Review on 🏃 Polar Vantage V" - The Ultimate GPS Multisport Watch for Triathlon & Multisport Training with Heart Rate Monitor, Running Power & Waterproof Design by Jordan Serba

UPDATE: After 2 months of heavy use I'm incredibly disappointed with the Polar Vantage V. I can no longer recommend this device for two reasons. 1) Inaccurate heart rate reading - heart rate is incredibly inconsistent both during exercise and while stationary. I've experimented a lot with strap tension (tight or loose), contact area (hair or skin, wet or dry), activity level (moving or standing), etc., and unfortunately my heart rate was often completely inaccurate. Even my cheap optical sensors have much better tracking. 2) Useless customer support. After mentioning heart rate issues, Polar support gave me the same general answer as the other reviewer here. I don't feel like they are aware of the issue or intend to fix it. Unfortunately, a company is only as good as its support, so don't expect too much here. It is possible that these issues will be addressed in a future firmware update, but for now I would not recommend this product to anyone serious about fitness. ORIGINAL REVIEW: As an avid runner and even bigger gadget and data geek, I was blown away when I first saw the Polar Vantage V (what's better than 3 LEDs? 9 LEDs!). I've been using the same running watch for years and have experimented with countless other trackers with varying degrees of success. In general, the Vantage V made a pretty strong impression on me. In terms of training and accuracy, I couldn't find a good competitor on the market. Pros: - Heart rate is amazingly accurate when running/exercising. I checked with my chest strap next to it and the Vantage was generally within 5 bpm. It was the biggest and most pleasant surprise (especially considering my rather hairy wrists) - Accurate GPS. I was concerned about the GPS from other reviews but had no problems. For what it's worth, I have no problem running around town next to tall buildings. - Great design. The sleek, minimalist design means you can wear this watch day after day without the world knowing you're triathlon in your sleep. The watch and bracelet fit my wrist oddly. The watch feels snug and secure, doesn't choke my wrist. The touchscreen responds very well and doesn't stutter. Cons: Surprisingly poor sleep tracking. In an era where wrist devices track up to 4 stages of sleep, the Vantage V only tracks 2 (sleep/wake). Hopefully Polar will improve this with future software updates. - Lack of customization. No custom watch faces, no custom goals, no third-party integrations, no fun tweaks for gadget lovers. Battery life is a bit slower than expected. I get about 4 days without a watch with continuous heart rate monitoring during exercise every 1-2 days - Heart rate sometimes goes up when I'm resting. My other devices may show 60bpm but Polar spikes to 90bpm for a few minutes. The tips don't appear in my daily summary, so it could be a software bug. Overall, I'm very impressed with the Vantage V's design, quality and performance. The software could use some tweaking, but thankfully Polar seems to be aware of that.