Polar Grit X vs Polar Vantage V: The multi-tester verdict on which running watch is best

[@toneyclayton485]

Just bought the Grit X and cannot wait to begin. I am ex-military and have gotten complacent and gained weight. I have lost a bit of weight but it seems to be capping at a point I am not comfortable with. I have studied Polar's software and it gives a curriculum that I am used to with the military and with a better diet (which I am now monitoring in depth) I feel I will get where I need to be. Also I am buying a road or trail bike to assist. My goal is to insert discipline with a curriculum and balanced diet. This worked when i was younger...i think it will help now. And the Polar Grit X will be a huge start as so much is monitored, analyzed and updated..can't lose!

[@andygebhardt4008]

The komoot feature also goes on the vantage V. It was ha hidden update so the most people don't noticed it.

[@TheRunTesters]

Thanks Andy, we added an update to our caption on this. Sadly only breadcrumb and not turn by turn though which is 100% the most useful part of the Komoot feature in our view.

[@unknownmeaning8506]

I bought the grit as a replacement for my polar m430 that has been brilliant was a tough choice between the vantage thank you for the videos

[@TheRunTesters]

Glad they helped. Would love to hear your thoughts once you’ve used it.

[@Eignerartig]

Yes, I bought the Grit X as well as a replacement for my Polar M430. I sometimes go on full day bike rides or hiking, which exceeded the M430's battery life sometimes, although I had charged it to 100%. The Grit X was my choice after having thought about a Garmin or Suunto too. The Garmin Fenix 6 was too expensive, the Forerunner 945 too much plastic. The Suuntos seem to be fine but quite heavy. So I sticked to Polar, which meant, that I wouldn't have to migrate my data from Polar Flow to another storage. I took the Grit X instead of the Vantage V also for it's Komoot feature. I often use Komoot on my phone for navigation while biking or hiking. So the Grit X seemed to be the best choice.

[@TheRunTesters]

Steffen Eigner Hi Steffen, let us know how you get on with it.

[@alastairwise6958]

Kevin - thinking about replacing my M430 with a Grit X. How are you getting on with it? Is it a swap you would recommend?

[@unknownmeaning8506]

@UCb1h0NtKjqCNxE6JBjKe41Q I would, the battery is miles better. I love the ANS and sleep analysis it really does pick up on when you should or shouldn't be pushing yourself. I like how it shows you where you are on your training whether your progressing or maintenance I've done some workouts with it to programed from the website i know the 430 does that to and the pre loaded step by step workouts on the the watch such as core or strength building are great it is expensive but I haven't regretted it at all plus it looks really nice

[@wayfaringronin]

I ended up buying the Grit X. The recovery pro feature and the orthostatic testing I don't need. I use a third party app and the polar H10 to measure HRV and recovery. Having everything all in one platform would be nice however.

[@TheRunTesters]

Which app do you use?

[@wayfaringronin]

@@TheRunTesters I use ithlete

[@petelos2010]

Polar Vantage V does allow you to load and follow previously planned routes in Komoot

[@TheRunTesters]

Hi Jose, we shot this before it became clear that feature had been added to Vantage. Sadly no turn by turn though which is what we feel really makes that feature.

[@tremec33]

Between both of them I would go for the Grit X but I found a great bargain second hand Vantage V for 160€, whereas the Grit X are around 280€ to 320€ at the moment. After two weeks of use I’m still discovering all the features but so far I am really enjoying it. What really bothers me from the Vantage V is the really low brightness of the screen bu I guess that helps with the battery life. The Vantage V2 would be the perfect watch but the current price is a bit to high for me.

[@Ajajambo]

Just stumbled across this great video! I just purched the Grit X despite being 2 years old. I like the app, nightly recharge, fitspark..... however, I have noticed something that bugs me. Compared to my AW S4 the OHR seem to be about 10 to 15 seconds behind until it catches up with the AW. This issue is obvious especially at the start of a run. What I don't understand, Polar makes the best chest strap, but cannot get their algorithm to match the hardware?!. The AW senor respsonsivness is superb , in fact the only watch that I have found that can keep up with AW is the Coros Apex pro which responds quickly to HR spikes and dips, but oh boy I cannot stand that dim screen on the Coros. What is the score with Polar? The end results are not miles away, Polar can be way out on the max hr but the average can be good if its a gentle walk.

