The Polar Grit X is a multisport GPS watch with triathlon capabilities. It is the most durable watch that Polar have made, meeting the durability standard set by the US military.
Overall, it shares many similarities to the Polar Vantage V, and this is actually a good thing. In fact, it would probably have been better to call it the Polar Vantage X, given how many features and functions they share. We may send Polar’s marketing team a complaint letter for not putting these two dots together.
Table of Contents
Polar Grit X Key Features
1. Military Level Durability
The Polar Grit X has passed several MIL-STD-810G tests, including extreme temperatures, drop and humidity. Right now, it is the only GPS watch in Polar’s product line-up built with military level durability. Polar have clearly drawn some inspiration from the Garmin Instinct and the Garmin Fenix 6.
2. Polar Hill Splitter
Get detailed data about your performance on the uphill and downhill sections of your session. This information is then nicely packaged into its own sub-section called hill splitter on the Polar Flow app. This feature is most useful for trail runners that will encounter plenty of ups and downs during a typical training session or race.
3. Running Power From The Wrist
This is arguably the biggest selling point of the Polar Grit X. Unlike most Garmin and Suunto devices which rely on an accessory to unlock running power, the Grit X can calculate this metric from the watch. The Polar Vantage V is the only other watch which shares this capability.
4. Triathlon Capabilities
Even though the Polar Grit X is tailored for trail runners, it still offers full support for triathlons. In many respects it is Polar’s closest rival to the Garmin Fenix 6. We say this because they both have navigation capabilities, triathlon support and military spec durability.
5. 130+ Sports Modes
Polar’s array of sports modes is literally the best in the business. With Suunto you get around 80 different sports modes. With Garmin you get around 30 in the most expensive units. With the Polar Grit X, you get 130 sports modes, including open water swimming and triathlon.
6. FuelWise Smart Fueling Assistant
Polar’s new FuelWise feature is exclusive to the Polar Grit X. It is built primarily for ultra endurance athletes that want to space their carbohydrate consumption with utmost efficiency. Once you have set the estimated duration and intensity of the training session (or race), FuelWise will calculate the recommended amount of carbs required and automatically remind you to re-fuel at key moments during the session.
7. Route Planning with Komoot
Plan your route on Komoot, import it to your Polar Grit X and let the turn-by-turn guidance take care of navigation for you. This is another big advantage that the Polar Grit X has over the Polar Vantage V.
If you’ve never heard of Komoot, don’t worry. This is a pretty good summary: “Komoot provides sport-specific routing, inch-by-inch surface and way-type analysis, pinpoint elevation profiles and the world’s largest collection of outdoor Highlights, planning better outdoor adventures is easy with komoot’s GPS route planner.“
8. Training Load Pro
The whole point of training load pro is to find the optimal training balance. There are plenty of endurance athletes that have a tendency to push themselves too hard. This leads to sub-optimal training sessions and race days. Training load pro can help you avoid this fate, finding the perfect sweet spot between pushing yourself, and pushing yourself too hard.
Visual Summary of Polar Grit X Abilities
Polar Grit X Specs
| GRIT X | SPECS |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 47 x 47 x 13 mm |
| Small Wristband Size | 130-190 mm |
| Medium/Large Wristband Size | 145-215 mm |
| Weight | 64 grams |
| Battery life | Up to 40 hours |
| Extended Battery life | Up to 100 hours |
| Screen Resolution | 240x240 pixels |
| Color Touchscreen | Yes |
| Waterproof Rating | WR100 |
| Satellite | GPS + GLONASS + GALILEO |
| Military Grade Durability | Yes |
| 24/7 Activity Tracking | Yes |
| Sleep Tracking | Sleep Score + Sleep Stages |
| Optical Heart Rate Monitor | Yes |
| Running Power From Wrist | Yes |
| Running Cadence From Wrist | Yes |
| Polar Running Program Training Plans | 5K, 10K, Half-Marathon, Full-Marathon |
| V02 Max Estimate (Running Index) | Yes |
| Indoor + Outdoor Running | Yes |
| Indoor + Outdoor Cycling | Yes |
| Indoor + Outdoor Swimming | Yes |
| Indoor + Outdoor Rowing | Yes |
| Triathlon Mode | Yes |
| 130+ Sports Modes | Yes |
| Barometric Altimeter | Yes |
| Compass | Yes |
| Route Planning & Imports | Yes |
| Komoot Turn-by-turn Navigation | Yes |
| Back To Start Function | Yes |
| Strava Live Segments | Yes |
| Manual + Automatic Laps | Yes |
| Bluetooth Connectivity | Yes |
| Smartphone Notifications | Yes |
| Polar Hill Splitter | Yes |
| Polar Fitspark Guided Workouts | Yes |
| Training Load Pro | Yes |
| Polar Recovery Pro | No |
| Wi-Fi Connectivity | No |
| ANT+ Connectivity | No |
| Music Storage | No |
Thoughts From Popular Reviewers
Polar Grit X FAQ
Is the Polar Grit X a Triathlon Watch?
Yes. The Polar Grit X is a multisport watch that has a built-in triathlon mode. You can switch between each triathlon discipline with the simple push of a button.
What is the battery life of the Polar Grit X?
- Standard GPS Battery: Up to 40 Hours
- Extended GPS Battery: Up to 100 Hours
- Smartwatch Battery: Up to 7 Days
Does the Polar Grit X have running power?
Yes. The Polar Grit X includes built-in running power from the wrist. The Polar Vantage V is the only other GPS watch with built-in running power support (at the time of writing).
Does the Polar Grit X have a compass?
Indeed it does. The Grit X has a built-in compass and a built-in barometric altimeter. Both of these features make it a pretty good choice for outdoor sports like trail running and mountain biking.
What is the Polar Grit X Weight?
- With wristband – 64 grams
- Without wristband – 44 grams
Does the Polar Grit X have music storage?
No. If you’re looking for a similar watch with music storage, the Garmin Forerunner 945 would be your best bet.
Polar Grit X User Manual
You can view the official Polar Grit X user manual here.
Polar Grit X Image Gallery
Polar Grit X Video Reviews
Desfit Polar Grit X Review
This video from Desfit gives a solid overview of the Polar Grit X features.
