This has always been one of those slightly odd Polar things. The H10 could record a workout by itself for years, but if you actually wanted to use that feature, Polar sent you off to a different app.

That changes with Polar Flow 7.38.0.

Polar Beat just became a lot less necessary

The H10 has enough internal memory to store one standalone heart-rate session, recording heart rate once per second for more than 30 hours. That makes it useful for swimming, team sports, gym sessions or anything else where carrying a phone is annoying.

The hardware could already do all of this. The strange bit was how you started it.

Until now, Polar’s own instructions told H10 users to open Polar Beat, connect the sensor and choose “Save HR with sensor.” Once recording started, you could walk away from the phone and let the H10 handle the session on its own. When you came back, Beat downloaded the workout from the sensor and synced it into Flow.

Flow 7.38.0 removes that detour. You can now start the standalone recording directly from Polar Flow, which is where most Polar users are managing their training data anyway. It sounds like a small change, but it cleans up a clumsy part of the Polar ecosystem.

Better for phone-free workouts

The use case is simple. Start the recording in Flow, leave your phone behind and let the H10 store heart-rate data on the strap itself.

That makes particular sense for swimming because Bluetooth is unreliable through water, but it is also useful for football, martial arts and other activities where carrying a phone is impractical.

Once the session is finished, the data transfers back into Flow. The H10 still stores only one standalone session at a time, so this is not a replacement for a watch, but it removes one of the more annoying parts of using the sensor.

Polar has not said that Beat is going away, so we would not read this as the end of the app just yet. But for H10 owners who only kept Beat around for internal memory recording, Flow 7.38.0 removes a big reason to use it.

The timing is also interesting. We previously found references to an unreleased Polar H12 inside Flow code, suggesting Polar is still investing in its chest-strap lineup.

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Polar wants to measure more than heart rate

US 2026/0345076 A1 is one of the more interesting Polar patents we’ve come across recently. The patch would sit between the watch and the skin, while an opening in the middle allows the normal optical heart rate sensor to keep working.

The patent specifically mentions glucose, lactate and cortisol. Polar links glucose with energy consumption and nutritional state, lactate with exercise intensity, and cortisol with recovery.

The system uses surface plasmon resonance, or SPR. Different sensing elements on the patch could be designed to detect different substances, meaning one part could look for glucose while another measures lactate or cortisol.

The patch could contain several sensing elements for the same substance as well. The watch would keep track of which ones had already been used and alert the wearer when the patch needed replacing.

Polar has explored other unusual sensing ideas before. We previously covered a Polar patent that combined heart rate monitoring with abdominal fat measurements. But that one has not seen the light of day yet so remains in concept stage.

The watch could even trigger sweat production

There is one practical problem with analysing sweat. Sometimes there isn’t enough of it.

Polar addresses that in the patent as well. One version of the patch includes an electrically activated element containing pilocarpine, which can stimulate local sweat production.

The watch could first determine whether enough sweat was present. If not, it could activate the element and generate enough sweat underneath the device to take a measurement.

That means the device could poentionally allow for measurements outside hard exercise. The system would not necessarily have to wait until the wearer was already sweating heavily.

This is not a normal glucose monitor

It is important not to confuse this with a conventional continuous glucose monitor. Polar is talking about measuring substances in sweat, not directly measuring glucose in blood or interstitial fluid.

That still leaves plenty of potential value for sports use. Lactate and cortisol, in particular, fit with Polar’s existing focus on training intensity and recovery, while glucose could provide another signal around energy use.

The concept is unusually detailed for a wearable patent. Polar has worked through how the patch could fit underneath an existing sports watch, how optical heart rate measurements could continue, how the biochemical sensors could be replaced and even how the system could produce sweat when needed.

Whether it ever reaches a commercial Polar watch is another matter. But glucose, lactate and cortisol sensing from a replaceable patch is certainly more interesting than another algorithm trying to squeeze a new score out of the same old heart rate data.

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The trademark application was submitted on October 16, 2026, under number 019436943. It is currently under examination by the European Union Intellectual Property Office.

The filing covers software for collecting and analysing biometric data, physiological signals and exercise parameters. It also includes exercise coaching, training instructions and applications related to fitness and wellbeing. Which is pretty broad.

What could Momentum Score actually measure?

Your guess is as good as ours at this stage. Momentum Score could be about keeping active day after day, tracking whether your fitness is improving, or simply showing how well you’re sticking to your exercise routine.

It might also have more to do with everyday movement than serious training. With Polar now selling the screenless Loop, a score that encourages people to move more, sit less and build better habits wouldn’t be a huge surprise.

Then again, perhaps Polar is thinking of something broader. Momentum Score could combine sleep, activity and recovery data to give you an idea of whether things are generally heading in the right direction. Or it might be a motivational feature that rewards consistency rather than pushing people to exercise harder.

There are quite a few directions Polar could take this. The problem is that the trademark gives us absolutely nothing about how the score would work or what it would actually measure. So, for now, we’re left guessing.

Another piece of Polar’s software plans

Polar has several other developments in the pipeline.

We previously discovered references to the Polar H12 inside the Polar Flow app. Subsequent app discoveries revealed additional connectivity details for the upcoming chest strap, including support for broadcasting heart rate to four Bluetooth devices simultaneously.

Polar also filed a European trademark for the H12 name on October 12, just four days before Momentum Score. That doesn’t mean the two are connected, and there’s currently no evidence suggesting the new metric would be exclusive to the sensor.

Adding another score would only make sense if it told users something they weren’t already getting from existing metrics. Whether Polar has found a useful new angle remains to be seen.

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And there is actually quite a lot here. Vantage V3, Vantage M3, Grit X2 Pro, Grit X2, Ignite 3 and Street X all get changes you are likely to notice, rather than the usual collection of small fixes buried in a changelog.

There is a bit more context here too. For Grit X2 Pro owners, the previous major firmware release landed back in January, so this arrives after more than eight months without another big update. 

More of your data is finally visible on the watch

To start with, Polar is adding proper trend graphs for a bunch of metrics.

• You can now see seven-day graphs for Nightly Recharge, ANS charge, Sleep charge, nightly heart rate, nightly HRV, breathing rate and sleep duration.
• Running Index gets a graph showing the seven most recent results,
• Weight follows the same idea with your latest seven measurements.
• Compatible watches can also show the seven most recent ECG test results.

That fits with what Polar started doing with its OS 5 update earlier this year. That release added dark maps, RPE grading, new widgets and other interface changes. Firmware 6.0.18 pushes things further by making the watches themselves a better place to actually look at your data. 

