I found the Garmin to be more reliable while changing some really bad diapers. It was more accurate at measuring stress and heart rates while doing the diaper “Duty.”
I'm a user of Polar V800 and love it for size weight and GPS accuracy when swimming. Looking for new watches and close to choosing Grit X for price/value, weight, GPS accuracy, and sleep analyzer. Polar's "PolarFlow" very convenient and eco works smoothly. I'm sure Polar will add new software features later as they did with V800. Thanks for vid it's awesome!
If it is a matter of price/value, weight, GPS, Floors, Stress, Sleep analyzer, you still have the Sport Band Vivosport from Garmin. 85€ on amazon, 7 days battery, 8h with GPS, gesture for autolight, touchscreen, barometer, starts activity automatically after 1 min. My son has one. GPS is not far from Fenix 6. You cannot beat that price.
I’ve had the grit x for about a week now and I feel your review is pretty dead on! Especially my god the weight of the watch I take my Fenix off all the time but the grit x I don’t even notice it it’s comfortable ! And has helped with actually getting sleep data ! Great review
I'm getting involved in search and rescue. I live in the mountains. Which watch would you suggest? Advantage to the fenix is I can track my search dog while off leash
This is a great review. Really glad you mentioned the differences between flow & connect because these were not well covered in other reviews. Really interesting comparison esp for the heartrate accuracy.
Great comparison, just got the grit x (had fenix 5 plus) there is one more thing I live about polar (that garmin could have) and it is that you can see and have automatic laps and manual laps as different data in the same workout. For me and my training it is super handy. The other thing that I love is that Polar does not care how much steps you make in a day, it is all about activity. If you go for a 100 miles bike ride you will certainly get to 100% activity, with garmin your watch still tells you the steps you need to do to complete the day.
Glad to hear you're enjoying the Polar! I also like how Polar focuses on active time rather than steps. Steps is a really subjective metric. Thanks for watching!
Been using my Polar V800 since 2015 and now I want continuous HRM and Sleep Tracking. This, Grit X, looks like what I will get now - Those buttons are similar to the V800 and I believe has Gorilla Glass too.
Very comprehensive review. Thank you. I've got the Fenix 6S and as a triathlete and adventure racer, I never even knew it had so much features. The lack of music for the Polar is a big one for me though. Cheers!
Touch screen OUTCH if You really sweat or it’s raining try to adjust something 🤪 I got my new FENIX6XSAPHIRE now for a little over a week and dawn happy with it...it replaces my Apple Watch series 4, the Suunto Ambit3 Peak and FENIX3HR because of my latissimus muscle chest straps don’t work for me. Will try a arm strap do for running and biking and maybe swimming with my FENIX6XSAPHIRE. Another great video thanks 😊
Great review. I have never realized how good garmin app is. When you told about polar that can’t start navigating (route) during activity - that’s really terrible.
I think they'll mature the firmware over time. After all this is their first stab at the "outdoor watch" market. Hopefully we see some of the navigation features mentioned in the video! Thanks for watching.
Really great comparison video. Detailed and yet easy to understand. I own a Grit X and thought of upgrading. After seeing this, I realise that may not be needed. Thank you.
I´m thinking of upgrading to the Garmin Fenix 6 from my Garmin Forerunner 235 WHR which I´m using since January 2016! BUT: Although the Fenix 6 has been out on the market for a while now its price tag is still pretty damn high & that holds me back from buying one (thought of buying a 2nd hand Fenix 6 though).
If u know n say know that the HR sensor quality makes every other functionality right information, and the Polar is way front measurement, almost like a chest strap, why do u still choose garmin eventhough money is not the object? So pls correct me if im wrong; Polar is a real sport watch. Measures ur hr right, tracks ur sleep perfect, realizes ur activity better. Compare to Garmin, POLAR BEATS GARMIN IN HEALTH STATS. You choose Garmin because it looks more bulk, stylish, perfect smart watch functionality, best gps and its the charisma. Otherwise if u dont ve the chest strap u know Garmin doesnt give the feedbacks as good as Polar right? Have i understood u right? Is that all about what you mention? Thanks for the video. . Amazing honest comparision. Best comparist out here for me.
I personally would choose the Garmin because I use the navigation features regularly for my trail running and having waypoints is important to me. More important in some cases than absolute best Heart Rate accuracy. I think the difference between the two is that the Polar Grit X is more of a sport specific watch where the Fenix 6 is a true outdoor/expedition watch. Both have their purposes and for most people the Grit X will do everything they need. I hope that helps. Thanks for watching.
I got to say, Coros has Titanium bezel, also the Sapphire screen! I hit my Apex over a steel stand post, it scratched the bezel :C. But I am able to buff out the scratch using just wet clothe, and it looks brand new again :D.
I love the build quality and design of the Coros Apex Pro! It certainly gives Garmin a run for their money. I'll be comparing it to the Grit X in my next video. Thanks for watching!
Like you said they don't really compete against each other. It's a $270+ price differential to get a Fenix 6 with Music etc. But much of what you reviewed here was that higher level model. Even the lowest Fenix 6 is $170 more than the Grit X. That's a huge premium. I just ordered my Grit X. Been wanting to upgrade for my Polar M400 (which is over 5 years old and still rolling fine). Wanted to get into Coros Apex, but Polar Flow is too good to leave behind.
I figured if I was going to compare a Fenix I might as well go all the way to the Sapphire to add contrast to the differences. I agree about the Polar Flow Ecosystem, it's fantastic! I really love how granular the website lets you get and how easy it is to set up sport profiles. Thanks for watching!
Excellent vid!!!! Your timing is so perfect... I need a watch badly and this gives me the recommendation I'll give my wife for my birthday coming up this month!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!
Great video. Thank you. You've helped me to decide on my next watch. I've been using a Polar M400 for about 6 years now and have been waiting for a suitable watch. I wasn't expecting it to be another Polar but after watchiing I've now placed my order for the Grit X.
@@SatoruBob I'm pleased with mine so far. The first big difference is the screen. At first it seems very dim. Strangely though you get used to it and it is brighter and more readable when you're in brighter surroundings. On my first charge I got six days usage before getting a recharge notice at 10%. I did two hour workouts and had notifications off and 24 hour heart rate tracking on. I now changed heart rate monitoring to night-time only. I imagine this will give over a week of battery life. The only other thing I would mention was that in the app, after syncing on the computer via cable, I had to go to devices and select Grit X as the watch to sync. A week in, I'm very happy with this big investment. I hope you enjoy yours too.
@@unknownmeaning8506 Bob van Ooij I'm pleased with mine so far. The first big difference is the screen. At first it seems very dim. Strangely though you get used to it and it is brighter and more readable when you're in brighter surroundings. On my first charge I got six days usage before getting a recharge notice at 10%. I did two hour workouts and had notifications off and 24 hour heart rate tracking on. I now changed heart rate monitoring to night-time only. I imagine this will give over a week of battery life. The only other thing I would mention was that in the app, after syncing on the computer via cable, I had to go to devices and select Grit X as the watch to sync. A week in, I'm very happy with this big investment. I hope you enjoy yours too.
Garmin can give you Running power if you download from Connect IQ “Running Power” by Garmin Labs. It requests HRM Run strap. As polar watches, the running power is quite close to Stryd. Running power data field takes into account the wind from weather database.
Right. I typically pair my Stryd Pod with the Fenix 6 for a power metric but the Polar does this with no additional sensor which is pretty awesome! Thanks for watching.
Been on Fenix Series from first gen, do use the X from the day that was out tho. :) And so far it´s hard to beat the Fenix series, even if polar and even Coros wit hthe Vertix come close they are still behind. And this days when 5+ is on good price most of times it´s hard one to pass on. :) My 6x or even Delta works like a King, but for most i think the 5+ shoiuld do a solid work for less money.
Thanks for your review, I have also both watches and I like some functions on the Garmin Fenix 6 pro and I like some other functions more on the Polar grid X. I share your opinion. I miss the music and the maps on the polar, but I like the accurately of the heart rate sensor from the polar grit x.
Yeah that's so weird. I don't understand how they can't include an "off button". I did find a workaround where you can factory reset the watch and it will eventually turn itself off. Works in a pinch if you need to leave it for an extended period of time. Thanks for watching!
There are in fact a number of tweaks you can do on the Grit X to make the battery last longer. Change the backlight and frequency of the GPS tracking. You can get up to 100 hours tracking.
