Polar Vantage M - Advanced GPS HRM Sports Watch for Men and Women - Running and Multisport Training with Wrist-based Heart Rate Monitor (Waterproof, Lightweight Design & Latest Technology)

This is my review after a month of use. I will probably update it once I’ve had the watch longer, but so far it’s brilliant. I’ve previously used a Fitbit Blaze to monitor my heart rate while running but wanted more out of the watch. This does everything I need. GPS is one of the main features I wanted along with manual lap marking for intervals. I regularly go out running now without all the paraphernalia (phone, headphones, armband) I can just start the watch and go. As some others may have mentioned, my only niggle is that sometimes the GPS does take a long time to initiate. The watch is easy to navigate and setup. There’s no touch screen but not a feature that the watch really needs. It’s easy to get around with the side buttons. On the right side the middle button does all the confirmations and the buttons above and below navigate the info screens and menus. I’ve had no issues with accuracy. In fact I’d say it’s even improved as my Parkrun measurements are much closer to the actual race distance. The polar flow app and webpage are also easy to work around. The webpage obviously displaying more info and the ability to set specific run/ activity goals by calendar. The performance feedback is also easier to understand than Strava’s fitness feedback in my opinion. This is a stunning watch.

As a GPS HRM, it works really well, is very accurate against benchmarks & pre-determined maps, for cycling, running and OW Swimming. The only issue I've has with it to date is it isn't that accurate in a pool, missing a number of turns. It's able to recognise different strokes, but not always the turn a the end of a length. This provides flawed pool swim metrics. So for example, you swim an 800 in 12:00, it records a 725 in 12:00, very different pace... Is worse when doing back / breast strokes. Other than that, it's ace, and for 90% of what I do it's perfect, and I can live without putting pool workouts on Strava. There may be a future software upgrade that cures it, who knows. Think it's still better than any alternative under £500

The watch is really nice and it is not heavy. The presentation is ok. It comes on a box with the charger and a little manual. I was used to have a RC3 GPS. Pros > Got a lot of sports and you can change the way you see the time. The GPS works very quickly and you can monitor your heart rate every time. Also has a sleep meassurement. Cons > The heart rate is not accurate. Really bad one. I was running at 4:00 per KM and my heart rate was 118 which is really very low. Also, you can not change the view of the sports. On RC3 GPS you could select what you want to see. Anyway is a nice watch, but no accurate on the heart rate.

I have waited for nearly five months of use before writing this review, mainly because I wanted to give the watch a fair try. I had read some very negative reviews about it and to be honest was taking a leap of faith when I bought it. However, I should never have worried. This is my fourth Polar device and by far the best!! If you are looking for a no nonsense accurate device to record your training sessions, and look good as your day to day watch, then this is the device for you. I train 4-5 times each week, with a varied range of activities from circuit training, running, swimming, cycling, both indoors and outside. I have found the Vantage has recorded all activities accurately and reliably. I do wear the H10 HRM most of the time, but even without I find the Vantage keeps an accurate record of my HR. It is a sturdy watch with a decent strap - believe me I put these areas to test every day!! Coupled with the continuing development of the supporting App, I have found this to be a brilliant device and would recommend to any day to day sportsman.

I nearly bought an Apple watch 3 but stayed with Polar after owning pervious watches that I loved even if they looked a bit utilitarian. They have arguably changed my life, health and fitness wise. The new Vantage M really blows me away. PROs The sleep tracking is so detailed it reads if you are stressed and suggests improvements, can sense if perhaps you are falling ill, the exercises are fantastic and helped with a night time stiff back, the screen when you are doing exercise (see outside of box) is amazing I use it mostly for cycling, the battery life is off the scale even if you use GPS its easy a week and seems to fast charge in no time. It looks great - still with a slightly big bezel and the watch display is a bit boring. It takes a of time to work out that each watch display has an option behind it and the sheer depth on information on the app and exercises but in a week or so you are up to speed. The only negative I have is that the heart rate accuracy when doing exercise can under estimate your heart rate unless you have it located exactly where it should be and tight-ish (slightly too tight for my liking) so to save a visit to Polar site a good index finger above wrist bone and tight enough that pushing both sides of strap does not lift the watch enough to see the hear rate lights. IN a nutshell take some time with this watch and follow its recommendations its excellent. After some months of use a little update. Turn on the night time do not disturb otherwise screen will light up and wake you up when watch near your face sleeping. Second point has irritated me more. I notice when road cycling and short sprinting (circa 30 sec) up a hill absolutely full gas that sends me into the red watch shows me green until I'm over the hill and recovering. If I do this several times in a ride it underestimates effort and all the clever analysis tells me to to do more! I asked Polar and they said all optical have their flaws and buy a £80 heart rate strap like I had with my old polar F5 donkeys years ago. Thats not why I spent £200 on a smart watch with cutting edge sensors and not £25 on a cheap smart watch. The fix is that the sampling needs a "dynamic" mode that would reduce the exceptional battery life but provide a more accurate HR monitor. FINAL Bought for £53 strap and now all hr super precise. It does underestimate time in red without the strap. Should be sold as a pair.

Used for almost a month, the running programme has got me back into that, alongside weights. Lost 6% body fat during momth. The hr zones i auto calibrated and do seem about right, e.g i can run for relevant times in the different zones. Seen gains on fit test and running score over that time. No way of checking accuracy though as I don't have the chest strap. The online stuff is great too, with detailed feedback and editable sections, really useful for me as I can add weight, reps and sets onto the strength sessions. Only criticism I'd have is that the running programme sessions, that match up with fitspark sessions, do not have the same graphics on watch and instead you have to be near something to watch the video provided workout instead. I'd say you'd need to be able to use the online stuff alongside the watch to make the most of this one though.

It's a great watch especially if you plan to use it mainly outdoors. The permanently 'on' screen is optimised for outdoor use, and is so dim indoors even with the backlight, that unless you have hawk-like vision it is a struggle to read. That was a deal-breaker for me and a real shame given the watch is good in so many other ways - it had to go back. In short, if you train outdoors it's fine, but indoors (and not in a super brightly lit space) it is a big question mark.

Bought as an upgrade to my M430 as I was getting frustrated with the limited battery life and touch screen bugs - turns out unit was faulty and I did receive a refund but I decided to keep the Vantage M. Battery life - I only charge it once a week, which is perfect for me, as I run 5 says a week and feel like I am constantly plugged into some charger or other. GPS - takes a little while to connect but no more than a minute, never showed an incorrect recording or map so far. HR - wrist based heart rates are sometimes a little dodge but so far it seems to have served me well. I have manually inputted my HR zones as they were too long for peak performance and they work for me much better now. Ease of us - menus are easy to navigate. I know there was a bit of feedback that the buttons are slippy, but I've never had an issue whilst running. I actually find it easier to use than my previous touch screen which disliked cold or sweaty hands! Polar flow/cardio load - I'm an absolute data junkie and the app/desktop site is amazing for getting all my stats through on. Cardio load is really handy for monitoring your current strain. For me it does everything I nee it to, at a cheaper price than the equivalent Garmin.