[@Ordinary-Hendrik]

Hi, With the new firmware update now in 2020, I often use the orthostatic test as HRV test by just laying down for the entire test without standing up. And no other fitness tracker has this type of function ! That give me a Hrv test as I need without using cell phone apps. With the nightly charge function, the made vantage v become a comprehensive fitness tracker. With the Hrv test ability and the good hr measurement , I use the vantage v daily and now rarely use my fenix 6 or suunto 9. I like the grit x because I heard the hr measurement is better but it doesn’t have the Hrv test which makes it not as comprehensive.

[@TheRunTesters]

Hi Hendrik, the Recovery Pro feature on the Vantage V is great. And it's a shame it won't come to the Grit X. In our tests, we've not found the Grit X HR to be better than the Vantage V, though really to get the most out of the features on both, we'd definitely suggest a chest strap.

[@Ordinary-Hendrik]

The Run Testers Thanks! Good to know ! I was thinking to get a grit x but really can’t justified it

[@pflickgoal]

Really useful review thank you. Looking to purchase a watch and the recovery features definitely look like they would be more useful than the refuel for me personally. thank you very much for this review and I look forward to giving it a go. Keep running and reviewing - really useful.

[@TheRunTesters]

Hi Ian, wait one week before you buy. You’ll be pleased you did.

[@pflickgoal]

The Run Testers you can’t drop something like that... it is a birthday present for just over a week so not sure I can wait

[@pflickgoal]

The Run Testers had a chat with a contact and I get you. However the Vantage V still is most likely to be the choice - even with the other options next week...

[@qikcraig9173]

Did you have any testers training using power? What did they think to hill splits? Have been contemplating moving back to polar from my fr645 how well do both watches work with stryd? Can you see average power and functional power ratio? Great video btw.

[@retrorunner79]

Superb Vid. Very helpful. Can you upload a regular gps route to the map/planner on the Grit X or do you have to use Kamoot?

[@TheRunTesters]

You can upload regular GPX routes via the Polar Flow web service and then sync them to your watch.

[@avancoillie]

Would like to know our testers experience regarding gps accuracy between the V/Titan, Grit x and say Garmin 945?

[@TheRunTesters]

Hi! Nick here. I haven't used the Titan, but I found the V, Grit X and 945 have all been similarly accurate, no real problems with them aside from on twisting trails under tree cover when they all might miss a bit. When I first had the V it was terrible for GPS but an update fixed the issue a long while back now

[@yvindskarb3942]

Hi guys. I have been looking at a new sports watch for a while now. Need some tips. Watched a few of your vids, and they are great! Well. I started out looking at Garmin. Especially the new Instinct Tactical Solar (the tactical mostly due to it having the new HR sensor). I really like the fact you get so much battery life out of it. But, it seems this is more like an adventure watch. It lacks the multisport. I like walking, cycling or running to the gym or other activities. And quickly switch to another sport. I really like the multisport function. I looked at the Fenix 6. But that is a really expensive watch. And as I see, the GPS and HR is not as good as the polar grit and vantage v. As of today, the vantage V is on sale. At 289 punds, and the Grit is at 391. So. The Vantage is two years old. A bit dimmer screen, but faster GPS. The HR mostly the same. I do some road running, a bit in the woods. I have tried half marathon and dream of a full marathon. Other than that I do some strength. Play some sports for fun. So I am kind of a casual trainer. So I guess these watches are beyond my needs in function, but the battery life comes into consideration. I do not need smartphone functions. I just want a good watch for working out. Should I go for the grit, the vantage or another watch? Appreciate the help.

[@u.e.u.e.]

Hello, interesting comparison. 😃👍 My main point is the display under sunny/cloudy/nightly conditions. If you still have both watches in hand - a little video about that particular topic would be nice and helpful!

[@TheRunTesters]

Will see what we can do over on our Instagram @theruntesters.

[@u.e.u.e.]

@@TheRunTesters ooops, Instagram doesn't run on my phone. 😳 It drains the battery in less than 4 hrs. 🤪

[@TheRunTesters]

Ah, it’s a bit too short to do a vid on here. But basically, the Grit X is marginally brighter than the V in most lights.

[@tams805]

It looks like continuous HR monitoring is on one the Grit X. That's going to *really* significantly affect the battery life.

[@TheRunTesters]

That does hit the battery but it's important for many of the features. After making this, we actually did a factory reset and that has fixed some of the battery drain issues. We now get the full seven days, maybe more.

[@Teddy_J]

Great review. Although the distance was very close between the Grit, V, and Syryd, why was the Syryd avg pace way off?

