Will Polar Flow App Synce With Lose It App Premium Service

Today Polar has announced the Vantage V2, a touch flake over 2 years since they announced the initial Polar Vantage 5 & Yard series watches. Since that fourth dimension those units accept gotten numerous firmware updates (and even a Titanium version). However, earlier this year Polar signaled that it was the end of the line for the original Vantage V & 1000 units in terms of new features.

That played out with the Polar Dust Ten watch this past April, essentially taking a Vantage series lookout and adding more than hiking/outdoors related features, every bit well as new nutrition and energy source related metrics. Thus, this brings us to the Vantage V2, which substantially takes all those new Dust X features and adds a couple more than related to functioning testing. Also, music controls and new watch faces. It is past all definitions a pocket-sized update, both in terms of software – but also hardware, with only slight changes to the picket's exterior design – albeit a significant reduction of weight.

I've been using it for a bit at present, and I've got a pretty skillful idea on how well information technology works. Also, it helps that information technology'southward virtually identical to the Polar Dust X in terms of underlying hardware and software – a sentry I often throw into comparing lineups (such as over most of my workouts in the final few months).

Once I'm done with this media loaner Vantage V2 I'll get it sent back to Polar, like all the previous ones. Just the mode I gyre. If you found this review useful, you lot tin can hit up the links at the terminate to assistance back up the site, or you can become a DCR Supporter!

What'south New:

First things offset, unlike last fourth dimension Polar announced the original Vantage serial, there's not two versions at this point. Last time there was the higher end Vantage V, and then the mid-range Vantage M (with less features, lesser materials). This time, it'south just the Vantage V2 at the higher cost bespeak. The slightly less expensive Polar Grit 10 doesn't (in my opinion) really supervene upon the much cheaper Vantage M. But more than on that later.

To begin, let'southward talk well-nigh what's inverse between the Vantage V and the new Vantage V2:

– Added Running Performance Test: Determines your VO2Max using an increasing RAMP-test variant for running
– Added Cycling FTP Examination: Standard 20/thirty/40 minute cycling FTP test added
– Added Leg Recovery Test: Designed to determine whether or not your legs are recovered
– Added New Test Hub in Polar Catamenia: Consolidates test results online
– Added New Dashboard View to show weekly grooming totals
– Added Ability to customize which dashboard views yous encounter (dashboard views are the watch widgets)
– Added Music Controls for Phone: Controls music on your telephone (in that location'south no music storage on Vantage V2)
– Added Colina Splitter: Counts your hill ascents/descents automatically mid-workout and in app afterwards
– Added FuelWise: Gives nutrition alerts mid-workout for carbs and hydration (separately)
– Added Energy Sources: Shows breakdown of carbs/fats/protein usage post-conditioning on picket/app
– Added Weather condition: This is a widget of sorts that shows current weather on the spotter
– Added 100-60 minutes GPS tracking mode: This power-saving mode reduces track points to increment activity length
– Added Komoot road integration: Officially 'turn by turn' navigation, though the definition of that is a bit loose
– Increased waterproof spec from 50m to 100m, to match the Grit 10
– Changed the optical 60 minutes sensor: Notably changing the colored LED types it uses, matches Dust X
– Inverse display to that of the Grit Ten, so information technology'due south a tiny bit sharper and crisper, with deeper blacks

Phew, got all that? Good. Now, Polar did say the following are coming before the finish of the year:

– Power-based training workouts on Polar Menses (to transfer to the spotter)
– Zone Pointer for power/speed zone-based workouts

Ok, now, let's start using it.

The Basics:

While yous're likely buying the Vantage V2 for its sports prowess, we'll start off hither with some of the basics of the lookout man. Things like activity tracking, sleep tracking, the new music control, every bit well as other usage $.25.

The picket has both a touchscreen and five dedicated buttons. The buttons on this follow the same elongated look equally the original Vantage series, which is a bit of a bummer as I actually preferred the better grip texturing on the edges of the Grit Ten. In whatever event, there'southward besides a slight vibration each time you press a push button.

In addition to navigating with the buttons, you lot can also apply the touchscreen to move effectually the menus. I discover the touchscreen acceptable, only hardly the pinnacle of touch screen technology on a wearable. Information technology does oft decide to become and set alarms and airplane style when I'chiliad in the shower, but I oasis't had issues across that (despite the never-ending pelting here in the Netherlands). Perchance my shower is but more shower-power-full.

The Vantage V2 uses a propriety strap design, which unfortunately means that unlike the Polar Grit X, you can't just swap it out for whatever sometime strap yous desire (the Grit X uses standard 22mm straps). While Polar is offering a few replacement colors with the Vantage V2 series, it'south a chip peculiar to not but switch to the same standardized pattern equally the Grit X.

On the backside of the Vantage V2 you'll find the new optical Hr sensor. This system is identical to that of the Dust 10, and is seen as an evolution of the original Vantage V Precision Prime sensor arrangement. With the original Vantage V in that location were nine LED's (5 green, four red, + i unused yellow). Merely in the V2 there's at present 10 LED'south used (v blood-red, 4 orange/yellow, 1 green).

