Polar Grit X2 Pro Titan

Polar Grit X2 Pro Titan is a rough and rugged outdoor sports watch crafted for adventure with sapphire glass AMOLED display in titanium casing, and a hi-tech toolkit of navigation and performance features for exploring the wonders of the world, and the body.

Polar Grit X2 Pro

Polar Grit X2 Pro is a rough and rugged outdoor sports watch crafted for adventure with sapphire crystal glass AMOLED display, and a hi-tech toolkit of navigation and performance features for exploring the wonders of the world, and the body.

Polar Vantage V3

An ensemble of biosensing instruments, AMOLED display, dual-frequency GPS, maps, and the most comprehensive suite of training and recovery tools on the market. The stage is set, and the Polar Vantage V3 smart sports watch is ready to put in the performance of a lifetime.

Polar Ignite 3

Polar Ignite 3 is a stylish fitness & wellness watch that helps you live a more energized life. It tracks your sleep, activity, and heart rate to provide guidance that’s tailored to your body and lifestyle.

Polar Pacer Pro

Polar Pacer Pro is an ultra-light, new-generation sports watch with integrated barometer that equips athletes with advanced tools to improve running economy, training sessions, and sports performance.

Polar Pacer

Sport is play – why complicate it? Polar Pacer is a no-nonsense sports watch that gives new athletes all the essentials, plus the specialized training tools they need to train better.

Polar Vantage V2

A powerful convergence of minimalist design, innovative technology, and intelligent training and recovery tools makes the Polar Vantage V2 a formidable sports watch.

Polar Grit X Pro

Built for military-level durability with sapphire glass and ultra-long battery, equipping you with new navigation tools, always-on outdoor features and Polar's ultimate training solutions.

Polar Vantage M2

Designed for function, the Polar Vantage M2 works as hard as you do. Our industry-leading technology is here to help you reach your goals and come back stronger. For that athlete attitude.

Polar Ignite 2

A fitness watch that’s sleek, simple and smart? Polar Ignite 2 is a true triple threat. Versatile and full of great features, it’s the perfect companion for any sport and any lifestyle.

Polar Ignite

A waterproof fitness watch with advanced wrist-based heart rate and integrated GPS, Polar Ignite offers you a full view of your day and guides you towards a more balanced life.

Polar Unite

A beautifully simple watch with personalized daily workout guidance, 24/7 heart rate and activity tracking, plus automatic sleep and recovery applications.

Polar Vantage V

Polar Vantage M

An all-round multisport & running GPS watch for anyone who loves setting new records. Polar Vantage M is a slim, lightweight training companion that gives you all the data you need to improve your performance.

Polar Grit X

An outdoor multisport watch with rugged yet lightweight design, ultra-long battery life and military-standard durability for anyone who prefers the trails over the roads.

Polar M430

A GPS running watch with wrist-based heart rate, advanced running features and Polar Running Program, Polar M430 is a top-level watch for runners who want more.

Polar Verity Sense

When freedom of movement is important to you, Polar Verity Sense is your go-to choice for any sport.

Polar H10

Widely regarded as the gold standard in wireless heart rate monitoring, this is the most accurate sensor in Polar’s history.

Polar H9

A reliable, high-quality heart rate chest strap for all your everyday sports with Bluetooth® and ANT+ connectivity. Get connected and get going.

Polar OH1+

Polar OH1+ is an optical heart rate monitor that combines versatility, comfort and simplicity. You can use it both as a standalone device and pair it with various fitness apps, sports watches and smart watches, thanks to Bluetooth® and ANT+ connectivity.

Wristbands

Personalize any watch for any style and any need.

Straps

Replace or upgrade your Polar Sensor chest straps or arm bands.

Power & Cables

For charging your products and data transfer.

Mounts & Adapters

Adapt your product for any situation.

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Polar Grit X Outdoor Series

Made for outdoor sports and built to handle any environment nature can throw at you, Grit X watches are designed to help you explore the world and gear up for adventure.

Polar Vantage Performance Series

Our flagship series is tailored for high-performance and endurance sports and training. Every aspect of our Vantage watches are designed with one particular person in mind – the athlete.

Polar Pacer Multisport Series

The Pacer Series gives athletes all the essentials such as accurate GPS and precise heart rate tracking, plus the specialized training, sleep, and recovery tools they need to train better.

Polar Ignite Fitness & Wellness Series

Sleek, simple, and smart – Ignite watches are the perfect partner for any fitness goals and any lifestyle.

What is GNSS?

The European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency defines GNSS on their website as follows:

"Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) refers to a constellation of satellites providing signals from space that transmit positioning and timing data to GNSS receivers. The receivers then use this data to determine location. By definition, GNSS provides global coverage. Examples of GNSS include Europe’s Galileo, the USA’s NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS), Russia’s Global'naya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema (GLONASS) and China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System."

The performance of GNSS can be improved by regional satellite-based augmentation systems (SBAS), such as the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS). EGNOS improves the accuracy and reliability of GPS information by correcting signal measurement errors and by providing information about the integrity of its signals.

Note that as GPS was the first GNSS, and is the most widely used system, the term GPS is still commonly used when referring to all types of GNSS. However, the correct term is GNSS, which is an umbrella term that covers all global satellite positioning systems, including GPS.

Positioning performance in wearables

When having a closer look at what factors affect positioning performance in the wearables category, there are a few variables that stand out. These are:

From an industrial design standpoint, a thin and small device is desirable. However, these elements cause challenges for the GNSS antenna.