[@TheRunTesters]

Ted Jordan That’s a really good question. Stryd’s pacing stat is based on moving time.

[@Teddy_J]

@@TheRunTesters Do you find Syryd to be the most accurate? vs GPS?

[@TheRunTesters]

@@Teddy_J Yes.

[@easterroad2089]

Good video. Quick question re batter stats. Was this information you presented on the battery life based on having continuous heart rate tracking on or off? Thanks in advance

[@TheRunTesters]

Hi David, (Kieran here) those stats were based on continuous HR on. It's worth noting that since we shot that, we had a fix for the Grit's battery life pointed out. After a factory reset it lasted the full 7 days.

[@easterroad2089]

The Run Testers perfect! Thanks for the update. I’m tempted by this product. However with polar stating no further software updates will come to the vantage series, this tells me their must be a new model to replace this soon.

[@Junker_1]

Thanks for the comparison. My immune system is pretty weak. And I had to stop doing sports because of that. I overtrained way to much, so not to overtrain is key for me here. Now the Vantage V has the recovery pro. And the Grit X doesn't. Wouldn't Elite HRV (with polar heart strap) do the same thing as the Vantage V? The reason I ask is because the Polar Grit X has the Komoot. And that would be handy when I go biking. And that is a feature that isn't on the Vantage V and will never come because the Vantage V will not have any updates anymore. I also think that Grit X won't get the recovery pro. Otherwise, the Vantage would have no purpose anymore. Are you expecting a new flagship from Polar soon (like the Vantage) or is it a couple of years away you think?

[@TheRunTesters]

Hi Junker, this is a really good question. Have you been diagnosed with overtraining syndrome? We've not tested Recovery Pro vs Elite HRV but both would need a chest strap to be anywhere near accurate. We can't comment on which is more reliable but both should give you a similar depth of information on you recovery state. Though from our previous tests of these readouts on the Polar, we'd take them as loose guidance more than absolute certainty. Also just to mention, we hadn't realised when we shot this that the Vantage V would get Komoot routes but your don't get the turn-by-turn which we feel is the most useful part of this features. Finally, Polar's rate of product upgrades seems to run slower than the annual turnover of some brands and so we're not expecting anything soon. That said, we don't have the inside track on that, that's just a hunch.

[@Junker_1]

@@TheRunTesters First thanks for the answer. I started running to combat my obesity. This lead to obsession and I became anorexic and drove myself into the ground with running, swimming, cycling, and gym. This lead to hospitalization and pneumonia. My life was almost over. This was many years ago. But I am still suffering from it. When I sport I get cold sores very quickly. And also flu symptoms. Therefore I need to check myself diligently if I will sport again. But I like the Grit X for its Komoot. The only real difference between the Vantage V and Grit X is the recovery pro and Komoot. And I would like to use komoot when going cycling. And I would buy the heart strap also. I just don't know if elite hrv is a good app. So I am leaning to a grit x and elite hrv as a combo that has all the functionality of both Vantage V and Grit X. What I also don't like is the calorie counting that is always way off. I have never found a solution for that. But I think that I will get rid of my very aging polar RCX5 soon.

[@FC-sq8vp]

Excelente !! Good rewiew👍 Good images

[@TheRunTesters]

Thanks Francisco, we appreciate your feedback.

[@sergeyovchinnikov1804]

Hi! Thanks for the great review! When do you plan to shoot the final Grit X review? I have a very old Garmin (Vivoactive HR) which i bought as a fun watch. No i feel that it doesn't give me enough data for my training and races (running/cycling/swimming). So i was considering Polar Vantage V or Grit X, Garmin Venu and Coros Apex Pro. Fenix 6 is too much for me - to big, aggressive and expensive as well. Venu looks good, but not sure about functionality (on garmin site it looks like almost nothing) and battery life. So i think i'm more into Polar now. I'm a bit afraid to move from connect to Flow app, but it looks more attractive for me. Do you think investing in that kind of watch is a good option for non-professional runner? And if it is possible to move all data from Garmin connect to a Polar app? Or i need a 3rd party application (like Strava) for this?

[@TheRunTesters]

Hi, just to let you know our main Grit X review is now up here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oIHYfamtrsiZlZY

[@colintalbot7492]

Hi, thanks great review guys. Do you think the heart sensor lights staying on longer on Grit X than V is a fault? My Vantage M heart sensor lights have started staying on all the time (even when I disable HR) in recent days and battery drain is terrible.