The buttons are getting a lot more useful

On Vantage V3, Vantage M3, Grit X2 and Grit X2 Pro, the old LIGHT button can now work as a Custom button. You can choose what it does during normal use, then assign a different action for individual sports while training.

Street X gets the same basic idea, with its built-in flashlight making an obvious candidate for the shortcut. Polar only launched the device earlier this year, so it is good to see the newer model included rather than having its software branch off on its own. 

Early feedback suggests this is one of the changes people are noticing straight away. Users are also liking the redesigned pre-training screen, particularly the clearer indication of which external heart-rate sensor is connected. 

You can change sport settings without reaching for Flow

Polar has also moved the main sport profile settings onto the watch. You can now change them from the main Settings menu, from pre-training mode or while a workout is paused.

The menus themselves have had some work as well. Polar has updated the colours and transition animations, moved some settings around and brought Timers directly into pre-training mode.

There is another small cleanup that some users have already spotted. Strava Live Segments no longer takes up its own prominent item in the main menu, which should make the interface a little less cluttered for anyone who never used it. 

Buried among all the changes is an update to Polar’s optical heart-rate algorithm. The company says it has worked on reducing occasional heart-rate dropouts during workouts, sleep and normal daily use, while also improving performance across different skin characteristics.

Polar has added an 80% battery charge limit

Another addition is the option to stop charging at 80%. You can switch it on under the battery settings and leave it enabled when you do not need every last bit of runtime.

This is basically the same idea that has become common on phones and laptops. Keeping lithium batteries away from a permanent 100% charge can reduce long-term battery wear.

The update also adds more background options for digital watch faces and quicker weight entry from the pull-down settings menu. You can even set a reminder to update your weight, which should be handy for anyone feeding regular measurements into Polar’s training and calorie calculations.

Our takeaway

The Vantage, Grit and Street lines cover very different price points, so rolling the change across all six watches gives Polar a fairly broad test bed. It’s also good to see the company rolling the software to its new watches.

There are a couple of very early reports of update hiccups. One Vantage V3 owner reported the watch resetting during installation before successfully updating after pairing again, while a Grit X2 Pro owner reported the touchscreen becoming unresponsive after assigning the flashlight to the Custom button. That is nowhere near enough to suggest a widespread problem, but it is worth keeping an eye on as more people install 6.0.18. 

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We compared the new release with version 7.36.2, and both device names are new. More importantly, they sit inside Polar’s device-recognition code rather than a stray promotional file.

A new version of the screenless tracker

The one that is more interesting is Polar Loop Gen 3. The name appears in a new device profile tied to the hardware identifiers INW6R and Polar_INW6R, while Polar’s wider device registry has also gained a matching “loop gen 3” entry.

There is a slightly odd detail in the same profile. Its marketing-name field still says “Polar Loop Gen 2”, but the code used to recognise connected models explicitly accepts “Polar Loop Gen 3”. That could mean that Polar is still tidying up internal labels before anything becomes public.

Either way, this is more than a casual mention. Device-recognition logic exists so the app can identify hardware and apply the correct behaviour, which makes the reference harder to dismiss as unused copy left in a translation file.

The timing is what gives this some bite. Polar launched the current screen-free Loop in September 2025, positioning it as a subscription-free alternative to products such as Whoop. The current model is barely a year old, so a third-generation name appearing now points to a quicker hardware cycle than many buyers might expect.

Polar 360 Gen 2 gets a cleaner profile

Polar 360 Gen 2 is the second new name, and its implementation is less muddled. A new device profile recognises “Polar 360 Gen 2”, “360 Gen 2” and the lower-case equivalent, all connected with a new INW6S hardware identifier.

The original Polar 360 appeared in the Flow app before its wider business rollout, so this is a familiar route for the product family. Polar currently describes the Polar 360 as a screen-free platform for companies that want to build health and fitness services around Polar’s sensors, software tools and data.

The H12 is starting to reveal its purpose

The same app update also moves the H12 story forward. Our earlier Polar H12 discovery found a dedicated device profile in version 7.36.2, but there was no useful information about its connectivity, battery life or sensing hardware at the time.

Version 7.37.0 adds user-facing setup text linked to that H12 profile. It says the sensor can broadcast heart rate to as many as four Bluetooth devices simultaneously, while new open and secure modes let the wearer choose whether nearby devices can pick up the signal easily.

Secure mode is described as keeping heart-rate data from being picked up by anyone, while open mode is intended to make connections easier. That sounds aimed at people who move between watches, gym equipment, training apps and cycling computers.

What the app still does not tell us

There are no Loop Gen 3 or Polar 360 Gen 2 product images in the updated onboarding package. The onboarding file itself is unchanged from version 7.36.2, with the new models appearing only in the app’s underlying device definitions and registry.

It’s important to note here – app code can arrive months before a product, survive after plans change or cover hardware that never receives a normal retail launch. So this is evidence of development rather than confirmation of upcoming availability.

It is also worth noting that the INW6R model number has not yet appeared in any of the regulatory databases we monitor. That makes a 2026 launch look less likely, with early 2027 perhaps the more realistic window.

APK teardown note

This article is based on an APK teardown. Code found inside an app can reveal features or devices that are under development, but there is no guarantee they will appear in a future public release.

The post Polar may already be preparing Loop Gen 3 appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

If you want more reliable heart rate data during exercise than you typically get from the wrist, there are two main ways to go: a chest strap or an optical armband. Chest straps remain the obvious choice if accuracy comes first, while armbands are easier to put on and generally more comfortable if you do not like having something wrapped around your chest.

Why use a dedicated heart rate monitor?

For everyday tracking, the heart rate sensor on a smartwatch is usually good enough. Things get a bit more demanding once you start using heart rate to control a workout, particularly during intervals, harder runs or sessions where you are trying to stay inside a specific training zone.

That is where a dedicated monitor still makes sense. Chest straps generally react more quickly when your heart rate rises or falls, while armbands can offer a nice middle ground if you want something more comfortable. If you use heart rate zones regularly, the cleaner data can make it easier to judge effort rather than relying entirely on pace or how you happen to feel that day.

Heart rate zones themselves are useful for different types of training. Easier zones are typically used for aerobic and endurance work, while the higher zones come into play during threshold sessions and harder intervals.

Chest strap vs armband vs wrist

The three approaches measure heart rate in slightly different ways. Most chest straps detect the electrical activity produced by the heart with electrodes sitting against the skin. It is essentially a simplified version of the principle used by an ECG, which is why chest straps tend to respond particularly well when intensity changes quickly.

