Polar Vantage V – V2 models – Premium GPS Multisport Smartwatch with Heart Rate Monitor – Ultra-Long Battery Life – Personalized Training Program, Sleep, Recovery Tools – Navigation – 130+ sports
| Size: | M/L |
| Dimensions: | 4.7 x 4.7 x 1.3 cm; 51.03 Grams |
| Brand: | Polar |
| Model: | 90082710 |
| Colour: | Black |
| Batteries Included: | 1 Lithium Metal batteries required. (included) |
| Manufacture: | Polar |
| Colour: | Black |
| Department: | Unisex |
| Department: | Unisex |
| Size: | M/L |
This is my third Polar after the M400 and V800 and I like the fact that it has a wrist based HR monitor as when swimming with the HR on my chest it just didn’t work.
Ordered and arrived the following day so that was good and as expected.
Still getting used to the way it operates and slightly disappointed with the light as i had hoped it would be brighter and enable easy reading of the wording on the watch face but maybe its my age.
The irritating thing is that I can’t seem to add the watch into my Polar Flow account – it has the 400 and 800 (and the HR7 sensor) but when I add in the 8 digit ID it doesn’t like it. I haven’t found a way round it yet. On the page with the products shown it doesn’t have an add product button but does have “add scale” so I tried than and entered my product ID from the back of the watch and it says Device ID invalid ! Hoping someone for polar reads this – as I can’t find a customer service contact on the site – and points me in the right direction to properly see what is going on when I exercise.
It was a bit difficult to set up (possibly my age had something to do with it). I downloaded the manual (it is massive).
I use it for indoor workouts, only, and it records my progress. I like Polar products and would recommend them.
Do not use it for sleep tracking!!
A quality product that excels with tracking the vital information needed for serous runners and athletes. I’ve owned a number of these devices over tha last 10 years including apple devices and Garmin and whilst these devices are also premium products, Polar suits my needs more than anything else. Simple to use but offering feedback that is vital for any serious user at an affordable price. Honestly one of the best investments I’ve ever made along with quality shoes etc. Don’t hesitate if you’re looking for a device to track anything from a 10km up to a 100km, a squash game or a 12 rounder on a punchbag. I’ve done them all! The vantage is up to the task. Thanks polar!
Decided to buy this one as I’m already with Polar for several years now. I was really looking for a good battery live. Because of wrist HR, battery last for about 4days, therefore need to charge as often as my old Polar. Also the screen is very dark however, I am pretty happy with the watch.
This is my 4th sports watch and is the best so far, the others were a Polar, a Garmin and a Coros. I mainly use it for running, cycling and walking. I don’t have the need for offline maps and music on a watch.
This is easily my favourite watch and ecosystem for what I do compared to the other devices/brands I’ve used.
The battery life for activities is very good, and ok for normal wear.
I find the Polar button layout better easier to use during activities than the others.
For training the Web flow app makes it easy to drill into sections of an activity to examine your performance in detail in way you can’t on Garmin or Coros. I find the three separate sets of manual, automatic, and hill-splitter laps useful too. Generally the app is well thought out to present data to you in a way that is easy to find and understand.
The GPS is ok, not better or worse than the other recent watches I’ve had. The wrist heart rate monitor seems pretty consistent so long as you make sure the strap isn’t too loose. My came with a chest H10 HRM but I only used that once to check it worked ok, so can’t comment other than it linked to the watch easily and worked.
I don’t like wearing even a simple wristband at night, but I did try the sleep tracking for a while and I felt it was accurate.
The navigation works well for me, but I also made the one off purchase of komoot maps, which was about $30 at the time.
This watch is a life changer- love it..got all the ability to check stats and it’s motivational too … GPS is fab I’ve not mastered all different options but the opportunity is there as it does so much. Sleep tracking is good for recharge, the Polar app is fab too,with great breakdowns – it will certainly grow with my training and links with some of other prime apps out there ! Wish I’d got one sooner …..
The watch display is very easy to read when running.I have heart rate, pace ,run time and distance all on same screen so I dont have to scroll through while running.It also has polar coach so can organise a training schedule leading up to a race.