Yes, I should have elaborated a bit further but I tried to keep it short for the sake of the video. You can disable the back light, disable heart rate, or swap GPS sampling rates from 1 second to 1-2 minutes but that's the extent of it. Garmin has a lot more fine tuning with the new "Power Modes" settings like adjusting your Back Light in percentages, disabling features independently, adjusting how sensors are connected depending on Battery consumption, etc... And of course "UltraTrac" which is essentally the same as turning your GPS sample rate down to 1 minute. I also find it strange that Polar doesn't allow you to use "GPS Only" on the Grit X like the Fenix 6 does. This greatly improves battery life with very little sacrifice to accuracy. Hope that helps clarify the video. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for your comprehensive review, the best ive seen. I hope you or your subscribers can help me make my mind up between these 2 watches, i've stewed on a decision for a week now & still can't pick one - it's between the Grit X & the STANDARD Fenix 6 (non map) - these are both about the same price here at the minute so money doesn't come into it........ i know for me these will both be overkill so if there are other suggestions my ears are open. Background - just getting back into things after being off too long so i'd like a watch that helps me get off my ass a bit more. I do some mountain biking, hill climbing/walking/hiking & general exercise, I DO NOT run & i will not be running except for maybe jogging around a local park. I'd like to be able to set a calorie goal per day if possible & see what i've burned off & where i need to get my heart to so things can improve, the Polar showing what fat/protein etc i've used seems good but is it a bit gimmiky?. I do not need maps, i live in Ireland so i will not get lost, for that reason also it needs to be waterproof!, An Altimeter would be nice to see what elevation i've climbed on the bike & GPS is a must though doesn't have to be silly accurate, I'll not be using a chest strap so an accurate HRM would be good & i've watched reviews of both which were mixed, some reported the Garmin bad, some said Polar Fitspark seems to be good, i think!?, i like the way it suggests some training in relation to recovery, maybe Garmin does this too? I'm also interested in the Polar sleep tracking & nightly recharge function, but is the Garmin body battery better? I'm also not interested in music on my watch or notifications in general, nor to i want to pay for stuff with it. Battery life isn't silly important but it's nice not to have to charge things so often. Is sleep tracking important? Polar seems to win that, or is it better for me to have the pulse ox function on the Garmin & the stress monitoring as well? Weather would be nice to have but do both watches only display that correctly after sync with phone?, I'll not be going into in depth reviewing of my training/sleep so it'd be nice to have decent, meaningful info on the watch face. I don't like the way the Polar can't be turned off but i seem to be being drawn that way because of Fitspark, is there a Garmin equal to it? - though i think ideally a Fenix 6 with fitspark & good sleep measurement would be ideal Please help!! My head's fried!!
Kind of depends if you want more of the "smart features" that Garmin offers it's a no-contest. But I think the Polar Grit X is a better wellness and activity tracker in terms of sleep and recovery. Fitspark is actually quite useful for someone in your situation as well. Garmin's suggested workouts are really only geared towards running or cycling while Polar's fitspark will suggest things like Yoga and Mobility to compliment your other workouts. I hope that helps!
@@ChaseTheSummit Brilliant, that's my mind made up & thank you for your answer, i just need to get my head around not being able to turn the Polar watch off - not such a bad negative! As for smartwatch features - i can do without them, more data fields of the Garmin & changable faces would be nice to mess with though. I guess you just can't have it all!
Thank you for the quick and dirty review but very fair and right on the subject to bring in front the strengths of each watch! I prefer having accurate physiological data in order to do a better analysis to rest or train harder, to do more strength or endurance focused training. Looks like Polar clinched that department and price. And Garmin 6 excelled in most other departments. So, this is a matter of individual preference of features. Both watches are excellent.
For sure. I get a lot of comments asking "What's the best?" but there is no best. It really comes down to what YOU need and what activities/wellness data you're interested in tracking. Thanks for watching!
I wonder how many runners really rely on a watch’s map for navigation. To me is more important GPS accuracy to know how long was my run, and it seems the Polar is on top on that
Yeah accuracy is probably more important to most. For me though, as a trail/mountain runner I use the maps a lot. Not having some sort of navigation with way points or at least a breadcrumb map is a real let down. But yes, I am impressed with the accuracy of the grit x! Its certainly a capable device and I'm still wearing it every day for now. I'm excited to see how firmware updates mature over time. Thanks for watching!
M M , I used GPX route tracking on my Suunto 9 for Bigfoot 200. It was essentials to keep on track - even more so at night. I believe the Fenix 6 goes an even better job in this sense due to topographical maps.
I use track navigation when running in unknown regions - especially on each business trip, holiday etc. It worked great on my Fenix 1 with basic maps 7 years ago and awesome on my Fenix 5+ with turn-by-turn alerts, auto-zoom of the map and arrows where to run. I don't understand why nobody except Garmin offers that!
Chase the Summit, I’m a mountain guide myself, no longer active since years ago I chose a different career, but I’m still climbing / hiking etc... and I know what you mean about the need of a tool for navigating, especially in white-out conditions. However when I carry a backpack I always have an iPhone with detailed topographic maps with me, since the 1.2” display of any watch is totally useless to my eyes for navigating. I just use the watch for trail running and to me the most important thing of a GPS watch is GPS accuracy, to measure my trails and get all the other infos from the training program. If the distance measured is not accurate, all the other data who are based on distance run are totally useless. Beside GPS, on a GPS watch everything else is just add on. After several years of Garmin watches I can tell their GPS accuracy is not good, actually it was better in the past, with my Forerunner 610. Now they changed the chip and it sucks. Polar is way better, the V800 is the most accurate but also the Grit X is great. However I understand someone else may like bells and whistles over the GPS accuracy, otherwise they wouldn’t sell any F6
My Grit X should be delivered in a couple days. It will hold me UNTIL Fenix 7X Saphfire arrives and the Tacx Neo 3T is out. With Garmin owning Tacx... the Fenix 7X may do some awesome magic mounted on a Bike( Road or MTB). But doing some things I wanna use the Grit X. I would like watts indication on a climb. I would want Hill Incline grade %. Seems not hard for Polar to do with firmware.
The MSRP for the Fenix 6 of $799 is for the Sapphire version, the non-Sapphire (gorilla glass instead) is 100 USD less. There's is even a. non-pro version who lacks the topographical maps, music and Garmin pay, so the same lack of features as the Polar, for $599. You are paying more for the better construction and battery life, I guess.
AR Physique dude, don’t buy a fenix 6. I’ve had one for 8 months. The. OHR sensor is so, so laggy. I do a lot of outdoor hiking and the maps are stellar for that, but day to day, I’m training via cycling, running, swimming, and weightlifting. The Garmin fenix is heavy. pros and cons to that but the HR sensor is terrible. It take a full minute to properly lock in a HR. So any interval of 30, 45, 60 seconds won’t be caught by the garmin. You’ll be done and recovering and the watch will not ever catch the HR. It’ll stay at 90 or 105. The watch is nearly a thousand dollars with tax and my $400 Apple Watch obliterated the fenix 6x HR. it’s not worth the money for training because the HR Zone data is always low so the suggestions don’t work. Unless you are comfortable with a chest strap 100% of the time except for casual jogging. That’s all it can measure correctly.
Great video, I have just subscribed to your channel. I'm still a bit on a fence. I really like the POLAR HR accuracy, but I'm worried that the display screen will play up when it's wet and raining with the touch display. I don't need most of the Fenix 6 functions but to be able to be notified of the message content when I run is important. Also polar has that power output. Damn I think I'll go for Feniks and when Polar upgrade their software sell it and go for Polar. Thanks mate for helping me decide!
yes the touch screen does "act" up when it is wet. but you can always lock it down on a singular display page by holding down the light button to lock all touch and buttons when you are in the rain. then unlock it when you're out of wet conditions. When I dont need to navigate the menus I just lock it down on the activity counter page.
I think this is one of the most demanded comparisons in the sport department. Falling in the choice between Grit X and Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Sapphire. I’m not so sporty but this COVID crisis pushing me out that I need more activity and would like to have some sporting motivating device. I’m used to be a mounting biker and willing to have more activities such as running and swimming. Would it be great to know any sort of thoughts on how devices are comparable in MTB discipline? I feeling like Grit X is a bit better in metrics and training programs but lack for smartwatch functions (notifications, alerts, receive messes during the training), and navigation during the activity. Garmin looks average but definitely better in navigation where Komoot/GritX sounds to me not enough. Would it be Garmin in your opinion? Grit X is new for now and some features might be improved or even new added but I don’t have such experience. Shall I care about the features out of the box or might dream for future software upgrades with improvements to garmin navigation level.
As far as Navigation I can say for certain that the Garmin products have a huge advantage with their full mapping capabilities. If Navigation was a primary concern I would just buy Garmin. That said, the Komoot integration might be enough for most people who are on established roads or trails. I wouldn't buy something with hopes of features being added in the future. Buy for what's available now. Thanks for watching!
@@ChaseTheSummit I have a question about Garmin. Navigation requires an accurate map. What Garmin includes with their Fenix 6Pro/Saphire for map navigation? Any extra I should pay for maps?
@@thedaeron3877 I decided and bought Grit X. Previously I was concerned about navigation or smartwatch capabilities but now looks like I mostly don't need them. What I really like to use from them - accurate ( at least it stated and market-proven) heart rate sensor, power from the wrist, weather forecast, FitSpark and Training load, Running Program which is really excellent.
Cool ,,, I got a fenix 5x sapphire last year and I’m happy with it ,,, I was thinking of upgrading to the 6 but I think I’ll wait ,,the 5x works good for my backpacking needs
Not on mine. That just locks or unlocks the screen. The "OK" button will restart the watch but nothing turns it off. I have confirmed with Polar that an off button doesn't exist. 🤷♂️
@@ChaseTheSummit it is very odd for a watch at that standart!!! Sorry I had an old Polar use to have a power button and light button as one. Any hoo, they won't succeed with this watch especially if they don't have a clear explanation about why it doesn't have power button. Cheers again mate.
