Best Polar Watches

Updated September 2020
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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Read more  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Read more  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.Read more 
Bottom Line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Polar V800 GPS Sports Watch
Polar
V800 GPS Sports Watch
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Bottom Line

For the serious athlete or athletic type, this GPS-enabled watch offers top tracking tools to optimize your performance.

Pros

Much more than just a heart rate monitor. Built-in GPS keeps track of your ride, run, or hike measuring your speed, distance, and route. Syncs with phone, tablet, or computer for use with Polar Flow app and website to track progress and personalize settings. Waterproof to 30 meters. Counts laps.

Cons

Heart rate monitor doesn’t really work while swimming.

Best Bang for the Buck
Polar FT7 Heart Rate Monitor
Polar
FT7 Heart Rate Monitor
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Bottom Line

Simple but popular heart rate monitor that also calculates fitness zones.

Pros

Well-liked for its functionality and affordability. Accurate heart rate reading continually displayed. Calculates calories burned and fat-burning zone. Can be used as normal watch when not in exercise mode (displays time, day, date). Comfortable chest strap stays in place and is washable. Popular with men and women.

Cons

Limited information displayed on watch; LCD display feels outdated.

Polar FT4 Heart Rate Monitor
Polar
FT4 Heart Rate Monitor
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Bottom Line

Lightweight, reliable fitness tracker that measures heart rate and calories burned.

Pros

Great choice for basic function without the bells and whistles of other fitness trackers. Loved for its continuous, accurate heart rate monitor (chest strap included). Beeps when you go out of your zone, a function that can be turned on and off. Tracks calories burned. Also tells time and date.

Cons

Strap must be cleaned regularly to work properly. No stopwatch function.

Polar RC3 GPS Sports Watch
Polar
RC3 GPS Sports Watch
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Bottom Line

Lightweight, attractive watch with GPS that’s ideal for hikers or trail runners.

Pros

Calculates altitude. Rechargeable battery lasts for a full-day hike or run. Syncs with Polar app and website for training programs. Popular among triathletes. Comes with heart rate strap. Highly readable screen.

Cons

Not water-resistant. GPS signal takes a few minutes to pick up.

Polar FT60 Heart Rate Monitor
Polar
FT60 Heart Rate Monitor
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Bottom Line

Classic fitness tracker that provides workout motivation as well as heart rate monitoring.

Pros

Popular for its three customizable cardio zones: calorie-burning, fat-burning, and maintenance. Tracks weekly goals and rewards you with a “trophy” when you reach them. Waterproof. Easy to use and doesn’t require a phone or computer.

Cons

No stopwatch function. Heart rate monitor doesn't work in the water.

Why trust BestReviews?
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Read more  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Read more  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.Read more 
How we decided

We purchase every product we review with our own funds — we never accept anything from product manufacturers.

9 Models Considered
5 Hours Researched
1 Experts Interviewed
120 Consumers Consulted
Zero products received from manufacturers.

We purchase every product we review with our own funds — we never accept anything from product manufacturers.

A Polar watch is designed for athletes of all ages. It allows you to track your heart rate, calories burned, and other exercise data. Plus, each watch syncs with a smartphone, tablet, or computer, enabling you to evaluate your exercise progress over time. Some watches can be customized to different cardio zones. Additionally, various watches are waterproof, which means you can wear your watch when you swim. A Polar watch even enables you to measure your distance, speed, and route during walks, runs, and bike rides. It comes in multiple styles, sizes, and colors. And when you are not exercising, a Polar watch can be used as an everyday watch that displays the date and time.

Other Products We Considered
The BestReviews editorial team researches hundreds of products based on consumer reviews, brand quality, and value. We then choose a shorter list for in-depth research and testing before finalizing our top picks. These are the products we considered that ultimately didn't make our top 5.
Polar
IGNITE Advanced Waterproof Fitness Watch
Polar
FS3 Heart Rate Monitor Watch
Polar
M430 GPS Running Watch
Polar
A370 Fitness Tracker with 24/7 Wrist-Based HR
The team that worked on this review
  • Ana
    Ana
    Writer
  • Bronwyn
    Bronwyn
    Editor
  • Melinda
    Melinda
    Web Producer
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Polar

V800 GPS Sports Watch

Polar

V800 GPS Sports Watch

For the serious athlete or athletic type, this GPS-enabled watch offers top tracking tools to optimize your performance.

$295
×

Polar

FT4 Heart Rate Monitor

Polar

FT4 Heart Rate Monitor

Lightweight, reliable fitness tracker that measures heart rate and calories burned.

$168
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Polar

FT7 Heart Rate Monitor

Polar

FT7 Heart Rate Monitor

Simple but popular heart rate monitor that also calculates fitness zones.

$209
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Polar

RC3 GPS Sports Watch

Polar

RC3 GPS Sports Watch

Lightweight, attractive watch with GPS that’s ideal for hikers or trail runners.
$258
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Polar

FT60 Heart Rate Monitor

Polar

FT60 Heart Rate Monitor

Classic fitness tracker that provides workout motivation as well as heart rate monitoring.
$229

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