Review - The Whoop Strap 3.0 is a hardcore fitness companion - Android

Smart business plan, smart design, and smart data

Whoop Strap 3.0: What's good about this system

The Whoop Strap 3.0 and Whoop membership are a bit of a different take on the whole fitness band ecosystem, but when you dig into it, there's a lot to like here.

Business model and value proposition

I'll get to the reasons why I won't be wearing the Whoop Strap 3.0 as my daily tracker in the next section, but I wanted to begin this review by giving credit where credit is due to this device and service.

When I first saw Whoop's pricing and subscription structure, I was a bit skeptical. I'm used to buying a tracker or smartwatch and being able to immediately see the data it generates and do with that data what I want. But Whoop's strategy flips that model on its head. With Whoop, you buy into a membership plan, which itself includes the tracker and grants access to your fitness data and additional insights, coaching, and other resources.

After experimenting with it for a while and thinking about it more, I have to say that I'm actually quite impressed with the business model here. It incentivizes customer loyalty and evangelism by offering discounts for prepayment and bringing in new subscribers while happily locking users in with a subscription system for both the hardware and the service. In a world with tech titans like Apple, Google, and Samsung sucking up all the air, Whoop's solution seems like a viable one for a smaller company that is trying to stay alive and compete with the big players.

Not only is Whoop's business model an ingenious hedge against its larger competitors, it hooks in loyal customers for long-term savings.

Whoop's business model isn't just novel compared to its competitors, but it is actually competitive for customers as well. If you were to pay Whoop's month-to-month rate, you'd be out $360 per year. That may seem like a lot, but it's really not when you consider you're getting both the hardware and software membership here. And the price decreases if you prepay for longer periods in advance. It's less than $300 if you prepay for 12 months and just over $300 if you prepay for 18 months — just $36 more for 6 extra months.

Compare that to the top-of-the-line Fitbit smartwatch — the Fitbit Sense — which will run you up to $330 for the device itself, and then $10 per month for Fitbit's subscription service, Fitbit Premium. It should be noted that when you purchase a new Fitbit Sense, you get six months of Fitbit Premium for free, and there is also a $40 discount to prepay for a year in advance. But even at its cheapest, you're out almost $400, which is more expensive than the Whoop solution.

The same goes here for the Apple Watch and Apple Fitness+. A new Apple Watch starts from $200-$500, and Apple Fitness+ costs $10/month. So even with the cheapest option, you're spending about the same as with Whoop.

Design, comfort, customization

The Whoop Strap 3.0 looks about as basic as a wearable can be. It consists of a 1-inch-wide synthetic ProKnit band with a clasp enclosure that houses the sensor and buckles the strap around your wrist or arm. The inside of the band (the part that touches your skin) has a rubberized, anti-slip texturing that keeps the band from moving about and ensures that the sensor stays in place.

In general, I found the band to be very comfortable, to the point where I usually didn't realize I was wearing it. However, there were occasionally times after a long hike where I was sweaty, and the rubber texture was a bit irritating to the hair and skin on my arm. Your mileage may vary here.

The strap itself comes in a simple Onyx (black) color, though you can opt to purchase additional wrist or armband accessories in all sorts of fun colors, patterns, and designs to suit your style. In addition to the Onyx review unit I received, I was also sent the Thunder (gray/green) and Eventide (teal/turquoise) bands, which are a bit more to my liking.

Distraction-free living

If you like wearing a traditional watch most of the time and just want a fitness tracker to do its job and stay out of your way, then you're going to love the Whoop Strap 3.0. There are no LED lights or displays to compete for your attention, nor is it capable of forwarding a constant barrage of notifications from your smartphone. It looks at most like a subtle wristband and, as such, works great on your non-dominant wrist or even across your upper arm.

There is technically a battery indicator light on the side, which you can access with a double-tap, and there are the sensors at the bottom that measure your heart rate and respiration, but that's it. No clock, no apps — nothing else. It just works in the background and doesn't pester you with buzzes or beeps. After years of wearing various smartwatches and trackers, it was actually a bit of an adjustment at first not to get notifications constantly, but after a while, it was quite nice.

Useful metrics and guidance

Unlike most fitness trackers that just tell you how many steps you've taken, what your average heart rate was, or how much it thinks you've slept, Whoop aims to provide actionable information and insights into your activity levels. The three main categories of information and analytics that it tracks for you are the overall strain that exercise and activity are putting on your body, how restful and regenerative your sleep habits are, and how that all comes together to aid in your recovery and adaptability to excel in the next day's activities.

As you can see from the screenshots above, I wasn't too active this week (who are we kidding, I'm never that active), so my data won't impress anyone. But the level and depth of data analysis were not only interesting but informative. I can certainly see how someone who might be training for a big race, CrossFit competition, or personal weight loss plan might find these metrics to be extremely helpful. I did appreciate the check-ins and information provided by Whoop's strain and sleep coaches, which provided extra guidance and context to my health and fitness data.

I always judge a fitness tracker on its compatibility with OS-level tracking apps and its compatibility with third-party social apps. One of the ways that fitness trackers can be "sticky" and keep you engaged is by having a community that you can tie into for support, encouragement, and even a little healthy competition.

Thankfully, the Whoop system ticks all of these boxes. In addition to its own vibrant communities, the Whoop Strap 3.0 also integrates with Google Fit and Apple Health, plus the popular fitness communities that Strava and Training Peaks have established.

Battery life lacking, and subscription fatigue

Whoop Strap 3.0: These things could be better

The somewhat unorthodox design of the Whoop Strap 3.0 and its membership plan may not work for everyone, myself included. Here are just a few reasons why this band is not for me.

Average battery life

Whoop claims that the Strap 3.0 should get up to five days on a charge, but I think that's a bit generous. I had to top it off a couple of times in the seven or eight days I wore it, and I certainly wasn't pushing it nor myself to the extreme. Granted, five days is still more than twice as long as the Apple Watch can last, but given that this device doesn't have a screen with apps, or complicated software, or push notifications to your wrist, you'd think it could last a bit longer. I know that it is very thin, and so the battery cell can't be too large, but I expected a bit more here. It's not a deal-breaker by any means, but it's something to keep in mind. Plus, the charger is a proprietary unit (of course), so if you lose it, you'll have to spend more money to pick up a new one from Whoop directly.

Strap complications

It's probably just me being clumsy old me, but I had the hardest time changing the bands and clasps on the Whoop Strap 3.0. I know that sounds silly, but if you're going to invest in additional bands and accessories, you should take the time when you first get it to learn how to change the bands, rather than getting frustrated fiddling with them later. Whoop has a handy video for this on their website, and we will also have a guide showing you how to change the bands soon.

Subscription fatigue

I know that I said earlier that the value proposition here compares favorably to smartwatch/tracker and subscription combo plans from the likes of Fitbit and Apple, but at least with those products, you don't have to subscribe to their services to still get great value from the devices. The watches and trackers function perfectly well without the additional memberships, and you can use them for several years without having to either purchase a new one or resubscribe to a plan whose benefits you may not be fully taking advantage of. At least when you buy a Fitbit tracker or Apple Watch, you can always see your data and get some basic insights into your fitness and health history. That just isn't how Whoop operates — it's all-in or nothing.