If you’re serious about your training you probably log and analyse every minute of every session. Whether you’re nailing sets in the gym, running intervals or laying down 100km on your bike, the chances are that you’ll be collecting all that data so you can see how each session compares to the last and the next. But what about when you’re not training? Do you have any idea how active you are the rest of the time? That’s where the Polar Loop comes in.
While there’s no shortage of fitness trackers on the market, the Loop stands out as the ideal partner for anyone who takes their training seriously. Given Polar’s history in fitness technology – Polar invented the portable heart rate monitor – it comes as no surprise that the Loop would offer more than the average fitness tracker.
The Loop will sit comfortably on your wrist, no matter how large or small your arms may be. This is because unlike other fitness trackers the Loop can be personally customised to fit the individual user. The solid metal clasp will ensure that it stays put, too.
Polar has covered pretty much every base with the Loop, matching every other fitness tracker out there, while adding a few features that set it apart from most. Regular swimmers will love the Loop since it’s completely water resistant.
Of course the Loop will capture more conventional activity, logging each and every step you take each day - from that step data the Loop will estimate the distance you’ve travelled and the number of calories you’ve burned. And you can view any and all of that data on the Loop itself thanks to its large LED display – no need to dig your phone out of your pocket as with so many other fitness trackers. That built-in display also means that you can use the Loop as your wristwatch so there’s no need to have both your wrists populated.
The Loop does more than just count your steps though, it can also ascertain how much effort you’re putting into your activity. The Loop will assign a specific level of intensity to every minute of every day. There are five intensity levels – resting, sitting, low, medium and high activity. The beauty of these different activity levels is that the Loop can estimate how active you need to be to hit your daily goal and give you options – so you might need an hour of walking or only 15 minutes of jogging. The ability to differentiate levels of intensity also means that the Loop’s estimate of burned calories is very accurate.
But what really makes the Loop an ideal partner for the serious athlete is its ability to factor real-time heart rate into the equation. The Loop is compatible with Bluetooth Smart heart rate sensors, like the Polar H7. This makes the Loop so much more than a fitness tracker, it’s also a proper piece of training kit. So before you head out for a run, or get stuck into a circuit training session, strap the H7 heart rate monitor around your chest to get a detailed breakdown of your activity. If you were thinking about buying a dedicated heart rate monitor for your training sessions and a fitness tracker for logging your daily activity, the Loop can do both!
Anyone who wants to stay fit and healthy will know that rest is just as important as activity and the Loop can help you there too. While you’re sleeping the Loop will continue to track your movement, and in the morning it will tell you how long and how well you slept. Obviously it’s hard to force yourself to sleep better, but if your Loop tells you that you’re particularly restless at night, you can at least try to figure out why.
The Loop is continually communicating with your smartphone throughout the day and syncing all your data to the Polar Flow app. The app will give you increased insight into how you’re doing, and allow you to compare today to yesterday, or any other day for that matter. All your data is also synced with the Polar Flow web portal where you can look back at your daily activity and schedule in specific workouts and goals. You can even check out summaries of your weekly or monthly activity and get some useful insight into the tangible benefits of your activity.
So, while there are many fitness trackers out there, the Polar Loop really is the best choice for anyone who’s serious about their fitness. Not only will it track everything you do, every day, it can also replace your dedicated heart rate monitor. In the case of the Polar Loop, one size really does fit all.
Polar H7 Heart Rate Monitor: £64.50 RRP