Armbands usually use optical PPG sensing, much like a smartwatch. The difference is where the sensor sits. Moving it higher up the arm can reduce some of the movement and fit issues you get at the wrist, while also making the device much easier to wear than a chest strap for some people.

Smartwatches and fitness trackers are the most convenient option because you are probably already wearing one. They shine light into the skin and analyse changes in blood flow to estimate your pulse. Modern sensors have become very good, particularly during steady exercise, but movement, fit, cold weather and rapid changes in effort can still cause problems.

That is why there is no single best format for everyone. A chest strap still makes the most sense if accuracy is the priority. An armband is a good compromise if comfort matters more, while a wrist sensor is easily the most convenient for everyday use.

How much more accurate is a chest strap?

There is plenty of research showing why chest straps became the reference point for exercise heart rate tracking. One Cleveland Clinic study compared several wrist-based monitors with a Polar H7 chest strap and a three-lead ECG while participants ran on a treadmill.

The chest strap produced the closest agreement with the ECG throughout the test. The Polar H7 recorded a correlation coefficient of 0.98, while the Apple Watch Series 3 came next at 0.96. The other wrist devices tested were lower at around 0.89.

The gap also tended to increase as running speed went up. At rest and during easier activity, the difference between wrist and chest measurements was much smaller. Once participants were working harder, the limitations of optical wrist sensing became more noticeable.

It is worth putting those results into context. The study used devices that are now several generations old, and wrist-based heart rate sensing has improved considerably since then. It also took place on a treadmill rather than outdoors, so it does not perfectly reproduce real-world running.

The broader point still holds, though. Wrist sensors can work very well during steady exercise, but chest straps remain the safer bet when you care about rapid changes in heart rate. That matters most for intervals, threshold work, racing and other sessions where a delayed or incorrect reading can throw off the entire workout.

Armbands sit somewhere between the two. They still rely on optical sensing, so they do not have the same inherent advantage as an electrical chest strap. But moving the sensor away from the wrist often gives it a cleaner signal, while keeping the setup more comfortable and easier to put on.

Best heart rate monitor chest straps

Polar H10

Polar H10

Buy on Amazon

Battery:

Up to 400 hours, replaceable CR2025

Heart rate technology:

Electrical chest sensor

GPS:

None

Connectivity:

Bluetooth LE, ANT+ and 5 kHz GymLink

Water resistance:

WR30

The Polar H10 has been around for a long time now, but there is a reason it is still one of the easiest chest straps to recommend. We reviewed the H10 back when it launched and found it comfortable, accurate and very reliable, and not much has changed on that front.

The soft fabric strap uses silicone dots to stop it moving around during exercise, while the sensor itself can connect to two Bluetooth devices at the same time. ANT+ and Polar’s 5 kHz GymLink transmission are also supported, so it works with a wide range of watches, cycling computers, gym equipment and training apps.

There is onboard memory as well, although it only stores one training session at a time. That is handy if you want to train without carrying your phone, and the H10 is also water resistant to 30 metres for swimming. With up to 400 hours from a replaceable CR2025 battery, charging is something you simply do not have to think about.

It is not the newest heart rate monitor in this guide, nor does it try to throw a long list of extra training metrics at you. What it does very well is deliver dependable heart rate data with excellent compatibility, which is why the H10 remains such a strong all-round choice.

Pros

+ Excellent heart rate accuracy

+ Comfortable, non-slip strap

+ Bluetooth, ANT+ and GymLink support

+ Very long battery life

Cons

− Internal memory limited to one training session

− Few extras compared with newer premium chest straps

Wahoo TRACKR HEART RATE

Wahoo TRACKR HEART RATE

Buy on Amazon

Battery:

Over 100 hours, rechargeable lithium-ion

Heart rate technology:

Electrical ECG chest sensor

GPS:

None

Connectivity:

ANT+ and up to three simultaneous Bluetooth connections

Water resistance:

IPX7

Wahoo TRACKR HEART RATE replaces the old TICKR generation with a much simpler proposition. It is still a straightforward chest strap built around accurate heart rate tracking, but Wahoo has finally moved away from the replaceable coin cell and given it a rechargeable battery.

Battery life is rated at more than 100 active hours, so this is not something you should find yourself charging particularly often. The sensor uses electrical heart rate measurement and can also provide HRV data to compatible apps. There is ANT+ support as well as up to three simultaneous Bluetooth connections, which makes it particularly handy if you train with several devices at once.

Comfort is another area Wahoo has focused on. The strap is slim and soft, while the pod sits fairly flat against the chest. There are also LED indicators that let you quickly check battery and connection status before starting a workout, which is a small thing but genuinely useful when you are trying to get out of the door.

The trade-off is that TRACKR keeps things pretty basic. There is no onboard workout memory, no running dynamics and no attempt to turn it into an all-purpose training sensor. But if what you want is an accurate, rechargeable chest strap that can talk to several devices at the same time, that simplicity is part of the appeal.

Pros

+ Accurate ECG-based heart rate tracking

+ Rechargeable battery with over 100 hours of use

+ ANT+ and three simultaneous Bluetooth connections

+ Comfortable, low-profile strap

Cons

− No onboard workout memory

− No advanced running dynamics

− Not designed for recording swim heart rate

Myzone Switch 2.0

Myzone Switch 2.0

Buy from Amazon

Battery:

3 to 6 months between charges

Heart rate technology:

ECG on chest, optical PPG on arm or wrist

GPS:

None

Connectivity:

Bluetooth 4.0 and ANT+

Water resistance:

Waterproof to 10 metres

Myzone Switch 2.0 takes one of the more unusual heart rate monitors around and gives it a fairly substantial refresh. The big idea has not changed. You can wear the same sensor on your chest, arm or wrist, which means you are not stuck with a chest strap every time you want to track a workout.

How it measures heart rate depends on where you put it. On the chest it uses an ECG sensor, with Myzone quoting 99.4% accuracy. Move it to the arm or wrist and it switches to optical PPG, where the company quotes 95%. That flexibility is the real reason to choose it over a conventional chest strap. You can use ECG for harder sessions where accuracy matters most, then move it to the arm or wrist when comfort is more important.

Switch 2.0 also improves quite a few things from the original MZ-Switch. The sensor has upgraded hardware, a larger LED display and redesigned straps, while battery life is now rated at between three and six months depending on use. There is also up to 36 hours of onboard workout storage, so you do not need to keep your phone nearby.

