Whoop

The Whoop 4.0 fitness tracker looks much like its predecessor, with a simple screenless design, but there are some major changes under the hood including new SpO2 and temperature sensors, all packed into a smaller case. Data is synced with the Whoop smartphone app, where you'll find a wealth of health and fitness stats to help you optimize your training, sleep routine, and lifestyle to perform at your best. If you're not deeply invested in sport then it'll likely be overkill, but if you want to push yourself to the next level then it's an excellent tool. Unlike the current crop of fitness trackers from brands like Fitbit or Garmin, the Whoop 4.0 has no screen or buttons. This design takes some getting used to. Anyone who wants smartwatch apps or workout stats on their wrist won’t like it. But for those interested in health and fitness tracking and nothing else, it might be a welcome break from 24/7 screens. The Whoop 4.0 is a hardcore fitness device that doesn’t just track steps, gym sessions and calorie burn. Instead, it focuses on recovery. It aims to make sure you feel well-rested, so you’re working at an optimal performance level next time you exercise – that way, you’re more likely to avoid injury and over-exertion. (Image credit: Becca Caddy) The Whoop 4.0 presents data about your sleep, recovery levels and how much strain your body is primed for each day. The Whoop algorithm that makes these calculations takes a range of factors into account, including where you’re ...

Ask people if they’ve heard of the Whoop activity-tracking wearable and they’ll either look at you blankly or say they couldn’t work out, sleep, or live without it. It’s a You might not think that business model would be “Smart clothes” have struggled to gain traction before, and when it comes to wearables specific to the wrist, Apple dominates that market. But Whoop thinks its combination of continuous health monitoring and new “Any-Wear” technology, which is supposed to determine where on the body you’re wearing your Whoop and adjust your data-tracking accordingly, will set it apart in a sea of tracking tech. “We’ve long felt that wearable technology should be cool or invisible. Those are the only two paradigms we want to develop on,” says Will Ahmed, Whoop’s cofounder and chief executive. “In terms of ‘cool,’ it’s an area we’ve focused on a lot historically, making it something that you can dress up or dress down. But ‘invisible’ is, ‘How do we make it disappear?’” Buyers might also notice their dollars disappearing when they factor in a $24 per month subscription to Whoop’s fitness-tracking software platform—the hardware is included in that—and the cost of Whoop’s new apparel, which includes $69 boxers, a $79 sports bra, and $109 leggings. But serious exercisers who are used to paying top price for fitness apparel might not bat an eye at those costs. (And if they did bat an eye, Whoop would certainly track it.) The new Whoop fitness tracker can be worn in a band on you...

Whenever a friend or colleague asks me whether they should get a Whoop tracker, I heave a big sigh. Not because it’s a bad product — I sigh because it’s one of those gadgets. You know, the expensive ones with slick Instagram ads and a devoted, niche fan base — and a feature set that doesn’t make sense for the average person. Whoop’s missing nearly all of the features you’d expect from a modern wearable. It doesn’t track steps, stairs climbed, or active minutes. It doesn’t do notifications either. There isn’t even a screen to view notifications on. It can’t tell you the time, so forget timers. Contactless payments and mindfulness reminders are also a no-go. Its “smartest” feature is the ability to set a single haptic alarm. The only things the Whoop tracks are cardiovascular strain, recovery, and sleep. The actual tracker is quite small, but that’s not the innovative part. What’s unique about Whoop is it can be worn in multiple ways. The default is either a wristband or bicep band. Both resemble a woven bracelet and are quite comfortable when you’re wearing it. You barely notice you’re wearing anything. Alongside the Whoop 4.0, the company also launched a line of athletic wear fitted with pods that you can slot the Whoop tracker into. That includes leggings, underwear, and sleeves for your arms and knees. Whoop sent me one of their sports bras, which has a pod for the tracker sewn into the left side near the ribs. I’ll admit to being skeptical, but I was pleasantly surprise...

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