Multi-sport GPS watches have grown to be more accurate at recording stats, more versatile at tracking different sports, and more efficient at providing the necessary information to their users. What they haven’t gotten better at is extending the battery life, requiring you to charge them on a daily basis if you frequently use your sports watch with the GPS switched on. The Polar Grit X changes that.
You know how most GPS sports watches run for 20 hours or less with all functions turned on? That won’t be the case here, as Polar claims that the wearable can run for up to 40 hours between charges even with every single sensor, including the GPS and the heart rate monitor, running. So yeah, instead of charging every day, you can change up your schedule to every other day, making it just a tad more convenient than whatever model of Garmin, Suunto, or Casio GPS watch you’re currently using.
The Polar Grit X’s 40-hour battery life is only applicable, of course, if you have everything running at the same time at all times. If you use the power save option, which turns the sensors on and off as needed, you can stretch that to a whopping 100 hours, all while lasting up to seven days if you turn off the GPS permanently. Suffice to say, this battery will last far longer than any other GPS sports watch in the market, making that the absolute primary reason to even consider picking this up.
Of course, it’s also highly capable at its job. Aside from the GPS and heart rate monitor, it also comes with a compass, altimeter, and all the other usual sensors found in activity trackers, which it uses to track your stats during running, cycling, swimming, and over 130 other activities, including, of course, your sleep cycle. You can use the watch to plan all your training, analyze results, and even get advice from the built-in “smart coaching” feature. According to the outfit, the smart coaching can prepare daily workouts, design adaptive training plans, and get all sorts of feedback about your overall fitness.
The Polar Grit X won’t just actively monitor all your physical activity, it can also let you plan your running, cycling, or hiking route, all while sending you regular alerts to make sure you’re staying in the right path. Want turn-by-turn guidance? That’s available here, so you can explore the trails the same way you explore all the tiny streets in your city. That is, with a virtual voice telling you where and when to turn.
The watch has a 47mm case, so this is a pretty big thing to have on your wrist, with a durable stainless steel construction and a glass-reinforced polymer on the back cover. It has an always-on 1.2-inch round touchscreen display, so you can interact directly via touch controls, while a 346mAh battery provides the impressive batter life. Other features include water resistance up to 100 meters, a silicone band, and compatibility with many existing sensors (such as those for cycling, power, and cadence, among others) for even greater precision.
The Polar Grit X is priced at $429.95.