Other than I’m still finding my around the menus and buttons, it does as expected and more. An impressive piece of kit compared to my Polar HRMs of the 90s.
Good watch and associated portal – still not sold on accuracy of wrist heart rate monitors but had no expectation that it would be as accurate as a chest strap monitor.
From my point of view one of the best smart watches, the operating system it’s very simple but it tracks the useful stuff as sleep, heart rate monitor steps etc. Battery last for a week with the heart rate monitor set up continuously. The polar flow up allows to track your performance and dynamically change the target for the day according to your fitness level. There is no longer 10k steps a day for a 100% daily target, if your fitness level it’s good your 100% rate could be easily 17/18k steps or more. Watch also give you recommendations on your training performance. The best in the market from my point of view.
It isn’t a Garmin and thats a good thing, although if you come from Garmin like me it will take a while to get used to.
I owned 2 Garmin products prior to this purchase and i had been fairly happy. I just wanted to try and take my fitness to the next level. So i researched and pondered for a while and i kept coming back to the Vantage V or the Grit X. I had seen from previous reviews that early releases of Polar products could be buggy until they nailed their firmware, so Vantage V it was.
Good Points, Wow what a battery life !!! Its the Hobnob of the Watch world, it just says use me more !! Buttons !!! I had forgotten how much i had missed buttons. Most accurate on wrist heart rate tracker i have seen. Its rugged and light for its size. GPS connectivity is swift and accurate. I love the sleep tracking and the nightly recharge feature gives real insight. The HRM H10 is mightily impressive especially being able to connect 2 Bluetooth devices simultaneously as well as ANT+. I really like that you can go in to the app and edit the training views with a plethora of different data sets. Fit Spark is brilliant and helps to motivate.
Not so good, It would be really good if you could get the training views to auto scroll when training, what would seem a simple thing would make a huge difference. The watch only having Bluetooth and not ANT+ as well. The change from Garmin to Polar meant i had to purchase new sensors for my bike as my existing were just ANT+. The screen can be a little dim, however the inclusion of a backlight button is a + in my view.
I cracking watch and HRM belt at a great price
I’ve owned this watch for more than a year now and am still extremely happy. It’s the best running device I’ve owned (and I’ve had various other Garmin and Polar devices). This is how i’ve used it:
1) I’ve set up the watch with all my data and heart rate zones (HR zones are vital for using this watch to its best abilities)
2) I’ve set up a succession of running programs over the year using the Polar Flow website, that syncs with my watch (via the mobile or a physical cable). This guides me throughout each exercise and gives me a score for each week. Get a good enough score after 4 weeks and the adaptive plan “rewards” you with a modified plan for the following 4 weeks
3) I check my recovery status every few days with the orthostatic test to ensure I don’t overtrain (you need the H10 chest strap for this – well worth it). This is surprisingly accurate. A few times i’ve ignored the result and gone for a run anyway only to have a rubbish run!
4) I use the FitSpark recommendations to do regular core, strength and mobility exercises throughout the week (I target 6 in total per week). This has been a personal revelation with the added exercises really helping my running
4) With the OH1 arm heart rate monitor I have been, for the first time ever, accurately monitoring my heart rate whilst playing squash
5) I regularly check the Polar Flow report data to look at my progression and accumulation of miles. Also after every run i check the Running Index measure which is a good measure of how the run went. You get good satisfaction from seeing the number grow over time
What do I particularly like?
o Lightweight and REALLY comfortable – I’m fussy about things around my wrist, but haven’t struggled with this at all (unlike other devices, including the Garmin FR620 & Polar M600)
o Battery life is not a problem – i’m doing a lot of exercises every week and only need to charge once per week
o Polar Flow and how it links with the device – it feels like you have your own personal trainer and it provides you with a full complement of exercises
o Health stats, particularly the orthostatic test, are very insightful and accurate
o GPS is accurate, certainly over the past 6 months after the firmware updates, and catches a signal really quickly
o Route following and track back have been a god send for me when running away from home, as i have a habit of getting lost…
Niggle:
o Wrist based HR is accurate, but unreliable. I’ve had a few runs where my HR has maxed out within the first couple of minutes and only calms down to a proper reading about 5 minutes later. This is a bit frustrating when following the running program which is HR reliant (and keeping to zones). I’ve solved this personally by running with the OH1 HRM. Alternatively, I’d advise using the H10 chest strap or any other vversion you can pair to the device.