[@TheRunTesters]

Hi Colin, we're not 100% sure that is what's causing the drain. But we're speaking to Polar in the coming days so we plan to ask the question for sure. Did you do a software update on the M recently?

[@colintalbot7492]

@@TheRunTesters Hi, I don't remember seeing a software update since March or April and I just checked the watch and it's on 5.1.4. The android app updated the other day but I don't think that can be a cause. I used to only turn HR on at night to save battery but I have it on the whole time now as no battery saving any more. I haven't reset it yet but I might do that tomorrow. Best of luck with Polar.

[@TheRunTesters]

@@colintalbot7492 Hi Colin, we've done some more digging and it seems this battery drain is a wider issue many people are experiencing. And lots of people have recommended resetting to try and fix it.

[@ofeckin]

Have you tried factory restart via cable and Polar FlowSync on PC/MAC?

[@colintalbot7492]

@@TheRunTesters Hi, thanks for the update. I have reset my watch and the drain issue seems to have gone away although I'll need more time to properly test.. Thanks to yourself and the team for looking into this further. Happy to say I'm back really enjoying the watch again.

[@Anton_Lochehin]

I have a quastion, if we can set a cadence indication on a run screen?

[@Chris-gq8ev]

Has the GPS improved with the Vantage V? I'm trying to decide between the V or M (the Grit is too expensive here in Canada) I have seen many bad reviews about the GPS accuracy; some say it has improved with the firmware updates, and others claim it has gotten worse. It seems to be specific to the V model, with the M and Grit faring much better, usually. I'm in the market for my first GPS fitness watch and am drawn to Polar because of their software ecosystem.

[@stefangpa]

I bought the watch almost 3 weeks now, i live in Greece. I also read almost any review in the net and i can say that i can't understand why most say these things about gps and hr measurements. I teasted the heart rate with the H10 belt twice and the difference was 1 pulse in average and in maximum. Also the gps seems to be working better than my previous garmin fenix 5 plus in a course a run 3 times a week. The distance is almost the same but the tracks in the map are far better with the polar both in straight lines and especially in corners. Personally i believe that the watch is excellent

[@katherinewilliams6219]

Civilian GPS has an accuracy of roughly +/- 6 meters. All GPS, but particularly consumer items like watches and phones are going to be more or less accurate depending on where you are using them; more accurate it you are out in the wide open, less accurate if you are surrounded by buildings or trees. It is a firmware function rather than software, so updates can help but only to a certain extent. This is a USA article, but it does a pretty good job of explaining how the GPS works ... www.gps.gov/systems/gps/performance/accuracy/

[@dubaigeek1988]

Love it

[@robertoborges3550]

I can't understand why they left Recovery Pro out of Grit X. Any chance of the feature being added by firmware update?

[@TheRunTesters]

It does seem a shame. When we spoke to Polar they said there were no plans to add it to the Grit.

[@trulsj]

What about the weather forecast app. Is that Grit X only?

[@TheRunTesters]

At the moment, yes. It also updates daily when synced to your phone. So it’s kind of about as useful as, well, your phone.

[@robertrothstein]

Is the battery life something they can fix with an update? If so, what is the likelihood they will?

[@TheRunTesters]

robert Hi Robert, we’ve actually found a solution. Doing a factory reset seems to fix it and we are now seeing the claimed 7 days, maybe more. We’re still testing for our full review of the Grit so we’ll have concrete stats on that in the coming weeks.

[@adamgrimsley2900]

Are these watches really only worth it if you are doing ultras then?

[@TheRunTesters]

Hi Adam (Kieran here), I think that might depend on what you mean by worth it. In my opinion, the Grit offers a lot for ultra runners for the price. Good battery, FuelWise was great, it's nice and light. And the only watches that are better than the Grit X are much more expensive. However, it lacks some of the climb skills you'll get on a Fenix 6. So if you're hitting the mountain ultras a lot the Grit might not quite do it. The Vantage V, on the other hand, is a great training tool to get you to the start line of an ultra and though the battery life would likely last you most ultras, I'd still swap when it came to race day. So there's value for money in the Grit X for sure but it might depend on your budget and what kind of ultras you're doing/your experience etc. Hope that helps.

[@mikeprouz1]

Hi,do you know if polar plan to add recovery pro on grit x?

[@TheRunTesters]

Hi M P, Polar told us this week that they have no plans to do so at the moment. Which is a shame.