@@ChaseTheSummit I have a polar m430 and it also has no way to turn it off. It eats at my soul knowing that when I switch watches it is still on while sitting in my drawer slowly burning batteries until death.
Hey Dave! Great review and well made video. Liked the clear articulation and detail. I have the AWS4 and a Fenix 5. Planning to train a bit seriously with HIIT, Running and some tennis (When we can in the future). Will it help to add a Scosche Rhythm24 / Polar OH1 to my Fenix or look at devices like the GritX? Im looking for accurate HR data to feed my Firstbeat algorithms on the Fenix to get the best approximation of ATL, Recovery time, VO2Max etc. I like the Intensity minutes on Garmin way better than the AW 3 ring system.
For the most accurate results I'd say get a chest strap like the Polar H9/H10 or the Polar OH1+ arm strap. It will absolutely make your Fenix data much more accurate! The Grit X is good but it doesn't beat a dedicated strap. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the review! I really like the design of this watch but it's overkill for what I *need* and a bit on the chunky side compared to what I'm used to. I'm hoping the Vantage series gets a refresh soon.
That new watch is so good at changing diapers!!! 👌 Loving your videos! Good topic, I think that Polar Grit X probably the best watch Polar has ever made.
Garmin should buy Polar, that would make the perfect watch :D Power meter are only making sense in a sole. Anything else is only calculation and guessing.
@@stromdiddily9166 Yup. Polar is like six time smaller than Garmin, both employees and capital, and yet they're there kinda right next to Garmin, and the fact that basically in all the watches and chest straps, Polar has the edges, says it all. Polar needs to step it up when it comes to watches and app UI, basically. Would benefit greatly from buying a company like Coros (which is not like a tiny little company anyway)
Thanks for the amazing review! I'm on the fence of swapping out my Galaxy Watch Active2 because I think it kinda sucks for my use, which is mtb. Batterylife is bad; I have to charge it every 2 days(even if it is on standby). I guess the features making it a "smart watch" rather than a "sports watch" such as a higher resolution screen, more "smartphone like apps" are some factors for a lower battery life. As far as the touchscreen goes, I've really been having a though time with it. During summer, it is fine as i can use t-shirts. During winter and autumn, it is much more problematic. Often the sleeves of my jacket register touches, which in worst case cancels ongoing activities, or alter them, which is extremely frustrating. The touchscreen is also unpredictable during wet weather conditions. So for that reason; I'm not hyped to get a new watch with touch. How is your experience with Garmin/Polar that has touch screens, have you been having similar issues? Also, by any chance... Have you tested watches like the Galaxy watch, Huawei, or similar?
Yikes! Cancelling an activity would be a deal breaker for me! I haven't had a chance to test out the Galaxy Watch but I have experience with the TicWatch Pro 3 and Suunto 7 Wear OS devices. Both have really good screens but they might be a TOUCH too sensitive as you mentioned. Polar's touch screens are certainly less sensitive and can be completely locked out during activities. You can also control them entirely with buttons which I much prefer when used for sports. Hope that helps!
Do you think the navigation on the Grit X is good enough for MTB? I really like the watch but I'm concerned on that aspect, not sure whether to get a cheaper Vantage M2 and a bike computer for navigation or get the Grit X as the one and only thing to track both things.
I got the Polar Grit X becasue it has 'sound', which the M600 did not have and I never felt/heard the vibration announcing intervals. Only to learn that the Grit also only does vibration during execises.
Thank you for the great review! I still have a question and I'm curious after your perspective. The Power Grit X does give refuelling advice. I believe the Garmin doesn't have this option. What is your take on that?
Fuelwise can be handy but in reality it's not a huge selling point for me. Setting a simple re-occuring timer on the Garmin is kind of the same thing though... not quite. Personally it's not something I rely on but I'm sure others might have a different opinion. Hope that helps.
Awesome review video. Very professional & organized. Well done. I'm looking to buy a Running GPS watch. I'm stuck between Polar Grit X & Garmin Instinct Solar. My price point is $300-$400. Which one do you recommend?
For straight up running the Grit X is probably a better buy because it will provide you with more metrics than the Instinct. The Instinct is a better "outdoor" watch for hiking/trekking/climbing etc... Hope that helps!
@@ChaseTheSummit thank you so much. I ended up buying Grit X. Used it on 2 runs so far & it is incredible. Thank you again for providing great review videos. Definitely sold the product for me. Some reviews are painful to watch, but yours were very entertaining & well made.
Great review. I think would be more fair to put the polar titanium xpro against the fenix 6. I have the fenix 6 and although great quality still disappointing for the price and issues I've had. Will give the polar x Grit titanium ago for half the price
For sure. At the time of filming this the Grit X Pro didn’t exist yet. Still, the Fenix 6 Pro/Sapphire has more features and better navigation than the Pro even by todays standards but I do like the build and look of the Grit X Pro!
@@ChaseTheSummit I have the fenix 6 and its overloaded with features that most would not used. Navigation I'll have to put it against the xpro as the fenix 6 has had lots of issues and for the price people pay its ridiculous. Great review and thanks for your reply
Hey. I've just bought grit x but must say i miss some stuff like for example i cannot just open compass or see what altitude am on without going in sport recording mode, that's a bit frustrating. If you are playing with geocaching its also bad that it lacks gps positioning coordinates.I also miss temperature sensor. It's also bad i cannot play music on it and if you go running light weight with jogging pants without pockets the phone can be awkward where to put it. Also i miss payment functionality. I acctualy would use it without bringing with the big wallet or phone that's acctualy useful. From my perspective grit x can't stand for being smart watch it's just a more advanced sport watch, would replace it for fenix just for the sake of the above things but as I see the fenix has just to many for my taste unnecessary features and its also really expensive. I really like polar design and lightweight and also its accuracy. I don't like the touch screen responsivness. I'ts really slow at least for my fingers. I was also checking for suunto but got an advice that suunto has failed at their software ecosystem. I am a bit frustrated now what to do. Sell the grit x and go for maybe fenix 5x or take something completly different like samsung active 2 but there is problem with battery duration. What would you recommend?
It sounds like you're more interested in smartwatch features than sporting features and that's certainly not Polar Grit X's forte. I can't speak too much about the Samsung Active watch as I haven't had a chance to review it. Specs look nice but I have seen reports of the HR accuracy and GPS performance to be sub par. Those are things I personally care about so I'd probably steer clear of it. But if you're looking for an over all "smarter watch" it sure seems like a good option. The Fenix 6 might be a solid middle ground since it has a lot of smart watch features and the connect IQ store for downloading additional stuff. Or even something like the Garmin Venu if you wanted the Vivid display. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
Great review!! I'm thinking to replace my loved SUUNTO Ambit3 Peak, only due to Suunto closing movescount and losing functionalities. I use a lot the "workouts" for my training main set. Now I can start the workouts on the middle of my run/cycle/swim. Can you do this on the polar or Garmin? (I can't find this anywhere)
Haha, I hear you and I have been trying to replace my Ambit3 Peak for years now - only to realize that nothing released since has really matched it in GPS accuracy. The Grit X is kinda an Ambit 4 Peak though and that's what got my attention but there are a couple of caveats like screen brightness, sometimes fuzzy HR accuracy and the breadcrumb routing doesn't seem to match the Ambit's functionality either (in terms of starting or changing a route mid-run for example). Tough to move on from an Ambit3 Peak...
@@ChaseTheSummit The ANS and the sleep charge scores can provide you more insights than a single score like fitbit to plan your day. Been impressed at how accurately the ANS score captures the energy will have in a day. And honestly beside these scores, I don't find the details too useful.
The Garmin is boss. The only thing is the quality of the bezel, specifically the titanium version. For the watches to cost what they do and what they're made for, the bezels are disappointingly fragile. I had to purchase a third party stainless steel bezel ring for it, and sadly it take more of a beating then the titanium bezel does. Mine is all scratched up, and the ring is fine. That is my only complaint, but it's big because we shouldn't be paying upwards of $1000 and details like that are left out. I love Garmin, they just need to fix that. Lol
Hei, and thanks for the video. I have recently gave up polar vantage V. I had some issues during the racing, that when I started on the route without the watch finding the start point, it has never found the route. It was just pointing towards the selected points, like middle or end, but never ended on the preplanned route. Have you noticed smth like this?
As far as "Active Calories" their pretty similar but Polar does tend to lean towards the higher end. As an example on a 7 mile run my Fenix 6 reported 746 calories burned while paired to a chest strap. The Grit X reports 861 calories from the same run. Not sure why there's a variation here.
Must Must Must see Grit X and Polar Beat app. Not just Polar Flow app. Polar Beat after activity pass info to Polar Flow I use Polar H10 to send realtime info to Polar Beat..Think H10 can bluetooth HR to Grit X( cource the watche's optical goes off)
Did I understand you correctly, the Grit X doesn‘t have smart notifications like text messages? I read that as long it is paired with your cell phone, it does indeed show text message notifications!?!