Typically speaking, the dissimilar color LED'southward handle different skin colors amend. Besides, some colors tend to go deeper than others which are better at more shallow depths. Polar has long toyed with different LED's to try and increment accuracy, slightly more than so than about companies do. Unfortunately, as we'll see later on, I've seen a regression in accuracy with both the Vantage V2 and Grit 10 sensors compared to by Polar sensors.

Meanwhile, the Vantage V2 introduces tweakable dashboard pages. These pages are often called widgets past other companies, but basically allow you to get consolidated data in other areas such every bit sleep, steps, or workout history. And Polar has introduced a few new pages hither, as well as the same power to select which pages yous actually want displayed. Starting in no detail order, here's the heart rate one:

This will show the time, also as your current middle rate. You can then tap it to get more than details about your heart rate for the day:

Your middle rate is recorded 24×7 as well to Polar Flow, so yous can dive into a given twenty-four hours and look at the stats there:

There's then the sleep one. Which plainly thinks my sleep was compromised. Kinda odd since I slept mostly OK, and so doubled down on that by going back to sleep with a nap for 3 hours afterward I got the kids to school.

Over again, yous can tap to get more details there:

And once more, y'all can swoop into sleep metrics from within the Polar Catamenia app likewise:

Generally, with the exception of today, I exercise notice Polar's sleep data pretty consistent with how I'yard feeling on any given twenty-four hour period, as well every bit consistent with the actual times I went to sleep and woke upward. Unfortunately, like Garmin, Fitbit, and others, Polar does non support tracking of naps (and today being the ultra-rare occasion I managed to get one).

Next, there's FitSpark, which basically offers you lot daily suggested workouts to continue your current fettle level. There's unlike types of workouts such as strength, cardio, and supportive (typically flexibility-focused). And information technology's smart enough to generally first offer a cardio or strength workout, so after y'all've done that, it'll give you a supportive workout. Just more on this later in the Sports section.

Next, there's the weather condition page, which consistently tells me how terrible the weather condition is in Amsterdam. Today was no exception:

Afterwards that, nosotros've got the new weekly grooming summary page, which specifies training time per HR zone. In this example you can meet it towards the end of my week:

Or here, at the outset of the next week:

Yous tin can tap this to so become more than details on the zones, distances, calories, and activities, allowing y'all to encounter each activeness that contributed to that weekly total.

Adjacent we've got steps. This is pretty straightforward, and shows your steps against the daily goal, besides as once y'all dive into it, your agile fourth dimension for the twenty-four hour period.

Then finally, at that place's the training status page. During new watch release flavor (as it is right at present), this stays pegged on 'Overreaching'. Once things settle downward it'll slide back to productive or some other less-appealing status.

Yous can tap to open information technology and get more on the strain and tolerance aspects (which I'll also talk near later in the sports section).

At present, shifting back out of the widgets, if you press the lesser left button it takes you to a carte to get through starting a new workout, Serene (breathing exercises), Fueling, Timers, Spotter Face Views, Tests, and Settings.

Starting backwards, Settings is where we tin tweak things like pairing of sensors, the irresolute from Nightly Recharge to Recovery Pro (more on that in sports section), too every bit a slew of general scout settings.

One of the new Vantage V2 options is the ability to choose your dashboards (or, sentinel face views as its called here).

This allows you lot to deselect items you lot don't care about.

And then at that place'south the Serene guided animate functionality, which gives you permission to sit on the couch and practise nada. This should realistically exist my most favored characteristic of the watch.

You'll configure the overall duration also as the inhale/exhale lengths, and it'll walk you through each step.

Rounding towards home in the basics section is smartphone notifications. These not-interactive alerts will be sent from your iOS/Android phone whenever apps that you've configured on your phone ship a notification. They could be Strava, Twitter, Facebook, Tinder….anything. Y'all can't reply to them though, so it's just one-way in nature.

Concluding but not least is the new music control characteristic. This allows you to control music on your phone. You'll admission this by swiping up from the lesser of the screen. You'll demand to have a music app open on your telephone for this to work. The Vantage V2 does *Non* have any music storage on it. So it'due south *Merely* controlling music already on your telephone.

Somewhat neat though is that information technology does pull the right icon for the app it's controlling, so yous can see the Spotify icon shown there – a nice touch. I can skip/rewind/intermission/play on the main screen, as well as tap the volume icon to increase volume:

There's no other options across that, such equally selecting songs or such. It's just iterating through what you take – pretty like to what buttons on a pair of headphones would practice.

Finally, simply for the sake of clarity, there'south no NFC payments on the Polar Vantage V2 currently. I say 'currently', because somewhat interestingly that's the very specific diction that Polar's PR team used when discussing information technology – specifically maxim (an exact quote) "No, there are currently no payment solutions included in Polar Vantage V2.", whereas on other music storage related questions, it was a much more definitive 'No'.

