My main reason for wanting Polar to do well is that I'm a big believer in a competitive market, I have little against Garmin (and more against Apple) but I think variety - especially from private companies - is incredibly important. My second reason is that I like Finland.
same i'd love to see some tech company in europe making it so we all have our brand and way of thinking tech.. i'll keep buying a suunto personally for that reason, i like the competition to push them to move but overall very supportive of companies ready to make an effort! i'd rather have a watch that last too let's go for better qulity materials
Suunto, Polar, Garmin has nothing to do with other watches from Apple, Samsung etc. These are fitness watches while those are smart watches for real (read and write emails, sent messages, add meetings, vocal commands etc). On these you have only notifications but great battery, GPS tracking, sleep, HR etc so the 2 segments are addressed to different kind of people.
DUDE. Great video but holy hell that was super insightful about the HR accuracy change! Super super helpful for the polar team to hopefully switch back! And if you did, in fact, uncover the dilemma and they fix it as a result that's a huge help to everyone who might be buying it! Great job all around.
Good review and raises some important issues. One point in Polar’s defence the training load info is available in detail on the app and website. I think having basic info on the watch telling you if you’re under / over training or being productive is enough. If you want to drill down into your training history doing it on a bigger screen is far more useful. As for training views, they can be edited and deleted on the app. Other than YT reviewers most people don’t need dozens of activities on their watch, I have running, trail running and hiking on my Grit X Pro. Although I am getting on a bit I have sufficient energy to scroll between three activities, although it might spike my HR slightly!
Looks like Polar has done some firmware updates to address a few of the things you mentioned on the video: 1. Fixes to crashes 2. Breadcrumbs mode added to navigation to backtrack on a route 3. Maps can be browsed without starting a workout 4. More reliable heart rate monitoring
i can relate to that: Spent the last 30 years or so in that polar bubble - with some sidesteps to garmins from time to time. switched from using grit x pro to vantage 3 two weeks ago and loving the v3 experience. fully enthusiastic about amoled-display and look and feel overall. cannot report any of those (crash) experiences ray is talking of but not denying there might be some bugs. still: no bugreport form my side within two weeks of use and fully satisfied with what i got. and looking to those coros/garmin comparisons: l love the polar flow web side and it's features, none of the competitors does come up even near that polar reporting pool on pc. did once in a while dig into the math of training load calculation and found it is well based on scientific research comparing 7day average with 28day average to get the (over)load information on a personal scale. love the idea and find it very convincing still ....
In my experience Polar still has the best app platform (regardless of web or mobile), tho in fairness I only tried them and Garmin. They also hold an advantage in the UX front. In running they nailed the manual "laps" vs auto "splits" thing. The way Garmin treats both as the same is really frustrating. Same but different story in how this is handled in pool swimming wherein lapping on a Garmin automatically implies a rest phase. It's nice to see them catching up in GPS accuracy, especially in the swim department as this was one of their weaknesses and one of the motivators for me to switch to Garmin for the time being. At the same time, it is a bit disheartening to see them keep delivering products that are close but no cigar. HR accuracy really shouldn't be an issue anymore.
@@MateHegyhati Sure! In running. Polar treats manual laps and auto laps (or splits) as separate objects. So no matter when you press the lap button, you will still get a summary of your last split. Oftentimes this is every 1 km/mile but depends on what a user configured. For me this is handy on workout days on the track. To better understand the difference, let's look at an example where I have to run 2.2km to get to the track, then run 5x1.6k (mile reps) with 200m rest in between and then run 2.2km back home. With Polar, I just press "lap" at the end of each portion, and I will get a 2.2 km lap, then a 1.6km lap, then a 200m lap and so on. On top of that I will also get the 1k splits as a separate list. With Garmin I have two scenarios. With auto-lap on set at 1km, I will get two 1k laps, then a 200m lap, then a 1k lap, then a 600m lap (so the mile gets split in two) then a 200m lap etc. With auto-lap off I will get the same as with Polar, but I won't have the 1k splits as a separate list. In swimming, I sometimes would like to track a longer interval (say 500m continuous swimming) as 5*100. Garmin seems to assume that every pressing of the lap button implies a break, and starts the rest counter. So I either click twice in rapid succession - clumsy - or I just log it as a single 500m interval. With Polar I only need to press the lap button once, as the distinction between interval and rest is done "later" or not at all, I don't remember.
@@MateHegyhati As well as the seperately recorderd auto and manual laps the higherer end Polar's with altometer record anther set of laps for uphill, flat and down hill sections. That's hill splitter, and it just happens on hilly routes, you don't have to have a gps route preloaded. I look at this a lot in training.
Polar executives HR probably spiked after watching this review, but luckily for them they were wearing V3 watches, so didn't know quite how high it went 😜
i have Polar Vantage for almost4 years, still good, light, simple & user-friendly platform. After 2 days switching to Suunto Race, i feel very uncomfortable & regret. Thinking to switch back POLAR V3, seriously still one of the best watch compare others.
- Really good screen - The clock works quickly, does not lag - You get handy widgets on the start screen, which can be pressed directly to detailed information - Notifications from mobile to phone work well and you can choose which applications are allowed to send notifications from Polar Flow - Free maps, from which you can still choose whether you want a more detailed or a general map (as needed) - Downloading maps to the watch is easy and fast - Feels comfortable in the hand, light and the sensor area that comes against the hand is flat - The menus are clear and logical - The reports given by the watch are easy to understand - Battery life good. The watch has now been in use for a week and the battery remains at 44%. However, the clock was on the computer for a while while I downloaded the maps, so this definitely added a few percent to the download. During the week, 3 exercises lasting about an hour.
