POLAR LOOP

A screen-free band with no Whoop-style ongoing costs

- Words Tom Morgan-Freelander]

With wearables now smarter than a lab’s worth of sports scientists, it's easy to feel bombarded with data. Ditching the screen is one way to avoid that – at least until you open a companion app – and while Whoop set the standard, its subscription model (see p53) isn't for everyone. Polar is happy to charge a one-off fee for the Loop, and the Finnish firm has enough sporting pedigree that its fitness metrics should be just as insightful. At least, that's the theory...

The sensor is beyond minimalist, with a metal clasp and plastic underside; it's barely wider than the included strap, and weighs a barely-there 29g all-in. The 'sand' version's gold finish treads the line between blingy and sophisticated; the black and dark brown models are a bit more subtle.