Notwithstanding, it'd exist incredibly hard for them to implement contactless payments without having a partner of some sort doing the leg work, and I'one thousand not aware of any mainstream/widespread partners that aren't already tied up in exclusivity agreements with other wearable companies.

Sports Features:

When it comes to the sports and conditioning aspects of the spotter, the Vantage V2 is the culmination of everything in the original Vantage V series, combined with the new features of the Polar Grit X. That means you're gaining previously Grit 10 only features like Hill Splitter & Fuelwise, only yous'll retain the Vantage V series specific features like Recovery Pro, which aren't in the Grit Ten.

For this department I'm going to focus mainly on the core workout/training load/recovery tracking features. Whereas for the new performance testing type features, that's in the next department. Meanwhile, for the features that were introduced with the Dust X, I'll briefly embrace them here, simply I dive into things like FuelWise & Hill Splitter in far more detail in the Grit Ten postal service. Aught has changed with the Vantage V2 in that respect.

To brainstorm a workout you'll either single-press the lower left push, or long-hold the middle right button. No matter your route, you'll eventually become yourself to this page that shows one of many sport modes (and the current sensor/satellite status).

The Polar Vantage V2 can shop upwards to 20 sport profiles in information technology, each with its ain prepare of customizations – things like your data pages or data fields.

The customization of sports covers everything from the exact information fields and pages yous want shown, or the frequency of update rates. You can as well modify zone limits for pace, power, and heart rate. As well equally automatic laps and more. These tin be changed on both Polar Period online, or via your smartphone app:

For example, it's in here that you tin can tweak the information field shown on your watch, or following that the GPS & Distance settings.

These changes are synced to your watch someday you sync your sentinel, which can be done via Bluetooth Smart to your phone, or cable to your figurer. Usually the sync process takes nearly twenty-forty seconds via reckoner, or near 30-60 seconds via Bluetooth Smart. It does tend to take longer though if you oasis't synced in a while and it needs to sync GPS enshroud data, firmware updates, or Haribo stockage levels.

Back on the spotter, once y'all've selected a sport fashion, it'll become off and detect GPS (if an outdoor sport), as well as lock optical HR (if using the optical HR sensor).

The Polar Vantage V2 supports the same sensor types every bit the Vantage serial. These are:

– Bluetooth Smart Heart Rate Straps
– Bluetooth Smart Cycling Power Meters
– Bluetooth Smart Cycling Cadence & Speed Sensors
– Bluetooth Smart Running Footpods
– Bluetooth Smart Running Power Meters (information technology as well includes a built-in one)

From a ability meter standpoint, I tested a few different ones. I had (mostly) success with both a Quarq DZero ability meter & Aristocracy Tuo trainer, but oddly was unable to pair to a PowerTap P2 pedal set. A Tacx NEO ii was fiddly, and it wouldn't find a Wahoo KICKR 2018. Polar has a list of guaranteed power meters, just realistically that list is far less extensive than their competitors. There's no support for Emmet+.

Yous can however pair multiple types of sensors to the lookout man easily via the sensors card. So you lot can effectively salvage multiple bikes' sensor configurations, or multiple heart charge per unit straps, etc…

If you lot press the upper-right button while on the sport screen you'll get a mini-settings menu of sorts. This is where you tin can select routes, do back to start navigation, add together countdown/interval timers, or load structured workouts. It's also where y'all tin configure ability-saving settings to get the longer 100 hours of GPS battery life.

Dorsum at the main sport menu though you've got the sensor status menus, which volition turn to dark-green when information technology locks optical heart rate and satellite, as well as whatsoever paired sensors will also change color too (such equally a paired HR strap or power meters). To a higher place the time it'll show how much GPS time is remaining on the current battery charge and settings.

To begin recording, tap the center correct push button. At this juncture you can now iterate through your data fields to come across various metrics from whatever workout it is you're doing. And then if you lot're outside you'll see things like speed/pace, distance, etc… More than or less all the usual goodness y'all'd look from a GPS lookout.

Now with the Vantage V2 y'all'll go running power natively from the wrist, just as with the original Vantage Five series (and the Grit X). It uses the accelerometer in the watch on your wrist to make those calculations. That has its pros and cons as I've outlined previously. So that'll evidence upwardly automatically as a information field, as well equally later in your workout data files (shown equally wattage below – 522w in one of my runway conditioning intervals):

At present if on a run where there's hills involved, yous can use Hill Splitter to track each rep of the hills. The fashion Colina Splitter works is that it automatically detects when you lot're ascending or descending a hill and will give you lot the time ascending/descending, as well equally length of the climb/descent. It'll also count each rise/descent. You'll see that on the screen each fourth dimension you go up/down, as well every bit summarized after on the watch and then on the app. If yous're on flat basis (as I am for 99.99% of my runs here), this is what it looks similar:

This folio is non-customizable, but can be added to your scout. Every bit you start going up a climb, once you striking around the 8-10m of elevation proceeds marker, it'll trigger an ascent, and the screen changes to the below screen which shows how far y'all've run/ridden/hiked up that climb equally well as the duration. And of form you encounter which number hill this is (e.g. 1st rise). Annotation that Loma Splitter does NOT reference whatever saved course/road data. It'southward purely off the cuff manner colina counting. That has its pros and cons. It'southward groovy for impromptu weeknight training sessions where you but selection a colina and start doing repeats without creating/loading a grade. Inversely, it'southward non terribly useful in the Alps or something where you lot've got massive climbs and want to know how much ascent is left – it won't tell y'all that.