Thanks for this review! I've been looking forward to it since you did the quick review several weeks ago. Sad that the Polar mapping isn't up to par with Suunto and Garmin yet. It's also not good news that the HR sensor got worse after the firmware update (although I'm sure that will be corrected). Firmware update failures were the reason I left the Garmin platform many years ago. I think I'll wait on upgrading my Polar Vantage M for now.
Thanks a lot for the review. After coming from the the M430 and Vantage V I switched to Garmin FR945 due to build-in maps. I´m using this gear during 24hr hikes and really rely on the ability to recharge the watch during the activity. Unfortunately this isn´t possible with Polar watches (they even noticed it in their user manual for the Vantage v3). And seeing both the crashes and low battery after +10 hrs will prevent me from giving it a try. Hoping Polar will be able to get some of these issues fixed I´m looking forward to your next review of this gadget. Kind regards & thanks again.
Well, after 1 year in Garmin ecosystem I miss Polar, I have to say. I miss reporting capabilities in Flow, Orthostatic Test and the whole recovery features and physion scores which are much more reliable in Polar then in Garmin. Garmin has a lot more features then Polar but 80% of Garmin features are useless.
DC is always the best. I'm a longtime Polar user, but I did adapt to new products because you mentioned… no investments in what they invented. I did order the V3. I hope they fix all these issues soon.
Hmm, very interesting reveiw thanks. I think I'll still buy one, because of the Polar's implementation of the 5 button interface, the web & phone app features, and things like hill splitter which I find a very useful when training. The HR accuracy and crashes are a bit of a concern though. Personally I'm fine burnng a bit more power to get the HR accuracy, though is the HR inaccuracy a problem when not in an activity?
I just got my own Polar Vantage V3. Fast delivery directly from Polar, less than 24 hours. Commissioning is really straightforward and easy, the watch fits well in the hand and everything works as it should.
Bit disapointed, I was expecting more for this price range... still no rep and set counters like the pacer pro or every other sports watches, polar is stricktly aimed for running / trail / cardio training but lack more frequants firmware updates and taking into account other sporting profiles (gym, pull ups, sqats etc ... ) Neverthe less, nice video man, keep up the good content !
Awesome video Ray! 🔥 Very mixed thoughts on this one, hopefully they address some of your concerns, maybe even drop the price (like Coros did for the Apex 2 range) to keep interest. Polar still have major respect/recognition in the industry so it seems like a double or quits moment for them 🌟
Even as a Polar fan boy I can't pay 599 for this watch. Especially when there is Coros Pace 3, Suunto Race and Forerunner 955 - all being cheaper. It LOOKS amazing doh.
Do any of the competitors use the ECG for pulse arrival time (PAT) measurements or orthostatic tests (like Polar does)? Also is there any equivalent to Leg Recovery Test in any other brand watch?
Well Mr. Rainmaker, thank you for your review! Great video. So you are based in the NL's but I guess you aren't Dutch? .. You mentioned the firmware in the video. Today I have updated mine, do you maybe know what firmware it was that was less acurate with the heartrate?
What a wonderful review Ray, thanks for bringing some background infos i could not see up to now. switched from polar grit x to v3 some two weeks ago and LOVING the v3 from first sight. will watch any of your critical statements and compare it to my experience here. for the time being i cannot report any problems though - but readily admit that i am not in heavy user mode (anymore)... appreciate your precious information. thnx for your adding value to (my) training experience...!
I 've been using polar since the 1980's They have not kept pace with the competition. Before the Vantage the last watch that was worth anything was the RCX5. I had 5 v800, which all became faulty within a year of receiving them , thanks to Polar they had honored the warranty each time. I have a V 1 Vantage with became fault the day the 3 version was released !!!!!! For the price point I will not be getting a V3 , they are not competitive with the others It seems to be a re-release of the V1 with a couple of polished turds included I run a fixed open track which is 1483 mm long , the V1 would give a result of a variation up to 100 per lap, while my garmin was within 5 m per lap, as it appears the V3 is equally as good as the V1 Polar has the advantage of seeing what the competition has released and they have dropped the ball
Man, when I started the video seeing the AMOLED brightness, the UI responsiveness, the good-looking design and the maps being nice and kind of responsive, I was very positive about it despite not being the market I gravitate towards as I am more on the outdoor watch side of the spectrum. Then, all the bugs, annoyances and corrections needed started to pop out, and I left the video sad and disappointed. I am a Polar user, I have been using their watches and products for a couple of years now, and I am still buying that H10 I was planning on buying tomorrow, but offering a half-baked product for that much, it is something I would not buy, and I am even more concerned for the future of the brand and the Grit X family I tend to gravitate towards. I hope they can address these things in the near future with their limited resources, or this could become a nail in the coffin instead of the redemption they need.
Thank you for this review you make the products better with your reviews and the feedback you give to the companies. I ordeder this watch couple days ago, not becouse it is the greatest of the other two competitors, but i love polar's ecosystem.. Now i am realy concerner about the batery life of this watch. Do you think it can be fixed in any way? Also about the tests, do you plan to make a separate video for the cycling and running tests? There is a lot of staff there to talk about especialy the whrist power meter and the data you get . Anyway thank you again for this review!
Do you know how to export gpx track from Polar Vantage v3 to the laptop without internet? For example you are in the mountains offline. And another question How to import to the watch custom (not from PolarFlow) maps offline?
Before the era of smartwatch , my first heart rate watch was polar. It was cool to use for training. It was kind of weird as they when under the radar for a few years without launching any specific product during the booming market of smart watches Polar was rather late to the party when introducing their heart rate bases smart watches . This could make polar struggle to survive as consumer don’t really fancy the brand .
