Hey thanks for the review, really informative! I’ve used pretty much every brand of gps watch, and I honestly feel like polar is underrated. They do have some oddities… the app layout isn’t my favorite, but still prefer it over coros. Garmin is obviously amazing, but when I think about how expensive their top of the line watches are, it’s kind of insane. No one can touch coros battery life, but for me, I just don’t love much else about them. I find polar watches to have great features and they’re overall really enjoyable and look nice. And you can get a lower model and still get most of the important data as the higher end ones. You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg for training data. I’m always super torn between polar and garmin, there’s just something about polar that I really like. When considering watches I have to be honest with my self… do I really need a $700 watch? I think this looks like a better choice than whatever garmin has to offer at similar price points. But everyone has their own preferences.
They're certainly under rated and they do have some nice qualities such as wrist-running power and a well thought out app/platform. I think Polar is a great alternative to Garmin and the price is much more appealing. COROS is making headway fast though and unfortunately I don't see the same determination and innovation from Polar's camp. They haven't really released an exciting new feature in a few years where as COROS seems to release a new firmware update on a monthly basis adding a major improvement. Time will tell how it all pans out! thanks for watching!
What do you think about going cross platform? I'm a long time Garmin user but am really bored wearing their watches 24/7. I still have a need for my Fenix 6 with maps, long battery and on board music but the Polar looks really nice
@@BillOzanne While this could be a great idea, I think going all-in with one of the brands makes much more sense. Features like Body Battery punishes you for not wearing the watch 24/7 while all the data gathered with one of the watches are not available for the other to read and interpret. I am not sure, but perhaps Polar can read data from Apple Health, which Garmin syncs to. But Garmin is not importing data from other sources, so your Polar runs would be lost on calculating the body battery.
Thank you for this review! I'm a kickboxer who's got into doing a bit of running and I've just bought a Pacer Pro as a heart monitor upgrade. I'll be using it as a multisport watch but the run features look really cool.
After weeks of painstaking research, I hobbled between the 3 major brands (Garmin, Coros and Polar). Was really close to getting the Garmin Fenix 7 or the Coros Apex 2, in the end, I finally decided on the Apex 2 and was about to buy it when I realized Coros is almost exclusively running focused with their data and I am a mountainbiker. So, that left the Garmin but the price felt overkill for what I actually needed from a watch but you have to spend towards 700 bucks in order to get any kind of navigation with Garmin watches. So now I ordered the Polar Pacer Pro as they seem to fit inbetween the two in terms of scope/features/value.
Good review. I think this is the watch that I want mostly because I am "stuck" in the Polar ecosystem. I have had the FT80, M400, V800, M430, and presently the Vantage V. I use MAF training for marathons and 1/2 marathons, so heart rate information is important to me. I have had a couple of Garmins in the past and experienced nothing but connection issues and lost workouts, so I stay with Polar even though all of my friends swear by Garmin. I did try a SUUNTO Spartan before only to get water in the watch: the Spartan fogged up real bad bad in the summer. I also found the Suunto app "lacking". As for Coros, I see that they have come a long way and there may be a Pace 2 in my future, but I'm just not ready to pull the trigger on a Coros quite yet.
Although I don't like the totally round shape anyway, I really like it. The case and strap look very nice together, the size of the watch is perfect. I would probably take the Pro, somehow you are more satisfied with the full version. Another good presentation from you.
I have been using the Polar Vantage M since it came out in 2019 and think I will continue to use it even after these new additions to Polar. There is not enough added to the Pacers that get me excited to purchase a new running watch. Notifications to the watch during activity is great but it's still behind what Garmin offers on their 245 which is at the same price os the Pacer Pro. Not surprised that Polar kept the large bezels. If the Pacer had a bigger screen (by getting rid of the bezel) then that would be a good update to the Vantage M1. I will be sticking with the Vantage M1 until Polar does something else with the Vantage line, unless these new offerings delete the Vantage line since they are in that price category.
I am also a Vantage M1 user and totally agree. All of these additions are nice but not groundbreaking nor class leading across the segment. I will keep my M1 + H10 combo until the next practical upgrade.
Also an M1 user here. I used mine for 1,5 years, then went through a lot of other ecosystems, latest long time wearable being GW4. I'm back using the M because I like how Polar presents the data, training load etc. And wear the GW4 when o need a phone or more smarts on my wrist. (And 2 watches on runs with music coming from the gw4 😅) But similar thoughts on upgrading. I don't get lost, don't do Strava (because I'm miserably slow), so the reasons to upgrade would be the running test/walking test, hill splitter and running power. But still not sure if I need them 😅
I had a Garmin Vivoactive 3 and wasn't enjoying it, so I'm going to try Polar now. I just ordered the Pacer Pro and this video helped me a lot. Thumbs up + subscription :)
Can you create workouts in the Pacer Pro? That’s the one thing I do like about Coros - the ability to create custom workouts that then upload to the watch.
Great review. Thanks. I was thinking between the pacer pro, Garmin Forerunner 245, the Huawei watch GT runner and the Wahoo Element Rival, and decided to order the Polar Pacer Pro, simply because Polar has been monitoring heart rates for as long as I can remember, and thats mainly why I want a smartwatch. And for its daily step tracker and the morale smartwatches give when achieving your daily goals. In addition, I do like the looks. It looks high-end and elegant at the same time compared to its rivals. Being made in Finland, it sure beats watches made in China. I've always been a fan of watches made in Switzerland, and Finland (ex. Suunto which is another favourite).
Great video! Always love when a new watch is launched because I love these videos. Even if I'm not in the market for a new watch at the moment they are so entertaining!
Haha I wonder who they’re targeted against. Ugh forgot to mention the weight! Love how you switch between hands on and face to face while talking. Super great flow overall. Great job.
Ah I figured it out - I go to favorites, select my saved workout, then I go to Running (as opposed to Treadmill Running - even though I’m going to use a treadmill more than running on the road) and then push OK and viola - success!!
These seem pretty good, though I'm a big polar fan. I prefer the button usage, and the phone and web app to Coros & Garmin (the only other watches I've used), and I like the way polar has the separate automatic, manual and hill splitter laps. These seem to compete against the coros pace2 and apex? I'd personally buy them before the Coros watches, or any garmin below the fenix. Last year I bought a vantage v2 though, and I'm not sure why I'd now buy an M2 or a V2 when I could get a pacer or pacer pro for a lot less? The Pacer Pro seemed to be pretty close in what it provides to the V2, I'd want proper mapping to pay the extra.
It's a great watch! I think you're right about the V2/M2 conundrum. I think Polar may have cannibalized the higher priced devices like the Grit X Pro and Vantage V2 with the Pacer Pro considering it has most of the important features. I don't think that many folks find a ton of value in the "fitness test" aspect of things and that's really where the changes are on the Grit X Pro and V2. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
My thoughts exactly. My wife is starting to take her exercise seriously, so I was thinking of giving her my Vantage M2 to her (which is around a year old) and getting the Grit X Pro to myself as she's more of indoor fitness, and I'm more of an outdoorsy person and I like the rugged aspect of it plus the navigation features vs the Vantage M2. Now with the Pacer & Pacer Pro out there I am seriously considering the extra price just for the rugged design 😅 I'd rather buy the regular pacer for her, keep the M2 for myself or get the Pacer Pro for myself to get the navigation features and give her the M2, doesn't look like I'm missing much but in both cases you're saving quite a lot of money in the end.