Now, I dive into all the pros and cons and nuances of Hill Splitter hither in my Polar Grit X review with an entire dedicated section to it.

Speaking of routes however, yous can transfer routes into the Polar Vantage V2. These tin be created on Polar Flow itself, or, via Komoot. Though do note with Komoot yous'll need to have that region activated in Komoot (the point where the road starts), which might involve paying Komoot depending on if y'all've activated any other regions already.

Assuming you lot sort all that out, hither's what the routes look like in Polar Flow using the sync option, yous can see the Komoot ones with the icons in the middle, then on the right which ones are synced to my picket:

Note: The Strava icon you lot see in a higher place is for Strava Live Segments, and regrettably not Strava Routes. Though, if you scroll down, you tin see those Segments synced:

In total you can sync 100 'things' to the Vantage V2. That could be a combination of Segments, Routes, or Workouts.

To access Routes or Workouts (chosen 'Favorites' in the Polar watch menus), y'all'll fissure open a sport mode, then hit the settings icon:

You'll then see the listing above of Routes (or Favorites), and can choose one. Afterward selected, information technology'll show up on the left side of the sport mode screen:

For routes, they show up every bit breadcrumb trail information. At that place's no mapping, or terrain data shown within the Polar Vantage V2 for routes, simply the line of your track. As you approach a turn you'll get an arrow indicating that a turn is coming up, and the management of the plow. And if you lot go off trail you'll get a find of that too.

Now, in one case you're done with all your heavy breathing and finish your workout you'll go a summary screen of data, and in the case of this particular running workout – that includes running power too from the wrist:

You'll as well annotation the new Free energy bits that came in from the Polar Grit X, which testify the breakdown of energy consumption during this workout:

If you then work backwards into things, you lot can use the Fueling functions (as well added from the Polar Grit X) that give you lot either smart or manual carb alerts, as well every bit drink reminders:

For example, with Smart Carb alerts you'll specify the elapsing of the workout, and the gel parcel details, and it'll figure out and remind y'all how ofttimes you should be taking it:

I swoop into the FuelWise & Energy sources in far more particular hither in this post section.

In whatsoever case, all of the workout information is loaded to Polar Period online (both smartphone and online website):

Further, it'll automatically exist synced to various Polar Flow partners, like Strava or TrainingPeaks, depending on how you lot've got your account configured.

Next, allow'due south say you can't make up one's mind what conditioning you desire to do – Polar's got FitSpark for that. Basically, the idea behind this is to go on you doing something. First it'll skew towards Cardio or Strength workouts, so after that information technology'll finish up with a Supportive workout (which is core/stretching typically). You'll see this on your habitation watch face dashboards:

And when you open it up it'll give y'all unlike options to suffer through. At present, these aren't tied to any specific training plan. Information technology's just a variant of 'Workout of the Twenty-four hours', with the singular goal to go on y'all moving, but ideally doing and then in a fashion that doesn't get you injured.

Depending on the blazon of workout you choose information technology'll give you the specific steps and guidance in the picket itself. There are cardio-focused running workouts with dissimilar intensities. And so there are core blazon workouts too, and for those, information technology'll give you the specific moves to do, along with animations and text for each 1:

Again, keep in mind the goal of this part isn't to be an endurance trail running coach. It'll suck at that. Instead, the goal is actually more applicable to date: To keep you fit and push you slightly with mostly varied workouts across disciplines (such every bit flexibility and strength).

Nonetheless, if you want the endurance side of things you'll want to look at the training load bits. You'll remember earlier on we saw the new weekly training summary, right?

Well, atop that there's the Polar Preparation Load Pro. There's basically three components to this: Training Load, Cardio Load, and Muscle Load.

Starting with Cardio Load Status, which shows yous whether you lot've got too much or as well little load. Yous tin meet this from the watch face, and then dive into it to go more details:

Strain is a metric showing the boilerplate daily load from the past 7 days. Whereas Tolerance shows your average daily load from the past 28 days. So basically you can look at those two values and run into the ratio as office of the number in a higher place it, such that it keeps things in bank check. Go also high, and yous're prone to injury. Too low, and you're not going to make gains. In the middle, and life is m.

