V800 GPS Sports Watch

Their product and training are still quality. I've done triathlons and ironmans with the v800, just purely from orthostatic testing and training load management. It still can do all that. People want features and smart watch like features. Stuff to distract with you with, and polar isn't good with that.

Another option that I forgot to mention is a used V800. It has breadcrumb navigation but no optical heart rate sensor so none of the current health measures. Good GPS as well as being rugged. You might be able to pick one up for cheap.

Polar's problems are bigger than the US, and their decline significantly predates the current US administration. Long story short: they stopped innovating. Flow hasn't seen any real updates in a decade; entire product lines (e.g. cycling computers) have been canceled, the software in their devices is full of bugs, new products are way underwhelming (compare the Loop 2 with the Amazfit Helios at half the price; the Amazfit has far more functionality and much better quality), and the design of products they still make is generic at best. Polar peaked with the V800 and have only gone downhill since.

I had the exact opposite experience, switched to a polar one and didn’t have any issues anymore

G-Shock Edit: Used to wear a Fitbit. Broke too many of them hitting my punching bag. The heartbreak tracker would stop working. Fitbit was great about sending me replacements. I got sick of it and bought a Polar heart rate monitor. So much more accurate anyway. I pair that with my iPhone. Whenever I’m not hitting the bag or tracking heart rate, I wear my G-Shock.