Thanks man. I love Polar and need to upgrade my M400 soon. Think I will go for the pacer Pro. Just hoping I can use my H10 strap with it as I always feel chest straps are more accurate.
Thanks for your Polar Reviews Dave! It’s exactly what I wanted to know about - comparison of the Vantage V2 and the Pacer Pro. My dilemma is that Polar has a sale (Fourth of July) right now and the Vantage V2 is on sales for $299 while the Pacer Pro is not on sale and is $329. I’m not a runner. I road bike and strength train. I have worn a polar HRM strap for years and want to add the watch to my health “monitoring”. I am definitely interested in the sleep and recovery features. Since the Vantage V2 is on sale, do you see any reason that I shouldn’t go with that versus going with the Pacer Pro?
Yes I'll be upgrading to it from vantage m . The ppp has all the features I wanted from the v2 ao it's nice to not have to pay for the features I don't want or need like orthostatic test for instance
@@ChaseTheSummit great isn't it ? . I feel like polar is gonna add to the v3 . I'm actually hoping they add adaptable triathlon training programs for v3 users . I love their running programs and I plan for triathlon in the future. I would pony up extra cash if they added that feature
First, great video as always from you! i have a Polar Grit X Pro since 3 months and pretty happy with it. But the Pacer Pro looks like a really good watch, you get all the important things for a multisport/running watch. If i had an older watch i would choose the Pacer Pro for the price tag, the good amount of features and the newer cpu.
Thanks for sharing! It's an interesting release because the Pacer Pro cannibalizes a lot of what the Vantage and Grit X offer at a much lower price. It will be interesting to see how this pans out down the road.
@@ChaseTheSummit yes thats true. I really hope Polar makes an update for older models like grit/vantage series to get the new watch faces and more importantly the notifications during an activity
I'm not exactly sure, but I think - the Pacer Pro has a slightly different design in the contact point between the wristband or shift-adapter and the housing of the watch than the V2. That's why I have doubts if the parts are interchangeable. - the Pacer without pro could be equipped without the magnetic compass.
Current owner of Vantage V. See no reason to upgrade to GritX or Vantage V2 when they released the Pacer Pro, which really looks like nice device. Feature wise, I really look forward to komoot integration. I cannot upload komoot planned route now to Vantage V, and this sucks. When I want to explore new route I need to take the phone with komoot to help me stay on track. Weather widget is also like something that should have been integrated decades ago
I was until I heard it doesn't have pulse ox (SPo2) now I'm just going to continue to wait for the Garmin forerunner 255 to launch. Hopefully this year.
The new Pacer Pro is a great multi sports watch. This is like the Garmin 935 but better. More accurate hr wrist sensor. All the garmins wrist sensors are terrible. Polar gps tracking is on par with the garmins. After using garmin for 15years. I've changed to polar seeing better built quality 👌 and accuracy for a lot better prices.
Similar feature set as the 935 yes, but I'd still give the 935 an edge in terms of navigation/mapping because Garmin makes it a lot easier to design a course. The 935 is also 5 years old now so it's not a total apples to apples comparison. Glad you're enjoying the Pacer Pro! It's a solid option if you like the Polar platform.
Hi, I need some sugggestions or insights, I want to buy a new sportwatch, I enjoy running and cycling, I need a watch that can monitor my fitness and performance too. Which one should I get? Coros Pace 3 or Polar Pacer Pro?
Let’s keep in mind, too, that Coros is based in mainland China. That’s where the data is stored as well. For myself, that is a deal breaker. I’m STILL using my Polar M430…the thing is 6 years old? I paid $140 for it…new.
Hi there, thanks for informative video. Quick question - how do I start a treadmill running workout that I’ve saved in my favorites? I manage to get to the workout on my watch where it says “Start” but when I push the “OK” button nothing happens! Please help. My watch is synced with my laptop and my iPhone. How do I get my watch to start my saved workout?
Currently the Polar Pacer Pro and Garmin Forerunner 935 are at the same price, which would be a better buy? Sleep tracking is my most important feature and football.
I'd probably go Pacer Pro because it's newer, has a more modern GPS chip, Running Power, and a few other features. The 935 is still a great watch particularly if you're a triathlete.
I don't know why Polar is advertising it as a running watch when it is rather multi-sport watch with advanced activity, sleep and recovery tracking. I think the difference in battery life comes mainly from advanced sleep and ANS tracking (Nightly Recharge function). The sensor seems quite beefy and has to do additional work while tracking HRV.
Great review - I’m curious, can you answer the phone and speak/hear-through the watch like you can do on Apple series 6 or does it simply answer/hang up and you have to use your phone?
Cool vid. Thank you. I am currently rocking a Samsung galaxy watch v1. Looking to upgrade but I have absolutely no idea what to get now as the market has gone insane since I last looked. What are the reputable brands with good offerings around the 300-400 price point. I would live to get a gaming fenix but they are massively outside my price range.
For $300-400 I'd look at the Apple Watch Series 7 (if you don't mind daily charging and have an IOS phone), Garmin Forerunner 245, Garmin Venu 2, Polar Pacer Pro, or COROS Pace 2 ($200 but a great value). They all have pros and cons.
Hey, thanks a lot for the review. I really like the Pacer Pro. Atm i am using the Coros Pace 2 and there are just some minor things i am missing from it. The biggest thing would be navigation, which the Pacer Pro has. Now i am wondering, what about the battery life of the Pacer or Pacer Pro vs. the Pace 2? The data from Polar seems kinda weird as they claim 7 days of stand by and 35 hours of GPS usage. Whereas Coros has 20 days of standby and 30 h of GPS. What was your experience with the Pacer Pro? Did you have to reload it every 3rd day or does it easily last a week?
This has to do with the optical heart rate sensors on both models. On the COROS Pace 2 when in "standby mode" the watch only samples heart rate every 10 minutes while the Polar samples every 1 second. You can disable the optical sensor on the polar when in standby mode and get WAY longer battery life at the expense of not having daily HR metrics. If you switch the Pace 2 into "1 second" mode it greatly reduces the battery life.
@@ChaseTheSummit Big thx! That makes a lot of sense. I guess there is no setting for the Polar Pacer Pro to take the measurements in longer intervals. Right? I like to glance at the resting heart rate every once in a while. But on the other hand that is not a value i would trade for the battery being drained a lot faster.
Great review like always. I m a little disappointed that Polar stil keep the big frame, i was hoping for a bigger screen on the new Polar watch. Will i consider bying it? No, i may after a long time, break out of the Polar ecosystem. I was expecting a litte bit more from Polar this time.
I am big fan of Polar and I am currently using Vantage M. meanwhile I cannot understand why they cannot integrate contactless payment technology and full maps into their watches.
Touch interface is just completely pointless feature on Polar VV2, it actually makes using the watch inconvenient because of unwanted interactions caused by sweaty sleeves or similar.. still hoping they'd add a option to disable it completely lol
Thank you very this review. Just wondering, whether the Grit X pro or the Pacer Pro is the right choice for trailrunning? For me it seems like, that apart from some more or less helpful outdoor features, both watches are quite similar,correct? For me the most important topics are GPS and HR accuracy. Thank you very much for your help here.