You can also view this on the Polar Flow app:

Now, when it comes to Recovery Tracking, you've got a binary selection betwixt using 'Nightly Recharge', which is mostly focused on sleep tracking, or using Recovery Pro. You have to select one. Past default it's Nightly Recharge, but you can change information technology in the settings:

However, selecting Recovery Pro ways that you'll demand to suspension out that chest strap at least 3 mornings per calendar week and practise the Orthostatic test. The breast strap is required for more authentic HRV related information that'southward used for making the recovery determinations.

Somewhat handily, you tin can even specify exactly which mornings information technology'll prompt you lot to practise this:

In my instance, I just used the Nightly Recharge function – though that too will require at to the lowest degree three days of activity before it starts giving you results. So but continue that in mind. I showed those bits up in the basics section.

Ok – with all of the core sports functionality covered, let's talk about the new performance related tests.

New Performance Testing Tools:

With the Vantage V2, in that location are three new functioning tests included, and i new platform to consolidate all the tests Polar offers. The new tests are:

– Running Operation Exam
– Cycling Performance Examination
– Leg Recovery Test

This is in improver to the previously existing tests of:

– Orthostatic Test
– Fitness Test

We'll only dive correct into them, with the Running Operation Test. This test technically has ii components to it, just both are geared towards determining more accurately your VO2Max. While previously (and still currently), Polar has the Running Index score information technology gives y'all later on each run, this is apparently a bit more authentic.

To begin the exam you'll want a apartment place that's ideally without any obstacles/obstructions/stoplights/etc… In other words, you don't desire to stop, and, every bit I noticed during my examination – you actually want to avert any sharp angles, as information technology'll impact GPS accuracy a bit which in turn could cause issues in the test. To select the examination you'll open up the 'Test' menu, and and then choose the Running Performance test"

The test begins with a 10-minute warm-up. While Polar specifies Zone 1-3 on the screen, in reality the app is but programmed to piece of work for Zone one, so it alerts y'all constantly that you're annoyingly out of zone during the warm-up because you're non even so in Zone 1.

Then, yous'll commencement the principal portion of the test, where basically it always so slowly makes you go faster and faster. This section should last about x-20 minutes, but needs to last a minimum of 6 minutes. Yous can adjust the starting footstep for this portion of the test, otherwise it starts you off pretty boring (16:00/mile – basically a fast walk).

On the upper portion of the screen you lot'll come across the current target pace, below that your current actual stride, and your heart rate in the lower left. In the lower right are the current sub-maximal and Max Hr targets.

The thing just keeps marching faster and faster until you break. Call back, information technology's less most the pace (or that point in fourth dimension pace), only about your heart rate for that step, and the build into that pace. So while my test yesterday ended at 5:48/mile, that's because at that point I'd been running at an ever-increasing pace for 12 minutes. Y'all tin can see the warm-upwards (WU) and test portions below, with the absurd-down after that – and the build into information technology.

Afterward it'll requite your running VO2Max score:

And some additional data related to that:

Now, a few things notable hither. First, on my other runs last calendar week using the Running Index scoring organization I scored 63 for my VO2Max scores:

And so, that's quite a drop (way more than would normally be seen). Of grade, 63 is higher than my highest ever actual lab tested value. Meanwhile, at the same time every bit I ran the VO2Max test with the Polar Vantage V2 (score 58), I as well had a Garmin FR745 tracking my run. And information technology gave me a score of 57, without having to do any fancy test. That's pretty consistent with what it gives me each conditioning (sometimes 58).

I'd say both values are in-line with my current fettle levels, maybe 1 or 2 below how I'd do on a well rested day (which, as you saw before in this post, this day was apparently not well rested co-ordinate to the Vantage V2).

Adjacent, there'southward the Cycling Performance Test. Which, is basically an FTP test, and requires a power meter. In this case you tin pick your poison of 20/30/40/60 minutes for the cadre examination portion. Like any other FTP exam, if you lot select a lower time, it'll utilise an algorithm to extrapolate that to the total i-hour timeframe.

And similar the running test, it starts off with a warm-upwardly period, although this one is 20 minutes. And also like the running exam, while it says in the descriptive text you should build intensity and practise some sprints, it never actually gives you whatever guidance for that.

Eventually you'll get to the cadre of the test – the role that matters. Note that with both the running and cycling test, this won't automatically showtime until you press to begin this department. That's handy if y'all're trying to get to a clean spot sans traffic lights or distractions. Once set up, you begin:

It'll requite your current power, as well equally the average power for the time.

And unfortunately, this is equally much as I can prove y'all.

I've now taken the FTP twice in the last few days, and both times it failed. It, non me. The outset fourth dimension I paired it to a Tacx NEO 2 trainer, and every bit I started the main portion of the test dropouts occurred via Bluetooth Smart, and eventually it concluded the examination due to lack of information. Other units I was using weren't seeing dropouts (via ANT+).

