Polar has updated its flagship multisport GPS watches with a series of new features to make them more useful to those venturing into the great outdoors. In the case of the Grit X Pro, the update comes in the form of a new watch that sits above the Grit X in Polar’s range, while the existing Vantage V2 gets new features via a software update.
The navigation has been enhanced, allowing you to see the elevation profile of a route you’ve exported to the watch, preparing you for the ups and downs to come. The Track Back feature also plots a route back to where you started.
Polar is also adding an always-on outdoor dashboard that shows details like altitude and your co-ordinates, as well as sunset, sunrise and twilight times.
The Grit X Pro also gets all the key features from the Vantage V2 which aren’t present on the original Grit X, such as the cycling and running performance tests.
There is little to choose between the Grit X Pro and Vantage V2 now, then, especially since the Grit X Pro will cost £439 – just £10 less than the V2 and £60 more than the original Grit X. Which you prefer will mostly come down to the design: the Grit X watches are chunkier, hardier and generally more adventurous-looking than the sleeker, lighter Vantage V2.
The V2 range also gets some new designs. The SHIFT edition comes with a leather band and a FKM (also known as fluoroelastomer) wristband that can be easily swapped thanks to the quick-release bars. The V2 also has a striking red colourway that can be bought in a set with the H10 heart rate monitor.
The updates to Polar’s high-end watches are fairly minor, but they will improve the experience of navigation using the devices. It’s still a far cry from the full maps found on the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro or Forerunner 945, or Coros’s new Vertix 2, but the V2 and Grit X are much cheaper than those other watches, which all cost £600 or more at RRP.
Along with the new and updated flagship devices, Polar has also added some features to the entry-level Unite fitness watch, including information on what fuel sources your body used during workouts, broken down by carbs, protein and fats. There are also new straps for the Unite, which costs £134.50.