They're nearly identical. The only advantage that the Grit X Pro has is the "outdoor widget" with the barometer readings and elevation data displayed on the watch face. Better navigation with pan/zoom in the map view. Grit X Pro also has more fitness tests for orthostatic recovery. Pacer Pro has most of the same features and is a better value overall if you don't need that stuff!
Hi Dave, thanks for your videos, they are very enjoyable and useful. I have a question about pacer pro: you said that it has no outdoor widgets, but has the graphics that shows elevation elapsed and remaining during a pre loaded track from Komoot or other sources? Thanks and cheers from Italy.
Pre loaded tracks only display the track itself and no elevation data. The elevation data and more advanced navigation features are only available on the Grit X Pro and Vantage V2 currently.
Thanks for sharing. Unfortunately I couldn't make connection with Polar watches. They are confusing. For example on Garmin it's easy to make simple running interval but on polar it wasn't that much easy.
Hi. I currently have a Stryd paired with Gritx Pro to track running power. Anything to share on whether pairing will still work now that PPP has running power capability? Thanks for the review.
The coros algorithm doesn't work on me. I can run endlessly and it will never ever show any values in evolab. Testes three pace 2, none of them gave me any numbers. So I probably will give the pacer pro a try, despite finding the polar app looking a bit dated and overloaded.
I have a Coros apex 42 mm, im in love with it but just cant seem to get over the display brightness and the fact that it’s kind of becoming and old watch. Do you recommend upgrading to this new pacer pro? and is the display bezel that big and “chunky” as other reviewers are saying it is?
It's sort of a side-grade. The Pacer Pro doesn't have a whole lot that the Apex doesn't. In fact, the apex has a nicer build quality and sapphire lens which is a bonus. In terms of backlight brightness the Polar Pacer Pro is a step up though.
hello my friend i want to buy some watch for running mountain biking and mountain running also from the beginning i liked the polar one but i also heard that coros pace 2 is also good what more will you recommend please I'm more interested in the heart rate being somewhat more accurate
Great review as always. How would the pacer pro compare against the Vantage V2/Grit X/Grit X Pro for a runner? Seems to me this has all the features you would want at a much better price point.
Yeah Polar really put the Pacer Pro in a strange position. Aside from the "Orthostatic Test", and the dedicated outdoor widget of the Grit X Pro the Pacer Pro is basically all you need. I feel like they may have cannibalized some of the higher priced devices with this one.
It's entirely personal preference. In a nutshell I consider the COROS watches to be a bit more utilitarian tools for recording activities while Polar integrates more wellness data into the mix with better sleep tracking. They both have Pro's and Con's.
I own Vantage v2, so I don't see a reason to buy a pacer (pro). I am a little worried that Polar doesn't introduce better stand by battery life, pulseox, NFC, ant+, music offline, real in built maps and a bigger and better screen. This is not a real upgrade from v2 or grit x. All the features mentioned above make me draw the conclusion that customers will glaze towards garmin or coros. But Polar makes great products and have a really good ecosystem. I find the sleep analysis and nightly recharge accurate and real valubale. I stick with polar but loong for an upgrade that takes my "list" of features into account. Thanks (again) for a great video.
For sure, this isn't meant to be an upgrade for Grit X or V2 users. It's a lower priced option for people upgrading from an older M400 or Polar Vantage M and entirely replaces the M2 with more features at the same price point. I agree, I wish Polar would innovate a bit more and add some of the creature comforts we've come to expect from a $300 smartwatch in 2022. Thanks for sharing!
The Pacer Pro is pretty durable. If you wanted something even more robust the Grit X Pro has a sapphire lens which is almost impossible to scratch unless you try real hard lol.
Hello, may I kindly ask you to let me know if the Polar Pacer Pro supports the display of the average pace during the run (not after the run has been ended). Thank you so much!
Tnx for the review. Two questions remain for me (having the Vantage V since February 2019): does import of gpx-routes require the charging-cable and connection to another device or can it be done by Bluetooth as other watches can? Second question: to go to a point in a gpx-route on my Vantage V is not very handy as I can’t just start anywhere on the route but necessaraly must go a few or some hundred yards leftways or rightways to the specific route-point before gpx helps me?
One quick question that just crossed my mind: is there a way to check notifications from a training activity, should you miss it when it lands? Like you notice the sound/beep, but you're in the middle of a movement that won't allow you to check your watch right away and the preview is gone by the time you check the watch.
@@ChaseTheSummit I'm (almost) happy, just looking to upgrade. I was about to get the Forerunner 745, but I do like being stuck in the Polar ecosystem lol, so now with the Pacer Pro out, I don't know.
@@ChaseTheSummit Thank you! I am trying to do more fitness/running so was thinking of a change and to be honest I like the idea of no touch screen. I am always bumping mine and changing settings when I don't want to.
It has a lot to offer. I would like Polar to change to a better screen technology, even if they stick with MIP. Why is it always a negative display? Garmin, Coros, etc.. all have options where you can choose a white screen for the watch or sports activity data pages. A white screen would be a lot more legible.
@@ChaseTheSummit It’s a good theory. I would not doubt that. It goes to the design. Why put out a such a light watch with a 45” diameter? Why not design a watch with smaller bezels and better screen technology? Polar frustrates me in that way.
@@ChaseTheSummit , thanks for checking. Hopefully it’s something they add, I much prefer black on white. I wonder why they moved away from it from the older models (pre vantage)
I think you should show more the watch and its screens and less you: i had not enough time to see the screens. You could make voice over comments rather than you in front of the camera. Thanks for this interesting video!
My point of view as a Polar user (M430, Vantage M) about the Pacer Pro: The good: - price (currently € 259.95 in a store in Berlin) - more or less all functions I need - elegant design - one of the best heartrate sensors of any watch - improved mip display The bad: - low-resolution mip display - no amoled - no touchscreen The ugly: - just 45 mm (46 or 47 looks better on my not so slim wrist) My dreamwatch is the V3. But I refuse to accept that a non-essential technical toy has a pricetag of € 549.- (feb. '24) - and you can loose this toy, it has a bad heartrate sensor and like every technical toy it will be outdated in just a few years.
Hey, i came back with two additional questions for somebody owning the Pacer Pro: Do you still have to do a “gesture” to see the notifications, or will they just show up on the screen? In the Video it looks like no "gesture" (arm turning) is necessary. I hate these gestures as if you are in a meeting or something it looks ridiculous if you have to turn your arm like a madman just to see if the notification was something important. Did anybody try out the indoor Rowing mode and does the Pacer Pro count the strokes? Even the Coros Pace 2 is able to do this with its Accelerometer and that is the lowest tear watch of that brand. Currently i am using a Vantage M1 and this watch is not able to count strokes. Cheers Larkin
I'm looking to buy my first more serious fitness watch around this price point. I wanted the Garmin Venu 2 before this came out, now I'm not sure which one should I get. Any thoughts?
I think the Polar Pacer Pro offers more in terms of sports tracking and activity profiles but the Venu 2 offers more in the way of wellness tracking, and being a better smartwatch with a nicer display. Kind of depends what you're looking for.
