For some, exercise and a healthy lifestyle just seem to come naturally. For others, like myself, the use of fitness trackers and health apps is needed to help with motivation.
However, traditional smartwatches that act as an extension of your smartphone have never agreed with me. I already know I spend far too much time on my phone, so why would I invest in a device that ensures I never miss a single notification?
That’s where a screenless wearable comes in.
Devices like Whoop, the Fitbit Air and the best smart rings like Oura Ring 5 are designed to keep users focused and motivated on their workout, while still benefiting from receiving their stats and metrics.
As an avid Whoop user, I take a look at what’s behind the rise of screenless wearables and give my two cents on why I think they’re so much better than traditional watches – regardless of whether you’re a beginner or a fully-fledged athlete.
The allure of Whoop
Until recently, Whoop had dominated the screenless wearable market, and for good reason too. With the latest Whoop MG sporting a four-star rating and the title of “best fitness tracker” from us, the device is designed for serious athletes who care more about improving their performance than keeping up to date with notifications.
That might sound intense, but I’ve been using Whoop for just under a year, and it’s genuinely made such a difference to my exercise routine – and I am certainly not athletic.
When I first started using Whoop, I was intrigued but honestly didn’t feel very confident. I’d previously dabbled with smartwatches before but never really embraced the process – plus Whoop undeniably has quite an intense vibe about it.
Everything die-hard Whoop users said about the device sounded like an ick, from getting a Whoop age to having to log whenever you drink alcohol (let me live, Whoop).
However, at its core, Whoop has well and truly excelled in doing what many other smartwatches have failed to do for me: keeping me motivated.
Perhaps it’s the in-depth stats Whoop provides after a workout, or the fact I can just get on with exercising without being tempted to peek at an on-screen display to see how I’m getting on, but Whoop has kept me engaged during exercise.
For example, I’ll slip my phone into my pocket and won’t be tempted to check how my stats are looking halfway through the run. I’m forced to just keep running or exercising, without being distracted by the wearable because there’s nothing there to see.
That means when the run or class is finished, I know I’ve not been distracted. Instead, I get to track my stats but only see them after the exercise, which keeps me present while working out.
The rise of screenless wearables
Although Whoop dominated the market for a while, we’re currently seeing a rise in more screenless wearables. The recently launched Fitbit Air is a perfect example of this, as it works in a very similar way to Whoop but addresses its key weakness: the hefty price tag. Whoop comes as a 12-month subscription, with the cheapest costing £169 for the year while the priciest will set you back an eye-watering £349. In comparison, the Fitbit Air costs just £89 and has an optional £ 9.99-a-month subscription.
There’s a similar issue with the Oura Ring 5 which, although has been hailed as one of the best smart rings, has a hefty £399 price tag and a £5.99 a month subscription to even work. To combat this, you can opt for the Ultrahuman Ring Air which has no fees tied to it.
Garmin’s rumoured upcoming device
At the time of writing, although Garmin is easily one of the most popular smartwatch brands, it’s yet to sport its own screenless wearable. However, it’s heavily rumoured to be planning to release its own Whoop and Fitbit Air competitor, with the so-called Cirqa.
Although Garmin hasn’t actually confirmed the Cirqa, there have been countless leaks for the screenless band in the past year, from accidentally posting the device on its website back in January (as reported by Android Authority) to adding the device to Garmin’s Romanian support page.
It’s unsurprising really, as Garmin have likely identified that customers don’t really need an extension of their smartphone. Instead, and this makes perfect sense to me, what we need is a way to keep us present and focused during workouts, and not be constantly distracted or tempted by a display – all while still receiving our stats after our workout.
