Rank #3 in Best Heart Rate Monitors 2026: 10 Ranked, Three Spec Sheets Wrong
Polar Verity Sense Optical Heart Rate Sensor
Price and rating as shown on Amazon when we collected them. Both change.
The Polar Verity Sense is an optical heart rate sensor that you wear on your upper or lower arm, or clip to a swimming goggle strap. It sits third in this guide. The Amazon listing gives it a price of £86.50 and a rating of 4.3 out of 5 from 3,596 customer ratings, with 65% of those ratings at five stars and 5% at one star.
The finding here: this is the one entry in the top ten where the 'Sensor Type: Optical' label appears to describe the device actually in the box — an armband sensor, with no chest strap and no electrodes to wet before a session. Its own spec table then gets it wrong in the other direction, listing 'Item Type Name: Fitness Watch' for something whose included components are a sensor, an armband, a swimming goggle clip, a charger and a washing bag. No watch, no screen. Everything on this page is taken from the Amazon listing; we have not tested the Polar Verity Sense ourselves.
How those 3,596 ratings break down
An average hides its own shape. This is the spread behind the 4.3 stars.
Specification
Exactly as published on the Amazon listing, field for field.
| Price | £86.50 |
|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3 out of 5 from 3,596 customer ratings |
| Rating breakdown | 65% of ratings are 5-star, 5% are 1-star |
| Sensor type (as listed) | Optical |
| Item type name (as listed) | Fitness Watch |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth and ANT+, with two simultaneous Bluetooth connections |
| Included components | Sensor, armband, swimming goggle clip, charger, washing bag, information note |
| Best Sellers Rank | 10th in Heart Rate Monitors (Sports & Outdoors) |
What buyers actually say
Quoted from customer reviews on Amazon
Verified purchase“This is an excellent bit of kit that I use a lot.I specifically bought it to use training BJJ. I needed something to record training data when rolling and my Garmin watch is to bulky to roll with.This easily connects to the Garmin and I can leave the watch on the side with the arm strap on.It's so discreet i forget it's on and my training partners never feel it/ get caught by it which was a concern of mine.I also use it for zone 2 training on static bike. I put the arm strap on and put the watch where I can easily read my heart rate to keep it in zone.Gives accurate data and pairs well with Garmin watch which hasn't dropped out yet.Full charge lasts about 10 workouts.Highly recommend this.”
Verified purchase“Very happy with the Polar heart rate sensor. Have owned their chest strap for several years but was starting to get fed up with the whole wetting process to get it working so tried the Verity Sense back to back with the chest strap. The verity seems to be just as accurate but lags behind by 10 - 15 seconds or so which is not a problem for me in the gym.Much easier to live with and more comfortable, also works well in the cold as doesn't need to be wet.”
What it is up against
The rivals it was ranked against in Best Heart Rate Monitors 2026: 10 Ranked, Three Spec Sheets Wrong.
Questions people ask
Does the Polar Verity Sense have a screen?
No. The listing gives its item type as 'Fitness Watch', but there is no display among the included components, which are the sensor, armband, swimming goggle clip, charger, washing bag and information note. You read your heart rate on a connected device or app, or record it and transfer it to your phone afterwards.
How does the Polar Verity Sense measure heart rate?
The listing gives its sensor type as Optical. You slip it on your upper or lower arm, clip it to your swimming goggles or place it against your skin under tight-fitting clothing.
How many devices can it connect to at once?
The Polar Verity Sense uses Bluetooth and ANT+, and the listing states it supports two simultaneous Bluetooth connections.
What is the battery?
The listing gives the battery description as Lithium-Ion. No battery life figure is stated in the data we have.
What is the rating and how many people rated it?
4.3 out of 5 from 3,596 customer ratings. Of the breakdown given, 65% of ratings are five-star and 5% are one-star.
Can you swim with the Polar Verity Sense?
Yes. The listing describes a swim mode with the sensor clipped to the goggle strap against your temple, tracking heart rate, distance and pace automatically in the pool, with internal memory so you can record a session and transfer it to your phone afterwards.
Comments
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