Polar Loop ditches the screen – and the subscription – to take on Whoop

Distraction-free fitness is shaping up to be the new wearable battleground. Finnish sports specialist Polar has just unveiled the Polar Loop, a minimalist fitness tracker that has no screen or buttons to bother you during workouts (or simply while recording your everyday health). It’s a direct challenge to Whoop – and importantly doesn’t demand an annual subscription.

The 24/7 fitness wearable is Polar’s first without any kind of screen. slim enough for sleep or worn on the same wrist as a regular watch, the Loop has a simple metal shell and textile back – just like the Whoop Mg.

Underneath the stripped back outer shell, Polar’s Precision Prime sensor suite records heart rate, training activity, recovery and sleep. Everything gets piped to the Polar Flow app, and can be combined with one of Polar’s other sports watches for a more in-depth look at your fitness.

The app has a bunch of training modes that include route recording and voice guidance, which can be triggered through your phone; the Loop will also record training sessions automatically when it detects more vigorous exercise.

Crucially, buying a Polar Loop is a one-time deal, with no subscription fee to access your activity, sleep or recovery data. That’s a major plus point compared to Whoop, which charges between $199 and $359 a year depending on which band you want and how granular you want to get with your fitness tracking.

Polar reckons the battery is good for eight days of continuous use, and that there’s enough internal memory for four weeks of data so you don’t need to sync on the regular if you’re planning a vacation that isn’t fitness-focused.

The Polar Loop is up for pre-order right now, directly from the Polar website, for $200/£150/€180. Bands will start shipping from September 10 across the US, Europe and the UK.

Three colour options: Greige Sand, Night Black, and Brown Copper. Additional wristbands can be picked up for $30/£16/€20 if you like to mix and match.