Thinness and small design: To perform well the antenna requires as much volume as possible, so a thin and small device is not optimal for antenna performance. In addition, the antenna needs to be as far as possible from the wrist and body (which are lossy material that have an adverse effect on performance.)

The GNSS chipset is also a factor in positioning performance. Different chip suppliers have different incentives related to power consumption, performance in different use cases, and target groups. These steer their chip development and the focus areas of their chips.

The dynamics and characteristics of the use environment have an impact on data accuracy and performance. Some factors affecting common sports are listed below:

Walking

When walking your body can block the GNSS signal, and constant arm swinging also causes challenges for GNSS performance. In general, the watch is in a poor signal reception position making it prone to data inaccuracies. Changes in your direction of travel have a high impact on accuracy.

Running

When running your body can block the GNSS signal, and constant arm swinging also causes challenges for GNSS performance. In general, the watch is in a medium signal reception position.

Cycling

When cycling your body often blocks the GNSS signal to the watch as you lean forward when riding. In general, the device is in a medium to good signal reception position watch facing up. When worn on your arm or the handlebars the device is still, which minimizes dynamics and allows better data accuracy.

Swimming

When swimming there is no body block. In general, the watch is in a poor to good signal reception position. Constant arm movement and the fact that there is no signal reception when the watch is under water cause challenges for GNSS performance. Your swimming style also affects GNSS accuracy (style, arm swing). Optimally, the watch should be above water for over a second to acquire signals.

Urban canyon

For example, a street surrounded by tall buildings from both sides forming as canyon-like environment that is called an urban canyon.

In urban canyons, the device is prone to multipath (a propagation phenomenon that results in radio signals reaching the receiving antenna by two or more paths due to reflections). Multipath can cause erroneous GNSS readings.

The visible satellite constellation also changes a lot when navigating in an urban canyon which also causes challenges for GNSS.

Forest

When training in wooded areas such as forests signal attenuation (the reduction of signal strength during transmission) hinders GNSS performance.

Open water

Swimming in open water causes problems with signal visibility. There is limited time to acquire a signal as your wrist is above water for just a short time, and the water also causes signal reflection. Open water swimming is probably the most challenging use environment for a wearable GNSS device such as a Polar device.

Software algorithms are used to enhance performance. The software ties everything together and adapts to:

Use environment

  • Arm swing
  • Body block
  • Dynamically changing environment
  • Interval training

Use conditions

  • Multipath environment
  • Low signal level environment
  • Underpass

Algorithms are developed by both the GNSS receiver chipset supplier and the wearable product companies.

GNSS and Polar watches

In Polar watches, GNSS is utilized for tracking speed, distance, and location. Speed and distance values are used by the parameters of many Polar features (such as Running Index). Note that if satellite navigation is not used in a training session, speed and distance can be measured from your wrist movements with a built-in accelerometer. See Speed and distance from the wrist with GPS calibration and What affects the accuracy of speed and distance measurement from the wrist? for more information.

For GNSS accuracy/GPS accuracy details of your Polar watch, see section Technical specification in the User Manual.

Positioning in Polar watches

The satellite fix requires four or more satellites. After the fix, the number of satellites will increase as more are found. The maximum number of satellites that can be used is 12. This number is easier to achieve when using A-GPS. When the fix is complete and the training session has been started, the watch attempts to add more satellites to the calculation on the go.

Some Polar watches have a barometer (pressure sensor) for accurate altitude data. Initial altitude is calibrated with GNSS data. Polar watches that do not have a barometer (but do have built-in GNSS), altitude is only based on GNSS data. GNSS based altitude data can occasionally be inaccurate. Note that Altitude calculation requires 6 or more satellites, and that altitude data is not taken into account when measuring distance.

You can change the satellite navigation system your watch uses in addition to GPS. The setting is located on your watch in General settings > Positioning satellites. You can choose GPS + GLONASS, GPS + Galileo or GPS + QZSS. The default setting is GPS + GLONASS. These options give you the possibility to test different satellite navigation systems and find out if they can give you improved performance in areas covered by them.

The Polar Grit X2 Pro/Ignite 3/Vantage M3/Vantage V3 uses GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou and QZSS systems simultaneously for maximum accuracy around the globe. By default, the watch also utilizes dual-frequency GPS for improved positioning accuracy especially in difficult use conditions. For more information, see Positioning in Polar Grit X2 Pro/Ignite 3/Vantage M3/Vantage V3.

GLONASS is a Russian global satellite navigation system. It is the default setting as its global satellite visibility and reliability is the best of these three, and in general we recommend using it.

Galileo is a global navigation satellite system created by the European Union.

QZSS is a four-satellite regional time transfer system and a satellite-based augmentation system developed to enhance GPS in the Asia-Oceania regions, with a focus on Japan.

A-GPS – Assisted GPS (Ephemeris prediction)

A-GPS predicts the positions of the satellites and their orbits, eliminating major position calculations which equals faster fix times. 14 days of satellite prediction data is downloaded to the watch once per day via the Flow app when connected to your mobile or when you sync your watch with FlowSync.

A-GPS should always be used because it enables faster fix times. The more challenging the conditions are, the more important and noticeable the benefits of A-GPS become. It also enables better overall route, speed and distance accuracy through better dynamic satellite selection during training sessions. This difference also is highlighted during challenging conditions.

A-GPS limitations

A-GPS needs to know your approximate position, so if your training location changes over 100 kilometers/60 miles from your last session, acquiring the first fix is takes a little bit longer.

Further reading

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