You might wanna look at the Coros Pace 2 as well. I have two Polar watches, but I don't really use them anymore. The science behind them is great, but the watches itself are really dated.
I've given up on Polar. My Ignite1 is just 2 years old and it's useless now. Every day I need to restart it to charge. It can crash while scrolling the menu. Polar support is useless. No reply to my email. The old M430 that I won is good though. Old faithful. I'm considering buying the Garmin Forerunner 55.
Every brand has good and not so good models, and unfortunately I think the Ignite is the latter. Having a touch screen, a low price point, and keep everything else good is a difficult task. M430 on the other hand is a great watch, and i think Pacer and Pacer Pro will be even better 👍
You'll see this pretty often with new products due to "embargo lift" times/dates. For this one it was 4/13 @5AM so we all scramble to have an upload ready to go! Thanks for watching!
Dave, I get one, but the daily HR accuracy is off unless I wear it very tight. I concern I can wear it at night to track sleep. Do you experience the same? Thanks!
Not sold until Polar and Coros does average pace during a pre programmed workout. I know I'm running slower up the hill and I don't need to be told. All I care is my average lap time. Something only Garmin does to date.
COROS does have "Average Pace" but yes, missing "lap avg pace". You could send a feature request to their email if you want. They. often add little details like that if asked!
hi, it seems like a mini polar vv2 it has almost all the fonctionnalities at this price point (with an barometer) it's for me a better deal then the vv2 which is 200$ more expensive, (ps: i have a new polar vv2), thanks for the revew,
Yup, Polar kind of cannibalized the sales of the VV2 with this one in a lot of ways unless you need a really unique feature only available on the more expensive options.
It's on the list! But the list is getting long! I'm particularly interested in a "battle of the $200 sport watch" between the Pace 2, Forerunner 55 and Pacer.
Great review! Have they added horseback riding / equestrian as a sport by chance? When I do that on my Polar Ignite I have to pick "other outside". It is a sport where you are using a lot of muscles. No way are you just "sitting there". 🐎 I have had my Polar Ignite for just over a year now. It definitely has gotten me in better shape! But sometimes the thing can be quite maddening too. Like if I try to take 1 day off it will start squawking that I am "detraining" so you have to be doing 20,000+ steps a day every day. Yesterday I felt really good and I actually walked 18.5 miles (which is a new distance for me) and it was saying I was "overtraining" but my HRV went UP this morning and now it is saying I am Productive. I am surprised it wasn't still complaining about the "overtraining" from yesterday still! I do charge my watch daily when in the shower (which I don't mind) but after doing that long walk yesterday my watch this morning was down to 35% battery. I don't run. My knees are naturally hyperextended so I walk. But I do walk half marathons almost every day. One day when I had walked only 9 miles it was saying I was "detraining" - and 9 miles was like 91% of my daily activity that day. Does this new one allow you to have rest days or if you take a rest day is it complaining that you are detraining? Because after doing 13+ miles every day for a few weeks you DO get tired! And you need rest but it starts squawking that you are detraining! Oh and doing 13 or 15 miles a day is just "maintaining". I also notice many times if I am lying awake in bed but still it thinks I am asleep when I am awake! But I am in much better shape now than I was last year at this time. 😁 I don't suppose they have added a thing to tell you where you are at in the daily activity WHILE you are doing an activity have they? Because I never could figure it out. How do I know while doing the activity how close I am to getting the 100% of the daily activity? Yesterday I had hit 245% of daily activity! 😅 oops! But I had fun on my long walk.
Hey thanks for the review, really informative! I’ve used pretty much every brand of gps watch, and I honestly feel like polar is underrated. They do have some oddities… the app layout isn’t my favorite, but still prefer it over coros. Garmin is obviously amazing, but when I think about how expensive their top of the line watches are, it’s kind of insane. No one can touch coros battery life, but for me, I just don’t love much else about them. I find polar watches to have great features and they’re overall really enjoyable and look nice. And you can get a lower model and still get most of the important data as the higher end ones. You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg for training data. I’m always super torn between polar and garmin, there’s just something about polar that I really like. When considering watches I have to be honest with my self… do I really need a $700 watch? I think this looks like a better choice than whatever garmin has to offer at similar price points. But everyone has their own preferences.
They're certainly under rated and they do have some nice qualities such as wrist-running power and a well thought out app/platform. I think Polar is a great alternative to Garmin and the price is much more appealing. COROS is making headway fast though and unfortunately I don't see the same determination and innovation from Polar's camp. They haven't really released an exciting new feature in a few years where as COROS seems to release a new firmware update on a monthly basis adding a major improvement. Time will tell how it all pans out! thanks for watching!
@@ChaseTheSummit agreed! running tech is so interesting
What do you think about going cross platform? I'm a long time Garmin user but am really bored wearing their watches 24/7. I still have a need for my Fenix 6 with maps, long battery and on board music but the Polar looks really nice
@@BillOzanne While this could be a great idea, I think going all-in with one of the brands makes much more sense. Features like Body Battery punishes you for not wearing the watch 24/7 while all the data gathered with one of the watches are not available for the other to read and interpret. I am not sure, but perhaps Polar can read data from Apple Health, which Garmin syncs to. But Garmin is not importing data from other sources, so your Polar runs would be lost on calculating the body battery.
Thank you for this review! I'm a kickboxer who's got into doing a bit of running and I've just bought a Pacer Pro as a heart monitor upgrade. I'll be using it as a multisport watch but the run features look really cool.
After weeks of painstaking research, I hobbled between the 3 major brands (Garmin, Coros and Polar). Was really close to getting the Garmin Fenix 7 or the Coros Apex 2, in the end, I finally decided on the Apex 2 and was about to buy it when I realized Coros is almost exclusively running focused with their data and I am a mountainbiker. So, that left the Garmin but the price felt overkill for what I actually needed from a watch but you have to spend towards 700 bucks in order to get any kind of navigation with Garmin watches.
So now I ordered the Polar Pacer Pro as they seem to fit inbetween the two in terms of scope/features/value.
Good review. I think this is the watch that I want mostly because I am "stuck" in the Polar ecosystem. I have had the FT80, M400, V800, M430, and presently the Vantage V. I use MAF training for marathons and 1/2 marathons, so heart rate information is important to me. I have had a couple of Garmins in the past and experienced nothing but connection issues and lost workouts, so I stay with Polar even though all of my friends swear by Garmin. I did try a SUUNTO Spartan before only to get water in the watch: the Spartan fogged up real bad bad in the summer. I also found the Suunto app "lacking". As for Coros, I see that they have come a long way and there may be a Pace 2 in my future, but I'm just not ready to pull the trigger on a Coros quite yet.
Although I don't like the totally round shape anyway, I really like it. The case and strap look very nice together, the size of the watch is perfect. I would probably take the Pro, somehow you are more satisfied with the full version. Another good presentation from you.
What about a comparison with the new FR255?? Would be great!!!
