Polar announces Grit X outdoor multisport watch, take on hills with focused data

Athletes today push the limits of human endurance with ultramarathons, long trail runs, and more in the great outdoors. For over 40 years Polar has been a leader in sports technology and announced its newest wearable, the Polar Grit X.

I happen to live at the top of a hill so every run I go on has fairly significant elevation changes, which is one reason I trained for my half marathon with a focus on power to take on all of those hills with a better balance than a pace focus provides. The new Polar Grit X has a new Hill Splitter feature that automatically detects uphill and downhill segments to help you understand the intensity of your training.

Also: Polar Vantage V review: Advanced technology and coaching help athletes achieve their best

The Polar Grit X also incorporates Polar's new FuelWise assistant that delivers nutrition and refueling reminders that are customized to each athlete's particular needs.

Komoot integration is also now provided in the Grit X so your Polar watch now provides routing and turn-by-turn navigation. Weather guidance is also provided so you can properly plan for upcoming conditions when taking on your outdoor adventure.

Tom Fowler, president of Polar USA, stated the following:

In recent years, Polar has introduced a robust suite of features including training load, recovery, running power, sleep, and personalized training recommendations for athletes of all levels. Polar Grit X takes this even further not just with new features, but with powerful insights and feedback designed for outdoor enthusiasts. The world's best recreational and pro athletes across endurance and team sports trust Polar data and insights to drive high performance. With Grit X, this capability extends from the asphalt and athletic field to the trails, slopes, mountains and rivers. Our goal is singular: help outdoor athletes optimize every aspect of their outdoor experience.

When I look at what the Polar Grit X is offering, I naturally think of the Coros Vertix that is focused on outdoor adventures at high altitudes and with extreme temperatures. The Grit X is certified to MIL-STD 810G shock/drop tests, is built to withstand extreme temperatures, can track your GPS and heart rate for 40 hours straight, or extend that to 100 hours with various power save options.

The Grit X has a 1.2-inch always-on color touch display with a resolution of 240x240 pixels. The watch measures 47 x 47 x 13 mm and weighs in at 64 grams.

Also: Polar Ignite review: Active coaching based on readiness, slim and sleek with a frustrating display

The Grit X incorporates much of what we see in the Polar Vantage V, including a touchscreen display, Polar Precision Prime heart rate tracking, FitSpark, Nightly Recharge, Training Load Pro, Sleep Plus Stages, and even running power. The Polar Vantage V was the only GPS sports watch to have running power incorporated in the watch itself and now we see Polar bringing this to the Grit X as well.

The Polar Grit X is available now for $429.95 in black and green in size M/L and in white for size S/M. Black, white and green silicon accessory bands are available for $29.95. Green Tundra, Red Paracord, and Blue Paracord textile accessory bands are available for $39.95, and leather accessory bands are available for $49.95.