Connectivity is good too, with both Bluetooth and ANT+ for linking to gym equipment, cycling computers and compatible apps. It can also track swimming when worn on the wrist and is waterproof to 10 metres. The downside is that you are paying quite a bit more than you would for a straightforward chest strap, but few alternatives give you this much freedom over how and where you wear the sensor.

Pros

+ Can be worn on the chest, arm or wrist

+ ECG measurement when worn on the chest

+ Up to 36 hours of onboard workout storage

+ Bluetooth and ANT+ support

+ Much longer battery life than the original Switch

Cons

− More expensive than a conventional chest strap

− Optical accuracy is lower when worn on the arm or wrist

− Arm strap is sold separately

Garmin HRM 600

Garmin HRM 600

Buy from Garmin

Battery:

Up to 2 months at 1 hour per day, rechargeable

Heart rate technology:

Electrical ECG chest sensor

GPS:

None

Connectivity:

Bluetooth and ANT+

Water resistance:

5 ATM

Garmin HRM 600 is the one to look at if you already train with a Garmin watch and want more than basic heart rate data. It sits at the top of Garmin’s current heart rate monitor range, combining an ECG chest sensor with running dynamics, standalone workout recording and swimming support.

Pair it with a compatible Garmin watch and it can add metrics such as stride length, vertical oscillation, ground contact time balance and step speed loss. The latter also feeds into newer features such as Garmin’s Running Economy metric. It can also provide pace and distance during indoor track and treadmill sessions, which makes it quite a bit more useful than a chest strap that simply sends across your heart rate.

The HRM 600 can record an activity even when you are not wearing a watch and sync the session directly to Garmin Connect afterwards. That also comes in handy for swimming, where it can store heart rate data underwater and pass it back to a compatible Garmin watch once the session is finished.

Garmin has also switched to a rechargeable battery this time around. Battery life is rated at up to two months if you use it for around an hour per day, and the sensor module can be removed so the strap itself can go in the washing machine. It is one of the more capable chest straps here, but a lot of that extra capability makes the most sense if you are already firmly inside the Garmin ecosystem.

Pros

+ Accurate ECG-based heart rate and HRV tracking

+ Advanced running dynamics with compatible Garmin watches

+ Can record workouts without a watch

+ Good swimming support and 5 ATM water resistance

+ Rechargeable battery and machine-washable strap

Cons

− Expensive compared with simpler chest straps

− Many advanced features require a compatible Garmin watch

− Battery life is shorter than coin-cell chest straps

Suunto Smart Heart Rate Belt 2

Suunto Smart Heart Rate Belt 2

Buy from Suunto

Battery:

Up to around 460 hours, replaceable CR2032

Heart rate technology:

Electrical ECG chest sensor

GPS:

None

Connectivity:

Bluetooth 5.4, up to three simultaneous connections

Water resistance:

30 metres

Suunto Smart Heart Rate Belt 2 is a much bigger update than the name suggests. It still handles the basics you would expect from a chest strap, including accurate heart rate and beat-to-beat R-R data, but Suunto has also packed in motion sensors, onboard memory and support for several devices at once.

The six-axis motion sensor is the standout addition. Pair the belt with a compatible Suunto watch and it can measure running metrics including cadence, ground contact time, vertical oscillation, flight time and left-to-right ground contact balance. That puts it much closer to Garmin HRM 600 territory than the simpler chest straps in this guide.

It can also store up to 20 hours of heart rate and R-R data when your watch is out of Bluetooth range. That is useful for swimming, team sports and other workouts where wearing a watch is awkward or not practical. The R-R data is also important for Suunto ZoneSense, which uses beat-to-beat information to assess exercise intensity.

Battery life is another big strength. Suunto quotes around 460 hours from a replaceable CR2032 cell with power saving enabled and running-form tracking switched off. It can also maintain three Bluetooth connections at the same time, although there is no ANT+ support, which is worth keeping in mind if you have older gym equipment or cycling gear that relies on it.

Pros

+ Accurate heart rate and R-R interval tracking

+ Detailed running-form metrics with compatible Suunto watches

+ Up to 20 hours of onboard heart rate and R-R memory

+ Very long replaceable-battery life

+ Three simultaneous Bluetooth connections

Cons

− No ANT+ support

− Running-form features require a compatible Suunto watch

− Onboard memory features are mainly aimed at Suunto users

Frontier X2 and Frontier Zone

Frontier X2 and Frontier Zone

View on Frontier’s website

Battery:

Zone up to 30 days typical use; X2 around 14 days

Heart rate technology:

Continuous single-lead ECG chest sensor

GPS:

None, uses connected phone or watch

Connectivity:

Bluetooth, one phone plus two external devices

Water resistance:

IP67

Frontier X2 and Frontier Zone are quite different from the other chest straps in this guide. Heart rate is only part of what they do. Both continuously record a single-lead ECG during exercise and use that signal to produce additional data such as HRV, breathing rate, Cardiac Strain, Training Load and Body Shock.

We have spent plenty of time with both. In our Frontier X2 review, one of the main strengths was the amount of physiological data available beyond heart rate. The newer Frontier Zone keeps that basic idea but simplifies the hardware, removes the small display, switches to USB-C and stretches typical battery life from around 14 days to as much as 30 days.

Both can work independently and save a workout to onboard memory, or broadcast heart rate over Bluetooth to compatible watches, cycling computers and training equipment. You can connect a phone plus two external devices at the same time. There is no ANT+, though, which makes them less flexible than Polar, Garmin and some of the other straps here if you still use ANT+-only equipment.

The Zone is the one we would lean towards now. Battery life is considerably better, the screen on the X2 never added much in practice, and the vibration alerts are genuinely useful for staying inside a training zone without constantly looking at a watch. There is a catch, though. Some features that came as standard with the X2, including live ECG streaming, ECG exports and Garmin Connect integration, now require Frontier Premium on the Zone.

These are also overkill if you simply want accurate heart rate during exercise. Their real appeal is the ability to record ECG continuously while you train and dig much further into what was happening during a session afterwards. They are health and fitness devices rather than replacements for clinical ECG equipment, but they offer a type of data you simply do not get from an ordinary heart rate strap.

