View source for Polar V800

{{DISPLAYTITLE:Polar V800 Review}}
The {{Polar V800}} is elegant and has outstanding [[GPS Accuracy]], and with time its price has dropped and its functionality has steadily improved as Polar released newer versions of the firmware, the app, and their web site. For a simple evaluation of a GPS watch, I look at how well it can answer some basic questions:
* '''How far did I run?''' This is the most basic question, and the V800 has outstanding GPS accuracy. If you really want to know how far you've run, this is the best option other than getting a [[Stryd]] footpod, which the V800 supports well. 
* '''How fast am I running?''' Knowing how fast you're running can be a nice to know, or it can be vital for your training or race performance. Because of the nature of GPS, watches that rely on GPS signal alone tend to have serious problems with current pace. Even with the outstanding GPS accuracy, the current pace can be a long way out. This is mostly due to the nature of GPS accuracy errors compared with Footpod errors. The V800 has great support for the [[Stryd]] footpod, making it a great choice. 
* '''Where am I? '''The V800 has limited navigation features. 
** '''Course Outline'''. This is an outline of a route that can be downloaded. I've found this useful during ultras or in unfamiliar cities where I've needed to know where to go. However, there's no "Track Outline" showing where you've run (breadcrumb trail).
** '''Back To Start'''. This is a simple arrow point to your starting point, so it won't help you backtrack. 
** '''Back To Waypoint'''. You can mark a location and use the arrow to point to it later. Again, this is a simple "as the crow flies" pointer. 
** '''GPS "Compass"'''. There's no magnetic compass so you have to be moving for the GPS to give you a sense of direction. 
* '''What's my cadence? '''[[Cadence]]''' '''is one of the most critical and often overlooked aspects of running. If you get your Cadence right, many other things naturally fall into place. As of Feb 2016 the V800 supports Cadence measurement from the internal accelerometer and from Stryd, but no Cadence alerts. 
[[File:Polar V800.jpg|center|thumb|200px|The {{Polar V800}}.]] 
The V800 is rated at 13 hours, but I managed to get nearly 24 hours in testing. To get that life, I didn't press buttons or have Bluetooth connected, but that's still an impressive figure. It also has a rated 50 hour battery life if you activate extended mode which reduces the GPS accuracy. In addition the V800 can be charge on the run. See [[Best Running Watch#Watches for Ultrarunning| Watches for Ultrarunning]] for more details.
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