As someone who has owned and used a Vantage, a V2 and now a V3, I disagree with your description of V3’s presentation of «traning load». At 11:52 you even go as far as to say that V3 does not display traning load - you say that it just displays the amount of training. I have not used Suunto or Garmin - and this probably colors my perception. But for me, when I compare the screens at 11:35, it is easy for me to tell what the V3 screen means - it gives me an screenshot of what the V3 thinks my traning status is - with a measure (a number) for my strain and another number for my tolerance. (And I am tempted to say that «tolerance» equals «training load».) I find the «message» from the training load screen of the V3, easy to act upon. Whereas when I look at the traning load screens of Garmin and Suunto, I find it much harder to understand what they mean and how I should (re)act upon/to them. I would also like to add a word about your review - or actually: lack of review - of V3’s EKG, because the V3’s EKG ability is very related to the training load and traning recovery features of the V3 (and in fact, to the entire Vantage series). Your review of the EKG feature primarily consentrate on the lack of medical grade EKG. Whereas you pay no attention to the very useful role that EKG sensor plays in the Recovery Pro feature of the V3. Because, the V3’s EKG feature really shines as part of the V3’s Recovery Pro feeature . Only Polar’s most advanced watches have Recovery Pro. With Vantage and V2, one had to use an external EKG-based heart rate sensor (such as H10), in order to take ortostatic test, which is the test that the Recovery Pro status is based on. Now, with the EKG built in, you can (also) use the built in EKG sensor - which is a great simplification. Recovery Pro is a great measure for how recovered you are today. In a summary, even if comparioson with other watches of course is due, I still find that you are comparing it **too much** with how other training watches work, and that are basing your review of the V3 too much on watches that you perhaps are more familiar with. A review that was more on the V3’s own terms, is what I would expect.
Specifically I said it doesn't display the historical training load, as shown on the others of how it shows your trending (up or down), and recent activity on the watch. You have to go to the app for that, and even then, it doesn't actually show cumulative training load by day, but rather, individual training load by specific workout (which is messy when you have mutliple worouts per day). The way Polar display is on the watch is super simplistic, and not useful to see trending direction. As for ECG and the Recovery Pro, I talked about it briefly in the video, and at more length in the written review. But, that's still doing a 4-minute test each day to find out what most other watches can tell you reasonably well through automated means. Still, it is pretty cool to see Polar include that here and remove the dependency on the chest strap. "A review that was more on the V3’s own terms, is what I would expect." I'm sorry, but I strongly disagree here. This is how and why Polar got themselves into the financial pickle they're in. You can't operate in a vacuum. Competitors have more features, for less money, displayed better, and better accuracy. It's as simple as that. Comparing the V3 to the V2 just isn't what most people want when they're looking at reviews, they want to understand the full landscape.
I have to agree with DCR here. You cannot (by any stretch) expect to have a product compared with (essentially) itself. There are far too many competitors that can offer FAR more than meets the eye and for less reach in the pocket. By comparing in the format that DCR does, you provide the audience with a benchmark for comparison and you shed some light on how far their dollar can be stretched with competing brands. I’ve done some (far less in depth compared to DCR) comparisons between the new Suunto Race, Coros Pace 3, FR965, and the Polar Vantage V3, all four of which I own personally and the V3 will be going back to Polar as I can’t get on with it and dollar for dollar, I get a bigger bang for my buck with the Pace 3, followed by the FR965 and Suunto Race.
Good review. While I’m sure it wouldn’t affect the information in a general sense I do think you had a problematic model. It needs to be replaced. Unfortunately this can happen across the board. Interesting to see how it goes with functioning model and firmware updates.
@@DcrainmakerThe problem is you are a Garmin fan boy. I gave Garmin another chance with the FR965 and it’s awful compared to my Polar gritX. The HR on Garmin is so inaccurate that I feel ripped off and the maps are slow & buggy.
@@Dcrainmaker There has been an Update to the firmware: Version number: 1.2.5 - December 11th, 2023 Improvements/fixes in this release: Crash fixes and stability improvements ECG graph not displaying correctly during ECG tests, fixed Other minor updates and bug fixes Maybe you could do a retest?
Great video! Question, anyone else having issues with the battery life lasting for less than a day? I have the following settings: - Continuous HR tracking: On - Display brightness: Medium - Display always on: Off - Phone notifications: Off - Positioning satellites : Power save Don't know what's happening. Maybe it's an issue since the latest firmware (1.1.9). First two days were going well, but now I see the battery going down everytime I look at it. Love the watch though, but this short battery life is insane.
@@FF-li6zj I have the V3 and it's been fine for me. I run multiple Polar devices. No issues so far. Syncs really quickly, app is great. Hopefully they add some of the enhancements that Ray talks about.
I have the v3 along with having had the 7x sapphire solar, enduro 2, Apple Watch Ultra, coros apex 2 pro, epix pro (I review watches), and polar has been my favorite of the bunch. It’s accurate as well and I haven’t had any problems.
Dude Polar has every data tool in this watch. Polar Elixir has many means of measuring data, it just about what Polar decides to do with it and bring extra features. The data is there, now its up to them to put it to good use with future features.
They can have all the data in the watch, but as noted, they actually have to present the data - ensure it's accurate, and then find a way to make the data useful. By Polar's own admission, Elixir is merely a marketing term, not an actual technology. Polar does a great job at gathering data, but, they need to do a better job at making it possible to use that data (and, ensuring it's accurate).