Yes, you can. However, you still need an external sensor to send power data to the watch like the Run Dynamics POD, or the Stryd Footpod. The Polar Grit X does this without an external sensor just from data being collected from the wrist. Thanks for watching!
@@ChaseTheSummit i'm looking at my last run in Garmin Connect and i see a running power graph in it labeled 'Running Power IQ'. I don't have a Stryd Footpod. After researching it a bit, it was due to me having a Garmin HRM tri: th-cam.com/video/UzH6dZAVy4E/w-d-xo.html. So it did require an external sensor.
Great review, I am mid 50s back on the fitness journey, started on park runs, 10k etc , Gym and cycling. I have been looking for a new fitness watch that’s at my level, the Fenix 6 is overkill for me. The battery dies to quickly on my Vivoactive 3 and goes into low battery mode after a couple of hrs gps when cycling which is dis-appointing. The grit x or apex both are contenders for an upgrade! Thanks again for a great review.
I think a lot of folks find them in your situation. Garmin's high end stuff can be overkill and their mid-tier stuff might not be enough. The Grit X is certainly an excellent compromise. I just posted a video comparing it to the Apex Pro! Thanks for watching!
I haven't had an issue with this but I've seen others who have. I can only assume it's something to do with the silicone band or possibly the way the HR sensors trap moisture behind the watch. I personally remove mine every few days and let it air out a bit. Hope that helps!
Sorry for the multiple questions but is the extra accuracy on the light sensors of the polar watches enough to sway you to purchase that instead of the fenix? If one were to look for accurate fitness tracking as a priority would the fenix not hold up to the polar?
I suppose that depends on what you find important in your fitness watch. If wrist based HR is the top of your list then a Polar watch is probably a good choise. The Fenix 6 has a lot of other features which still make it hard to beat in terms of a true outdoor/fitness watch. I hope that helps!
Chase the Summit so the compass and barometer functions aren’t accessible until you’re in an activity but when you are able to use it, do you find it to be simple to find and easy to read? If you have a video on it I’ll gladly watch that as well
Yeah probably. But because Polar is Marketing the Grit X towards the same people who are buying Fenix's I figured it was worth looking into. This was a highly requested video! Thanks for watching!
Comparing Polar Grit X and Fenix 6 is like comparing android and ios. Garmin has so much customizable options, widgets, watch faces, info screens and more. With Polar you are stuck with what they offer you. I'm Android fan so I chose Garmin. I tried using Vantage V but in just one day I felt it doesn't suit for me.
Typical Polar. I remember when I just got my Vantage V, you couldn’t tell if GPS is locked or not before you start your activity. They had this tiny red and green circles around the GPS icon which were useless in the evening when I run. I wrote to them and probably others too to make the GPS icon blink when GPS is not locked. Took a year or more to implement that “feature”. I love the looks of the Polar, it has a great battery life but when it comes to activities, I always wear my Garmin.
Dude - you've nailed this review, calling out almost everything that keeps it from being a true outdoor watch. Biggies being... No ABC (alti, baro, compass) outside of an activity No in activity route activation Pretty unusable back to start Hopefully addressed, as it looks to be pretty slick for the price point otherwise.
there is a power button on the watch i believe. same as the Vantage V. hold down the bottom left buttom for a bit. I've been debating between the grit X and Coros Vertix, to try something new. I have the Fenix 6 now.
If you hold the "OK" button for ~10 seconds it will restart the watch but nothing seems to just turn it off! I'll try some more button presses haha. Thank for watching!
@@ChaseTheSummit There has to be a power button. There's no way there isn't. Right, Polar...? There's one on the Vantage V and it took me a bit to figure it out.
Polar doesn't expect you to wear any other watches, it seems. I also confirmed with support, that there is no off button on Vantage V, which I find odd, because I don't want my battery to "die" in order to switch a watch off. All I know is, that "empty" is not quite the healthiest stage a rechargeable battery can be in. Hopefully the people at Polar will reconsider their decision, when enough customers do complain about that.
Garmin has a running power app (Garmin Labs), and I'd be interested in seeing how this compares with the Polar. Also would like to know how you like the new sleep tracking calculations on device... You also didn't cover the recommended workouts, recovery features, and FuelWise that the Polar has. I've been confirmed in my purchase of my Garmin Tactix Delta Solar so far, but I'd be curious to see how this (all of the above) affects your review...
The Garmin Power app requires and external sensor like the HRM-Run strap. The Grit X does this without an additional sensor. I go over all of the features in my fill Grit X review (found on this channel) this was only a quick comparison. Thanks for watching!
Is there any way to go from say biking to running on the same work out or would you also need to stop the bike route and then start a new run route if you were trying to have a tri training day?
I usually charge mine in the car when I'm driving to work or I'll charge it on my desk while I'm working. These watches have very small batteries so they charge quickly. With the Fenix you only need to worry about it every 1-2 weeks or so. With the Grit X it's more like 3 or 4 days. Thanks for watching!
Hey. Could you tell me if you could interact with the notifications on the Polar. I have the Fenix 6 and I can read, reply or delete. Can the Polar do the same?
Yes, you can use Komoot or you can use any GPX file as a route. However, it has the same limitations that I mention in the video. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
No notifications when training, sounds bloody fantastic to me!
Ha! Tell that to my wife!
I agree 1,000%
Its 21 century, they could learn a switch to turn IT on / off and anybody would be happy
i dont even bring my phone with me on a run
I found the Garmin to be more reliable while changing some really bad diapers. It was more accurate at measuring stress and heart rates while doing the diaper “Duty.”
Haha! Totally. That stress indicator goes off the charts when there's a serious blow out on the table.
I'm a user of Polar V800 and love it for size weight and GPS accuracy when swimming. Looking for new watches and close to choosing Grit X for price/value, weight, GPS accuracy, and sleep analyzer. Polar's "PolarFlow" very convenient and eco works smoothly. I'm sure Polar will add new software features later as they did with V800. Thanks for vid it's awesome!
If it is a matter of price/value, weight, GPS, Floors, Stress, Sleep analyzer, you still have the Sport Band Vivosport from Garmin. 85€ on amazon, 7 days battery, 8h with GPS, gesture for autolight, touchscreen, barometer, starts activity automatically after 1 min. My son has one. GPS is not far from Fenix 6. You cannot beat that price.
Love the V800 and the flow app but tend to go for Fenix 6 now....
I’ve had the grit x for about a week now and I feel your review is pretty dead on! Especially my god the weight of the watch I take my Fenix off all the time but the grit x I don’t even notice it it’s comfortable ! And has helped with actually getting sleep data ! Great review
I'm getting involved in search and rescue. I live in the mountains. Which watch would you suggest?
Advantage to the fenix is I can track my search dog while off leash
@@mr.d_c6877 Fenix 6x sapphire
This is a great review. Really glad you mentioned the differences between flow & connect because these were not well covered in other reviews. Really interesting comparison esp for the heartrate accuracy.
Thanks for watching!
Would love to see you comparing the platforms PolarFlow vs GarminConnect! That’d help a lot!! Thanks for your work!
That's a great idea. Thanks for the feedback!
Great comparison, just got the grit x (had fenix 5 plus) there is one more thing I live about polar (that garmin could have) and it is that you can see and have automatic laps and manual laps as different data in the same workout. For me and my training it is super handy. The other thing that I love is that Polar does not care how much steps you make in a day, it is all about activity. If you go for a 100 miles bike ride you will certainly get to 100% activity, with garmin your watch still tells you the steps you need to do to complete the day.
Glad to hear you're enjoying the Polar! I also like how Polar focuses on active time rather than steps. Steps is a really subjective metric. Thanks for watching!
Been using my Polar V800 since 2015 and now I want continuous HRM and Sleep Tracking. This, Grit X, looks like what I will get now - Those buttons are similar to the V800 and I believe has Gorilla Glass too.
Same here using the v800 when released... Not sure I want to change it though as it still works well....
Very comprehensive review. Thank you. I've got the Fenix 6S and as a triathlete and adventure racer, I never even knew it had so much features. The lack of music for the Polar is a big one for me though. Cheers!
Thanks for watching!
Excellent review! Just purchased the Grit X for basically half price of MSRP and I’m even more excited now after watching your review!
Hope you enjoy it!
Touch screen OUTCH if You really sweat or it’s raining try to adjust something 🤪 I got my new FENIX6XSAPHIRE now for a little over a week and dawn happy with it...it replaces my Apple Watch series 4, the Suunto Ambit3 Peak and FENIX3HR because of my latissimus muscle chest straps don’t work for me. Will try a arm strap do for running and biking and maybe swimming with my FENIX6XSAPHIRE.
Another great video thanks 😊
From the manual for the Grit X: "Note that the touch display is disabled during training sessions."
Thank you Dave! Phenomenal review. I will bookmark this video and study it- your diligence to your craft is evident and inspiring.
Thanks so much!
Great review. I have never realized how good garmin app is. When you told about polar that can’t start navigating (route) during activity - that’s really terrible.
I think they'll mature the firmware over time. After all this is their first stab at the "outdoor watch" market. Hopefully we see some of the navigation features mentioned in the video! Thanks for watching.
You can add route using Komoot or importing the .gpx file to the watch.