I have been using the Polar Vantage M since it came out in 2019 and think I will continue to use it even after these new additions to Polar. There is not enough added to the Pacers that get me excited to purchase a new running watch. Notifications to the watch during activity is great but it's still behind what Garmin offers on their 245 which is at the same price os the Pacer Pro. Not surprised that Polar kept the large bezels. If the Pacer had a bigger screen (by getting rid of the bezel) then that would be a good update to the Vantage M1. I will be sticking with the Vantage M1 until Polar does something else with the Vantage line, unless these new offerings delete the Vantage line since they are in that price category.
Thanks for sharing!
I am also a Vantage M1 user and totally agree. All of these additions are nice but not groundbreaking nor class leading across the segment. I will keep my M1 + H10 combo until the next practical upgrade.
Also an M1 user here. I used mine for 1,5 years, then went through a lot of other ecosystems, latest long time wearable being GW4. I'm back using the M because I like how Polar presents the data, training load etc. And wear the GW4 when o need a phone or more smarts on my wrist. (And 2 watches on runs with music coming from the gw4 😅) But similar thoughts on upgrading. I don't get lost, don't do Strava (because I'm miserably slow), so the reasons to upgrade would be the running test/walking test, hill splitter and running power. But still not sure if I need them 😅
Excellent as always, I appreciate it. I'm curious to see how the Pro stacks up against the soon-to-be-released Forerunner 255.
I had a Garmin Vivoactive 3 and wasn't enjoying it, so I'm going to try Polar now. I just ordered the Pacer Pro and this video helped me a lot. Thumbs up + subscription :)
respect for your analysis, edits, energy and hard work man. keep up!
btw i look forward dearly to coros pace 3. or something close to that.
Can you create workouts in the Pacer Pro? That’s the one thing I do like about Coros - the ability to create custom workouts that then upload to the watch.
Great review. Thanks. I was thinking between the pacer pro, Garmin Forerunner 245, the Huawei watch GT runner and the Wahoo Element Rival, and decided to order the Polar Pacer Pro, simply because Polar has been monitoring heart rates for as long as I can remember, and thats mainly why I want a smartwatch. And for its daily step tracker and the morale smartwatches give when achieving your daily goals. In addition, I do like the looks. It looks high-end and elegant at the same time compared to its rivals. Being made in Finland, it sure beats watches made in China. I've always been a fan of watches made in Switzerland, and Finland (ex. Suunto which is another favourite).
Hope you enjoy it!
@@ChaseTheSummit Thanks.
Great video! Always love when a new watch is launched because I love these videos. Even if I'm not in the market for a new watch at the moment they are so entertaining!
Thanks for watching!
Haha I wonder who they’re targeted against. Ugh forgot to mention the weight! Love how you switch between hands on and face to face while talking. Super great flow overall. Great job.
Ah I figured it out - I go to favorites, select my saved workout, then I go to Running (as opposed to Treadmill Running - even though I’m going to use a treadmill more than running on the road) and then push OK and viola - success!!
These seem pretty good, though I'm a big polar fan. I prefer the button usage, and the phone and web app to Coros & Garmin (the only other watches I've used), and I like the way polar has the separate automatic, manual and hill splitter laps. These seem to compete against the coros pace2 and apex? I'd personally buy them before the Coros watches, or any garmin below the fenix. Last year I bought a vantage v2 though, and I'm not sure why I'd now buy an M2 or a V2 when I could get a pacer or pacer pro for a lot less? The Pacer Pro seemed to be pretty close in what it provides to the V2, I'd want proper mapping to pay the extra.
It's a great watch! I think you're right about the V2/M2 conundrum. I think Polar may have cannibalized the higher priced devices like the Grit X Pro and Vantage V2 with the Pacer Pro considering it has most of the important features. I don't think that many folks find a ton of value in the "fitness test" aspect of things and that's really where the changes are on the Grit X Pro and V2. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
My thoughts exactly. My wife is starting to take her exercise seriously, so I was thinking of giving her my Vantage M2 to her (which is around a year old) and getting the Grit X Pro to myself as she's more of indoor fitness, and I'm more of an outdoorsy person and I like the rugged aspect of it plus the navigation features vs the Vantage M2.
Now with the Pacer & Pacer Pro out there I am seriously considering the extra price just for the rugged design 😅 I'd rather buy the regular pacer for her, keep the M2 for myself or get the Pacer Pro for myself to get the navigation features and give her the M2, doesn't look like I'm missing much but in both cases you're saving quite a lot of money in the end.
Thank you for the detailled in-depth explanation! 😃👍
bought yesterday for 190 bucks, few frills & best bang for triathlon 🤓jmvuho
Thanks man. I love Polar and need to upgrade my M400 soon. Think I will go for the pacer Pro. Just hoping I can use my H10 strap with it as I always feel chest straps are more accurate.
Yup, H10 is compatible with Pacer Pro.
Nice one, I'm the same M400 > Pacer Pro. Been waiting for ages for a Polar Watch that ticked all the boxes. Will see how it goes...
Thanks for your Polar Reviews Dave! It’s exactly what I wanted to know about - comparison of the Vantage V2 and the Pacer Pro. My dilemma is that Polar has a sale (Fourth of July) right now and the Vantage V2 is on sales for $299 while the Pacer Pro is not on sale and is $329. I’m not a runner. I road bike and strength train. I have worn a polar HRM strap for years and want to add the watch to my health “monitoring”. I am definitely interested in the sleep and recovery features. Since the Vantage V2 is on sale, do you see any reason that I shouldn’t go with that versus going with the Pacer Pro?
Yes I'll be upgrading to it from vantage m . The ppp has all the features I wanted from the v2 ao it's nice to not have to pay for the features I don't want or need like orthostatic test for instance
I think a lot of people feel the same way. It’s strange that the only features missing are the ones that are likely the least used.
@@ChaseTheSummit great isn't it ? . I feel like polar is gonna add to the v3 . I'm actually hoping they add adaptable triathlon training programs for v3 users . I love their running programs and I plan for triathlon in the future. I would pony up extra cash if they added that feature
This is the best Multisport Watch on the market for up to 299 USD. Polar should start to advertise it as a multisport watch !
It's pretty solid for $299 for sure. It's weird that Polar chose to call it a running watch when it does a lot more.
Pacer is one of their original watches names back in the 90s
I later learned this. Pretty cool! So I guess it was the "other guys" that may have taken the name lol.
First, great video as always from you! i have a Polar Grit X Pro since 3 months and pretty happy with it. But the Pacer Pro looks like a really good watch, you get all the important things for a multisport/running watch.
If i had an older watch i would choose the Pacer Pro for the price tag, the good amount of features and the newer cpu.
Thanks for sharing! It's an interesting release because the Pacer Pro cannibalizes a lot of what the Vantage and Grit X offer at a much lower price. It will be interesting to see how this pans out down the road.
@@ChaseTheSummit yes thats true. I really hope Polar makes an update for older models like grit/vantage series to get the new watch faces and more importantly the notifications during an activity
New intro?!!! Nice ;-) Great review full of great details! Thanks man!
Just trying to stay fresh! Thanks Chad!
I'm not exactly sure, but I think
- the Pacer Pro has a slightly different design in the contact point between the wristband or shift-adapter and the housing of the watch than the V2. That's why I have doubts if the parts are interchangeable.
- the Pacer without pro could be equipped without the magnetic compass.
Current owner of Vantage V. See no reason to upgrade to GritX or Vantage V2 when they released the Pacer Pro, which really looks like nice device.