[@mikeprouz1]

@@TheRunTesters yes it is.... Thank you anyway

[@engelberthsalom9122]

why polar take out of stock the vantage V?

[@TheRunTesters]

This probably explains a lot... kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWPbhZqdf5Z9gLM

[@en1183]

Thanks for the straight review. In a few words, what is your take on Recovery Pro, is it worth?

[@TheRunTesters]

Hi Andy, (Kieran here), of all the recovery tools you can get on watches, Recovery Pro is probably the best. But only if you're willing to take the regular orthostatic tests as a matter of habit. Like all of these things, the insights are not infallible though and it can only go so far. It's rough guidance at best. I did a test of Recovery Pro vs Garmin's tools here which might help. www.wareable.com/running/running-watch-training-advice-can-it-be-trusted-it-7678

[@en1183]

@@TheRunTesters Thanks Kieran, very much appreciated.

[@JohnBay4]

I’m interested in the interval workout feature. How does it compare to the Garmin line of running watches (Data Fields, easy of setup)? Can you setup an interval workout on the polar Grit X, or must you use the Polar Flow app? Great review, Thanks!

[@TheRunTesters]

Hi Anthony, you can set up time and distance intervals easily on the watch. And it's very similar to Garmin. You can mix time and distance intervals which is great if you're doing 400m/800m reps with 60 second rest. Garmin lets you set the number or reps whereas Polar doesn't seem to on the watch. For time intervals you get a countdown main screen with the interval target time. There's beep alerts when the interval is coming to an end and your next one begins. You can then scroll to your other main run stats. It doesn't appear to flash your interval stats between intervals. On the watch it looks like you can only have two segments in your intervals. If you'd like us to do a video demo of both we'd be happy to in return for your support via... rinkl.co/theruntesters

[@blackpanther2841]

the vantage V that m wearing is best just with the absence of a Polar top-notch sense is it behind, 3 features don't make me wanna throw it away for the new B, but rather polar should add that firmware to their top watch the vantage v and stop confusing us with these add one on the X.

[@TheRunTesters]

There are sadly no plans to add FuelWise and other new features to the Vantage V.

[@mikeprouz1]

@@TheRunTesters are there any plans to add recovery pro on grit?

[@luischavez8430]

Polar confirmed none of these features are coming to the vantage V and there is a newsletter to sign up on clever training to get 15% off to bring the price down to $360 out the door

[@mikeprouz1]

where is that?I can't find it

[@tobiasfrancomano1052]

Thanks for the great review. Following questions / What is about the durability of the black coating. It seems that at the bottom of the case, there are already some scratchings where I can see the silver base. I had the V and it was a great watch, have changed for a Garmin and it is really disappointing for me. But that is another story. Thanks for your answer.

[@TheRunTesters]

Hi Tobias, do you mean scratches on the Grit or the V?

[@tobiasfrancomano1052]

The Run Testers, sorry for the late answer. The Grit...

[@anthonyrampino7734]

both watches look good but they look like they are made in china. Is there a similar watch that you can recommend that is not made in china?

[@Zenitman78]

My man, nowadays almost everything is made in China... Maybe you and me as well...

[@anthonyrampino7734]

Artyom Polyakov haha, probably.

[@superpoosniffer]

They're made in Finland

[@anthonyrampino7734]

Christopher Bell really? It looked like the back housing said made in China.

[@superpoosniffer]

Yeah for reals, they're a finnish company and as far as I've read they are made in finland also.

[@get_outdoors]

Vantage V is no longer supported, which is ridiculous.... Polar did the same with the V650, this is why I’ll never buy a Polar again

[@TheRunTesters]

Hi, Polar told us the V is still supported, it just won’t get all the same features as the Grit X. That’s fairly standard for watch brands to do that to differentiate their products.

[@tschirrenmarino]

I'm wearing the Polar Grit x for a month now. The pedometer is the worst I've ever had. Normally, I can reach just 10,000 steps in one working day, the Polar Grit X counts over 20,000. I tried it with and without continuous HR. There are even 200+ steps counted at a 10min Car drive. The compass must be recalibrated every time you hike! The touchscreen reacts terribly. Obviously it is a defective watch! I am very disappointed with the watch!

[@TheRunTesters]

Hi Marino, the steps thing had us baffled too. Seemed to be reading way off in all of our tests. We weren't in love with the touchscreen either but we didn't feel it really necessary to use it so we got over that pretty quick and were happy to use the buttons.