Looks like as off today it does not compete with the FR965. I've been looking for the past 2 weeks to change my Polar M430 i've had for a long time and i was praying for the V3 but now i can't decide and leaning more towards the FR965 :(
Yeah initialy was looking for a watch with mapping and also wearing it full time so V3 as a Polar enthusiast was really the go to i wanted until i saw the review. For the Suunto Race or Coros Pace 3 it does not seem like the features or general look would fit and I don't like have to switch to Garmin (i view them as the Apple of sports watches). Anyway it's so hard to decide !@@willem-janageling3907
Yes, but it's only available on the app (not watch), as I discussed. And even then on the app, it's incredibly simplistic and lacking details (like actual values of accumulated load per day) - as most other watches have.
@@Dcrainmaker Hi, Good and honest review. I understand the demand for more data screens on the watch, but all those Status graphs on Garmin, for example, make me get lost with too much information. Polar has the advantage of bringing together on a single screen, with a simple number, the balance between fatigue and my effort tolerance, based on information from Cardio Load, muscle load and perceived load. If you do an orthostatic test in the morning and a leg recovery test before a planned run, I have a good overview of my fitness that enables me to decide whether my body is ready from a cardiac and muscular perspective. That's all I need
Hey Ray! So your V3 crashed mid activity... This sounds terribly familiar. This is what my Grit X Pro has done the entire last year since June 2022 update! Question: does the V3 ALSO LOSE the complete recording at crash?? I left Polar for Suunto Race just 2 weeks ago but well.... Suunto is missing some familiar features. 😢 But please, could you confirm that Polar is still unable to persist data at crashes? Thanks!
Correct, it loses all data up till that point from the workout. In cases where it crashed after a workout was saved (such as this weekend, crashing just after pressing save), it did manage to save that. But during the hike, all of that data was lost for the first 4hrs.
@@anthonyrampino7734 Garmin's are made in Taiwan (which obviously, if you ask Taiwan is very much not China) - in their own factory. Suunto's vary. The Suunto Vertical is made in Finland, whereas the Suunto Race is made in China. COROS is made in China.
It seems like everyone is adding ECG to their watches I'm not sure I understand the usefulness of this on a sports watch, especially for a relatively healthy athlete.
ECG is great for the Orthostatic Test, which is a popular and highly deemed recovery test among endurance athletes. The Vantage V3 can also use the ECG to measure pulse arrival time (PAT), which is basically inversely correlated with one’s blood pressure. I also personally don’t understand the trend of trying to find heart activity abnormalities with watches. Not saying they are useless, but that is not something I am searching for in a sports watch.
Problem with Polar (as a company) is that you cannot trust them (rely on their support). Just 1y after I bought Vantage V they stopped updating it. This is unacceptable. Same I guess will happen now with Vantage V2 (became obsolete). Not worth money imho. Polar shame on you - you loose a lot of customer because of this.
Gave polar with Vantage V a shot. But polar is just the absolute trash company with their software rollouts. None of features of vantage V2,V3 are available in vantage V. Even basic soft updates. Fucking cash grabs
The forerunner 965 cost this much. There is absolutely no way I’m paying that much for something less capable than the forerunner.. I’ve been waiting patiently for something epic from polar 🫣
My main reason for wanting Polar to do well is that I'm a big believer in a competitive market, I have little against Garmin (and more against Apple) but I think variety - especially from private companies - is incredibly important.
My second reason is that I like Finland.
same i'd love to see some tech company in europe making it so we all have our brand and way of thinking tech..
i'll keep buying a suunto personally for that reason, i like the competition to push them to move but overall very supportive of companies ready to make an effort!
i'd rather have a watch that last too let's go for better qulity materials
True. Garmin does a lot of things right but in some areas definitely needs some competition in order to improve
Same here 😊
Suunto, Polar, Garmin has nothing to do with other watches from Apple, Samsung etc. These are fitness watches while those are smart watches for real (read and write emails, sent messages, add meetings, vocal commands etc). On these you have only notifications but great battery, GPS tracking, sleep, HR etc so the 2 segments are addressed to different kind of people.
@@sullfolife Sadly Suunto belongs to Amer Sports owned by Chineseconglomerate Anta Sports.
DUDE. Great video but holy hell that was super insightful about the HR accuracy change! Super super helpful for the polar team to hopefully switch back! And if you did, in fact, uncover the dilemma and they fix it as a result that's a huge help to everyone who might be buying it! Great job all around.
Yeah but dude, can this be fixed with a firmware update or do they need to rebuild it with different hardware?
Good review and raises some important issues. One point in Polar’s defence the training load info is available in detail on the app and website. I think having basic info on the watch telling you if you’re under / over training or being productive is enough. If you want to drill down into your training history doing it on a bigger screen is far more useful. As for training views, they can be edited and deleted on the app. Other than YT reviewers most people don’t need dozens of activities on their watch, I have running, trail running and hiking on my Grit X Pro. Although I am getting on a bit I have sufficient energy to scroll between three activities, although it might spike my HR slightly!
I forgot how clean and compact the Polar App looks compared to Garmin. ❤
Looks like Polar has done some firmware updates to address a few of the things you mentioned on the video:
1. Fixes to crashes
2. Breadcrumbs mode added to navigation to backtrack on a route
3. Maps can be browsed without starting a workout
4. More reliable heart rate monitoring
Polar Vantage V3.... i have it... its best Polar model ever.... c 30 years, i am using Polar.
i can relate to that: Spent the last 30 years or so in that polar bubble - with some sidesteps to garmins from time to time. switched from using grit x pro to vantage 3 two weeks ago and loving the v3 experience. fully enthusiastic about amoled-display and look and feel overall. cannot report any of those (crash) experiences ray is talking of but not denying there might be some bugs. still: no bugreport form my side within two weeks of use and fully satisfied with what i got. and looking to those coros/garmin comparisons: l love the polar flow web side and it's features, none of the competitors does come up even near that polar reporting pool on pc. did once in a while dig into the math of training load calculation and found it is well based on scientific research comparing 7day average with 28day average to get the (over)load information on a personal scale. love the idea and find it very convincing still ....