So on Monday I tried the exam over again. This time at the function (every bit opposed to home, in case wireless issues were a problem), and with a different wheel on a unlike trainer. This fourth dimension I paired it to the Quarq DZero power meter (which is on the approved list), and began. I completed the warm-up and began the main clamper of the examination without result:

So, some thirteen minutes into the painful function of the test, the connection dropped out, and the examination also forcibly failed.

This sucked, because FTP tests are no fun – and further, you've gear up bated time for doing information technology, time away from a normally scheduled workout (including the lead-upward to it).

Maybe this was a i-off, I don't know. Polar says they haven't had whatsoever reports of this happening elsewhere, and they're digging into it. So, for the purposes of discussion – let'south just gear up that aside. Let'due south say it'due south a 'me' trouble. Ok.

But here'due south the affair: In 2020, both for this and the running test, virtually platforms are moving abroad from doing frequent 1-off testing. Most platforms are moving towards leveraging your bodily workout/preparation data to practise that analytics for you, then y'all don't need to accept off time in your schedule for a test. We've seen Xert doing that, Today'southward Plan doing that, and Polar's spotter/wheel figurer competitors just giving you lot those values in existent-time as you lot complete workouts.

Sure, others like TrainerRoad do include a monthly exam scheduled within most of their plans – only even that is a RAMP test, which is far more common these days than setting bated hour as per the Polar routine (20 mins warm-upwards, 20 mins cadre exam, xx mins cool-down). The RAMP test is over in 20 minutes total.

The other somewhat empty-headed challenge I realized here is that I yet need *another* non-Polar device to actually do the test on a trainer (which, is what Polar and anybody else recommends for FTP tests). That'south because the Polar Vantage V2 won't command your trainer'south resistance. Then in my case I had to employ a Garmin Border device to command the trainer and gear up the target wattages. And that gets fifty-fifty more complex if you're  using your trainer as your power meter for the Polar device, since all merely the Wahoo KICKR only let for a single concurrent Bluetooth Smart connectedness (and the Vantage V2 doesn't connect via Ant+).

In any example, moving on to the last particular, the new Leg Recovery Exam. This test is designed to help yous determine if your legs are drawn, by performing three standing jumps in a row.

These 3 jumps are and then measured to centimeter accuracy by the unit and compared against a rolling baseline for the final 28 days. If the deviation is more than than vii% lower, it's adamant that your legs aren't fully recovered. Interestingly, that data is actually fed into FitSpark, for deciding on which workouts will be given. So that'south a skillful example of using the data to drive decisions.

Finally, Polar has started rolling out a new Test Dashboard on Polar Period, which consolidates all your tests into one spot:

Y'all'll see all the testing types, as well equally drop-downward filters for each type. Now, given this feature has simply rolled out, and I've simply got a few jump tests and a successful running test (my failed cycling tests interestingly don't show upward here), the data is kinda slim. Still, long term I similar the dashboard look:

Ok, wrapping things up – as I said earlier, I think the tests are useful to some, but in full general it'due south not the direction the industry is trending. Likewise, for cycling, I'd really have preferred they'd included a RAMP test in at that place. Just hey, I suppose there'southward always room for improvement.

For the bound tests related to leg recovery, those are indeed quick and easy tests to practice that take a few seconds and can easily exist done each solar day without impacting your normal preparation load/recovery, so those actually make quite a scrap of tests.

GPS & HR Accuracy:

There's likely no topic that stirs as much discussion and passion every bit GPS accuracy.  A watch could fall apart and requite you dire electric shocks while doing so, but if it shows y'all on the wrong side of the route?  Oh hell no, bring on the fury of the internet!

GPS accurateness can be looked at in a number of dissimilar ways, but I prefer to wait at information technology using a number of devices in real-world scenarios across a vast number of activities.  I employ 2-half dozen other devices at once, trying to get a clear motion picture of how a given prepare of devices handles conditions on a certain day.  Conditions include everything from tree/building cover to weather.

Over the years, I've connected to tweak my GPS testing methodology.  For case, I don't place two units adjacent to each other on my wrists, as that can touch signal. If I do so, I'll put a thin material spacer of well-nigh 1"/3cm between them (I didn't exercise that on any of my Polar Vantage V2 activities notwithstanding, all workouts merely had a single device per wrist).  But frequently I'll simply carry other units by the straps, or attach them to the shoulder straps of my hydration haversack.  Plus, wearing multiple watches on the same wrist is well known to impact optical HR accuracy.

Meanwhile, for Hr accuracy testing I'm typically wearing a chest strap (commonly the Garmin HRM-DUAL or newer HRM-PRO, but also the Polar H10, but or Polar H9) as well as some other optical 60 minutes sensor watch on the bicep (lately the Whoop band and/or Polar OH1 Plus). Notation that the numbers you see in the upper right corner are *not* the averages, simply rather just the exact point my mouse is sitting over.  Annotation all this data is analyzed using the DCR Analyzer, details here.

