Polar reveals its Loop screenless fitness tracker, and it looks like a Whoop band without the subscription

• Polar has revealed its latest device, the Polar Loop
• It's a screenless wearable designed to be worn on the wrist, like Whoop
• It costs $179.90 / £149.50 / around AU$300, with no added subscription

Polar has revealed its new screenless wearable, a wrist-based fitness tracker designed for 24/7 daily wear called the Polar Loop.

Said to deliver "powerful insights into fitness, recovery, and sleep" while remaining "remarkably simple" according to a Polar press release, the device boasts automatic workout detection similar to Whoop bands or the best smart rings, using Polar's algorithms and Precision Prime heart rate sensor technology to ensure accuracy. Alternatively, you can record or start activities manually in the Polar Flow app.

The Polar Flow app that the Loop relies on to function and display the data collected by the device is the same one that Polar's best running watches and best heart rate monitors use. The Loop functions similarly to a heart rate monitor or smart ring, as a passive set-and-forget wearable that you don't interact with directly.

Instead, all interaction is via Polar Flow. I've tried Polar Flow while reviewing previous devices and I found it comprehensive, albeit not very intuitive at first.

The Polar Loop is a one-time purchase with no subscription required, unlike the Whoop 5.0 or Oura Ring 4. The device costs $179.90 / £149.50 (that's about AU$300) and you only have to pay once – in comparison, a Whoop One subscription costs £169 / $199 / AU$299 per annum.

It's available to pre-order now, and will be available from September 10 in Greige Sand, Night Black, Brown Copper. Additional wristbands are sold separately and cost $19.90 / £15.90 (about AU$30).

The devil's in the detail

I'm just finishing up my testing period for the Whoop MG, and while I love the subscription-based fitness tracker's intuitive interface and detailed training metrics, especially the emphasis on strain, I certainly don't love the price.

Additional subscriptions are one thing, but paying in perpetuity for a membership, even at the lowest tier, makes it a super-premium device.

The Polar Loop seems like a great alternative: pay once for a similar, although perhaps less comprehensive, experience. I'll know more for sure after testing it, so watch this space.

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