In my experience Polar still has the best app platform (regardless of web or mobile), tho in fairness I only tried them and Garmin.
They also hold an advantage in the UX front. In running they nailed the manual "laps" vs auto "splits" thing. The way Garmin treats both as the same is really frustrating. Same but different story in how this is handled in pool swimming wherein lapping on a Garmin automatically implies a rest phase.
It's nice to see them catching up in GPS accuracy, especially in the swim department as this was one of their weaknesses and one of the motivators for me to switch to Garmin for the time being. At the same time, it is a bit disheartening to see them keep delivering products that are close but no cigar. HR accuracy really shouldn't be an issue anymore.
I never had a Polar watch, can you explain how laps are handled differently there compared to Garmin?
@@MateHegyhati Sure!
In running.
Polar treats manual laps and auto laps (or splits) as separate objects. So no matter when you press the lap button, you will still get a summary of your last split. Oftentimes this is every 1 km/mile but depends on what a user configured. For me this is handy on workout days on the track.
To better understand the difference, let's look at an example where I have to run 2.2km to get to the track, then run 5x1.6k (mile reps) with 200m rest in between and then run 2.2km back home.
With Polar, I just press "lap" at the end of each portion, and I will get a 2.2 km lap, then a 1.6km lap, then a 200m lap and so on.
On top of that I will also get the 1k splits as a separate list.
With Garmin I have two scenarios.
With auto-lap on set at 1km, I will get two 1k laps, then a 200m lap, then a 1k lap, then a 600m lap (so the mile gets split in two) then a 200m lap etc.
With auto-lap off I will get the same as with Polar, but I won't have the 1k splits as a separate list.
In swimming, I sometimes would like to track a longer interval (say 500m continuous swimming) as 5*100. Garmin seems to assume that every pressing of the lap button implies a break, and starts the rest counter. So I either click twice in rapid succession - clumsy - or I just log it as a single 500m interval. With Polar I only need to press the lap button once, as the distinction between interval and rest is done "later" or not at all, I don't remember.
@@MateHegyhati As well as the seperately recorderd auto and manual laps the higherer end Polar's with altometer record anther set of laps for uphill, flat and down hill sections. That's hill splitter, and it just happens on hilly routes, you don't have to have a gps route preloaded. I look at this a lot in training.
@@chrisar2252 That's neat!
HR accuracy with my Fenix 7 is way worst than with my Vantage V2 and nobody thinks it’s a big deal…
Polar executives HR probably spiked after watching this review, but luckily for them they were wearing V3 watches, so didn't know quite how high it went 😜
😂😂😂
🤣
i have Polar Vantage for almost4 years, still good, light, simple & user-friendly platform. After 2 days switching to Suunto Race, i feel very uncomfortable & regret. Thinking to switch back POLAR V3, seriously still one of the best watch compare others.
- Really good screen
- The clock works quickly, does not lag
- You get handy widgets on the start screen, which can be pressed directly to detailed information
- Notifications from mobile to phone work well and you can choose which applications are allowed to send notifications from Polar Flow
- Free maps, from which you can still choose whether you want a more detailed or a general map (as needed)
- Downloading maps to the watch is easy and fast
- Feels comfortable in the hand, light and the sensor area that comes against the hand is flat
- The menus are clear and logical
- The reports given by the watch are easy to understand
- Battery life good. The watch has now been in use for a week and the battery remains at 44%. However, the clock was on the computer for a while while I downloaded the maps, so this definitely added a few percent to the download. During the week, 3 exercises lasting about an hour.
Thanks for this review! I've been looking forward to it since you did the quick review several weeks ago. Sad that the Polar mapping isn't up to par with Suunto and Garmin yet. It's also not good news that the HR sensor got worse after the firmware update (although I'm sure that will be corrected). Firmware update failures were the reason I left the Garmin platform many years ago. I think I'll wait on upgrading my Polar Vantage M for now.
Thanks a lot for the review. After coming from the the M430 and Vantage V I switched to Garmin FR945 due to build-in maps.
I´m using this gear during 24hr hikes and really rely on the ability to recharge the watch during the activity.
Unfortunately this isn´t possible with Polar watches (they even noticed it in their user manual for the Vantage v3).
And seeing both the crashes and low battery after +10 hrs will prevent me from giving it a try.
Hoping Polar will be able to get some of these issues fixed I´m looking forward to your next review of this gadget.
Kind regards & thanks again.
Well, after 1 year in Garmin ecosystem I miss Polar, I have to say. I miss reporting capabilities in Flow, Orthostatic Test and the whole recovery features and physion scores which are much more reliable in Polar then in Garmin. Garmin has a lot more features then Polar but 80% of Garmin features are useless.
Almost a month into Garmin and I do miss Polar. Just give me a vantage M with bettery battery, maps and updated sensors!
@@DennisVandenMoortelpacer pro
My old Vantage V Titan is still running fine. But I'll buy V3, not yet but maybe in next few months. Thanks DC Rainmaker again for your review!
DC is always the best. I'm a longtime Polar user, but I did adapt to new products because you mentioned… no investments in what they invented. I did order the V3. I hope they fix all these issues soon.
Make sure you do the latest firmware update. I have had no issues so far.
Thank you Mr. DC Rainmaker.