Feature wise, I really look forward to komoot integration. I cannot upload komoot planned route now to Vantage V, and this sucks. When I want to explore new route I need to take the phone with komoot to help me stay on track. Weather widget is also like something that should have been integrated decades ago
excellent review i've just bought the standard pacer , to me the pro is not worth it, i'm looking for hr and GPS accuracy for my runs ...
I was until I heard it doesn't have pulse ox (SPo2) now I'm just going to continue to wait for the Garmin forerunner 255 to launch. Hopefully this year.
Lots of people waiting for that one!
The new Pacer Pro is a great multi sports watch. This is like the Garmin 935 but better. More accurate hr wrist sensor. All the garmins wrist sensors are terrible. Polar gps tracking is on par with the garmins. After using garmin for 15years. I've changed to polar seeing better built quality 👌 and accuracy for a lot better prices.
Similar feature set as the 935 yes, but I'd still give the 935 an edge in terms of navigation/mapping because Garmin makes it a lot easier to design a course. The 935 is also 5 years old now so it's not a total apples to apples comparison. Glad you're enjoying the Pacer Pro! It's a solid option if you like the Polar platform.
Hi, I need some sugggestions or insights, I want to buy a new sportwatch, I enjoy running and cycling, I need a watch that can monitor my fitness and performance too. Which one should I get? Coros Pace 3 or Polar Pacer Pro?
Let’s keep in mind, too, that Coros is based in mainland China. That’s where the data is stored as well. For myself, that is a deal breaker.
I’m STILL using my Polar M430…the thing is 6 years old? I paid $140 for it…new.
Hi there, thanks for informative video. Quick question - how do I start a treadmill running workout that I’ve saved in my favorites? I manage to get to the workout on my watch where it says “Start” but when I push the “OK” button nothing happens! Please help. My watch is synced with my laptop and my iPhone. How do I get my watch to start my saved workout?
I Just order the pacer pro, thanks for the information
Currently the Polar Pacer Pro and Garmin Forerunner 935 are at the same price, which would be a better buy? Sleep tracking is my most important feature and football.
I'd probably go Pacer Pro because it's newer, has a more modern GPS chip, Running Power, and a few other features. The 935 is still a great watch particularly if you're a triathlete.
@@ChaseTheSummit Thank you very much for your input.
Polar vantage v3 i best like and stryd watt and polar H10 puls sensor
Thanks Dave !
Excellent! Thank you.
I have polar vantage m , and m2 , thy are real good running watches.
Thanks for sharing!
Good review, i think you beat the usual suspects with this one!
I appreciate that!
I don't know why Polar is advertising it as a running watch when it is rather multi-sport watch with advanced activity, sleep and recovery tracking. I think the difference in battery life comes mainly from advanced sleep and ANS tracking (Nightly Recharge function). The sensor seems quite beefy and has to do additional work while tracking HRV.
How to set to average pace while running?
Hi,
are you able to set a target pace and be alerted if you don't stay on track?
Yes
@@ChaseTheSummit great. That's exactly what I need.
How does it alert? Does it vibrate?
Great review - I’m curious, can you answer the phone and speak/hear-through the watch like you can do on Apple series 6 or does it simply answer/hang up and you have to use your phone?
Unfortunately no, the only real "sport watch" with that function is the Garmin Venu 2 Plus at the moment.
Cool vid. Thank you. I am currently rocking a Samsung galaxy watch v1. Looking to upgrade but I have absolutely no idea what to get now as the market has gone insane since I last looked. What are the reputable brands with good offerings around the 300-400 price point. I would live to get a gaming fenix but they are massively outside my price range.
For $300-400 I'd look at the Apple Watch Series 7 (if you don't mind daily charging and have an IOS phone), Garmin Forerunner 245, Garmin Venu 2, Polar Pacer Pro, or COROS Pace 2 ($200 but a great value). They all have pros and cons.
Would you upgrade to the pacer pro from the ignite 2?
It's a considerable upgrade!
Hey, thanks a lot for the review. I really like the Pacer Pro. Atm i am using the Coros Pace 2 and there are just some minor things i am missing from it. The biggest thing would be navigation, which the Pacer Pro has. Now i am wondering, what about the battery life of the Pacer or Pacer Pro vs. the Pace 2? The data from Polar seems kinda weird as they claim 7 days of stand by and 35 hours of GPS usage. Whereas Coros has 20 days of standby and 30 h of GPS. What was your experience with the Pacer Pro? Did you have to reload it every 3rd day or does it easily last a week?
This has to do with the optical heart rate sensors on both models. On the COROS Pace 2 when in "standby mode" the watch only samples heart rate every 10 minutes while the Polar samples every 1 second. You can disable the optical sensor on the polar when in standby mode and get WAY longer battery life at the expense of not having daily HR metrics. If you switch the Pace 2 into "1 second" mode it greatly reduces the battery life.
@@ChaseTheSummit Big thx! That makes a lot of sense. I guess there is no setting for the Polar Pacer Pro to take the measurements in longer intervals. Right? I like to glance at the resting heart rate every once in a while. But on the other hand that is not a value i would trade for the battery being drained a lot faster.
Great review like always. I m a little disappointed that Polar stil keep the big frame, i was hoping for a bigger screen on the new Polar watch. Will i consider bying it? No, i may after a long time, break out of the Polar ecosystem. I was expecting a litte bit more from Polar this time.
Agreed, I'd like to see them push the envelope a bit with a bigger LCD display, thinner bezels, and longer standby battery life!
Actually, polar vantage m2 got an update and it has the same backlight feature as pacer pro
That’s good to hear. Did they increase the brightness as well?
@@ChaseTheSummit It depends. You can choose one out of 4 brightness options - low, medium, high and only with light button.
I am big fan of Polar and I am currently using Vantage M. meanwhile I cannot understand why they cannot integrate contactless payment technology and full maps into their watches.
Great review. Quick question… will the vantage or other polar 22m straps be comparability with this watch without the shift adapter ?
I think the VV2 straps will fit the Pacer Pro. They look nearly identical.
Touch interface is just completely pointless feature on Polar VV2, it actually makes using the watch inconvenient because of unwanted interactions caused by sweaty sleeves or similar.. still hoping they'd add a option to disable it completely lol
I tend to agree and I much prefer the interaction on the Pacer Pro than the Vantage V2. It would be nice to have a "disable" option!
Thank you very this review. Just wondering, whether the Grit X pro or the Pacer Pro is the right choice for trailrunning? For me it seems like, that apart from some more or less helpful outdoor features, both watches are quite similar,correct? For me the most important topics are GPS and HR accuracy. Thank you very much for your help here.
They're nearly identical. The only advantage that the Grit X Pro has is the "outdoor widget" with the barometer readings and elevation data displayed on the watch face. Better navigation with pan/zoom in the map view. Grit X Pro also has more fitness tests for orthostatic recovery. Pacer Pro has most of the same features and is a better value overall if you don't need that stuff!
Hello, im in between polar pacer & gramin forerunner 245(use for training run-swimming pool) what u suggest?
So what to choose?
They'll both do the job. I'm not much of a swimmer though so I can't share my opinion there sorry!
