Introduced at CES last week, the new Polar V800 is a sleek wristwatch-based, function-packed GPS computer. The new Polar V800 is targeted as a powerful tool for multisport athletes looking to get the most out of their personal training programs while using a single device.
It combines the new trend of wearable health monitoring tech (like the Polar Fitness Tracker bracelet introduced at Interbike) with a multisport computer, providing constant accelerometer-based tracking of the wearer’s activity 24/7, including day-to-day activity and specific training sessions. With this additional data, it’s able to give you a better understanding of training loads and individual recovery needs.
More details after the break…
The Polar V800 is packed with technology, including: a barometric pressure sensor altimeter; several internal accelerometers; Bluetooth Smart connectivity to add heart rate, cadence, speed, or stride sensors; in addition to low power GPS-based location, distance, and speed tracking. And it’s all controlled with a touch screen interface. It’s even waterproofed to allow heart rate tracking underwater while swimming. Power meter compatibility is coming this summer, likely timed for the coming release of the updated Bluetooth Keo/Polar Power Pedals. It should also be able to read data from Stages‘, Powertap and any other Bluetooth PM at that time.
The device is optimized for data analysis within the Polar Flow web tools and their iOS/Android Polar Flow app, the latter able to connect with the device via Bluetooth for wireless training data uploads. Battery life is rated at 14hr of hardcore training, 50hr of low power GPS tracking for less intense activity, and 30 days in the basic watch mode with daily activity tracking.
All of the display fields on the device are customizable, too, so you can tweak the visible data for cycling, running, swimming, triathlon, skiing, or pretty much whatever other activity you dream up.
With the Bluetooth Smart connectivity and GPS capabilities, this could also turn out to be one of the smallest full-function cycling computers available, and maybe the first watch to pair with a power meter once that update comes online at the start of the summer. Triathletes, go ahead and dance a little jig now. Add in the the 24/7 tracking and recovery planning, and it looks like there isn’t much this watch won’t do. Which is probably good, ’cause it doesn’t come cheap.
The V800 will be available in April for $450, or $500 including the heart rate strap, which is actually pretty competitive considering what it does, but you’ll have to weigh whether the waterproof wearability, all-day motion tracking and altimeter are worth paying for when many smartphone apps already handle most of the other features.
