The 8-day Polar Loop tracker challenges Whoop and Garmin with subscription-free workout data

What you need to know

• Polar has announced the new Loop, a 24/7 screen-free wristband that tracks workouts, health, and sleep.
• It offers similar training insights to the more expensive Polar Vantage series like training load, HRV, and recovery, though it lacks built-in GPS.
• The Polar Loop ships on September 10 for $199 in three colors: Greige Sand, Night Black, and Brown Copper.

More and more athletes are looking for subtle, screenless fitness trackers for workouts and sleep. Finnish fitness brand Polar, best known for its H10 chest strap and high-end running watches, is throwing its hat in the ring with the Polar Loop band.

Measuring just 9mm thick and weighing 29g, the Polar Loop uses a soft textile band designed for more seamless sleep tracking than your typical smartwatch that weighs 2-3X more and is thick enough to get caught on your pillow.

The Polar Loop relies on automatic workout detection via the built-in accelerometer and Precision Prime HR sensor to determine when you're working out and gauge your daily training load and burned calories. But you can also start a workout in the Flow app for more specificity, especially to activate the connected GPS from your phone.

Polar has confirmed that the Loop will be subscription-free and that "every feature is ready on day one." You'll spend $199 / €179 / £149 upfront, whereas the popular Whoop 5.0 screenless band costs a minimum of $199 per year to access your data.

"We don't want to rent out our customers' data," said Polar account marketing specialist Michael Herlihy in an interview with Android Central about the Loop.

Polar claims that the Loop is "slim enough to share space with a traditional watch." If you want 24/7 health data but also prefer a luxury watch, you could try wearing them together, though the opposite wrist seems more natural.

I asked Herlihy why Polar chose a wristband instead of an armband like its own Verity Sense strap. He replied that the "ergonomics" of the wristband form factor feels more natural to users and that it provides much better activity tracking metrics.

The Polar Loop is splash-resistant, capable of withstanding a shower or a quick dunk in water, but it isn't designed for prolonged water sports, Herlihy warned.

It's packed with the same Polar Precision Prime HR sensor technology found in watches like the Polar Vantage V3, meant to detect and counteract the effects of rapid arm movement and other factors that impact accuracy.

Because the Loop has no display, users will need to check the Polar Flow app to check things like their sleep scores, daily training load scores, and post-workout stats. Like a smart ring, it's meant to untether you from the annoyance of constant notifications while still keeping you healthy and motivated.

Polar will have a direct competitor in the Amazfit Helio Strap, a $99 screenless, 24/7 workout band with 10 days of battery life (two more than the Polar Loop). Polar will be counting on fitness fans being familiar with its products and confident in its HR data to justify the higher cost.

Whoop bands have a wider range of health data, but cost significantly more over time, and the company is currently fighting with the FDA over blood pressure data. Garmin, meanwhile, launched its Index Sleep Monitor armband in June. Its ergonomic design is also great for sleep tracking, but it can't track workouts; Garmin fans hoping for a screenless training tool may turn to the Polar Loop instead.