Polar announces the V800, “Chosen by Champions”

Polar recently announced a new GPS watch that is specifically designed for triathletes. While Polar certainly isn’t new to the sports watch market, the V800 is their most advanced and best product yet, and includes a number of sensors in order to cover all 3 of the sports in a triathlon – swimming, running and cycling. It’s called the V800, and Polar describes it as being “Chosen by Champions.”

The watch is one of many expected wearable devices to be announced at CES this year, and it offers a very easy to use system. In fact, at the touch of a button you can access up to 4 weeks of training data. Not only is it easy to use, but it is also durable, and has a layer of Gorilla Glass with a high contrast display that’s designed specifically for low-light situations.

The watch offers up to 14 hours of training time on a charge, or 50 hours in low power GPS mode, OR even 30 days in time mode with 24/7 monitoring.

Not only does the device monitor your training sessions, but when you’re not training it can also be used as an everyday activity tracker. It also connects wirelessly with your smartphone, so future updates to the software could include things like SMS support, making it more of a smartwatch. To find out more, check out the press release below!

Polar V800 with integrated GPS gives demanding athletes a true picture of their recovery status

Polar today unveiled the world’s smartest and most advanced training computer. Designed for professional athletes and demanding amateurs for whom sport is a way of life, the new Polar V800 with integrated GPS helps you reach peak performance just when you need it. It combines your workout training load with data on the small activities you do every day, so you have a true picture of your required recovery time before getting out there again. It’s technology you’ll want on your wrist 24/7.

The Polar V800 encompasses all the best of Polar’s design and technology and is used by top athletes such as IRONMAN world champion, Frederik Van Lierde. It features an integrated GPS and supports multiple sports, from running, cycling and swimming to skiing and triathlon. Not only does each sport benefit from its own customizable profile, but the Polar V800 also seamlessly changes between sports, recording your full performance, including transition times between each sport.

Most importantly, the Polar V800 helps serious athletes gain an edge by training, and recovering, smart. It offers:

• Smart and accurate monitoring of training sessions as well as the smallest activities in your everyday life, thanks to an integrated activity tracker. Now every movement is registered, from your toughest workout to a walk up the stairs. And because the Polar V800 can track every activity, even when you are not training it automatically adjusts your recovery status to give a true account of how much rest you get in between hard sessions.
• Instant analysis and in-depth insights into all your training and recovery on the Polar V800 when used with the Polar Flow web service. A major update to the Polar Flow web service will be available when Polar V800 launches. The Polar Flow mobile app connects fluidly with the Polar V800, synching the data gathered instantly with the Polar Flow web service to provide a full picture of all the data you need to train properly. Polar Flow also connects you to a community of similarly minded athletes and friends through its social functionality.

The Polar V800 also offers a host of other unique features that set it apart. It records your heart rate even while swimming – making it perfect for triathletes – and includes the most accurate altitude readings with a built-in barometric pressure sensor. It has a high-contrast black and white display which is optimized for sports. The screen is easy to read even in low-light conditions and is very power efficient. This contributes to the excellent overall battery life of the rechargeable Polar V800, which offers up to 14 hours of training time, 50 hours in low power GPS mode, or 30 days in time mode with 24/7 activity monitoring.

Polar V800 also provides Running Index data on your aerobic fitness and running economy as well as an Orthostatic Test to help you avoid over-training by gaining insight into recovery status over the long term. You can access four weeks of your training history at the touch of a button and can also share your Polar Flow data with your coach.

The Polar V800 is made for the most demanding of sports and features a large, scratch-resistant, Gorilla Glass face, similar to that used on the most advanced smartphones. This is set in stainless steel with an aluminum core and soft, breathable polyurethane straps. It’s a combination of strength, lightness, style and comfort.

Additionally, the Polar V800 features updatable software which will allow users to add new features from the comfort of their own home as they become available. This will include a power monitoring function for serious cyclists, which will be available in the middle of 2014 to be used in conjunction with new Bluetooth Smart power pedals. The wireless connection to a smartphone creates the possibility for further features, such as SMS notification and music control, which will be added as updates later in 2014.

Marco Suvilaakso, Director of Product Management at Polar said: “Athletes have been waiting for our new flagship product and we are incredibly excited to be presenting it for the first time today. This is Polar’s smartest and most advanced training computer ever. It is designed for the most demanding athletes and sports in the world. We know that its design, integrated GPS and smart training features will delight our customers, whether you’re running, swimming, cycling, skiing or even doing them all. The Polar V800 helps you know just when you need to recover from a tough session and when you are ready to get back out there.”

IRONMAN world champion, Frederik Van Lierde, said: “I train up to 35 hours a week and I need a smart training tool that gives me deep insight into my performance, whether I’m swimming, running or on a bike. The Polar V800 goes with me anywhere. And because it also measures even my smallest activity, it helps me know how I’m benefitting from the rest I need to stay at the top of my game.”

Pricing, availability and compatibility
The Polar V800 with integrated GPS will be available around the world in April for a suggested retail price of €399.90 (€449.90 with heart rate sensor). It will be shown for the first time at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas from January 7-10. A limited release of information will be made available to Polar’s online community on January 3. It will be shown to European press and customers at the ISPO trade show in Munich from January 26-29. It will be available in black initially with a blue version available from May 2014. An optional running stride sensor is available separately. Speed, cadence and power cycling pedals for cyclists will also be available separately. All accessories are Bluetooth Smart compatible, including Polar’s heart rate sensor. Access to Polar Flow and the Polar Flow app is free.

About Polar
Founded in 1977, Polar Electro invented the first wireless heart rate monitor. Since then the company has been leading the sports instruments and heart rate monitoring category through its in-depth understanding of human physiology, performance, and the environment. Polar works in close cooperation with leading sports institutes and governing bodies, and has, thus, become widely recognized as the pioneer and world’s leader of heart rate monitoring and fitness evaluation equipment.

Headquartered near Oulu in Finland, the company operates internationally in more than 80 countries and its products are sold through over 35,000 retailers globally.

Today, the award-winning Polar training computers are the number one choice among consumers worldwide. To learn more about how the wide range of Polar products and services can help you achieve your training goals and make your fitness story a success, please visit www.polar.com.