Polar Loop Gen 2 review: Works like a smart ring, feels like a smartwatch

Rating: 3/5

Health and wellness have become a priority for people, and wearable technology is at the heart of that shift. Smartwatches and smart rings have both carved out loyal followings. One one hand, smartwatches appeal to those who want a smartphone-like full-featured experience on their wrist – from notifications and calls to fitness tracking and apps.

Smart rings, on the other hand, attract users who prefer a discreet device that tracks health data without demanding attention. But there is a growing middle ground: people who want the familiar form factor of a smartwatch without all the buzzing and screen-tapping that comes with it. At first glance, the Polar Loop Gen 2 seems to tick every box for someone who wants a capable, lifestyle-friendly fitness tracker without the burden of a monthly subscription.

No screen, no buttons, no distractions – just a lightweight band that quietly monitors your health in the background. Available at a price of Rs 19,999 in Gold Sand, Copper Brown and Sand colour options, the Polar Loop Gen 2 gets a lot right, but some things seem ‘work-in-progress’.

Here is everything you need to know.

Design and comfort

If we were to summarise Polar Loop Gen 2 in three worlds, it would be: subtle, stylish and lightweight.

The Polar Loop Gen 2 is designed to blend into your daily life rather than announce itself as a fitness gadget. It does not even look like a fitness tracker and during our review period, it’s been mistaken for a fashion accessory for a number of times.

We reviewed the Sand colour variant that features a ‘light brown’ fabric strap with golden buckle, giving it a more refined, lifestyle-oriented look compared to most fitness trackers.

The tracker has a plastic core body, but golden touches add a layer of polish that makes it feel a cut above budget wearables. It is 29 grams (strap included), and feels impressively light on the wrist. The fabric band uses a stretchable velcro-style fastener, which is both secure and comfortable. However, we still got skin indentations when we took it off. Another limitation is that the band gets wet quickly when you are sweaty and/or washing your hands.

The Loop carries a WR30 water resistance rating, which means you can keep wearing it when you are bathing and swimming.

Functionality, features and app

One of the biggest strong points of the Polar Loop Gen 2 is its minimalist design and functionality. Unlike smartwatches, there are no buttons, no screen, no vibration motor and no LED status indicator – which means there is no interaction with the device while wearing it. To access data, insights and settings, users must have a companion app on the phone.Polar says that battery life sits at around eight days on a single charge, which is solid. But that’s understood given that it does not have a screen, vibration motor and have comparatively less number of sensors.

When it comes to health tracking, minimalism does come at a cost – at least for those who look for a specific set for features. We can explain it with an example. You use a Polar Loop Gen 2 tracker but you will have to swap it for a smartwatch for more sophisticated tracking when you are working on a specific exercise, or playing football or hiking (no altimeter).

Similarly, there is no blood oxygen monitoring – a feature that appears to be a default in almost all smartwatches.

The Loop tracks steps, sleep and activity sessions continuously throughout the day. Sleep tracking covers light, deep, and REM stages, along with sleep interruptions, ANS charge, breathing rate and heart rate variability. Despite the limited feature list, the Polar Loop performs well on the fundamentals.

Its heart rate sensor works fine and the results were comparable to readings from a Pixel Watch 4.The data is thorough and largely accurate. But the automatic activity detection is patchy. The Loop is designed to recognise and log workouts on its own. It does that reasonably well for walks and light activity. However, most times, it automatically detected indoor activity when the writer moved from one room to another.

Coming to the app. The Polar Loop Gen 2 quickly connects automatically if you have Polar Flow app installed on your phone. Just put the wearable on the charger, and it will automatically detect the band; follow the steps and you are done. The app is the window into the wearer’s health data. The app experience, however, can be improved. The home screen a page full of activity, steps and auto-tracked exercises – and look like a mess.

There is no at-a-glance summary and no intuitive colour coding to help distinguish between different data.

Verdict

The Polar Loop Gen 2 is priced at Rs 19,999, and since there is no mandatory subscription, this is the overall cost you are paying – making this Polar Loop Gen 2’s biggest advantage over several other wearables. The subscription offers a fitness program, adaptive training plans but this is optional. A comfortable, no-fuss wearable with solid health tracking at its core, the Polar Loop Gen 2 has real promise, but patchy activity tracking.

Buy it if you want a stylish, low-profile wearable; do not want mandatory subscription and want a one-time purchase; and finally your prefer completely passive, zero-interaction tracking with no wrist distractions. Skip it if you want rich, well-presented health insights out of the box, and an app experience matters to you as much as the hardware.