Quick Look: Polar V800

Photo: Valerie Brugos

The Polar V800 is a multisport GPS watch from a company whose earliest sport heart rate monitors date back to the 1980s. The experience shows: It includes every running feature imaginable and them some (including such metrics as triathlon-savvy open-water swimming distance). The watch is thick and rugged, yet not oversized. The smallish Gorilla Glass screen is the sharpest in low or bright light of any we have tested—you can easily see four data fields on one screen. A thoroughly modern (and modern looking) watch and platform, the V800 and Polar Flow site are highly reliable, with nearly flawless sensor pairing and syncing, while the Polar Flow app is seamlessly integrated and easy to configure, use and understand. We only wish Polar made a wrist-based heart rate version sans strap.

Recovery and Training Load

V800 and Polar Flow app have extensive yet simple recovery status tests and views, a well executed training diary, and overall activity and sleep displays.

Connectivity

Phone notifications, remote phone pick-up from watch, and recently added Strava integration are on board. The HL 7 heart rate sensor even automatically connects to many gym machine displays.

Custom Sport Profiles

Configure profiles from among 32 data fields. For trail running we built barometric altimeter screens including vertical ascent, descent, incline and altitude. For road running we included a screen with last-lap pace and last-lap average heart rate.

RELATED: 2016 Running Gear Guide: Wearable Tech

The post Quick Look: Polar V800 appeared first on Competitor.com.