PolarGrit X, Rugged Multisport GPS Smart Watch, Ultra-Long Battery Life, Wrist-based Heart Rate, Military-Level Durability, Sleep and Recovery, Navigation, Trail Running, Mountain Biking

Great watch , loads of features for outdoor exercising , compass weather etc

5 years Polar user with a V800. Bought the grit X with a little apprehension due to bad reviews on Vantage watches. I don’t use it for navigation so can’t comment. I use a chest strap for HR as I would never trust any optical sensor. Had the watch 3 days and I love it and the extra options that have opened up in Flow. Love the suggested workouts on the watch which are easy to follow. Love the HR gauge when training. The cardio loading analysis seems really great as well and in general it’s a massive motivator. There was nothing wrong with my V800 and I was going to wait until it started to fail but couldn’t resist in the end and I’m very glad I bought this. Will update this as I go. I don’t have any problem with the screen brightness. I have no real experience of other brands so maybe it is duller than it’s competitors but it’s no more or less easy to read than my V800.Update 16/03/21My opinion on this watch as I experience it more has got even better. I started to use the navigation features about 6 months ago by downloading routes from Komoot and using the watch like a sat-nav in the Peak District UK and I have had some of the best mountain bike rides ever, on my own, in the middle of nowhere without getting lost once. It really does open up a lot of opportunities when you use the product in this way.I do strength training 3 times per week and I do use a chest strap even though it not very cardio-heavy work, the difference between cardio load calculations with and without the chest strap sensor are massive (confirming that LED heart rate sensors are not reliably accurate and that if you want accuracy then a chest strap is essential).The sleep measurement and metrics are cool, I don't go into detail that much but it's cool to see how 'recharged' you are and this does concur with how you're feeling. Interesting to see how much even a small amount of alcohol impacts your autonomous nervous system. Has helped me to appreciate how much a couple of good (and teetotal) nights sleep impacts on my keenness to train and train hard.A few things have happened in the last 18 months, my dog died, I got an incredible enduro mountain bike, I got a Grit X to replace my V800 and of course COVID so all 4 things have impacted on my schedule in a big way but when I look at my training diary since 2016 I have done more training sessions in the last year than I have in the previous 5 years and I do put some of that down to the greatness of the Grit X.

I don't normally write reviews on products, but I thought I would for this product due to having very limited experience with sports watches with this being my first one.Pros:Simplicity: its a very easy to navigate watch, with no added extras. Its basically a sports watched stripped back from all the smart watch options. It simply is just a tracking sports watch with no fancy bells or whistles, this is definitely a pro for me as I dont need all of the extra stuff another watch may give you.Reliability: Not to Jinx it, but so far, I have seen the reliability in this watch. It has given me good readings not only on GPS distances but also reliable / believable heart rates. Occasionally it reads a bit high, as when I am resting I have seen it in the 90s, but maybe I am just unfit.The sleep tracking also seems pretty reliable and gives plenty of information and breakdowns on your sleep cycles and patterns, also how many times you were woken in your sleep.Rugged styling: This is the Grit X which is targeted towards the outdoor sports world. It is waterproof, you can run in the rain with it. It will survive being knocked around a bit.App: The polar flow app is very VERY detailed and breaks down multiple readings and stats about your day. I find it easy to understand but potentially a bit overwhelming as there is a lot of information on there.Cons:HR occasionally showing high: Like I said before, Maybe I am just unfit.Not amazingly comfortable for all day use: The watch can make your wrist itchy, but its an easy fix, take the watch off for a while, wipe the back of it, sorted.Manually tell it you are awake: One thing that some people may find annoying regarding sleep tracking, when you are awake, it does not automatically recognise you are awake, and asks you to confirm this. It is literally just one click on the red ringed button to tell it you are awake, so not to much of an issue.Overall: This is a solid watch for any sports enthusiast. It's definitely not on the level of the Garmin Fenix but isn't trying to be, do don't be disappointed. If you want a reliable watch to keep on your wrist day in and day out which will track all of your stats reliably and show it in an easy to break down formula, then this is the watch for you. If you arent 100% sure, then shop around a bit. Coming from me, this is a solid reliable choice not to be easily dismissed.