Really great comparison video. Detailed and yet easy to understand. I own a Grit X and thought of upgrading. After seeing this, I realise that may not be needed. Thank you.
Thanks!
I´m thinking of upgrading to the Garmin Fenix 6 from my Garmin Forerunner 235 WHR which I´m using since January 2016! BUT: Although the Fenix 6 has been out on the market for a while now its price tag is still pretty damn high & that holds me back from buying one (thought of buying a 2nd hand Fenix 6 though).
If u know n say know that the HR sensor quality makes every other functionality right information, and the Polar is way front measurement, almost like a chest strap, why do u still choose garmin eventhough money is not the object? So pls correct me if im wrong; Polar is a real sport watch. Measures ur hr right, tracks ur sleep perfect, realizes ur activity better. Compare to Garmin, POLAR BEATS GARMIN IN HEALTH STATS. You choose Garmin because it looks more bulk, stylish, perfect smart watch functionality, best gps and its the charisma. Otherwise if u dont ve the chest strap u know Garmin doesnt give the feedbacks as good as Polar right? Have i understood u right? Is that all about what you mention? Thanks for the video. . Amazing honest comparision. Best comparist out here for me.
I personally would choose the Garmin because I use the navigation features regularly for my trail running and having waypoints is important to me. More important in some cases than absolute best Heart Rate accuracy. I think the difference between the two is that the Polar Grit X is more of a sport specific watch where the Fenix 6 is a true outdoor/expedition watch. Both have their purposes and for most people the Grit X will do everything they need. I hope that helps. Thanks for watching.
I got to say, Coros has Titanium bezel, also the Sapphire screen! I hit my Apex over a steel stand post, it scratched the bezel :C. But I am able to buff out the scratch using just wet clothe, and it looks brand new again :D.
I love the build quality and design of the Coros Apex Pro! It certainly gives Garmin a run for their money. I'll be comparing it to the Grit X in my next video. Thanks for watching!
Like you said they don't really compete against each other. It's a $270+ price differential to get a Fenix 6 with Music etc. But much of what you reviewed here was that higher level model. Even the lowest Fenix 6 is $170 more than the Grit X. That's a huge premium.
I just ordered my Grit X. Been wanting to upgrade for my Polar M400 (which is over 5 years old and still rolling fine). Wanted to get into Coros Apex, but Polar Flow is too good to leave behind.
I figured if I was going to compare a Fenix I might as well go all the way to the Sapphire to add contrast to the differences. I agree about the Polar Flow Ecosystem, it's fantastic! I really love how granular the website lets you get and how easy it is to set up sport profiles. Thanks for watching!
Thank you. Great review and now I can make a decision and Polar grit x wins because being female/smaller build the weight is a thing too
Glad I could help
Excellent vid!!!! Your timing is so perfect... I need a watch badly and this gives me the recommendation I'll give my wife for my birthday coming up this month!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!
Glad it was helpful!
What one have you chosen?
Only useful and critical comparison I have come across. Very useful. Great job.
Glad it was helpful!
Great video. Thank you. You've helped me to decide on my next watch. I've been using a Polar M400 for about 6 years now and have been waiting for a suitable watch. I wasn't expecting it to be another Polar but after watchiing I've now placed my order for the Grit X.
I've done exactly the same after my M400 had broken down after many years. Have fun with your Grit X!
Just done the same had m430 for a long time just ordered the grit
@@SatoruBob I'm pleased with mine so far. The first big difference is the screen. At first it seems very dim. Strangely though you get used to it and it is brighter and more readable when you're in brighter surroundings. On my first charge I got six days usage before getting a recharge notice at 10%. I did two hour workouts and had notifications off and 24 hour heart rate tracking on. I now changed heart rate monitoring to night-time only. I imagine this will give over a week of battery life. The only other thing I would mention was that in the app, after syncing on the computer via cable, I had to go to devices and select Grit X as the watch to sync. A week in, I'm very happy with this big investment. I hope you enjoy yours too.
@@unknownmeaning8506 Bob van Ooij I'm pleased with mine so far. The first big difference is the screen. At first it seems very dim. Strangely though you get used to it and it is brighter and more readable when you're in brighter surroundings. On my first charge I got six days usage before getting a recharge notice at 10%. I did two hour workouts and had notifications off and 24 hour heart rate tracking on. I now changed heart rate monitoring to night-time only. I imagine this will give over a week of battery life. The only other thing I would mention was that in the app, after syncing on the computer via cable, I had to go to devices and select Grit X as the watch to sync. A week in, I'm very happy with this big investment. I hope you enjoy yours too.
Garmin can give you Running power if you download from Connect IQ “Running Power” by Garmin Labs. It requests HRM Run strap. As polar watches, the running power is quite close to Stryd. Running power data field takes into account the wind from weather database.
Right. I typically pair my Stryd Pod with the Fenix 6 for a power metric but the Polar does this with no additional sensor which is pretty awesome! Thanks for watching.
Been on Fenix Series from first gen, do use the X from the day that was out tho. :)
And so far it´s hard to beat the Fenix series, even if polar and even Coros wit hthe Vertix come close they are still behind. And this days when 5+ is on good price most of times it´s hard one to pass on. :) My 6x or even Delta works like a King, but for most i think the 5+ shoiuld do a solid work for less money.
Thanks for your review, I have also both watches and I like some functions on the Garmin Fenix 6 pro and I like some other functions more on the Polar grid X. I share your opinion. I miss the music and the maps on the polar, but I like the accurately of the heart rate sensor from the polar grit x.
I hate it that there is no power 📴 function on the polar grit x😔
Yeah that's so weird. I don't understand how they can't include an "off button". I did find a workaround where you can factory reset the watch and it will eventually turn itself off. Works in a pinch if you need to leave it for an extended period of time. Thanks for watching!
Great as always! Next video comparison should be Coros Apex Pro vs Polar Grit x 😎
Thanks for watching!
There are in fact a number of tweaks you can do on the Grit X to make the battery last longer. Change the backlight and frequency of the GPS tracking. You can get up to 100 hours tracking.
Yes, I should have elaborated a bit further but I tried to keep it short for the sake of the video. You can disable the back light, disable heart rate, or swap GPS sampling rates from 1 second to 1-2 minutes but that's the extent of it. Garmin has a lot more fine tuning with the new "Power Modes" settings like adjusting your Back Light in percentages, disabling features independently, adjusting how sensors are connected depending on Battery consumption, etc... And of course "UltraTrac" which is essentally the same as turning your GPS sample rate down to 1 minute. I also find it strange that Polar doesn't allow you to use "GPS Only" on the Grit X like the Fenix 6 does. This greatly improves battery life with very little sacrifice to accuracy. Hope that helps clarify the video. Thanks for watching!
Not sure if polar is so keen on software updates. Can't say my polar watch had any update since I bought it almost a year ago.
I've heard that before. I suppose only time will tell! Thanks for watching!
I like your final statement between them!
Thanks for watching!
the most well done report on a product I have seen. THX
Thanks!
Thanks for the comparison. Price knocks Garmin out, so now I have to decide between the Grit X and the Vantage V2
For sure. You get a lot for your money with the Polar watches.
Thank you for your comprehensive review, the best ive seen. I hope you or your subscribers can help me make my mind up between these 2 watches, i've stewed on a decision for a week now & still can't pick one - it's between the Grit X & the STANDARD Fenix 6 (non map) - these are both about the same price here at the minute so money doesn't come into it........ i know for me these will both be overkill so if there are other suggestions my ears are open.
Background - just getting back into things after being off too long so i'd like a watch that helps me get off my ass a bit more. I do some mountain biking, hill climbing/walking/hiking & general exercise, I DO NOT run & i will not be running except for maybe jogging around a local park.
I'd like to be able to set a calorie goal per day if possible & see what i've burned off & where i need to get my heart to so things can improve, the Polar showing what fat/protein etc i've used seems good but is it a bit gimmiky?. I do not need maps, i live in Ireland so i will not get lost, for that reason also it needs to be waterproof!, An Altimeter would be nice to see what elevation i've climbed on the bike & GPS is a must though doesn't have to be silly accurate, I'll not be using a chest strap so an accurate HRM would be good & i've watched reviews of both which were mixed, some reported the Garmin bad, some said Polar
Fitspark seems to be good, i think!?, i like the way it suggests some training in relation to recovery, maybe Garmin does this too? I'm also interested in the Polar sleep tracking & nightly recharge function, but is the Garmin body battery better? I'm also not interested in music on my watch or notifications in general, nor to i want to pay for stuff with it. Battery life isn't silly important but it's nice not to have to charge things so often.
Is sleep tracking important? Polar seems to win that, or is it better for me to have the pulse ox function on the Garmin & the stress monitoring as well? Weather would be nice to have but do both watches only display that correctly after sync with phone?, I'll not be going into in depth reviewing of my training/sleep so it'd be nice to have decent, meaningful info on the watch face.
I don't like the way the Polar can't be turned off but i seem to be being drawn that way because of Fitspark, is there a Garmin equal to it? - though i think ideally a Fenix 6 with fitspark & good sleep measurement would be ideal
Please help!! My head's fried!!