To begin, nosotros're actually going to go with my Running Performance Test from yesterday, taking a look at both Hour accuracy and GPS accuracy. For GPS accuracy, the test started off more often than not in the copse for the warm-upwardly, since GPS accuracy was less important at that signal in the test. This is compared against a Garmin FR745 and a Fitbit Versa 3. Hither'due south that data:

At a high level nosotros see some slight differences. Then zooming into a few spots during the warm-upwardly we run across some slight variances from all three. In general the FR745 is on the path the most, with the Vantage V2 close behind, and the Fitbit Versa 3 a bit more than variable.

As we hit the straightaway (but under tree cover), the Polar and Garmin are pretty much a launder, whereas the Fitbit is generally off deeper in the trees picking mushrooms or something.

Making a 90° turn, the Polar nailed this one, with the Garmin & Fitbit devices undercutting the turn. Interestingly however, despite taking this turn at speed (and that it then goes downhill slightly), the actual footstep displayed on the Vantage V2 did noticeably driblet, which was of item annotation given it was in the eye of the VO2Max test and started giving 'behind pace' type alerts.

However, afterward that point in the wide open cycle path with nothing on either side, the Polar was off past quite a bit – more than a 2-lane roadway away, the Garmin spot-on, and the Fitbit merely very slightly off:

Meanwhile, taking a await at the HR accuracy during that run tells an oddly like story. Hither's the Polar Vantage V2 vs Polar OH1 Plus (optical arm ring) vs Fitbit Versa iii, and then the HRM-RUN chest strap.

As you can see, the HRM-PRO had the most right and gradual build-up of data at the starting time, but the optical HR sensors were also far behind. The Polar Vantage V2 stuttered at the 2-minute mark for a fleck. The slight stutter from purple line of the HRM-PRO was simply me adjusting it at the 3-minute mark. It's been interesting to come across how much more visible the adjustments of the strap is on the HRM-PRO than other chest straps.

We see that for the most part for the outset 10 minutes the units are adequately close, though around the viii-9 infinitesimal mark during one of the sprints I did as part of the warm-up that it caused the Fitbit to struggle, and and so slightly caught the Polar Vantage V2 off-baby-sit. The Polar OH1 and HRM-PRO were basically identical there.

While the Fitbit is mostly a mess equally the intensity gets higher, the Polar Vantage V2 isn't perfect either. In fact, you can encounter numerous spikes throughout, something I've consistently seen on the Polar Grit X since launch (I frequently utilize it in testing):

And simply before the VO2Max examination ends, nosotros see the biggest divergence here, with the Vantage V2 overestimating me at 194bpm, versus the chest strap at 182 and the OH1 at 187. Meanwhile, the Fitbit Versa 3 is at 169.

And so overall on that i, information technology'south non terribly skillful, in particular at the height of the VO2Max test, which might touch on my results for that exam really. While the 60 minutes got back into line only every bit the test ended, did that wrong fasten impact things? I don't know.

Next, allow's wait at a rails conditioning. Cause everyone likes a track workout for both GPS testing. This time against the Apple Watch Series six, Garmin FR745, and Fitbit Versa 3. In this case, I was using the Vantage V2 with the Polar OH1 Plus for the heart rate portion, and then we won't be evaluating that aspect as part of this set up.

As the test began, all units correctly managed to mostly plot the route down the middle of the tree lined path:

And they all kinda-sorta made it out of the massive pile of bridges/tunnels/overpasses without any massive incidents. Not perfect by any ways, but the Apple Spotter was definitely the winner here.

Meanwhile, over at the track things were actually pretty good. Yous'll come across a single ruddy line across the infield – that'south my error. After one of the intervals I hit the pause instead of lap button, and and so realized information technology about a 100m later. But everyone actually stayed roughly in the rail, which is proficient.

The FR745 was in running track style, so it's even scarier how close it is. It only shows the exists/entrances, every bit I was curious if I could commencement information technology off-track (the answer is yeah, simply you lot but can't quite get too shut to the rails on the arrival, or it snaps in like it does below).

Merely overall, the Polar Vantage V2 did pretty proficient here – no complaints. Also, for fun, while I wasn't using the Vantage V2's optical 60 minutes sensor, I was using the Polar OH1 Plus sensor paired to it. No drib-outs or such. And merely in case there was any uncertainty on accuracy (or, lack thereof in one unit's example):

Moving forth again, this time to an easier run. I don't really need to re-hash all the details on this 1, it's pretty obvious that the units are fairly shut, except the Vantage V2 does suffer briefly effectually the 3 infinitesimal marker. While the Fitbit Versa three spikes a few times effectually the 21 and 26 infinitesimal markers, both times afterward stopping at lights/etc and resuming running again.

From a GPS accurateness standpoint, all units were really pretty good on this metropolis run. With only the Fitbit Versa 3 struggling occasionally (although, not hugely):

They all correctly managed to plot their way through the Rijksmuseum edifice underpass, though the Fitbit and and Polar units did hose upward slightly a plow shortly thereafter back into the park – both of them going off into the water and buildings.

