detail about your activities.  Once uploaded, you head to the GoLife Run! website and log in to your account to see your information.  The detail is great with up to the minute accuracy of distance, calories burned, elevation, speed, duration, heart rate, pace, and number of laps and it’s all available in both graphs and charts.  Google Maps is integrated to show your exact path, which is a really fun feature.  And with being able to add personal goals and friends that you can compete with, uploading photos and adding notes, the GoLife Run! software really adds a lot of the functionality other fitness wearables are offering as well.

 

Final Thoughts

I really like both the GoWatch and the GoHeart.  With plans of beginning to kayak as well as hike, I know this combo will allow me to get the fitness information I want without risking my smartphone in the process.  And when I want to use a smartphone app, the GoHeart heart rate monitor is one heck of an accessory to use for accuracy of my data.

If you’re looking for a tough fitness wearable that can double as a sport watch and has a fantastic GPS antenna, the GoWatch 770 and GoHeart 100, are the way to go!

Nicole K.

 We were provided a Papago GoWatch 770 and GoHeart 100 to facilitate this review.  All opinions are 100% my own.

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