The new smartwatches Vantage V and M from Polar are even more attractive

Polar's focus has always been on the elite athlete, and her new family of devices does not change anything about that, even if she may not be watching the game. Polar today announced the new Vantage apparel series, which includes the $ 499 Vantage V and Vantage M $ 279 fitness watches. Borrowing many aspects of Garmin's design, Vantage devices are easier to carry than any previous Polar device, but they do not sacrifice fitness chops.

The latest Polar devices that we tested looked like big cuffs, but that design is gone. Vantage fitness watches look a lot like Garmin's Vivoactive 3, with circular cases, three side buttons, and 1.2-inch (30mm) round screens. The Vantage M is the most lifestyle-centered product of both, so it has interchangeable tapes that users can change depending on the occasions. It also lacks a touch screen, while the Vantage V has a touch screen (in addition to these three side buttons) and fixed bands.

Both Vantage V and M are equipped with Polar's new Precision Prime heart rate monitoring technology, the latest version of the company's pulse capture technology. You can immediately see the differences between this device and other optical heart rate monitors: under the watch are nine LED lights, a mixture of green and red hues like a Christmas tree, and four bioimpedance sensors that look like tiny stacks of watch .

The red and green wavelengths of the optical heart rate monitor penetrate deeper into the skin to better assess blood flow, while bioimpedance sensors measure the resistance of your tissue to the electrical flow. These sensors, combined with new algorithms, help Vantage devices get more accurate heart rate readings. The heart rate monitor can track the pulse all day, or you can turn off the heart rate throughout the day to use it only during exercise to save energy drums.

The Vantage V targets the most serious athletes, so it has some additional sensors and features missing from the Vantage M. Inside is an altitude sensor and technology to estimate the operating power. Serious riders often control the power of the race with dedicated pedals or chest belt sensors to improve their efficiency, shape and pace. With the Vantage V, runners do not need an extra sensor to measure the power of operation as they can do it themselves.

While the Vantage V and M have the same case sizes, the V feels a little heavier because of the extra sensors and the slightly larger battery inside. Polar estimates that the V will last 40 hours of workout with GPS and heart rate, or about seven days of regular use. In contrast, the M will last 30 hours of GPS and heart rate training, but it can also last for about a week of regular use on a single charge.

Training Load Pro and Recovery Pro

Both Vantage watches receive alerts on their smartphone, monitor daily activities and sleep, and both are waterproof, allowing them to track swimming. Both can also connect to chest straps via Bluetooth, allowing users who prefer a chest strap to wear it and track their data with the help of watches. You also do not have music storage, so you will not be able to listen to music without your smartphone.

Polar explained that it was a sacrifice that the company had made to preserve Vantages' relatively thin and lightweight housing designs, as well as their long service life. While this is understandable, some will hesitate to spend hundreds of dollars on a watch that does not have an essential feature for many athletes.

Both new watches will benefit from Polar's Training Load Pro, which measures the intensity of your workout with the help of heart rate measurements and personal information such as height and weight. You will get a workload reading after most exercises and a summary of what this number means compared to the workout you just completed. By using more advanced algorithms, the new Training Load Pro should be able to better estimate the intensity and show you how to do your next workouts to increase performance.

Polar's recovery function goes hand-in-hand with Training Load Pro, but it's only available on the Vantage V because it's the device for the most serious crowd. Recovery Pro looks a lot like Garmin's Body Battery feature: it assesses how long your body needs to recover from a workout and when it's more appropriate for you to attempt an intense workout again.

It is understandable that athletes in training want Recovery Pro to inform Training Load Pro and vice versa – the intensity of your workout will influence your recovery time, and the amount of time your body needs to recover will influence your recovery ability . push yourself at the next session. Training Load Pro and Recovery Pro both use most of the information you provide about Polar, as well as your saved activity information, to get their scores. You will need to use the Vantage watches for about two weeks before seeing the most accurate estimates of both features.

The Vantage M Series has offered the most pleasant surprise I've had with Polar for a long time. While the Polar garments are better (and sometimes better) than Garmin's for elite athletes, most have been marked by designs that are only acceptable on a deserted trail or in an empty gym. For some, it's a small price to pay for a training device that meets all your needs. But as smartwatches become more popular, many users want a single device that can go to the office. Polar made the conscious decision to only place smartphone alerts on Vantage watches, instead of darkening them with all the smartwatch features on other devices (think of predefined text responses, built-in apps, LTE connectivity, etc.). The company probably hopes its formula – formatting with a touch of smartwatch – will inspire users to try the new Vantage family of devices.

Vantage V and M watches are available for pre-order starting at $ 499 and $ 279 respectively.

Picture of the list by Polar