Hmm, very interesting reveiw thanks. I think I'll still buy one, because of the Polar's implementation of the 5 button interface, the web & phone app features, and things like hill splitter which I find a very useful when training. The HR accuracy and crashes are a bit of a concern though. Personally I'm fine burnng a bit more power to get the HR accuracy, though is the HR inaccuracy a problem when not in an activity?
I just got my own Polar Vantage V3. Fast delivery directly from Polar, less than 24 hours. Commissioning is really straightforward and easy, the watch fits well in the hand and everything works as it should.
Bit disapointed, I was expecting more for this price range...
still no rep and set counters like the pacer pro or every other sports watches, polar is stricktly aimed for running / trail / cardio training but lack more frequants firmware updates and taking into account other sporting profiles (gym, pull ups, sqats etc ... )
Neverthe less, nice video man, keep up the good content !
Very thorough review and insightful in terms of not only how the watch performs but also detailed analysis and noting issues seen.
Awesome video Ray! 🔥 Very mixed thoughts on this one, hopefully they address some of your concerns, maybe even drop the price (like Coros did for the Apex 2 range) to keep interest. Polar still have major respect/recognition in the industry so it seems like a double or quits moment for them 🌟
Even as a Polar fan boy I can't pay 599 for this watch. Especially when there is Coros Pace 3, Suunto Race and Forerunner 955 - all being cheaper. It LOOKS amazing doh.
Thanks DC, great review. Just upgraded from Grit X to FR955 which I got just little over 400€. I think it has great value at that price
Do any of the competitors use the ECG for pulse arrival time (PAT) measurements or orthostatic tests (like Polar does)? Also is there any equivalent to Leg Recovery Test in any other brand watch?
None that I know of.
Finally! Like the video in advance, cup of coffee in my hand and here we go
VERY DETAILED review! 😃👍
Well Mr. Rainmaker, thank you for your review! Great video. So you are based in the NL's but I guess you aren't Dutch? ..
You mentioned the firmware in the video. Today I have updated mine, do you maybe know what firmware it was that was less acurate with the heartrate?
What a wonderful review Ray, thanks for bringing some background infos i could not see up to now. switched from polar grit x to v3 some two weeks ago and LOVING the v3 from first sight. will watch any of your critical statements and compare it to my experience here. for the time being i cannot report any problems though - but readily admit that i am not in heavy user mode (anymore)...
appreciate your precious information. thnx for your adding value to (my) training experience...!
Thanks for great review! How about pool swimming accuracy, any play with that yet? Distance, speed, swimming style recognition etc...
Does this watch have the walk detection during runs similar to the Garmin watches?
I 've been using polar since the 1980's
They have not kept pace with the competition. Before the Vantage the last watch that was worth anything was the RCX5.
I had 5 v800, which all became faulty within a year of receiving them , thanks to Polar they had honored the warranty each time.
I have a V 1 Vantage with became fault the day the 3 version was released !!!!!!
For the price point I will not be getting a V3 , they are not competitive with the others
It seems to be a re-release of the V1 with a couple of polished turds included
I run a fixed open track which is 1483 mm long , the V1 would give a result of a variation up to 100 per lap, while my garmin was within 5 m per lap, as it appears the V3 is equally as good as the V1
Polar has the advantage of seeing what the competition has released and they have dropped the ball
Man, when I started the video seeing the AMOLED brightness, the UI responsiveness, the good-looking design and the maps being nice and kind of responsive, I was very positive about it despite not being the market I gravitate towards as I am more on the outdoor watch side of the spectrum. Then, all the bugs, annoyances and corrections needed started to pop out, and I left the video sad and disappointed.
I am a Polar user, I have been using their watches and products for a couple of years now, and I am still buying that H10 I was planning on buying tomorrow, but offering a half-baked product for that much, it is something I would not buy, and I am even more concerned for the future of the brand and the Grit X family I tend to gravitate towards. I hope they can address these things in the near future with their limited resources, or this could become a nail in the coffin instead of the redemption they need.
Excellent review!!! Merci Ray 🎉
Thanks!!!
Great video, thanks! Do you already have scratches on the glass after such a short time?
Nope, either just weird camera reflections or something. All clean.
@@DcrainmakerAre you sure? It really looks like scratches?
Thank you for this review you make the products better with your reviews and the feedback you give to the companies. I ordeder this watch couple days ago, not becouse it is the greatest of the other two competitors, but i love polar's ecosystem.. Now i am realy concerner about the batery life of this watch. Do you think it can be fixed in any way? Also about the tests, do you plan to make a separate video for the cycling and running tests? There is a lot of staff there to talk about especialy the whrist power meter and the data you get .
Anyway thank you again for this review!
Do you know how to export gpx track from Polar Vantage v3 to the laptop without internet? For example you are in the mountains offline.
And another question How to import to the watch custom (not from PolarFlow) maps offline?
Before the era of smartwatch , my first heart rate watch was polar. It was cool to use for training.
It was kind of weird as they when under the radar for a few years without launching any specific product during the booming market of smart watches
Polar was rather late to the party when introducing their heart rate bases smart watches .
This could make polar struggle to survive as consumer don’t really fancy the brand .
I wish they'd make a V3 in a slightly smaller size for women. My Ignite 3 is a good fit but I really wanted all the upgrades on the V3.
As someone who has owned and used a Vantage, a V2 and now a V3, I disagree with your description of V3’s presentation of «traning load». At 11:52 you even go as far as to say that V3 does not display traning load - you say that it just displays the amount of training.