Changing scenery once more, what about an outdoors ride? Well, that's a hot mess. And then, I made the Polar Vantage V2 hot pink to illustrate that. Note the sections between the two lines are when I realized I had a conference telephone call, so I stopped to have it on the side of the road.

I could analyze all these sections, but you can encounter pretty conspicuously it's bad. Actually bad. Which, is basically what I saw with the Polar Grit 10 as well.

On the right side, GPS accuracy was perfectly fine:

For this road I was over at an outdoor cycling track, that loops around and around. And so information technology'south a good test of repeatability, and things were spot-on then.

Finally, equally for an indoor cycling workout – heart-rate wise that handled much better:

Ok, with that – wrapping things upward a scrap, I'd say that HR accuracy was basically what we saw with the Grit 10, which makes sense every bit it'southward the same sensor at that place, though, unfortunately that means I don't become every bit good of accuracy as the original Polar Vantage serial sensor.

For GPS accuracy, things are pretty much par for the course with what I run across from virtually GPS watches these days, no major outliers (skilful or bad) in any of the data sets, nor in any of my daily commutes I recorded hither and there either (by and large through the city). So all expert and acceptable there.

(Note: All of the charts in these accuracy sections were created using the DCR Analyzer tool.  It allows y'all to compare ability meters/trainers, middle rate, cadence, speed/pace, GPS tracks and plenty more. Yous can use information technology as well for your own gadget comparisons, more details here .)

Summary:

Overall, the Polar Vantage V2 is a minor upgrade to the original Vantage V unit, incorporating the largely software-driven updates of the Grit X from this past spring, with weight reductions and changes to the optical 60 minutes sensor. The new performance testing features may be useful to those that are looking to nautical chart more than specifically their progress in cycling or running, or perhaps figure out if their legs are recovered in the gym.

I think the Vantage V2 may be challenged in that information technology doesn't really have a ton of features that are going to draw existing Vantage V owners to it. Sure, some will – specially those that may have held out on buying the Dust X, despite wanting those new features. So for that oversupply, this helps basically give people what they want in terms of the extra training/recovery focused elements.

Merely, I don't know if those new testing components are enough to depict away new sales from competitors – that'due south a much tougher pitch, specially when compared against both what COROS has at a substantially lower toll indicate, or Garmin has at the verbal same price indicate. Information technology puts Polar in a bit of a tough bind with this offering, in that the COROS Step 2 is priced to attract a beginner, whereas the Garmin FR745 feature set (including music) and identical price as the Vantage V2 somehow brand the FR745 toll seem reasonable now.

Nevertheless, Polar has committed to more firmware updates throughout the balance of the year, and so possibly we'll see additional characteristic upgrades beyond that, merely as nosotros did with the Vantage Series for the first 18 months or so.

With that – thanks for reading!

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Hopefully you lot found this review useful. At the cease of the day, I'm an athlete but like you looking for the most item possible on a new buy – and then my review is written from the standpoint of how I used the device. The reviews more often than not take a lot of hours to put together, so it'south a fair flake of work (and labor of love). As yous probably noticed by looking below, I too take time to answer all the questions posted in the comments – and there'south quite a scrap of detail in there besides.

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Thanks for reading! And equally always, feel complimentary to post comments or questions in the comments department beneath, I'll be happy to effort and respond them as quickly as possible. And lastly, if you felt this review was useful – I e'er appreciate feedback in the comments below. Cheers!

Found This Mail Useful? Support The Site!

Hopefully y'all found this review useful. At the finish of the twenty-four hours, I'm an athlete but like you looking for the most detail possible on a new purchase – so my review is written from the standpoint of how I used the device. The reviews generally take a lot of hours to put together, and so it's a fair fleck of work (and labor of love). As you lot probably noticed by looking beneath, I also take fourth dimension to reply all the questions posted in the comments – and there'due south quite a bit of detail in at that place too.

If you lot're shopping for the Polar Vantage V2 or any other accessory items, delight consider using the affiliate links below! Equally an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It doesn't cost you anything extra, but your purchases aid support this website a lot. Even more, if you use Backcountry.com or Competitive Cyclist with coupon code DCRAINMAKER, first time users salvage fifteen% on applicable products!

Here's a few other variants or sibling products that are worth considering:

And finally, hither'due south a handy listing of accessories that piece of work well with this unit (and some that I showed in the review). Given the unit pairs with only about any Bluetooth Smart sport sensors, you can use simply almost anything though.

And of course – you can always sign-up to be a DCR Supporter! That gets yous an ad-free DCR, access to the DCR Quarantine Corner video serial packed with backside the scenes tidbits...and information technology as well makes you crawly. And being awesome is what it's all virtually!

Thanks for reading! And as always, experience costless to post comments or questions in the comments section beneath, I'll be happy to try and answer them as quickly as possible. And lastly, if you felt this review was useful – I e'er appreciate feedback in the comments beneath. Thank you!

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