PRODUCT REVIEW: Polar Vantage V2

Cyclist and staff member Rachel gives us the lowdown on the new Polar Vantage V2 sports watch.

I was someone who never thought of buying a smartwatch, let alone a sports watch. I would use my bike computer and listen to what my body was telling me...most of the time.

That was until I was given the opportunity to try out Polar's Vantage V2. I was a little apprehensive at first - I didn't need a little computer beeping at me all the time! However, I quickly learned that a Polar watch isn't just another soul-sucking screen.

It's not bulky or space-aged looking; rather it sits snugly on the wrist and doesn't fall down like some dress watches do.

The activity goal tracker quickly became a great motivator for me to try out new sports, get up and move around in between study sessions and improve my fitness every day. Since having this watch, I've taken up running, swimming and climbing in addition to cycling. I used to hate running, and swimming was both difficult and frightening as an asthmatic.

The tracker, combined with the FitSpark training app, has taught me to focus on my own training and not feel the need to compete with old mate sprinting down the street shirtless.

Interaction with the Vantage V2 can include phone notifications, hydration reminders, weather forecasts, live heart rate, exercise plans and sleep tracking: everything you expect from a smartwatch, however, it can also be minimal and simply used as a watch.

It doesn't have a pay function and Polar are yet to update their live Strava segments, but considering most people take their phone with them anyway I don't see the lack of payment options as an issue; as for the Strava segments, let's compete with ourselves!

In my opinion, the Polar Vantage V2 is the perfect watch for someone who wants to increase their training, track all aspects of training perfectly and not have yet another screen taking up all their time. It's a superb watch that I've not had any issues with in the ten months I've had it. It's been knocked against steel, concrete, and walls, it's been covered in sweat, immersed in chlorinated pools and dragged through dirt. The battery life is still terrific: after charging for an hour or two, it will last up to five days even when using the GPS tracking every day.

I can't recommend this watch enough as an all-rounder, especially if you don't want the bells and whistles and cost of some other sport watches.