I have not used Suunto or Garmin - and this probably colors my perception. But for me, when I compare the screens at 11:35, it is easy for me to tell what the V3 screen means - it gives me an screenshot of what the V3 thinks my traning status is - with a measure (a number) for my strain and another number for my tolerance. (And I am tempted to say that «tolerance» equals «training load».) I find the «message» from the training load screen of the V3, easy to act upon. Whereas when I look at the traning load screens of Garmin and Suunto, I find it much harder to understand what they mean and how I should (re)act upon/to them.
I would also like to add a word about your review - or actually: lack of review - of V3’s EKG, because the V3’s EKG ability is very related to the training load and traning recovery features of the V3 (and in fact, to the entire Vantage series).
Your review of the EKG feature primarily consentrate on the lack of medical grade EKG. Whereas you pay no attention to the very useful role that EKG sensor plays in the Recovery Pro feature of the V3.
Because, the V3’s EKG feature really shines as part of the V3’s Recovery Pro feeature . Only Polar’s most advanced watches have Recovery Pro. With Vantage and V2, one had to use an external EKG-based heart rate sensor (such as H10), in order to take ortostatic test, which is the test that the Recovery Pro status is based on. Now, with the EKG built in, you can (also) use the built in EKG sensor - which is a great simplification.
Recovery Pro is a great measure for how recovered you are today.
In a summary, even if comparioson with other watches of course is due, I still find that you are comparing it **too much** with how other training watches work, and that are basing your review of the V3 too much on watches that you perhaps are more familiar with. A review that was more on the V3’s own terms, is what I would expect.
Specifically I said it doesn't display the historical training load, as shown on the others of how it shows your trending (up or down), and recent activity on the watch. You have to go to the app for that, and even then, it doesn't actually show cumulative training load by day, but rather, individual training load by specific workout (which is messy when you have mutliple worouts per day). The way Polar display is on the watch is super simplistic, and not useful to see trending direction.
As for ECG and the Recovery Pro, I talked about it briefly in the video, and at more length in the written review. But, that's still doing a 4-minute test each day to find out what most other watches can tell you reasonably well through automated means. Still, it is pretty cool to see Polar include that here and remove the dependency on the chest strap.
"A review that was more on the V3’s own terms, is what I would expect."
I'm sorry, but I strongly disagree here. This is how and why Polar got themselves into the financial pickle they're in. You can't operate in a vacuum. Competitors have more features, for less money, displayed better, and better accuracy. It's as simple as that. Comparing the V3 to the V2 just isn't what most people want when they're looking at reviews, they want to understand the full landscape.
I have to agree with DCR here. You cannot (by any stretch) expect to have a product compared with (essentially) itself. There are far too many competitors that can offer FAR more than meets the eye and for less reach in the pocket. By comparing in the format that DCR does, you provide the audience with a benchmark for comparison and you shed some light on how far their dollar can be stretched with competing brands.
I’ve done some (far less in depth compared to DCR) comparisons between the new Suunto Race, Coros Pace 3, FR965, and the Polar Vantage V3, all four of which I own personally and the V3 will be going back to Polar as I can’t get on with it and dollar for dollar, I get a bigger bang for my buck with the Pace 3, followed by the FR965 and Suunto Race.
Been waiting for this video.
I really hope they will fix some bugs and add new features. I ordered mine and should get within few days.
Thank you for a fantastic review.
Good review. While I’m sure it wouldn’t affect the information in a general sense I do think you had a problematic model. It needs to be replaced. Unfortunately this can happen across the board. Interesting to see how it goes with functioning model and firmware updates.
Many people that have V3’s are reporting crashes and inaccurate HR. I’m not alone.
@@DcrainmakerThe problem is you are a Garmin fan boy. I gave Garmin another chance with the FR965 and it’s awful compared to my Polar gritX. The HR on Garmin is so inaccurate that I feel ripped off and the maps are slow & buggy.
@@Dcrainmaker There has been an Update to the firmware:
Version number: 1.2.5 - December 11th, 2023
Improvements/fixes in this release:
Crash fixes and stability improvements
ECG graph not displaying correctly during ECG tests, fixed
Other minor updates and bug fixes
Maybe you could do a retest?
Thank you for your review. Why POLAR doesn't have the feature of controlling a bike smart trainer? Garmin has this feature!
Waiting Polar Pacer Pro V2
my favorite watch thank you !!!
Great video!
Question, anyone else having issues with the battery life lasting for less than a day?
I have the following settings:
- Continuous HR tracking: On
- Display brightness: Medium
- Display always on: Off
- Phone notifications: Off
- Positioning satellites : Power save
Don't know what's happening. Maybe it's an issue since the latest firmware (1.1.9). First two days were going well, but now I see the battery going down everytime I look at it. Love the watch though, but this short battery life is insane.
The problem with the suunto race at the moment is that it isnt support by stryd. Hopefully that will change soon. Till then its a nogo for me
Does it measure HRV?
As a former Polar fan (starting with a heart rate chest strap in the 90s) it pains me how they can't get their act together.
Same here. Unstable app, unusable syncing (if you have multiple devices) and now unstable watch firmware.. very unprofessional.
No issues here
@@hansoosterhof2294 Good for you! If you have more than one device or dare to use LineageOS, the pain starts.
@@FF-li6zj I have the V3 and it's been fine for me. I run multiple Polar devices. No issues so far. Syncs really quickly, app is great. Hopefully they add some of the enhancements that Ray talks about.
I have the v3 along with having had the 7x sapphire solar, enduro 2, Apple Watch Ultra, coros apex 2 pro, epix pro (I review watches), and polar has been my favorite of the bunch. It’s accurate as well and I haven’t had any problems.
The amoled gps watch race is getting tough
Dude Polar has every data tool in this watch. Polar Elixir has many means of measuring data, it just about what Polar decides to do with it and bring extra features. The data is there, now its up to them to put it to good use with future features.