Pros

+ Continuous ECG recording during exercise

+ Much deeper heart and training data than a normal chest strap

+ Can record workouts without a phone or watch

+ Useful vibration alerts for heart rate and training zones

+ Frontier Zone has much improved battery life and USB-C charging

Cons

− No ANT+ support

− Several Zone features require Frontier Premium

− More than most people need for basic heart rate tracking

Wellue VisualBeat Strap-Free HRM

Wellue VisualBeat Strap-Free HRM

Buy from Wellue (use code GW10 for 10% off)

Battery:

Up to 48 hours, rechargeable

Heart rate technology:

Electrical chest sensor

GPS:

None

Connectivity:

Bluetooth 5.0 and ANT+

Water resistance:

IP22

The Wellue VisualBeat is the odd one out here, and that is exactly why it earns a place in the guide. As we found in our hands-on review of the VisualBeat, you can wear it with a conventional chest strap or ditch the strap altogether and attach the sensor directly to your chest using disposable ECG electrode patches.

It still uses electrical heart rate sensing in either setup, so going strap-free does not mean switching to optical PPG. In our testing, the numbers were very close to a Garmin watch paired with a Polar heart rate monitor over a 15km run, and the same pattern continued across other workouts. The patches were also noticeably less obtrusive than wearing a band around the chest.

There is quite a bit packed into the sensor too. It has Bluetooth and ANT+, can record without your phone, and stores up to 10 sessions or 30 hours of data in total. The ViHealth app gives you live heart rate and ECG, while configurable vibration alerts can warn you when you move above or below your chosen heart rate thresholds.

The strap-free setup does have limitations. We found that the adhesive patches can start to come loose during particularly sweaty or intense workouts, in which case the regular chest strap is the safer choice. IP22 protection also means this is not a monitor for swimming. But if you dislike wearing a traditional chest strap and still want electrical heart rate sensing, the VisualBeat offers something genuinely different from the rest of this list.

Pros

+ Can be worn with a chest strap or adhesive patches

+ Accurate electrical heart rate sensing

+ Bluetooth and ANT+ support

+ Onboard memory for phone-free workouts

+ Customisable heart rate vibration alerts

Cons

− Adhesive patches can loosen during sweaty workouts

− Disposable patches need replacing

− IP22 protection means it cannot be used for swimming

Best heart rate monitor armbands

Polar Verity Sense

Polar Verity Sense

Buy from Polar

Battery:

Up to 30 hours, rechargeable

Heart rate technology:

Optical PPG sensor

GPS:

None

Connectivity:

Dual Bluetooth LE and ANT+

Water resistance:

WR50

Polar Verity Sense is the armband we would put at the top of the list right now. We covered the Verity Sense when it first arrived, and the basic idea still works very well. Instead of wrapping a sensor around your chest, it sits on your upper or lower arm and measures heart rate optically.

Comfort is the big attraction. The sensor itself weighs just 5 grams and the complete setup comes in at 19 grams, so it is easy to forget about once you start training. Moving the optical sensor away from the wrist also helps avoid some of the fit and movement problems you get with watches, although it is still an optical sensor and can lag behind an ECG chest strap when heart rate changes very quickly.

Polar has packed in plenty of useful extras as well. Battery life is now rated at up to 30 hours, while the 16MB of internal memory can store as much as 600 hours of training. You can record a workout without carrying your phone, or broadcast heart rate live using ANT+ and two simultaneous Bluetooth connections. Bluetooth range stretches to as much as 150 metres with the sensor in its holder.

Swimming is another area where the Verity Sense stands out. It comes with a clip that attaches the sensor to your swimming goggles, placing it against the temple rather than the arm. In swimming mode it can record heart rate as well as pool metrics, and WR50 water resistance means it is built for regular use in the water. If you want something more comfortable than a chest strap without giving up serious training features, this is probably the most complete armband option here.

Pros

+ Very comfortable and lightweight

+ Up to 600 hours of onboard workout storage

+ Dual Bluetooth and ANT+ support

+ Excellent option for swimming

+ Strong 30-hour battery life

Cons

− Optical sensing can lag during rapid heart rate changes

− Not as accurate as an ECG chest strap in every type of workout

− Proprietary charging cradle

Scosche RHYTHM24

Scosche RHYTHM24

Buy from Scosche

Battery:

Up to 24 hours, rechargeable

Heart rate technology:

Optical PPG sensor

GPS:

None

Connectivity:

Bluetooth LE and ANT+

Water resistance:

IP68

Scosche RHYTHM24 has been around for a while, but it still has a few tricks that most optical armbands do not. In our RHYTHM24 review, we found it comfortable, easy to wear and remarkably close to a Polar H10 chest strap during running.

It uses a combination of green and yellow optical sensors and can be worn on either the upper or lower arm. Once the strap is adjusted properly it stays in place well, and for anyone who dislikes having something wrapped around the chest, it is a much less intrusive way of getting heart rate data.

Where RHYTHM24 still stands out is the feature set. There are separate running, cycling, swimming, heart rate and HRV modes, along with duathlon and triathlon modes. It also has up to 13 hours of onboard memory, so you can train without carrying a phone or watch and upload the workout afterwards.

Battery life is rated at up to 24 hours and connectivity covers both Bluetooth LE and ANT+. IP68 water resistance also means it can be used for swimming, although heart rate is recorded to the device rather than transmitted live through the water. The hardware remains capable, but the software side has never been its strongest point. In our testing, the Rhythm Sync app felt much more basic than the hardware deserved.

Pros

+ Very good optical heart rate accuracy

+ Comfortable upper or lower arm fit

+ Up to 13 hours of onboard workout storage

+ Bluetooth and ANT+ support

+ Multiple sport modes including swimming and triathlon

Cons

− Rhythm Sync app is fairly basic

− Swim heart rate is recorded rather than transmitted live

− Older design than the Polar Verity Sense

Wahoo TICKR FIT

Wahoo TICKR FIT

Buy from Wahoo

Battery:

Up to 30 hours, rechargeable

Heart rate technology:

Optical PPG sensor

GPS:

None

Connectivity:

Bluetooth and ANT+

Water resistance:

IPX7

Wahoo TICKR FIT keeps things much simpler than the other two armbands in this guide. There is no onboard memory, swimming mode or long list of extra metrics. You put it on your arm, pair it with your watch, bike computer or phone and use it as an external heart rate sensor.

It uses an optical sensor and can be worn on the forearm or upper arm, with small and large straps supplied in the box. The whole setup weighs just under 20 grams, so it is easy to forget about during a workout. Wahoo also includes LED indicators that confirm when the sensor is switched on and connected.

Connectivity covers both Bluetooth and ANT+, although Bluetooth is limited to a single connection. Battery life is a strong point at up to 30 hours per charge, which actually puts it slightly ahead of both the Polar Verity Sense and Scosche RHYTHM24 on paper.