Kind of depends if you want more of the "smart features" that Garmin offers it's a no-contest. But I think the Polar Grit X is a better wellness and activity tracker in terms of sleep and recovery. Fitspark is actually quite useful for someone in your situation as well. Garmin's suggested workouts are really only geared towards running or cycling while Polar's fitspark will suggest things like Yoga and Mobility to compliment your other workouts. I hope that helps!
@@ChaseTheSummit Brilliant, that's my mind made up & thank you for your answer, i just need to get my head around not being able to turn the Polar watch off - not such a bad negative! As for smartwatch features - i can do without them, more data fields of the Garmin & changable faces would be nice to mess with though. I guess you just can't have it all!
Thank you for the quick and dirty review but very fair and right on the subject to bring in front the strengths of each watch! I prefer having accurate physiological data in order to do a better analysis to rest or train harder, to do more strength or endurance focused training. Looks like Polar clinched that department and price. And Garmin 6 excelled in most other departments. So, this is a matter of individual preference of features. Both watches are excellent.
For sure. I get a lot of comments asking "What's the best?" but there is no best. It really comes down to what YOU need and what activities/wellness data you're interested in tracking. Thanks for watching!
I wonder how many runners really rely on a watch’s map for navigation. To me is more important GPS accuracy to know how long was my run, and it seems the Polar is on top on that
Yeah accuracy is probably more important to most. For me though, as a trail/mountain runner I use the maps a lot. Not having some sort of navigation with way points or at least a breadcrumb map is a real let down. But yes, I am impressed with the accuracy of the grit x! Its certainly a capable device and I'm still wearing it every day for now. I'm excited to see how firmware updates mature over time. Thanks for watching!
M M , I used GPX route tracking on my Suunto 9 for Bigfoot 200. It was essentials to keep on track - even more so at night. I believe the Fenix 6 goes an even better job in this sense due to topographical maps.
M M Are saying that GPS accuracy is better than Garmin or not behind Garmin. I totally agree with the GPS accuracy over navigation
I use track navigation when running in unknown regions - especially on each business trip, holiday etc. It worked great on my Fenix 1 with basic maps 7 years ago and awesome on my Fenix 5+ with turn-by-turn alerts, auto-zoom of the map and arrows where to run. I don't understand why nobody except Garmin offers that!
Chase the Summit, I’m a mountain guide myself, no longer active since years ago I chose a different career, but I’m still climbing / hiking etc... and I know what you mean about the need of a tool for navigating, especially in white-out conditions. However when I carry a backpack I always have an iPhone with detailed topographic maps with me, since the 1.2” display of any watch is totally useless to my eyes for navigating. I just use the watch for trail running and to me the most important thing of a GPS watch is GPS accuracy, to measure my trails and get all the other infos from the training program. If the distance measured is not accurate, all the other data who are based on distance run are totally useless. Beside GPS, on a GPS watch everything else is just add on. After several years of Garmin watches I can tell their GPS accuracy is not good, actually it was better in the past, with my Forerunner 610. Now they changed the chip and it sucks. Polar is way better, the V800 is the most accurate but also the Grit X is great. However I understand someone else may like bells and whistles over the GPS accuracy, otherwise they wouldn’t sell any F6
My Grit X should be delivered in a couple days. It will hold me UNTIL Fenix 7X Saphfire arrives and the Tacx Neo 3T is out. With Garmin owning Tacx... the Fenix 7X may do some awesome magic mounted on a Bike( Road or MTB). But doing some things I wanna use the Grit X. I would like watts indication on a climb. I would want Hill Incline grade %.
Seems not hard for Polar to do with firmware.
Detailed, well placed comments and observations. Interesting comparison!
Thanks for watching
@Chase the Summit: You’re absolutely welcome, as I really enjoyed your review.
The MSRP for the Fenix 6 of $799 is for the Sapphire version, the non-Sapphire (gorilla glass instead) is 100 USD less. There's is even a. non-pro version who lacks the topographical maps, music and Garmin pay, so the same lack of features as the Polar, for $599. You are paying more for the better construction and battery life, I guess.
Great content, keep up more regular posting! have been on the fence about the Fenix 6 pro for a while.
Thanks for watching!
AR Physique dude, don’t buy a fenix 6. I’ve had one for 8 months. The. OHR sensor is so, so laggy. I do a lot of outdoor hiking and the maps are stellar for that, but day to day, I’m training via cycling, running, swimming, and weightlifting. The Garmin fenix is heavy. pros and cons to that but the HR sensor is terrible. It take a full minute to properly lock in a HR. So any interval of 30, 45, 60 seconds won’t be caught by the garmin. You’ll be done and recovering and the watch will not ever catch the HR. It’ll stay at 90 or 105. The watch is nearly a thousand dollars with tax and my $400 Apple Watch obliterated the fenix 6x HR. it’s not worth the money for training because the HR Zone data is always low so the suggestions don’t work. Unless you are comfortable with a chest strap 100% of the time except for casual jogging. That’s all it can measure correctly.
@phillip perkins the fact is, is that Garmin watches are absolutely no way worth the money they charge, mediocre at best.
Great video, I have just subscribed to your channel. I'm still a bit on a fence. I really like the POLAR HR accuracy, but I'm worried that the display screen will play up when it's wet and raining with the touch display. I don't need most of the Fenix 6 functions but to be able to be notified of the message content when I run is important. Also polar has that power output. Damn I think I'll go for Feniks and when Polar upgrade their software sell it and go for Polar. Thanks mate for helping me decide!
It's hard to be disappointing with the Fenix. Thanks for watching!
yes the touch screen does "act" up when it is wet. but you can always lock it down on a singular display page by holding down the light button to lock all touch and buttons when you are in the rain. then unlock it when you're out of wet conditions. When I dont need to navigate the menus I just lock it down on the activity counter page.
Awesome review and comparison man! Keep it up!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I think this is one of the most demanded comparisons in the sport department. Falling in the choice between Grit X and Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Sapphire. I’m not so sporty but this COVID crisis pushing me out that I need more activity and would like to have some sporting motivating device. I’m used to be a mounting biker and willing to have more activities such as running and swimming. Would it be great to know any sort of thoughts on how devices are comparable in MTB discipline? I feeling like Grit X is a bit better in metrics and training programs but lack for smartwatch functions (notifications, alerts, receive messes during the training), and navigation during the activity. Garmin looks average but definitely better in navigation where Komoot/GritX sounds to me not enough. Would it be Garmin in your opinion? Grit X is new for now and some features might be improved or even new added but I don’t have such experience. Shall I care about the features out of the box or might dream for future software upgrades with improvements to garmin navigation level.
As far as Navigation I can say for certain that the Garmin products have a huge advantage with their full mapping capabilities. If Navigation was a primary concern I would just buy Garmin. That said, the Komoot integration might be enough for most people who are on established roads or trails. I wouldn't buy something with hopes of features being added in the future. Buy for what's available now. Thanks for watching!
@@ChaseTheSummit I have a question about Garmin. Navigation requires an accurate map. What Garmin includes with their Fenix 6Pro/Saphire for map navigation? Any extra I should pay for maps?
Just buy the fenix 5x in special, will WAYYYYY better value than the polar grit at a cheaper price.... problem solved
@@thedaeron3877 i decided and bought grit x. And fill they more then enough for me
@@thedaeron3877 I decided and bought Grit X. Previously I was concerned about navigation or smartwatch capabilities but now looks like I mostly don't need them. What I really like to use from them - accurate ( at least it stated and market-proven) heart rate sensor, power from the wrist, weather forecast, FitSpark and Training load, Running Program which is really excellent.
Cool ,,, I got a fenix 5x sapphire last year and I’m happy with it ,,, I was thinking of upgrading to the 6 but I think I’ll wait ,,the 5x works good for my backpacking needs
The 5X is great. Thanks for watching!
I also got a 5x sapphire
should I update?
The light button is the power button (hold for 3 seconds). Thanks for excellent review
Not on mine. That just locks or unlocks the screen. The "OK" button will restart the watch but nothing turns it off. I have confirmed with Polar that an off button doesn't exist. 🤷♂️
@@ChaseTheSummit it is very odd for a watch at that standart!!! Sorry I had an old Polar use to have a power button and light button as one. Any hoo, they won't succeed with this watch especially if they don't have a clear explanation about why it doesn't have power button. Cheers again mate.
@@ChaseTheSummit I have a polar m430 and it also has no way to turn it off. It eats at my soul knowing that when I switch watches it is still on while sitting in my drawer slowly burning batteries until death.
Fantastic video, I think that once the Fenix 7 comes, the Fenix 6 Pro will be more comparable price wise with the Grit X
For sure, the Fenix 6 will be discounted when/if something new comes out.
Great comparison thx!
Thank you Dave! Great review! Interesting info about new Polar smart GPS watch!
Glad it was helpful!
Hey Dave! Great review and well made video. Liked the clear articulation and detail. I have the AWS4 and a Fenix 5. Planning to train a bit seriously with HIIT, Running and some tennis (When we can in the future). Will it help to add a Scosche Rhythm24 / Polar OH1 to my Fenix or look at devices like the GritX? Im looking for accurate HR data to feed my Firstbeat algorithms on the Fenix to get the best approximation of ATL, Recovery time, VO2Max etc. I like the Intensity minutes on Garmin way better than the AW 3 ring system.