They can have all the data in the watch, but as noted, they actually have to present the data - ensure it's accurate, and then find a way to make the data useful. By Polar's own admission, Elixir is merely a marketing term, not an actual technology. Polar does a great job at gathering data, but, they need to do a better job at making it possible to use that data (and, ensuring it's accurate).
Looks like as off today it does not compete with the FR965. I've been looking for the past 2 weeks to change my Polar M430 i've had for a long time and i was praying for the V3 but now i can't decide and leaning more towards the FR965 :(
I think it's no competition. I also decided to go for Garmin. I choose the 265. There are other brands, like Coros.
Yeah initialy was looking for a watch with mapping and also wearing it full time so V3 as a Polar enthusiast was really the go to i wanted until i saw the review. For the Suunto Race or Coros Pace 3 it does not seem like the features or general look would fit and I don't like have to switch to Garmin (i view them as the Apple of sports watches).
Anyway it's so hard to decide !@@willem-janageling3907
Didn't get the Training Load missing, Polar literally has Training Load Pro?
Yes, but it's only available on the app (not watch), as I discussed. And even then on the app, it's incredibly simplistic and lacking details (like actual values of accumulated load per day) - as most other watches have.
@@Dcrainmaker
Hi,
Good and honest review.
I understand the demand for more data screens on the watch, but all those Status graphs on Garmin, for example, make me get lost with too much information.
Polar has the advantage of bringing together on a single screen, with a simple number, the balance between fatigue and my effort tolerance, based on information from Cardio Load, muscle load and perceived load.
If you do an orthostatic test in the morning and a leg recovery test before a planned run, I have a good overview of my fitness that enables me to decide whether my body is ready from a cardiac and muscular perspective.
That's all I need
In the video you mentioned there's no training load at all. I believe you said that Polor calculates training time not trading load@Dcrainmaker
There’s no lag on touch screen like suunto race
Hey Ray! So your V3 crashed mid activity... This sounds terribly familiar. This is what my Grit X Pro has done the entire last year since June 2022 update!
Question: does the V3 ALSO LOSE the complete recording at crash??
I left Polar for Suunto Race just 2 weeks ago but well.... Suunto is missing some familiar features. 😢
But please, could you confirm that Polar is still unable to persist data at crashes? Thanks!
Correct, it loses all data up till that point from the workout. In cases where it crashed after a workout was saved (such as this weekend, crashing just after pressing save), it did manage to save that. But during the hike, all of that data was lost for the first 4hrs.
thank you so much for this video.
BTW, is it made in Finland?
Made in China according the text hidden inside the band connector.
Could you please tell me where polar watches are produced?
This model is made in China.
@@Dcrainmaker thank you. Do you know of any watches that are not made in China? Like Garmin or Suunto?
@@anthonyrampino7734 Garmin's are made in Taiwan (which obviously, if you ask Taiwan is very much not China) - in their own factory. Suunto's vary. The Suunto Vertical is made in Finland, whereas the Suunto Race is made in China. COROS is made in China.
@@Dcrainmaker thanks, I appreciate the information!
Polar ecosystem is just so much easier and cleaner to use
18:18 I can't watch a movie with sound now. After 12 hours of training, Polar lost 90% of its battery? Or 10%?
They lost 90%
@@Dcrainmaker Whaaaaaaaaat?! I wont but it!
@@DcrainmakerYou must have received a faulty watch. You seem to be a Garmin advertiser/ fan boy
Thank you
Cheers Ray! I'm gonna eat some pasta so I can run fasta ;-)
Are those scratches on the screen?
No scratches on the screen yet, may just be seeing sweat, fingerprints, or weird reflections.
Someone who sometimes wears Decathlon tee shirts has a great fashion sense. Period.
Add please subtitle in video for strong men from Ukraine. I always see you content its very cool for me
I mean a fenix 7 / Epix is cheaper this month on Amazon so it is a bit of a hard sell…
Polar vantage v3 or apple watch ultra 2? For strenght training, road runner and tennis player, look also at the price/quality
Consider apple only if you are an iPhone user
6 hours of sleep is considered poor? dang
Pushing Optical HRM has killed Polars status as the most accurate HRM. Polar has lost its status as best swimming HRM too.
It seems like everyone is adding ECG to their watches
I'm not sure I understand the usefulness of this on a sports watch, especially for a relatively healthy athlete.
ECG is great for the Orthostatic Test, which is a popular and highly deemed recovery test among endurance athletes.
The Vantage V3 can also use the ECG to measure pulse arrival time (PAT), which is basically inversely correlated with one’s blood pressure.
I also personally don’t understand the trend of trying to find heart activity abnormalities with watches. Not saying they are useless, but that is not something I am searching for in a sports watch.
47 mm is so small
First!😊
FTA
I think you need buy new microphone sir ,your voice like in the water 😅
Problem with Polar (as a company) is that you cannot trust them (rely on their support). Just 1y after I bought Vantage V they stopped updating it. This is unacceptable. Same I guess will happen now with Vantage V2 (became obsolete). Not worth money imho. Polar shame on you - you loose a lot of customer because of this.
Still waiting for Polar Bear….. in white
dumpster fire...sad to see Polar fall like this..
Gave polar with Vantage V a shot. But polar is just the absolute trash company with their software rollouts. None of features of vantage V2,V3 are available in vantage V. Even basic soft updates. Fucking cash grabs
The forerunner 965 cost this much. There is absolutely no way I’m paying that much for something less capable than the forerunner.. I’ve been waiting patiently for something epic from polar 🫣