Not sure:
o Not yet figured out how to blend wrist based power into my training, but power is definitely a personal development area for my running
o Polar Flow app is a bit of a let down, struggling to keep up with the data on the website. I solve this by using the website portal the majority of the time, which is easy enough to access from the mobile
o Haven’t used the Serene breathing exercises enough. Think this would be a great thing to explore more, though
I’ve been using the V800 for a number of years but this is a noticeably better upgrade even if I’m not convinced by the huge price differential. My only complaints are that the built-in HR monitor is inaccurate unless you wear a polar strap and the watch strap which comes with an additional clip to hold the strap firmly in place has come off after less than 6 months use, which is poor for such a high end product.
I haven’t tried the watch with new software update 5.0 yet and my opinions are based to previous software.
Cons:
* unstable current running pace (same issue Suunto& Garmin) regarding new Sony chip they all using
* pool swim metrics issue, watch will count metrics totally wrong
* missing basic training information during auto-pause
* some have problems with gps tracks as well
* no notifications during the training
* vibration might be stronger
* can’t calibrate the milage on treadmill run
Pros:
* Solid outfit also for office using, weight is minimal
* Screen is clear for me
* Heart rate from wirst is acceptable
* Really long battery life
* Sleep tracking is exact IMHO
* Polar Flow is very comfort, all watch settings (data fields aso) will managed from Flow
* Works also wit Garmin Vector 3 pedals
* Reasonable price compared to Garmin Fenix 6/ Pro
All leading Sport watches are suffering issues, so no hope that the Polar Vantage is exceptional.
My last watches are Vantage V, Garmin Fenix 6 Pro (retired) and Apple Watch 4, and for basic sport use the Apple Watch 4 will beat the high end sport watches, as AW4 swimming is 100% accurate even for non semi-pro swimmer like me, running pace and wirts heart rate are very accurate, but poor battery life and non roughed look are not enough for serious athletes. For cycling I use Garmin EDGE 1030 and all my data life is in Training Peaks and Strava.
As forum users suggest: the watch is almost prefect with H10 heart rate monitor and Stryd running pod, this will add ca 300 to watch price 🙂
I took my time weighing up the benefits of the upgrade from my trusty V800 but so far I have not been disappointed. The screen is great and I really like the ability to use both the touch screen and the buttons to control it. Although it is probably a little larger than the V800 it feels lighter and smaller, which has been a huge plus. Overall so far it has a really nice feel to it and the additional metrics it captures and can display on the screen is great. I am pleased I made the jump!
Changed from Fenix 5 X to this watch, due to the inaccuracy and weight of the Fenix range after having used Garmin products for at least 10 years, I have to say I’m not sorry the watch is great, it’s light quick to log on to GPS and in my opinion very accurate in what it records. If like me you don’t like wearing a chest strap for heart rate while this is the watch for you, I have tested it against Fenix 5 with a chest strap and find it very accurate in all disciplines, swim, bike and run. A couple of the things I particularly like is on the swim side, in the pool when you start a set you don’t need to touch the watch again, It automatically pauses when you stop, it is also able to detect what stroke you are doing, with the added benefit of constantly displaying your heart rate, unlike the Garmin product where you have to lift yourself out of the water. Lastly, the battery life is fantastic as well.