For the most accurate results I'd say get a chest strap like the Polar H9/H10 or the Polar OH1+ arm strap. It will absolutely make your Fenix data much more accurate! The Grit X is good but it doesn't beat a dedicated strap. Thanks for watching.
Sweet! I am looking to buy a sportswatch mostly for mtb. Great review it helped me alot.
Thanks!
Glad you found it helpful! Thanks for watching!
Good comparison, structured, to the point. Thanks!
Alright, I'm going Polar !! Thanks
Nice! Enjoy!
Great review! Very informative. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Great video breakdown, thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for the review! I really like the design of this watch but it's overkill for what I *need* and a bit on the chunky side compared to what I'm used to. I'm hoping the Vantage series gets a refresh soon.
Thanks for watching!
Can you create your own running workouts and send it to the watch on the polar? I know you can with garmin.
That new watch is so good at changing diapers!!! 👌 Loving your videos! Good topic, I think that Polar Grit X probably the best watch Polar has ever made.
Thanks man! I agree, this is the first one Polar has made that really has made an impact with me. Looking forward to what the future holds!
Thank you Dave!! Amazing review as usual. In my country the Grit X retails for 350€ now. Do you think I should consider it over a Garmin 945 or 745?
That depends. Do you need any form of navigation? The Komoot integration on the Grit X is somewhat lacking compared to Garmin's full on mapping.
Johnny grew hair. Now he's watch reviewer. He indeed can do anything.
🤔
Garmin should buy Polar, that would make the perfect watch :D
Power meter are only making sense in a sole. Anything else is only calculation and guessing.
But if the calculation is right...? :-)
I vote for polar to buy Coros...a coros watch on top of polar analytics would be a dream
@@stromdiddily9166 Yup. Polar is like six time smaller than Garmin, both employees and capital, and yet they're there kinda right next to Garmin, and the fact that basically in all the watches and chest straps, Polar has the edges, says it all. Polar needs to step it up when it comes to watches and app UI, basically. Would benefit greatly from buying a company like Coros (which is not like a tiny little company anyway)
Thanks for the amazing review! I'm on the fence of swapping out my Galaxy Watch Active2 because I think it kinda sucks for my use, which is mtb. Batterylife is bad; I have to charge it every 2 days(even if it is on standby). I guess the features making it a "smart watch" rather than a "sports watch" such as a higher resolution screen, more "smartphone like apps" are some factors for a lower battery life. As far as the touchscreen goes, I've really been having a though time with it. During summer, it is fine as i can use t-shirts. During winter and autumn, it is much more problematic. Often the sleeves of my jacket register touches, which in worst case cancels ongoing activities, or alter them, which is extremely frustrating. The touchscreen is also unpredictable during wet weather conditions. So for that reason; I'm not hyped to get a new watch with touch. How is your experience with Garmin/Polar that has touch screens, have you been having similar issues? Also, by any chance... Have you tested watches like the Galaxy watch, Huawei, or similar?
Yikes! Cancelling an activity would be a deal breaker for me! I haven't had a chance to test out the Galaxy Watch but I have experience with the TicWatch Pro 3 and Suunto 7 Wear OS devices. Both have really good screens but they might be a TOUCH too sensitive as you mentioned. Polar's touch screens are certainly less sensitive and can be completely locked out during activities. You can also control them entirely with buttons which I much prefer when used for sports. Hope that helps!
Do you think the navigation on the Grit X is good enough for MTB? I really like the watch but I'm concerned on that aspect, not sure whether to get a cheaper Vantage M2 and a bike computer for navigation or get the Grit X as the one and only thing to track both things.
Thanks for the great review, very thorough.
Thanks for watching!
Excellent review - thank you very much!
Nice video, thank you,
I’m looking for Sleep, swim and golf. Best choice?
For sleeping and swimming the Polar Grit X or Vantage V2 would be solid choices. For golf you're going to be looking at Garmin.
Thank you so much! Thanks for your work!
I got the Polar Grit X becasue it has 'sound', which the M600 did not have and I never felt/heard the vibration announcing intervals. Only to learn that the Grit also only does vibration during execises.
That's a bummer. I think it only beeps when pausing/starting/ending workouts. It's worth putting in a feature request with Polar!
I was wrong: it *does* make sound. Happy me!
Thank you for the great review! I still have a question and I'm curious after your perspective. The Power Grit X does give refuelling advice. I believe the Garmin doesn't have this option. What is your take on that?
Fuelwise can be handy but in reality it's not a huge selling point for me. Setting a simple re-occuring timer on the Garmin is kind of the same thing though... not quite. Personally it's not something I rely on but I'm sure others might have a different opinion. Hope that helps.
Awesome review video. Very professional & organized. Well done. I'm looking to buy a Running GPS watch. I'm stuck between Polar Grit X & Garmin Instinct Solar. My price point is $300-$400. Which one do you recommend?
For straight up running the Grit X is probably a better buy because it will provide you with more metrics than the Instinct. The Instinct is a better "outdoor" watch for hiking/trekking/climbing etc... Hope that helps!
@@ChaseTheSummit thank you so much. I ended up buying Grit X. Used it on 2 runs so far & it is incredible. Thank you again for providing great review videos. Definitely sold the product for me. Some reviews are painful to watch, but yours were very entertaining & well made.
New intro, I'm loving it!
Thanks Brice! I spent too much time on it 😂
to loud...impossible to watch late night...
Great review. I think would be more fair to put the polar titanium xpro against the fenix 6. I have the fenix 6 and although great quality still disappointing for the price and issues I've had. Will give the polar x Grit titanium ago for half the price
For sure. At the time of filming this the Grit X Pro didn’t exist yet. Still, the Fenix 6 Pro/Sapphire has more features and better navigation than the Pro even by todays standards but I do like the build and look of the Grit X Pro!
@@ChaseTheSummit I have the fenix 6 and its overloaded with features that most would not used. Navigation I'll have to put it against the xpro as the fenix 6 has had lots of issues and for the price people pay its ridiculous. Great review and thanks for your reply
Seems like the polar is probably a closer competitor to the coros apex pro or vertix
It's certainly closer matched. That's coming in my next video! Stay tuned!
Hey. I've just bought grit x but must say i miss some stuff like for example i cannot just open compass or see what altitude am on without going in sport recording mode, that's a bit frustrating. If you are playing with geocaching its also bad that it lacks gps positioning coordinates.I also miss temperature sensor. It's also bad i cannot play music on it and if you go running light weight with jogging pants without pockets the phone can be awkward where to put it. Also i miss payment functionality. I acctualy would use it without bringing with the big wallet or phone that's acctualy useful. From my perspective grit x can't stand for being smart watch it's just a more advanced sport watch, would replace it for fenix just for the sake of the above things but as I see the fenix has just to many for my taste unnecessary features and its also really expensive. I really like polar design and lightweight and also its accuracy. I don't like the touch screen responsivness. I'ts really slow at least for my fingers. I was also checking for suunto but got an advice that suunto has failed at their software ecosystem. I am a bit frustrated now what to do. Sell the grit x and go for maybe fenix 5x or take something completly different like samsung active 2 but there is problem with battery duration. What would you recommend?
It sounds like you're more interested in smartwatch features than sporting features and that's certainly not Polar Grit X's forte. I can't speak too much about the Samsung Active watch as I haven't had a chance to review it. Specs look nice but I have seen reports of the HR accuracy and GPS performance to be sub par. Those are things I personally care about so I'd probably steer clear of it. But if you're looking for an over all "smarter watch" it sure seems like a good option. The Fenix 6 might be a solid middle ground since it has a lot of smart watch features and the connect IQ store for downloading additional stuff. Or even something like the Garmin Venu if you wanted the Vivid display. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
Great review!! I'm thinking to replace my loved SUUNTO Ambit3 Peak, only due to Suunto closing movescount and losing functionalities. I use a lot the "workouts" for my training main set. Now I can start the workouts on the middle of my run/cycle/swim. Can you do this on the polar or Garmin? (I can't find this anywhere)
Yup. The Grit X supports Multi Sport mode to transition between multiple activities on the fly.
Haha, I hear you and I have been trying to replace my Ambit3 Peak for years now - only to realize that nothing released since has really matched it in GPS accuracy. The Grit X is kinda an Ambit 4 Peak though and that's what got my attention but there are a couple of caveats like screen brightness, sometimes fuzzy HR accuracy and the breadcrumb routing doesn't seem to match the Ambit's functionality either (in terms of starting or changing a route mid-run for example). Tough to move on from an Ambit3 Peak...
I love the Fitbit sleep analysis and layouts above all the other devices. I wish Garmin would copy Fitbit's.
Totally agree. Fitbit has some great features when it comes to "general wellness" including their sleep tracking.
I cant wait how awesome new Fitbit will be since google buy it
@@ChaseTheSummit The ANS and the sleep charge scores can provide you more insights than a single score like fitbit to plan your day. Been impressed at how accurately the ANS score captures the energy will have in a day. And honestly beside these scores, I don't find the details too useful.
