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Battery life
- Up to 17 hours battery life in training mode (GPS and heart rate)
- 5 days in smartwatch mode
At this price, if you get a watch that will track you through a week of training and sleep on a single charge, you’re doing well. The Ignite manages that.
In our tests we clocked a full week with 5 hour-long training sessions, a 2-hour run, and 6 nights of sleep tracking thrown in. We extended the battery life a little by switching off notifications, but there’s ample battery here.
Verdict
The Polar Ignite is an extremely accomplished fitness tool. You won’t get more detailed sleep and recovery information elsewhere.
The adaptive training recommendations make stitching together a consistent, varied and balanced training program easier than it has ever been.
And while following the plan might not be for more serious amateur athletes chasing personal bests, there’s enough of your regular sport watch here too to make this a really compelling option for anyone who trains regularly.
All in all, the Polar Ignite is one of the most exciting watches we’ve seen for a while.
Who’s this for?
If you’re a hardcore runner, cyclist, swimmer or triathlete, you’ll probably want a watch that’s more targeted to your specific sport. But if you’re a general fitness enthusiast who likes to mix up their workouts and trains for all-round health rather than finish lines and race days, then this is your watch.
It's also for anyone who’d like a little extra guidance with their workouts, with recommended workouts to keep things fresh and varied. But also people who want to put a heavier focus on sleep and recovery and to get help identifying not just which workout would be good but how long and how hard to push.
Should you buy it?
This is a very, very well-featured piece of fitness tech for the price tag. If you’re looking for a fitness tool that will support you in your training and your recovery then this is it.
First reviewed: September 2019