We have also compared TICKR FIT with competing optical armbands in our Polar OH1+ review. The appeal remains much the same today. It is comfortable, straightforward and widely compatible, but it lacks the onboard recording and swimming features you get from Polar and Scosche. If all you want is an optical heart rate sensor that sends your numbers to another device, that simplicity can work in its favour.

Pros

+ Comfortable and lightweight

+ Strong 30-hour battery life

+ Bluetooth and ANT+ support

+ Simple physical on/off button

+ Works with a wide range of watches, apps and bike computers

Cons

− No onboard workout memory

− Only one Bluetooth connection

− No dedicated swim tracking

The post Best heart rate monitor 2026: chest straps & arm bands for exercise appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

Our teardown of the latest Polar Flow app has revealed references to what appears to be an unreleased Polar H12 heart rate sensor.

The name shows up in several parts of the app code. This includes a dedicated device definition and sensor registration support, making the finding considerably more interesting than a single leftover string.

Polar H12 is hiding inside Flow

We took a closer look at Polar Flow 7.36.2 to see whether the latest release contained any hints about upcoming hardware. Polar officially describes this version as a relatively minor update that fixes connectivity issues, but there is more sitting under the surface.

One of the more interesting entries is a device specification class named PolarSensorGardener.

Inside it are the names Polar H12 and H12.

That alone would be worth noting, but there is considerably more supporting evidence. The app identifies the device as a heart-rate sensor, allows it to be registered as a sensor and includes it among devices considered published by Flow’s internal device-handling logic.

H12 also appears in Polar Flow’s sensor registration code alongside familiar products including H6, H7, H9, H10, Polar Pro, OH1 and Sense. Another part of the app includes H12 among the sensors that support Polar’s Fitness Test.

The Gardener class is particularly interesting because parts of it still look unfinished. It contains placeholder product text including Polar xxx Heart Rate Sensor and Polar xxx, while one of the support links still points to information for the existing H10.

That combination suggests Polar has created a working device profile before completing all the consumer-facing information.

H12 would make sense as an H10 successor

Polar currently lists three main heart-rate sensors on its official sensor page: the H9, H10 and Verity Sense. There is no H12.

The H10 has also been around for a long time. We reviewed the device back in 2017, so a new higher-end chest sensor would hardly be unexpected after nearly a decade.

What H12 might actually add is impossible to tell from the current code. There are no obvious specifications covering battery life, connectivity or new sensing capabilities.

One other question is whether this has anything to do with the recently filed Polar Pulse trademark. The company made its filing in Europe on July 9, followed by a US filing on July 15. The paperwork covers things such as wearable devices, biometric measurements, software and exercise coaching, so it is broad enough to cover quite a few possibilities.

Naturally, that makes you wonder whether Polar Pulse and H12 are connected. We checked the Flow code for the name, but found nothing tying Polar Pulse to H12 or the Gardener codename. So for now, these look like two separate leads rather than pieces of the same puzzle.

H12 is still the more interesting one. Polar Flow already has a dedicated device profile and explicit sensor support for it, which is much more concrete than a trademark filing. We still do not know when it might launch, what it adds over the H10, or whether H12 will even be the final retail name.

If it does become a real-world product – the H12 will enter an already crowded category, with Polar, Garmin, Wahoo and others competing for a place among the best heart rate chest straps.

APK teardown note

This article is based on an APK teardown. Code found inside an app can reveal features or devices that are under development, but there is no guarantee they will appear in a future public release.

This article originally appeared on Gadgets & Wearables, the first media outlet to report the story.

The post Polar H12 appears inside Polar Flow app code appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

In this article we compare Garmin CIRQA, Google Fitbit Air, Amazfit Helio Strap, Speediance Strap Pro, WHOOP 5.0 and Polar Loop to find the best screenless fitness tracker for different types of users.

These devices give screenless fitness tracker buyers five genuinely different options. Garmin offers the deepest training tools without a required subscription, Fitbit Air is the lightest and cheapest route into passive tracking, while WHOOP still has the strongest recovery platform but costs far more over time.

A few years ago, choosing a screenless fitness tracker mostly meant deciding whether you were willing to pay for WHOOP. That has changed quickly, with Google, Garmin, Polar and Zepp Health all offering alternatives that collect health and activity data without putting another display on your wrist.

None of these trackers has built-in GPS. They all move most settings, results and analysis into a smartphone app, but the similarities begin to fade once you look at subscriptions, training tools, comfort and compatibility with other devices.

Price, design and battery life

The purchase price only tells part of the story. Fitbit Air and Helio Strap both cost $99.99, while Garmin CIRQA and Polar Loop have $199.99 list prices.

WHOOP does not sell the tracker in the conventional sense. The hardware comes with the membership, but continued access to the platform requires an active plan starting at $199 per year, rising to $239 for WHOOP Peak and $359 for WHOOP Life with the MG hardware. 

Fitbit Air is the easiest device to forget you are wearing. Its pod weighs only 5.2 grams, with the complete tracker coming in at around 12 grams, and its 17mm width makes it noticeably slimmer than everything else here.

That comfort was the strongest part of my Fitbit Air review. It works well for sleep and continuous wear, although the seven-day battery claim trails CIRQA, Helio Strap and WHOOP.

Speediance takes a slightly different route because it sits on the upper arm rather than competing directly for wrist space. The standard Strap weighs around 28 grams, while the titanium Strap Pro I tested comes in at roughly 21 grams. In my review, I found it comfortable enough for continuous wear, and the upper-arm position also worked well during exercise because it stays out of the way of a watch.

Amazfit Helio Strap is also fairly discreet at 20 grams. Its nylon strap uses a hook-and-loop fastening, and Zepp Health sells an official upper-arm accessory for workouts where wrist movement might interfere with optical heart-rate readings.

Garmin CIRQA is wider than Fitbit Air but remains reasonably light. Its 24mm ComfortFit strap uses quick-release pins, and a physical button gives it a small advantage over the other trackers.

Polar Loop is the heaviest option at 29 grams. That is not excessive for a normal watch, but it is noticeable in a category where the whole point is often to wear something less intrusive.

Garmin CIRQA

Screenless tracking with no required subscription

$199.99

View on Amazon View on Garmin

WHOOP has the best charging arrangement, provided you choose Peak or Life. Its Wireless PowerPack slides over the tracker while it remains on your body, reducing gaps in sleep and recovery data, while the entry WHOOP One plan uses a conventional wired charger.

