DT Next Tech | Polar Loop makes a play for the premium activity tracker segment in India

CHENNAI: Activity trackers are gaining traction among users who put a premium on their wellness, seeking a distraction-free alternative to smartwatches. We’ve seen brands like Whoop become popular with high-performance athletes. Polar, a Finnish brand with a rich heritage that dates back to the 1980s is making a play for the Indian market with its Polar Loop, a screen-free activity tracker.

The build is all premium with a stainless steel bezel and case and a lightweight textile strap that gives it a clear edge over its rivals. You get a choice of colours including Night Black, Greige Sand and our favourite – Brown Copper. The Loop is comfortable to wear with its lightweight form factor and stretchable band that are also swappable. It’s ready (it comes with a WR30 rating) for quite a few of your adventures including visits to the shower and a dip in the pool.

You can connect the Polar Loop with your smartphone via the companion app (Polar Flow) and Bluetooth. The app offers actionable wellness data, the device also auto-detects workouts (we tested it out at the gym). We wish the app was more visually pleasing. This is an area where some of Polar’s rivals have a head start. But there’s one big difference, brands like Whoop require a subscription while Polar’s subscription-free model adds to its appeal. Battery life is another win. The Loop should last you about a week between each charge, that’s better than most smartwatches out there. The 170 mAh battery needs about an hour and a half to power up.

The Polar Loop scores with its unobtrusive form factor, solid battery life and subscription-free model that keeps churning out everything from sleep to workout data, making it a great wellness companion.

(Rs 19,999)