Wear Radar

Polar Grit XvsSuunto Race

Polar Grit X
Buy/Wait:bad

Overdue for a refresh — no successor announced yet. Prices should be at their lowest

Best for: Trail runners, hikers, and outdoor athletes who want Polar's analytics with significantly longer battery life than the Vantage V3. The titanium case and sapphire glass make it suitable for technical terrain where watch durability matters.

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Suunto Race
Buy/Wait:neutral

First-generation product — no release history to base predictions on

Best for: Competitive road and trail runners who want Suunto's clean and precise GPS tracking, an AMOLED display, and multi-week battery life. A strong choice for Suunto loyalists or anyone exploring alternatives to Garmin and COROS.

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Polar Grit XSuunto Race
TierSports GPSSports GPS
PlatformiOS & AndroidiOS & Android
Battery40 days26 days
Always-on display
GPS
Cellular
Health sensorshr, spo2, hrv, running powerhr, spo2, hrv, training load
ReleasedMar 14, 2023May 1, 2023
Cycle length873 daysnull days
Cycle advicebadneutral
Deals advicegoodneutral
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Why buy each?

Polar Grit X

40-day battery for trail and ultra runners

Five times the battery of the Vantage V3 — enough for week-long mountain stages or ultramarathons without charging access.

Hill splitter auto-detection

Automatically segments your run by uphill and downhill sections, calculating pace and power for each — essential for mountain race training.

Wrist running power at mid-range price

Running power without a chest strap or foot pod — Polar's key differentiator versus Garmin at this price tier.

Suunto Race

AMOLED always-on at 26-day battery

Suunto's efficient software keeps the AMOLED always active while delivering 26 days of smartwatch use — ahead of most AMOLED competitors.

Multi-band GPS precision

Dual-frequency L1+L5 GPS for accurate tracking in urban areas, under tree cover, and on technical trails.

Suunto app and route planning

Built-in route navigation from Suunto's route library with breadcrumb maps and back-to-start guidance.