Health, sleep and recovery tracking

All six trackers cover the foundations. Each records continuous heart rate, resting heart rate, HRV, respiratory rate, sleep duration and sleep stages, but some of the apparent similarities disappear once you look more closely.

Polar Loop does not provide a normal blood-oxygen metric, while its temperature sensor remains available through the software development kit rather than as a consumer-facing skin-temperature feature. WHOOP reserves ECG and irregular rhythm notifications for WHOOP MG, which requires the top Life membership.

Garmin CIRQA has the broadest health package without a required fee. It includes Pulse Ox, skin temperature, HRV Status, Body Battery, Training Readiness, stress tracking, nap detection, abnormal heart-rate alerts and a Smart Wake alarm.

Google has given Fitbit Air a strong selection of passive health features for a budget-friendly tracker. It records SpO2 and skin-temperature variation, supports Smart Wake and can provide irregular rhythm notifications in supported regions.

That combination makes Fitbit Air more of a health tracker than a serious training device. It is particularly useful for someone who wants sleep, heart rate and background health data without wearing a large smartwatch overnight.

Speediance Strap sits somewhere between Fitbit Air and the more training-focused options. It tracks heart rate, HRV, SpO2, respiratory rate and skin temperature, while its estimated core-temperature data feeds into features such as Peak Window, Warm-Up Readiness and Heat Load. The Pro version also adds EDA-based stress tracking, giving it one of the broader sensor packages in this group.

Helio Strap sits closer to the fitness side. BioCharge estimates available energy throughout the day, while Readiness focuses more directly on recovery, and the Zepp app also provides sleep, stress, HRV and blood-oxygen trends.

Polar’s Nightly Recharge remains a useful and well-established recovery feature. Loop also feeds into Sleep Plus Stages and SleepWise, but it lacks a vibration motor, so there is no smart alarm or silent wake-up option.

WHOOP still does the best job of turning recovery information into a daily narrative. Its Recovery, Strain and Sleep system connects behaviour, training and rest more clearly than most competing apps, although useful features such as the real-time Stress Monitor and WHOOP Age require Peak or Life.

Training features and ecosystem differences

None of these products should be mistaken for a full sports watch. There is no onboard GPS, map, display or live pace field on your wrist, so runners and cyclists who depend on real-time feedback will still need a phone, watch or bike computer.

That said, the training gap between the devices is substantial. Garmin CIRQA offers more than 80 activity profiles, connected GPS, Training Status, recovery time, VO2 max and Fitness Age, while its physical button can start one chosen activity without opening the app.

CIRQA is the obvious choice for someone already using a Garmin watch or Edge computer. Health and activity data sync through Garmin Connect, and the band can broadcast heart rate to compatible Garmin equipment.

It can also fill a practical gap for people who do not want to wear a Fenix or Forerunner continuously. You can wear CIRQA for sleep and general health tracking, then switch to the watch for a run without splitting your long-term data between two platforms.

The main caveat is that CIRQA is new. Its feature list is excellent, but comfort, workout heart-rate accuracy and automatic activity detection still need extensive real-world testing before it can be declared the most accurate tracker in the group. Garmin’s official specifications confirm the 80-plus activity profiles, connected GPS, training tools and 10-day battery claim. 

Speediance Strap takes a different approach. It is less about fitting into an existing watch ecosystem and more about being a standalone training and recovery tracker that can also broadcast heart rate over Bluetooth. In my review, heart-rate tracking was one of its stronger areas, and I was able to use it alongside other devices without much fuss.

Helio Strap is the strongest low-cost option for people who care about training. It offers more than 50 sports modes, BioCharge, Training Load, VO2 max, heart-rate broadcasting and an official upper-arm band, all without a subscription.

It also shares data with Amazfit watches inside the Zepp app. My earlier Helio Ring and Helio Strap comparison looked at how Zepp Health uses separate screenless devices to maintain sleep, recovery and exercise tracking when a watch is charging or not being worn.

Fitbit Air can record a decent workout, but its software remains the weak point. In my Fitbit Air and Garmin 5K test, heart rate and distance were surprisingly close, but the overall experience lacked the workout controls and post-run detail Garmin users will expect.

The hardware often seems more capable than the app. Automatic recognition can also record the wrong start or finish time, and Google Health does not always provide enough editing control to repair the session afterwards.

WHOOP is more polished for interpreting training than recording conventional workout statistics. It excels at showing how a session contributes to Strain and affects subsequent Recovery, but it is less useful for someone who wants maps, splits or detailed running dynamics.

That difference came through when I let Fitbit Air and WHOOP automatically record the same 8km run. Both detected activity, but neither produced a complete record without checking, which is a reminder that passive detection still needs supervision.

Polar Loop works best as a doorway into Polar Flow. Manual sessions use the tracker as a heart-rate sensor inside the app, with the phone providing GPS, while automatic detection can record casual sessions without the phone.

Training Load Pro and Nightly Recharge give it more depth than a simple activity band. However, its lack of vibration, SpO2 and a user-facing temperature metric makes the $199.99 price difficult to justify unless you already value Polar’s training system. That said, phone GPS can provide route, speed and distance during manually recorded outdoor workouts. 

Two more screenless trackers are on the way

The five trackers above are the main options you can actually buy today, but a couple more are on the way. QALO and Luffu are both working on screenless bands, although they have very different ideas about what these devices should do.

As far as the QALO Sport Loop 1, an FCC filing points to heart-rate, blood-oxygen, ECG and skin-temperature sensors. QALO also mentions HRV, stress, sleep apnea, blood pressure and blood glucose tracking. Battery life is listed at more than 10 days, with IP68 water resistance and space for 30 days of data on the band.

That is a lot to promise from one small tracker, so we wouldn’t take everything at face value just yet. The Sport Loop 1 looks closely related to an existing white-label device, and FCC approval only covers its wireless hardware. It does not tell us whether any of those health measurements are accurate. QALO has not announced a price or release date.

The Luffu Link is much closer to launch, but it isn’t really chasing Garmin, Fitbit or Whoop. Created by Fitbit founders James Park and Eric Friedman, it tracks activity, sleep, heart rate and HRV. Built-in GPS and LTE-M let it share location and stay connected without needing a phone nearby.

There is also a physical button for recording voice notes, sending a quick check-in or sharing your location with selected family members. That gives Link a very different role from the other bands here, with much more emphasis on keeping an eye on someone’s general wellbeing.

Link costs $249.99 and also needs a Family Plan, priced at $19.99 per month or $199.99 per year. US shipping is expected in early 2027.

Frequently asked questions

What is a screenless fitness tracker?

