Polar Vantage V2 First Look!

Polar sent me this at no charge, and I was not paid for this video. I'm also member of their affiliate program. Please click the link below to support my channel and buy a Polar Vantage V2!

https://shrsl.com/2kxd3

A few months ago, my friends at Polar sent me the Vantage V, and not long after that they sent me the Grit X. I had ample time to review the Vantage V, and just as I was starting to fall in love with the Grit - they sent me this - the new - and improved - Vantage V2. So, since I’ve only had it a few weeks, let’s take a quick first look at the new features.

Now, I’m gonna try to keep this short but that might be hard because the V2 is really a huge leap ahead of the V….one. If you’re looking at either one (or the Grit), then there’s a good chance you’re more than just a casual athlete. You’re competitive, you like to challenge yourself, you have two or three big events on your calendar and you’re probably in the middle of a training program that needs all the measurable results it can get. But at the same time, your BIGGEST challenge is maintaining the balance between real life, training, and recovery.

And, if you take the time to learn how this watch works...and then listen to what it tells you I think that balance will be easier to achieve. So, let’s go through the specific features and updates that I think will help. Keep in mind that I’m viewing this through the eyes of a cyclist - not a runner. So, I may leave a few things out that I don’t find relevant.

Up first, you get a host of testing options: Running and Cycling Performance, Fitness, Orthostatic, and Leg Recovery. The cycling test has 20,30,40, and 60 minute options and in concert with your power meter it will triangulate your functional threshold power (FTP) and the V2 can also estimate your V02 Max AND your Watts per Kilogram.

The leg recovery test is as simple as jumping up and down three times, and you can use it to determine when your legs are recovered enough for an optimal speed or strength workout. This will also influence how the cool FitSpark feature prescribes your daily cross-training workouts, and it also factors into the Training Load feature, which helps paint a comprehensive picture of the individual status of your cardio load, your muscle load, and your perceived effort.

But, perhaps the biggest leap forward for the V2 is the improved sleep tracking, which combines the training data with data collected by the Sleep Plus Stages feature to spit out a Nightly Recharge measurement - all of which is displayed in the Polar Flow App.

Sounds like a lot, I know. But I promise that once you dive into the process and setup, it’s all pretty intuitive. I’ll post a more exhaustive review on my experience in the coming months.

But before I go, let’s take a quick look at the watch itself. The aluminum case is entirely new, and SIGNIFICANTLY lighter than before. When you look at the V1 and V2 side by side you can actually see where they’ve shaved weight here and there. The HR sensor has been updated as well, and you also get onboard music controls - which is REALLY cool if you’re using AirPods or any other bluetooth device that doesn’t have a volume control. Last but not least, the band has a quick change pin system but what none of the press from Polar highlights is the new inner surface of the band. And to me, this is probably the one feature that really puts the V2 over the top. It seems to be a little less flexible than the V1 band, BUT because it’s not textured it’s actually a lot more comfortable. To be honest, I really couldn’t sleep in the V1. It was jussssst uncomfortable enough to be noticeable. The inner surface on the V2 has a teflon-like feel, and when you combine that with the NOTICEABLY lower weight of the watch, and the smooth back case it simply vanishes when you wear it to bed - making all that stuff I just mentioned entirely within reach and useable.