Polar’s New Pacer Watches Are All About Runners

Sport watch and fitness tracker manufacturer Polar has revealed a pair of new timepieces that have been designed specifically with runners in mind.

The Polar Pacer and Polar Pacer Pro are a duo of watches intended to function as either a gateway to running (the Pacer) or an experienced running enhancement (the Pacer Pro). Both devices are full of features and functions for runners, from route tracking and heart rate monitoring to performance tests and sleep tracking.

Starting with the Pacer, which Polar says is ideal for runners who are just starting out—or haven't started yet—you can expect all the running essentials. It can keep track of your pace, laps, and times, generate and track training targets, act as a controller for music apps on a connected smartphone, and send push notifications.

It can also track and catalog your running performance, so you can see how you improve over time. All of which Polar says will work for up to 35 hours with GPS and heart rate monitoring enabled or up to 100 hours in power-save mode.

The Pacer Pro is much the same as the regular Pacer, except more. It sports a Memory in Pixel (MIP) display that's readable in direct sunlight, a faster CPU, a built-in barometer, and a lightweight (41g) design. The back of the watch is also flatter in order to sit closer to the wrist and offer more accurate heart rate monitoring.

You can preorder the Polar Pacer now for $199.95 in white, black, teal, or purple, and it's expected to begin shipping in May. The Polar Pacer Pro, however, is in-stock now in gray, white, blue, and maroon for $299.95.