A screenless fitness tracker records health, sleep and activity data without putting a display on your wrist. Most settings and results appear in a companion app, which allows the tracker itself to stay lighter, simpler and less distracting than a smartwatch.

Are screenless fitness trackers accurate?

The better models can track resting heart rate, sleep duration and general activity trends reasonably well, although accuracy varies by device and activity. Workout heart rate, automatic exercise detection and GPS distance can be less consistent, especially because the trackers in this comparison rely on a connected phone rather than built-in GPS.

Is Garmin CIRQA better than WHOOP?

Garmin CIRQA is the better choice for Garmin users who want training, recovery and health data without a mandatory subscription. WHOOP has the more mature coaching platform and does a better job of connecting sleep, behaviour, Strain and Recovery, but its membership makes it considerably more expensive over time.

Does Fitbit Air require a subscription?

Fitbit Air does not require a subscription for its main health, sleep and activity features. Google Health Premium adds extra analysis and guidance, but the tracker remains usable without it.

Which screenless tracker has the longest battery life?

WHOOP 5.0 has the longest quoted battery life at more than 14 days. Garmin CIRQA and Amazfit Helio Strap follow with up to 10 days, while Polar Loop offers up to eight days and Fitbit Air up to seven days.

Do screenless fitness trackers have GPS?

None of the trackers in this comparison has built-in GPS. They can use a connected phone to record routes, distance and pace during outdoor workouts, although the available features and reliability vary between platforms.

The post Best screenless fitness trackers compared for 2026 appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

Polar Flow is down in a widespread outage affecting the mobile app, web service and third-party syncing. Polar has confirmed the disruption and says that user data remains safe.

Is Polar Flow down?

Yes. Polar confirmed the outage through its official service status page at 08:17 UTC on July 16, 2026.

The company says all of its online services are down while its technical team investigates the problem. It has not disclosed the cause or provided an estimated restoration time. Polar.com, the company’s support website and its online store continue to operate normally.

The outage appears to be on Polar’s side rather than a problem with an individual phone, watch or internet connection. Reinstalling the Flow app or repeatedly trying to pair a watch is therefore not going to fix it.

Polar Flow acts as the main hub for most Polar devices. It stores training sessions, activity data, sleep information and recovery insights. The company has been working through a wider Flow app and web overhaul, so changes to the software are incoming.

Which Polar services are affected?

Polar lists major outages for the Flow mobile application and Flow web service. Polar Beat is also down, along with Polar accounts, Polar Club, Team Pro and GoFit.

The disruption extends beyond Polar’s own apps. Its API and third-party syncing service are marked as suffering a major outage. This prevents data transfers to Strava, TrainingPeaks, komoot, Nike and MyFitnessPal.

Users may see failed login attempts, empty or outdated dashboards, workouts stuck on a watch or sessions that appear in Flow but not in a connected service. These symptoms all fit the current outage.

Is Polar workout data safe?

Polar says all data is safe. There is currently no indication that stored account information or previous training history has been lost.

A workout recorded on a Polar watch will normally remain on the device until it can transfer to Flow. Users should leave the session in place and wait for Polar to restore its services. Removing the watch from the app, deleting the app or carrying out a factory reset could create extra work without addressing the server problem.

Workouts waiting for Strava or another connected platform may transfer automatically once Polar restores the API. Polar has not confirmed how it will handle the backlog, so it is worth checking for duplicate or missing activities after the outage ends.

When will Polar Flow work again?

Polar has not given an estimated time for restoring Flow or its connected services. Users can follow the latest updates on Polar’s official status page.

The disruption follows yesterday’s Google Health outage, which prevented Fitbit devices from syncing and pairing for several hours. Polar users can continue recording workouts on their watches, but syncing, account access and transfers to connected services may remain unavailable until the company restores its platform.

This article will be updated when Polar provides more information.

The post Polar Flow down as major outage hits app and syncing appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

This is the first G-LIDE model with an optical heart rate sensor, and it connects two strands of Casio’s lineup that have been running in parallel. The GBX-100 brought the surf features and MIP display. The DW-H5600 brought heart rate and Polar-backed training metrics. The GBX-H5600 is where those two meet.

A G-LIDE that now works off the beach

Up to now, G-LIDE has been very specific in what it does well. Tide graphs, moon data and ocean timing have always been the focus, with only light activity tracking in the background. That made sense for its audience, but it also limited how often the watch made it onto the wrist outside of surf sessions.

The GBX-H5600 changes that. It tracks heart rate, steps and workouts, and uses smartphone GPS to tighten up distance data. More importantly, it adds a layer of analysis that was missing before. Polar handles that side, with metrics like Running Index, Cardio Load, Energy Used and Nightly Recharge, along with sleep tracking and recovery insights.

That does not turn it into a full sports watch, but it does make the data more useful. You are not just logging activity anymore, you are getting context around effort and recovery. For a G-SHOCK, that is a noticeable shift.

Same square look, lighter feel

On the hardware side, Casio keeps things familiar. The case comes in at 51.1 by 44.5 by 17.3 millimetres and weighs 47 grams, which is lighter than earlier heart rate equipped squares. That matters because these watches are often worn all day, not just during workouts.

The Memory in Pixel display is also the right call here. It keeps visibility strong outdoors and fits the digital G-SHOCK identity much better than a brighter but more power-hungry screen would. You still get shock resistance, 20 bar water resistance and bio-based resin used across the case, bezel and band.

Battery trade-offs are still there

Casio goes with USB charging supported by solar assist. Solar helps keep the time display running when the battery is low, but the health tracking and connected features rely on regular charging. That is the same compromise seen on the DW-H5600.

Battery life lands at around 35 hours with activity tracking and about a month in basic watch mode with heart rate turned off. It is not aiming to compete with full solar G-SHOCKs here, but it does enough to balance features with battery size.

Our takeaway

Casio is clearly leaning into this whole Polar powered thing. Up to now, this was mostly sitting in watches like the DW-H5600 and the more sports focused GBD-H2000. Now that same layer is turning up in a G-LIDE, which is not where you would have expected it a year ago.

That is what makes this interesting. Casio is not trying to build its own big fitness platform, it is just plugging in Polar and dropping those insights into different watches. So now you have a surf watch that can actually tell you something useful about your training and recovery, not just show you tides and moon phases.

At the same time, they are not overdoing it. This is not suddenly trying to be a Garmin. There is no deep training ecosystem or standalone GPS. It just sits in that middle space, where you get enough data to be useful, but it still feels like a proper G-SHOCK you can wear anywhere without thinking about it.

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