Hi Dave, thanks for your videos, they are very enjoyable and useful. I have a question about pacer pro: you said that it has no outdoor widgets, but has the graphics that shows elevation elapsed and remaining during a pre loaded track from Komoot or other sources? Thanks and cheers from Italy.
Pre loaded tracks only display the track itself and no elevation data. The elevation data and more advanced navigation features are only available on the Grit X Pro and Vantage V2 currently.
I'm at Durban I need to use the transport to buy polar
Great review! I have a Polar Vantage M1, do you think it is worth upgrading?
If you like the Polar flow app I think the Pacer Pro is a great upgrade from the M1.
Great review, like always. Thank you so much.
Thanks!
Thanks for sharing. Unfortunately I couldn't make connection with Polar watches. They are confusing. For example on Garmin it's easy to make simple running interval but on polar it wasn't that much easy.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi. I currently have a Stryd paired with Gritx Pro to track running power. Anything to share on whether pairing will still work now that PPP has running power capability? Thanks for the review.
It should work with the stryd pod yes.
The coros algorithm doesn't work on me. I can run endlessly and it will never ever show any values in evolab. Testes three pace 2, none of them gave me any numbers. So I probably will give the pacer pro a try, despite finding the polar app looking a bit dated and overloaded.
I have a Coros apex 42 mm, im in love with it but just cant seem to get over the display brightness and the fact that it’s kind of becoming and old watch. Do you recommend upgrading to this new pacer pro? and is the display bezel that big and “chunky” as other reviewers are saying it is?
It's sort of a side-grade. The Pacer Pro doesn't have a whole lot that the Apex doesn't. In fact, the apex has a nicer build quality and sapphire lens which is a bonus. In terms of backlight brightness the Polar Pacer Pro is a step up though.
hello my friend i want to buy some watch for running mountain biking and mountain running also from the beginning i liked the polar one but i also heard that coros pace 2 is also good what more will you recommend please I'm more interested in the heart rate being somewhat more accurate
They're both great. The COROS is a little simpler and utility. Polar has a few extra bells and whistles.
Nice video!
I don't no yet, if I buy Polar Pacer Pro, Vantage V2 or wait for V2 upgrade...
Tough call! I think the Pacer Pro represents the most value.
@@ChaseTheSummit tks a lot!!! I'll think about it!!!
hope they add the text notification update to the Grit X pro etc.. via firmware update..
Yes, they really need to if they intend to keep selling those!
Great review as always. How would the pacer pro compare against the Vantage V2/Grit X/Grit X Pro for a runner? Seems to me this has all the features you would want at a much better price point.
Yeah Polar really put the Pacer Pro in a strange position. Aside from the "Orthostatic Test", and the dedicated outdoor widget of the Grit X Pro the Pacer Pro is basically all you need. I feel like they may have cannibalized some of the higher priced devices with this one.
Is the charging cable USB C?
USB-A
Coros Pace 2 vs Polar Pacer video please!!
It's on the list!
Which you prefer budy? Polar pace, pace pro or coros 2?
They're all pretty darn good. The Pace 2 is probably my favorite $200 watch though.
@@ChaseTheSummit thanks!
Which watch is better Coros Apex or Polar?
It's entirely personal preference. In a nutshell I consider the COROS watches to be a bit more utilitarian tools for recording activities while Polar integrates more wellness data into the mix with better sleep tracking. They both have Pro's and Con's.
@@ChaseTheSummit Thank you for the answearing me.
I own Vantage v2, so I don't see a reason to buy a pacer (pro). I am a little worried that Polar doesn't introduce better stand by battery life, pulseox, NFC, ant+, music offline, real in built maps and a bigger and better screen. This is not a real upgrade from v2 or grit x. All the features mentioned above make me draw the conclusion that customers will glaze towards garmin or coros. But Polar makes great products and have a really good ecosystem. I find the sleep analysis and nightly recharge accurate and real valubale. I stick with polar but loong for an upgrade that takes my "list" of features into account. Thanks (again) for a great video.
For sure, this isn't meant to be an upgrade for Grit X or V2 users. It's a lower priced option for people upgrading from an older M400 or Polar Vantage M and entirely replaces the M2 with more features at the same price point. I agree, I wish Polar would innovate a bit more and add some of the creature comforts we've come to expect from a $300 smartwatch in 2022. Thanks for sharing!
Should i still stay with my Polar M400? I need a rough/tough watch for everiday use and this one seems more directed to office people!
Then I think the Grit X (Pro) would be more appealing to you within the Polar lineup. But more expensive.
The Pacer Pro is pretty durable. If you wanted something even more robust the Grit X Pro has a sapphire lens which is almost impossible to scratch unless you try real hard lol.
Hello, may I kindly ask you to let me know if the Polar Pacer Pro supports the display of the average pace during the run (not after the run has been ended). Thank you so much!
Average Speed/Pace is a supported datafield yes.
Thank you
Tnx for the review. Two questions remain for me (having the Vantage V since February 2019): does import of gpx-routes require the charging-cable and connection to another device or can it be done by Bluetooth as other watches can? Second question: to go to a point in a gpx-route on my Vantage V is not very handy as I can’t just start anywhere on the route but necessaraly must go a few or some hundred yards leftways or rightways to the specific route-point before gpx helps me?
You can sync routes over Bluetooth using thee “favorites” feature in Polar Flow. It’s pretty easy and it can pull courses in from Komoot as well.
One quick question that just crossed my mind: is there a way to check notifications from a training activity, should you miss it when it lands? Like you notice the sound/beep, but you're in the middle of a movement that won't allow you to check your watch right away and the preview is gone by the time you check the watch.
Surprisingly I don't think there is once the notification times out.
I have the M2. Should I stay with it or upgrade with the Pacer Pro?
They're very similar. The Pacer Pro gives you a few extra features. I guess it depends whether or not you're happy with the M2?
@@ChaseTheSummit I'm (almost) happy, just looking to upgrade. I was about to get the Forerunner 745, but I do like being stuck in the Polar ecosystem lol, so now with the Pacer Pro out, I don't know.
Any word on if/when an update to the Garmin 245 will be released?
No idea.
Hello, vs Grit X?
How do you think this watch compares to a Garmin Venu 2?
Venu 2 is more of a wellness watch. The Pacer Pro is a bit more runner/fitness oriented.
@@ChaseTheSummit Thank you! I am trying to do more fitness/running so was thinking of a change and to be honest I like the idea of no touch screen. I am always bumping mine and changing settings when I don't want to.
It has a lot to offer. I would like Polar to change to a better screen technology, even if they stick with MIP. Why is it always a negative display? Garmin, Coros, etc.. all have options where you can choose a white screen for the watch or sports activity data pages. A white screen would be a lot more legible.
I think they're trying to hide those bezels with the black background. But that's just a theory lol.
@@ChaseTheSummit It’s a good theory. I would not doubt that. It goes to the design. Why put out a such a light watch with a 45” diameter? Why not design a watch with smaller bezels and better screen technology? Polar frustrates me in that way.
I may have missed if you mentioned this, but is there an option to have a white background with black text while training ?
Unfortunately I don't see the option. I think it's black only.
