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[[File:Polar V800.jpg|none|thumb{{BuyAmazon|200pxAZID=B00JSO9UD2|The {{AZN=Polar V800}}.]]
{{BuyAmazon|AZID=B00JSO9UD2|AZN=Polar V800}}
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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Polar V800 Review}}
The {{Polar V800}} is elegant and has outstanding [[GPS Accuracy]], but it's pricy and has less functionality compared with its [[Best Running Watch| competitors]]. The functionality of the V800 is steadily improving as Polar release newer versions of the firmware and the accompanying 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 short of running on other than getting a track[[Stryd]] footpod. * '''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. Without the ability to display current [[Pace From A Footpod]] while getting all other data from GPS, the V800 has a poor display of 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.)Unfortunately, the V800 has almost no support for the [[Stryd]] footpod, and you're better off with the [[Polar M400]] and Stryd. * '''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, providing only 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"back '''. There's no magnetic compass so you have to start" arrowbe 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, 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.
=Polar V800 Pros=
* The Polar V800 has considerably better [[GPS Accuracy]] than any other GPS watch I've tested. It's better than some of the older devices that have surprisingly good GPS Accuracy, and it's far better than most of the newer devices that have mediocre to appalling accuracy. (Note that even the V800 does not have sufficient GPS accuracy to give a good display of current pace.)
|[[File:Polar V800 Power Save.jpg|none|thumb|x300px|The GPS track from the Polar V800 in power save mode. Each blue dot is a GPS point from an out and back run that, with the route covered twice at a steady pace. You can see areas where the V800 is recording the GPS location quite frequently, and other times the frequency is quite low.]]
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=Visual Comparison=
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