*** Delighted With The Vantage V – Paired With the H10 Heart Rate Sensor – Fab Battery Life For Ultramarathons ***
August 2019 – Below is my earlier review. Now after updating the watch’s software and using it for a while I can say that I *love* it. I’ve changed my rating from 2 stars to 5 stars. I bought a competing and well known watch and that let me down with its heart rate readings. The Polar Vantage V does heart rate and calories so well, and I’ve found that the GPS has improved. Battery life is also excellent. A worthy replacement to my old RCX5. I’m delighted with it. 5/5
Previous review:
The display is far too dark to read and there is no option to keep the light on. Pressing the light button turns on the light for about 5 seconds then it dims. The auto backlight is also not bright enough. I’d read reviews about the dimness but didn’t expect it to be so bad because of all the photos one sees of the screen. The white text on black doesn’t help. I bought this a week ago and I shall be returning it.
Fortunately, I have my six year old Polar watch until the end of this year when polarpersonaltrainer.com is decommissioned. I wanted to stay in the Polar universe because I have six years of training data I want to be able to access and compare to future data. Also, I liked the 40 hour battery life on the Vantage V. Unfortunately, I might be switching to the Garmin universe. It’s a shame because it’s a beautiful watch to look at. However, for its cost it must deliver and it doesn’t.
Update – April 2020
It seems that Polar have applied fixes to the GPS software and it has much improved the whole experience of the watch. Whilst it is still a bit slow getting GPS signals once acquired the erratic behaviour in the first 2ks has gone and is generally accurate after about 50M. It now deserves the 4 stars I originally gave it and I would recommend as an upgrade from the V800 or M series.
Great watch, once the latest firmware is updated works really well. Just tested after doing a 10K, the main problem is the GPS is slightly out but not a deal breaker. Where this watch excells is accuracy of the HR monitor and running power and recovery feedback to avoid over or under training. The display can be quite dim, but auto backlight helps and I didn’t have any issues reading the data. So far so good.
polar vantage V is a watch dedicated for those who are seeking specific data about how they train and the detailed metrics that come with it to help them improve their physical shape and excel in whatever sports they are doing.
before buying the watch iv read lots of reviews about it, negative/ positive, and i was so confused if i should buy it or not, especially that i have the A370 already.
Eventually i decided to buy it and im really happy i did because the watch is super when it comes to what polar claims it does.
lots of reviews said that the heart rate monitor is not so accurate, but i gotta be honest, its super accurate with me using it in the gym for lots of different sports like swimming, wight lifting, treadmill running, cross fit, (of course with little latency due to the fact that its a hand heart rate monitor so its a normal thing) but when it comes to accuracy, it never stops to amaze me. some people who bought the watch said that the accuracy is really bad and i totally understand because the company said the accuracy should vary from one person to another due to different skin tones, size of hand, shape, etc, but in my case the watch is super accurate with me.
some people are complaining about other smart features like music control or being able to pay by you watch, now come on guys polar is dedicated to sports and data related to it, so if ur looking for these things then you should look elsewhere.
the polar flow app is amazing and so detailed and user friendly, syncing the watch to your phone post workout is super fast and easy.
the battery could last almost a whole week with one single full charge which is amazing.
the only thing that i didnt like is that the screen is dim in a way, hope that they will increase the brightness level in the upcoming updates.
if your a sports dedicated person, then your really going to love the watch.
hope my simple review help you decide 🙂
I am still getting to grips with the new power metrics, it certainly feels strange at the moment because my coach is actually telling me to slow down at times now on hills and hard interval sessions, as I used to push too hard all of the time. Now we have started to see some positive signs from my recovery data, so time will tell in my next few races.
Another thing for me,is that I have always used heart straps in the past, as have been a bit sceptical recording from the wrist. Apparently no-one else has this technology on the wrist and so cannot be as accurate, with the movement it can keep up with and the different coloured lights. This has been a bit of a breakthrough for me too because we have seen that it has been just so responsive and comparable with my HR strap data, even in the cold of our annual open water boxing day swim!
I am immediately impressed with Polar here, the GPS has been great, the number of different sports that I can add onto the watch is just meaning that everything I am recording is specific now and relevant. Then I have been able to personalise them too,. This will certainly change and shape my training in the future, I am more switched onto how my body is feeling and then the watch kind of validates it now.