- With so many watches and other options on the market,
finding the right one for you,
can be a pretty daunting task.
So thanks to our partners at Polar,
today in this video,
we're going to be comparing three very different devices.
From a general activity level watchless app,
all the way through to a brand-new exciting pro-level watch,
at the other end of the spectrum.
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I've chosen three products today.
First up, we have this, the optical heart rate sensor,
which you can actually use without a watch,
or even a phone.
Then, we have this mid-range sports watch,
which you've probably spotted me wearing in previous videos.
And then, you won't have seen much of this one yet.
It is a brand new, top-of-the-range, sports watch.
These all have very different functionality,
and therefore, are targeted at different users.
So, to you help you work out which might suit your needs,
we're going to be taking a closer look at each one,
and then comparing all three.
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We'll start with the more entry-level device.
This, the optical heart rate sensor
and fitness tracker, the OH1.
Now it's aimed at those who like to do sport to keep fit,
but don't necessary have race goals.
And it's got the benefit of not needing a watch.
So you've got no distraction whilst you're working out.
Although, on the flip side,
you'll have no feedback whatsoever,
or at least from a watch.
But more on that in a moment.
All right, let's take a closer look.
The actual OH1 itself, fits into the strap,
which you can then wear on your arm,
or your leg, either upper or lower.
And I personally prefer to wear it on my upper arm,
as I find it's quite accurate there,
and most comfortable.
You can use the OH1 for a variety of sports.
You just need to select which one,
using the Polar Beat app.
And then, you can leave your phone at home.
So today, I can go for a run
without needing a watch or a phone.
And this can measure my heart rate.
It'll be able to calculate my training benefit
and calculate my estimated calories.
And sometimes, it's just quite nice to go out for a run,
with no distraction of numbers.
If however, you want more data from your activity,
you can take your phone with you.
You can actually look at your statistics as you go along.
So for running, for example,
I could see my route, my pace, my distance,
and then afterwards, once I've downloaded it,
I can actually analyse it in more detail
using the Polar Flow.
However, if you take your sport a little more seriously,
and are looking for something
to assist you with your training
and give you feedback as you go,
then a watch like this
could be more of what you're looking for.
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Next up, we have this, the M430.
And this watch also uses the OH1 technology,
so it can measure your heart rate
whilst wearing it on your wrist.
It's perfect for those athletes
who want to track their sports and training,
without the need of any other device.
Whilst also being comfortable
to wear on the wrist all the time,
making it double up nicely as an activity tracker,
for those watching their steps in their sleep.
First up, I should state the obvious.
It is a watch, but on top of being able to tell the time,
it can be used for a multitude of sports.
And importantly for us,
obviously it can be used
for swimming, cycling, and running.
But it's on the run, that it comes into its own.
With this watch, you can actually look at your data,
whilst you're running along.
So you can choose to have your heart rate,
your pace, the distance that you've run.
You can actually choose the settings
that are on your screen.
And then beyond that,
you can actually even measure your cadence
and your stride length.
On top of its functions within the individual sports,
it also tracks your activity throughout the day.
And as athletes, we're always looking at the bigger picture.
And there's a key area that it will monitor,
and that is your sleep.
So it'll measure your sleep time,
and it will also give an estimate
to the quality of that sleep.
If you're looking to train for triathlon,
and need constant feedback,
this watch will suit you.
It does lack swimming detail,
and a race function for triathlon,
but I personally use it for the three separate sports
to look at my overall activity,
and recovery levels from day-to-day.
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And finally, we head to the top-end of the spectrum.
It's a newer addition to the Polar collection.
It's this watch, the Vantage V.
The Vantage V has all of the features
of the mid-range watch and some interesting,
and very unique additions.
Now, this watch also uses optical sensor
for measuring your heart rate.
But to make it even more accurate,
it actually has skin contact here,
that goes against your wrist.
And again, it is a multi-sport watch.
So I'm gonna start,
by looking at it on the bike.
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One of the unique features about this watch
is the fact that you can see your power for running,
but also for cycling,
as long as you have a Bluetooth compatible power metre.
You can actually look at your numbers
whilst wearing it on your wrist.
Or if you want to have slightly better visibility,
you can even take your watch off your wrist,
and mount it onto your bike,
like a bike computer.
This watch, just like the others,
connects to Polar Flow,
but it has the additional features
of Training Load Pro and Recovery Pro.
Now these basically measure the stress and the load
that your body is going through with training,
but also with your everyday life.
As I already mentioned,
this watch can show you your power for running
and for cycling.
But groundbreaking part,
is the fact that you don't actually need a foot pod.
It measure the power purely from within the watch.
And it does that,
by measuring the speed changing
within the altitude grade
using a barometer that's inside of here.
So, then it also can give you your running economy,
as you're going along.
We've covered running and cycling,
but this watch is a multi-sport watch.
So importantly for triathlon,
it has some new swimming features.
It can do open water tracking.
It can give you your distance, your speed,
even your strokes per minute.
And on top of that,
it could actually take your heart rate whilst your swimming.
If you compete in full-distance Ironman Triathlon's,
or ultra-endurance events,
you'll be pleased to know,
that this actually has an active battery life
of 40 hours.
That said, it is slightly heavier
and a bit larger than the mid-range watch,
but I would say the benefits outweigh the downside.
And I am very excited to go out and train with this.
As you can see, there is so much to consider
when you're choosing a new sports watch,
or wearable fitness tracker.
But it is exciting that there are so many options out there.
And the best bet, is to start by working backwards.
So think about what it is
you want to get out of such a device.
If, for example, you're a pro triathlete,
or you're wanting to train like a pro,
then you might want to consider something
like the Vantage V.
And remember, it isn't purely
what the watch does on your wrist,
but also the data you can get from it,
and the analysis you can then do
to help you train.
In my mind, if it's going to help you train smarter,
then it has to a wise investment.
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And if you are curious to know
what goes into the makings of these products,
we've actually done a tour of the Polar factory.
And you can see that, just here.