Review of Polar V800
Right from the moment that you open the box, the V800 is a different sort of experience. The box itself is for keeps, with a magnetic fold-down lid and laminated covers. The watch has a large display area, described as a ‘Gorilla Glass’ face. The strap is breathable and waterproof with a double-prong buckle. It is Polar’s new top-of-the-range offering.
There’s probably more electronic processing power on your wrist than NASA used to fly a man to the moon in the 1960s. It can even record your heart-rate while swimming, which I have never encountered before. Other surprising features include ‘recovery’ mode, as the V800 builds four weeks of stored information on how quickly your pulse returns to resting levels and can therefore give insight into whether you are at risk of overtraining.
On the run, in one high-resolution display, is distance run, total time run, current speed and current heart-rate. You can choose kilometres or miles. The system responds instantly and sensitively to any change of effort. You can tell within a second how this looks if you reach an incline or transfer onto a soft running surface.
Post-training, the ‘Running Index’ data allows you to assess your overall running fitness and running economy levels. The integrated GPS function enables you to download your exact training route onto the ‘Polar Flow’ mobile app. You can also track your precise altitude/elevation as you run.
Any pre-set training requirements, such as mile intervals, fast segments or countdowns are acknowledged by a discreet beep or buzz from your wrist once under way.
The battery is rechargeable from your laptop for up to 14 hours of training or 50 hours of lower power GPS, using an elegant UBS clip.
There’s a lot going on in the V800 but it has a user-friendliness that is very welcome. I have been calling it a watch. It’s way more than that. It’s a micro-computer. Sorry, NASA.
From September to November, at the end of each month, the runner who improves their handicap the most in that month will receive a Polar v800 in our Reward Running competition! Don't forget to sign up to be in with a chance!
Learn more about the Polar V800 at www.polarv800.com