@@ChaseTheSummit , thanks for checking. Hopefully it’s something they add, I much prefer black on white. I wonder why they moved away from it from the older models (pre vantage)
@@NeilMeyerowitz I can only assume it's because it makes the bezels look SUPER thick. The black background blends it much more seamlessly.
@@ChaseTheSummit good point !
I think you should show more the watch and its screens and less you: i had not enough time to see the screens. You could make voice over comments rather than you in front of the camera. Thanks for this interesting video!
Thanks for the feedback. I tend to take the approach of "talking to the viewer" rather than putting on a show but I'll keep that in mind.
Is it true this does not have audio (beep) feedback? M400 had it and M430 doesnt and i think audio is better than just vibration.
Yup, unfortunately no beep on this one. Just a vibration motor.
My point of view as a Polar user (M430, Vantage M) about the Pacer Pro:
The good:
- price (currently € 259.95 in a store in Berlin)
- more or less all functions I need
- elegant design
- one of the best heartrate sensors of any watch
- improved mip display
The bad:
- low-resolution mip display
- no amoled
- no touchscreen
The ugly:
- just 45 mm (46 or 47 looks better on my not so slim wrist)
My dreamwatch is the V3. But I refuse to accept that a non-essential technical toy has a pricetag of € 549.- (feb. '24) - and you can loose this toy, it has a bad heartrate sensor and like every technical toy it will be outdated in just a few years.
Hey,
i came back with two additional questions for somebody owning the Pacer Pro:
Do you still have to do a “gesture” to see the notifications, or will they just show up on the screen? In the Video it looks like no "gesture" (arm turning) is necessary. I hate these gestures as if you are in a meeting or something it looks ridiculous if you have to turn your arm like a madman just to see if the notification was something important.
Did anybody try out the indoor Rowing mode and does the Pacer Pro count the strokes? Even the Coros Pace 2 is able to do this with its Accelerometer and that is the lowest tear watch of that brand. Currently i am using a Vantage M1 and this watch is not able to count strokes.
Cheers Larkin
They just pop up. You'll only need to raise your wrist in order to activate the backlight in darker situations to see the notification.
@@ChaseTheSummit Thanks a lot ;)
I'm looking to buy my first more serious fitness watch around this price point. I wanted the Garmin Venu 2 before this came out, now I'm not sure which one should I get.
Any thoughts?
I think the Polar Pacer Pro offers more in terms of sports tracking and activity profiles but the Venu 2 offers more in the way of wellness tracking, and being a better smartwatch with a nicer display. Kind of depends what you're looking for.
You might wanna look at the Coros Pace 2 as well. I have two Polar watches, but I don't really use them anymore. The science behind them is great, but the watches itself are really dated.
Best review
I've given up on Polar. My Ignite1 is just 2 years old and it's useless now. Every day I need to restart it to charge. It can crash while scrolling the menu. Polar support is useless. No reply to my email. The old M430 that I won is good though. Old faithful. I'm considering buying the Garmin Forerunner 55.
Sorry to hear that!
Every brand has good and not so good models, and unfortunately I think the Ignite is the latter. Having a touch screen, a low price point, and keep everything else good is a difficult task. M430 on the other hand is a great watch, and i think Pacer and Pacer Pro will be even better 👍
@@ridingtherut think you're on point here. My 2019 Vantage M1 still going strong.
You, DC Rainmaker, and Desfit released the same video exactly at the same time. Did you guys email each other to sync up? 🙂 Great video as always!
You'll see this pretty often with new products due to "embargo lift" times/dates. For this one it was 4/13 @5AM so we all scramble to have an upload ready to go! Thanks for watching!
Coros looking at the Pacer Pro like 🤨🤔
That was my first thought when I saw these.
great
that on your activity ,we will be able to get massages !!👍🏻
That's honestly the most exciting feature to me lol.
Dave, I get one, but the daily HR accuracy is off unless I wear it very tight. I concern I can wear it at night to track sleep. Do you experience the same? Thanks!
Unfortunately wearing it tight is the best way to get good accuracy. You could try a different strap material as well.
@@ChaseTheSummit Thanks Dave!
Not sold until Polar and Coros does average pace during a pre programmed workout. I know I'm running slower up the hill and I don't need to be told. All I care is my average lap time. Something only Garmin does to date.
COROS does have "Average Pace" but yes, missing "lap avg pace". You could send a feature request to their email if you want. They. often add little details like that if asked!
@@ChaseTheSummit not on the actual workout screen with the arrow to go up and down. Do you have a feature request contact?
Not only that but if you test with Stryd Polar only gives you 1s Power unlike Garmin or Polar.
Is there track back navigation? Does anyone know?
It has a "return to home" function that gives you a bearing of the beginning of your route but it's not a porper trackback with the route breadcrumb.
hi, it seems like a mini polar vv2 it has almost all the fonctionnalities at this price point (with an barometer) it's for me a better deal then the vv2 which is 200$ more expensive, (ps: i have a new polar vv2), thanks for the revew,
Yup, Polar kind of cannibalized the sales of the VV2 with this one in a lot of ways unless you need a really unique feature only available on the more expensive options.
can we expect a vs garmin 55 vido soon ?
It's on the list! But the list is getting long! I'm particularly interested in a "battle of the $200 sport watch" between the Pace 2, Forerunner 55 and Pacer.
@@ChaseTheSummit righttt!! Just what we needed 😬
How much
Dolar to say rand
polar pacer vs coros pace 2 !
Stay tuned!
Great review! Have they added horseback riding / equestrian as a sport by chance? When I do that on my Polar Ignite I have to pick "other outside". It is a sport where you are using a lot of muscles. No way are you just "sitting there". 🐎
I have had my Polar Ignite for just over a year now. It definitely has gotten me in better shape! But sometimes the thing can be quite maddening too. Like if I try to take 1 day off it will start squawking that I am "detraining" so you have to be doing 20,000+ steps a day every day. Yesterday I felt really good and I actually walked 18.5 miles (which is a new distance for me) and it was saying I was "overtraining" but my HRV went UP this morning and now it is saying I am Productive. I am surprised it wasn't still complaining about the "overtraining" from yesterday still! I do charge my watch daily when in the shower (which I don't mind) but after doing that long walk yesterday my watch this morning was down to 35% battery. I don't run. My knees are naturally hyperextended so I walk. But I do walk half marathons almost every day. One day when I had walked only 9 miles it was saying I was "detraining" - and 9 miles was like 91% of my daily activity that day. Does this new one allow you to have rest days or if you take a rest day is it complaining that you are detraining? Because after doing 13+ miles every day for a few weeks you DO get tired! And you need rest but it starts squawking that you are detraining! Oh and doing 13 or 15 miles a day is just "maintaining".
I also notice many times if I am lying awake in bed but still it thinks I am asleep when I am awake!
But I am in much better shape now than I was last year at this time. 😁
I don't suppose they have added a thing to tell you where you are at in the daily activity WHILE you are doing an activity have they? Because I never could figure it out. How do I know while doing the activity how close I am to getting the 100% of the daily activity? Yesterday I had hit 245% of daily activity! 😅 oops! But I had fun on my long walk.
I didn't see it in the activity list unfortunately but you could create a custom activity profile for it.
good review 👍
Thanks! 👍
Please show us results of a swimm test
Can’t help you there as I’m mainly a runner