In April 2020, Polar launched a wearable designed for adventurous folks who like to explore off the beaten track, and take a suitably rugged smartwatch along for the trip. Now a more capable Pro version joins the Grit X outdoors sportswatch lineup.
The Grit X Pro premium outdoor smartwatch comes in a little heavier than the Grit X before it, at 79 g (2.8 oz). Instead of a Gorilla Glass lens up top, the latest model employs sapphire instead, but the 1.2-inch sunlight-readable display underneath has the same 240 x 240 pixel resolution as before.
The long battery life also remains unchanged, with 40 hours per charge when full GPS and heart-rate tracking are active but up to 100 hours on tap if power save options are in play. Up to seven days of use can be had in watch mode.
And the watch has been tested to MIL-STD-810G durability standards, meaning that it can be dunked up to 100 meters (330 ft) under water and continues to operate even when temperatures plummet to -20 °C (-4 °F) or get up to a balmy 50 °C (122 °F) above.
The watch comes with new route profiles, as well as turn-by-turn navigation, a Hill Splitter feature that automatically logs all climbs and descents, and a Track Back mode that gets you back to where you started. There are new navigation dashboards too, which show a barometer-based altimeter, location details, daylight hours information and a compass.
The Pro has onboard sensors to track sleep and measure power values, it can help users recover fully before tackling the next part of an outdoor adventure, and there are a bunch of tests available to help personalize running or cycling activity. Of course, push notifications from a paired phone can be set up too, weather reports can be displayed, and music playing through buds connected to the smartphone can be controlled via the watch face.
The Grit X Pro comes in three color options for US$499.90, though it's also being made available in a Titan option rocking a titanium case that's reported 12 percent lighter than the standard Pro version. The Titan edition adds a hundred bucks to the already premium price tag.
Product page: Polar Grit X Pro