Thanks for video, great vid.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you
The Garmin is boss. The only thing is the quality of the bezel, specifically the titanium version. For the watches to cost what they do and what they're made for, the bezels are disappointingly fragile. I had to purchase a third party stainless steel bezel ring for it, and sadly it take more of a beating then the titanium bezel does. Mine is all scratched up, and the ring is fine. That is my only complaint, but it's big because we shouldn't be paying upwards of $1000 and details like that are left out. I love Garmin, they just need to fix that. Lol
Great Review!!!! Thank You.
Thanks for watching!
Hei, and thanks for the video. I have recently gave up polar vantage V. I had some issues during the racing, that when I started on the route without the watch finding the start point, it has never found the route. It was just pointing towards the selected points, like middle or end, but never ended on the preplanned route. Have you noticed smth like this?
Not yet! I'll certainly update the video if anything like that happens. Thanks for watching!
Subscribed. Keep up the good work!
Thank you!
What about burned calories ? I've read that the polar grit x overestimates them
As far as "Active Calories" their pretty similar but Polar does tend to lean towards the higher end. As an example on a 7 mile run my Fenix 6 reported 746 calories burned while paired to a chest strap. The Grit X reports 861 calories from the same run. Not sure why there's a variation here.
Must Must Must see Grit X and Polar Beat app. Not just Polar Flow app. Polar Beat after activity pass info to Polar Flow
I use Polar H10 to send realtime info to Polar Beat..Think H10 can bluetooth HR to Grit X( cource the watche's optical goes off)
Did I understand you correctly, the Grit X doesn‘t have smart notifications like text messages? I read that as long it is paired with your cell phone, it does indeed show text message notifications!?!
It does have smart notifications however they are not present during activities which is a bummer!
Polar Grit X on sale here 295€....too many good watches to chose from.
Good deal!
on the Garmin store one can download the running power field.
Yes, you can. However, you still need an external sensor to send power data to the watch like the Run Dynamics POD, or the Stryd Footpod. The Polar Grit X does this without an external sensor just from data being collected from the wrist. Thanks for watching!
@@ChaseTheSummit i'm looking at my last run in Garmin Connect and i see a running power graph in it labeled 'Running Power IQ'. I don't have a Stryd Footpod. After researching it a bit, it was due to me having a Garmin HRM tri: th-cam.com/video/UzH6dZAVy4E/w-d-xo.html. So it did require an external sensor.
Stupid question most probably, but...can the Polar Grit X be paired with the Garmin Edge1030?
I don't think so. Maybe as an external HR sensor?
Great review, I am mid 50s back on the fitness journey, started on park runs, 10k etc , Gym and cycling. I have been looking for a new fitness watch that’s at my level, the Fenix 6 is overkill for me. The battery dies to quickly on my Vivoactive 3 and goes into low battery mode after a couple of hrs gps when cycling which is dis-appointing. The grit x or apex both are contenders for an upgrade! Thanks again for a great review.
I think a lot of folks find them in your situation. Garmin's high end stuff can be overkill and their mid-tier stuff might not be enough. The Grit X is certainly an excellent compromise. I just posted a video comparing it to the Apex Pro! Thanks for watching!
Why are some of these watches causing rashes on the wrist due to the heart rate sensor ?
I haven't had an issue with this but I've seen others who have. I can only assume it's something to do with the silicone band or possibly the way the HR sensors trap moisture behind the watch. I personally remove mine every few days and let it air out a bit. Hope that helps!
Subscribed.Good luck with your channel.
Much appreciated!
Sorry for the multiple questions but is the extra accuracy on the light sensors of the polar watches enough to sway you to purchase that instead of the fenix? If one were to look for accurate fitness tracking as a priority would the fenix not hold up to the polar?
I suppose that depends on what you find important in your fitness watch. If wrist based HR is the top of your list then a Polar watch is probably a good choise. The Fenix 6 has a lot of other features which still make it hard to beat in terms of a true outdoor/fitness watch. I hope that helps!
Chase the Summit so the compass and barometer functions aren’t accessible until you’re in an activity but when you are able to use it, do you find it to be simple to find and easy to read? If you have a video on it I’ll gladly watch that as well
I have always been a Garmin guy, but Polar and Cronos have started to get my attention
They're certainly catching up! But Garmin still has some unique features like Garmin Pay, music, and on-board mapping that no one else has done yet.
@@ChaseTheSummit really enjoy the navigation on my Fenix 5. 👍👍👍
Shouldn't it be vs forerunner 945 considering their price point?
Yeah probably. But because Polar is Marketing the Grit X towards the same people who are buying Fenix's I figured it was worth looking into. This was a highly requested video! Thanks for watching!
Will pick up the Grit X tomorrow.
It's a great watch!
@@ChaseTheSummit I really hope so, usually I prefer Garmin, but decided to give a chance to Polar. Fingers crossed!
@@rfec26 are you satisfied with the HR sensor?
@@marthalampropoulou I found it to be accurate under all circumstances.
@@rfec26 thank you!!one more question what kind of workouts do you do?mostly running or gym based workouts?like CrossFit or hiit training?
Comparing Polar Grit X and Fenix 6 is like comparing android and ios. Garmin has so much customizable options, widgets, watch faces, info screens and more. With Polar you are stuck with what they offer you. I'm Android fan so I chose Garmin. I tried using Vantage V but in just one day I felt it doesn't suit for me.
So true. I love that you can install 3rd party data fields. So much to customize. Thanks for watching.
Typical Polar. I remember when I just got my Vantage V, you couldn’t tell if GPS is locked or not before you start your activity. They had this tiny red and green circles around the GPS icon which were useless in the evening when I run. I wrote to them and probably others too to make the GPS icon blink when GPS is not locked. Took a year or more to implement that “feature”. I love the looks of the Polar, it has a great battery life but when it comes to activities, I always wear my Garmin.
Definitely takes some getting used to. Thanks for watching!
Dude - you've nailed this review, calling out almost everything that keeps it from being a true outdoor watch.
Biggies being...
No ABC (alti, baro, compass) outside of an activity
No in activity route activation
Pretty unusable back to start
Hopefully addressed, as it looks to be pretty slick for the price point otherwise.
Thanks! I have high hopes for future firmware updates.
there is a power button on the watch i believe. same as the Vantage V. hold down the bottom left buttom for a bit. I've been debating between the grit X and Coros Vertix, to try something new. I have the Fenix 6 now.
If you hold the "OK" button for ~10 seconds it will restart the watch but nothing seems to just turn it off! I'll try some more button presses haha. Thank for watching!
@@ChaseTheSummit There has to be a power button. There's no way there isn't. Right, Polar...? There's one on the Vantage V and it took me a bit to figure it out.
@@KC-UT4rmAZ I've tried everything. Seems like there's no way to turn it off. Ill shoot a message to Polar to see if I'm missing something here.
@@KC-UT4rmAZ No. There´s no way to turn off the Vantage V besides letting the battery die. Polar doesn´t do OFF buttons ^^
Polar doesn't expect you to wear any other watches, it seems. I also confirmed with support, that there is no off button on Vantage V, which I find odd, because I don't want my battery to "die" in order to switch a watch off. All I know is, that "empty" is not quite the healthiest stage a rechargeable battery can be in. Hopefully the people at Polar will reconsider their decision, when enough customers do complain about that.
Garmin has a running power app (Garmin Labs), and I'd be interested in seeing how this compares with the Polar. Also would like to know how you like the new sleep tracking calculations on device...
You also didn't cover the recommended workouts, recovery features, and FuelWise that the Polar has. I've been confirmed in my purchase of my Garmin Tactix Delta Solar so far, but I'd be curious to see how this (all of the above) affects your review...
The Garmin Power app requires and external sensor like the HRM-Run strap. The Grit X does this without an additional sensor. I go over all of the features in my fill Grit X review (found on this channel) this was only a quick comparison. Thanks for watching!
@@ChaseTheSummit Well, now I definitely need to watch the full review! Thanks for mentioning that.
Is there any way to go from say biking to running on the same work out or would you also need to stop the bike route and then start a new run route if you were trying to have a tri training day?
You can do this very thing by using the Multi-Sport activity.
If you use the watch for tracking sports and sleep... When do you charge it? 😅
I usually charge mine in the car when I'm driving to work or I'll charge it on my desk while I'm working. These watches have very small batteries so they charge quickly. With the Fenix you only need to worry about it every 1-2 weeks or so. With the Grit X it's more like 3 or 4 days. Thanks for watching!
Hey. Could you tell me if you could interact with the notifications on the Polar. I have the Fenix 6 and I can read, reply or delete. Can the Polar do the same?
You cannot reply to messages on Polar watches but you can clear them.
Are you going to compare Polar Grit X with the Coros Apex Pro it Vertix?
I think so. Seems like that's what you guys want to see judging by the comments! Stay tuned. Thanks for watching!
Is it possible to upload a bike route from your computer to the polar grit x and follow it with your watch on the bike?
Thanks and very good review!
Yes, you can use Komoot or you can use any GPX file as a route. However, it has the same limitations that I mention in the video. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching!