Polar has launched a screen-free wearable band called Polar Loop. The band is designed to discreetly and comfortably track activity, sleep, and overall health 24/7.

The Polar Loop is a one-time purchase, with every feature available out of the box without monthly fees. It is priced at US$199 / GBP 149.50 / INR 19,999 / SG$ 269.

The device packs half a century of pioneering sports science and heart rate monitoring into a sleek, reimagined form factor, collecting accurate data quietly to provide powerful fitness, recovery, and sleep insights.

Designed in Finland, the Polar Loop offers solid quality while remaining feather-light. It has a soft textile band paired with a slim buckle, available in Greige Sand, Night Black, and Brown Copper.

Meanwhile, the enhanced Polar Precision Prime sensor technology quietly captures all metrics. All data syncs automatically to the free Polar Flow app. This app consolidates sleep, recovery, activity, and more into an easy-to-understand platform.

The device supports every aspect of an active lifestyle, from everyday movement to focused training. Throughout the day, it tracks steps and active moments.

When it’s time to train, users can choose from multiple ways to log their workouts. They can start a session directly in Polar Flow, or let the automatic training detection recognize and record the session.

Moreover, those seeking advanced training options can rely on Polar Flow’s in-app training features, add route recording, voice guidance, customizable targets, and more features.

At the end of the day, Polar’s advanced sleep tracking monitors sleep quality and duration for valuable insights.

The Polar Loop lasts up to eight days of continuous use, while its memory stores four weeks of data.

There is always a moment in every athlete’s life when the universe nudges you in a direction you swore you were not ready to face again.

Mine arrived softly, almost shyly, in the form of a date circled on my calendar: Spartan Trail 50K. The last piece of my so-called “Trailfecta.” It stared back at me like an old friend I loved deeply and feared at the same time.

I had conquered the 10K and the 21K earlier in the year. They felt like small victories; reminders of who I used to be. Yet beneath them lingered a shadow from a different mountain range. A memory from the Cordilleras that still pricked at my ribs.

The kind of memory where you fight for your life. You survive, but a part of you walks away shaken. And for a long while, I thought that version of me was gone.

Then one day, on an ordinary afternoon, a package arrived at my doorstep: the Shokz OpenFit 2+. They rested inside the box like a whisper from the universe saying, “You want a comeback. Take the first step.” And so I did.

Resting gently on your ears

I grew up in the world of open-ear audio. Not literally, of course, but you know what I mean.

After four years of living an endurance athlete’s life, open-ear earbuds became less of a gadget and more of a ritual. They were the pre-run talisman I reached for before lacing my shoes. The companion waiting for me beside my hydration pack.

It’s the one constant that never complained whenever I trained in places that didn’t always feel safe.

Most tech journalists don’t understand these ear-shaped talismans. They look at the Shokz OpenFit 2+ and frown like it is abstract art they didn’t sign up to interpret.

“It’s strange,” they say. “It’s odd.” And maybe it is. But it only seems odd when you do not spend your hours running through cities and trails, weaving through traffic, or lifting in gyms where someone is always dropping a dumbbell somewhere near your foot.

For me, the OpenFit 2+ felt natural. Familiar. Like another part of my training routine that never asked for attention yet always showed up for the work.

They sit on your ears the same way confidence sits on you after a successful training block: quietly, but securely.

There was no pinching or awkward reshuffling mid-run. No pressing against your skin when sweat turns your face into a waterfall.

With open-ear earbuds, awareness becomes part of the soundtrack. You hear your playlist, and you hear the city. You hear your breath, and you hear the wind. In my experience, I have become more connected to my run, not less. That is why athletes like me gravitate toward them.

They do not isolate you from the world. They teach you how to move through it mindfully.

Weightless enough to forget

Compared to the other open-ear companions I have worn —  JBL Soundgear Sense and Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo — the OpenFit 2+ felt almost unreal. So light it made me question physics.

They disappeared on my ears in the same magical way race-day nerves disappear once your feet start moving. One step, two steps, breathe, and suddenly your mind remembers what your body is built for.

The comfort surprised me. When training gets intense, everything on your body begins to irritate you. Your shirt scratches. Your watch strap sticks to your skin.

Even your hydration vest becomes a test of patience. Yet the OpenFit 2+ stayed soft, even during the sweatiest sessions. Their ultra-soft silicone 2.0 material feels like it was designed by someone who has actually suffered through humid outdoor runs.

The nickel-titanium hooks mold themselves to your ears like muscle memory. They adapt to you without asking you to adapt to them.

During my long solo runs — and these truly are solo because I can’t stand running with a group — the OpenFit 2+ stayed with me. They stayed in place through deadlifts at Anytime Fitness during peak hours in the evening.

They stayed with me through slow, frustrating MotoTaxi rides, where your only job is to survive the traffic and not lose your patience. And then one day, they didn’t.

The heartbreak of losing one half of a perfect pair

I had finished a long ride on a MotoTaxi. I removed my helmet and felt a strange lightness on my right ear. Not the peaceful kind. The “something-is-missing” kind.

My right OpenFit 2+ had fallen somewhere along the way. I retraced my steps like a detective in running shorts. I scanned the pavement, checked the corners, and prayed it had simply slipped somewhere. But… nothing.

And to make things worse, the battery had already died. The app could not reconnect. My tracking option was gone. The trail had gone cold.

The loss felt strange. Not dramatic, but emotionally inconvenient. Like when you lose a water bottle on a long run and pretend you don’t care until you realize you’ll think about it for days.

I tried other earbuds the next morning. It felt wrong and empty, so I got a new pair. Sometimes, we do not choose our attachments. They choose us.

Long runs and long hours

People imagine endurance athletes as superhumans, but the truth is we spend half our lives managing energy. Training teaches you that effort is currency. You cannot spend it carelessly.

Which is why I appreciated the OpenFit 2+ battery life more than I expected. My usage pattern is predictable. I run, work out, commute, and move between meetings. And still, it takes me a full week before the earbuds reach zero and ask for mercy.

Each pair lasts up to 11 hours of playtime. With the case, you get around two days, sometimes more. It reminded me of how endurance athletes stretch every calorie on race day.

Efficiency becomes instinct. You learn to conserve and push only when needed. The OpenFit 2+ works the same way. They’re generous with energy when you ask for it, and thoughtful when you don’t.

My only real gripe is a funny one. When the earbuds are inside the closed case, my iPhone sometimes decides it is still connected.

Imagine scrolling through TikTok and hearing nothing, only to realize your earbuds are quietly vibing inside the case. Not ideal, but manageable.

But every morning, they connect quickly. I leave the house, play “Maneater” by Nelly Furtado, and let myself strut down the hallway like it’s a runway disguised as daily life.

A soundtrack that made the miles feel lighter

The best thing about the OpenFit 2+ is not the volume, or the clarity, or the surprisingly balanced bass. It is the feeling it gives you.

At moderate volume, the audio wraps itself around your day like a soundtrack in a coming-of-age movie about an endurance athlete with questionable life choices and a stubborn heart.

My Spotify algorithm is as messy as my mind. Show tunes. Rock. Lofi beats. Taylor Swift. Ariana Grande. Olivia Rodrigo. Olivia Dean. Sabrina Carpenter.

It is a circus, and yet the OpenFit 2+ handles everything like a concert.

Running with them feels like training inside a music video. The world stays audible, but your flow becomes heightened. You can hear the cars, the dogs, the wind, your breath, and still lose yourself in the melody because it frames the run without overwhelming it.

Turning the volume too high can sound cranky, but this is not the device for noise cancellation addicts. This is for runners. Lifters. Commuters. People who need to stay present.

And when it comes to calls, the OpenFit 2+ performs better than many in-ears. I once attended a meeting while running — yes, running — and no one noticed the traffic, the footsteps, or my heavy breathing.

My colleagues said the audio was clean. Maybe they were not paying attention. Maybe the noise-cancelling mics are that good. Either way, I survived both the meeting and the run.

Tools that stay out of your way

The Shokz app is simple enough to complement your routine without distracting you.

You can adjust EQ, customize button controls, switch between Bass Boost or Vocal mode, or toggle Dolby Audio when you want your life to feel cinematic.

Multipoint pairing is smooth, especially when switching between a smartphone and a smartwatch. But the true beauty of the app is that it never feels like homework.

With the OpenFit 2+, life always comes first, music second. It becomes the soundtrack of grocery runs, slow walks, errands, and morning routines.

You start to feel like the protagonist of a charming 90’s romcom wandering through cobblestone streets even when you are just crossing the street to buy electrolytes.

Is the Shokz OpenFit 2+ your GadgetMatch?

The Shokz OpenFit 2+ is not for everyone.

Open-ear earbuds require a lifestyle that benefits from awareness and movement. If you stay indoors or prefer complete isolation, you will not enjoy them. You may even find them strange, like many do at first glance.

If you want awareness but in a different form, the Shokz OpenDots One might suit you. It clips onto your ear like jewelry and offers a similar open-ear experience. If that is the vibe you are leaning toward, it is time to Swipe Left.

The OpenFit 2+ is for people like me. The ones who train and the ones who move. The ones who sweat through sessions and still have a full day ahead of them.

It is for people who want comfort, durability, awareness, and audio that levels up their way of life. Sounds like you? Then it’s a Swipe Right.

At PhP 11,990, it feels like a steal when you consider how much higher other open-ear wearables cost for similar quality. For me, it is a Super Swipe. It earns the GadgetMatch Seal of Approval.

More importantly, it has earned a place in my life longer than any other open-ear earbuds I have owned. Long enough that when I lost one pair, I got another. That alone tells the full story. You know it: This is my GadgetMatch of the year.

There are days when running feels like a routine and there are mornings when it feels like a gift.

The HUAWEI Active Rings Fun Run landed perfectly on one of those good mornings. I woke up before the sun, optimistically laced my shoes, and took my place at the SM Mall of Asia Complex, where a thousand runners gathered with the same intention.

Everyone wanted to move with purpose and enjoy a moment that centered on fitness and a little glow from our smartwatches.

Finding my rhythm with my Active Rings

HUAWEI partnered with RUNRIO and a full roster of lifestyle staples like GCash, Shopee, Nature’s Spring, and URC. It created a space that felt alive even before anyone started running.

There were giant inflatables, interactive photo walls, and booths with snacks and hydration that framed the Race Village.

When the run began, the energy pushed me forward. The seaside breeze reminded me why I loved running outside. HUAWEI designed this event for their community of users and I felt that intention with every step.

It felt easy to check my stats and stay on pace because the watch tracked everything that mattered without distracting me.

I was inspired when seasoned runners passed me by, whereas some of them would later claim the top spots. The runners around me boosted me with energy that I wanted to match. They were competitive in a way that felt inspiring.

The little moments that made the morning sweeter

After crossing the finish line, I wandered around the Race Village again. I watched runners take photos with their medals and chat with friends they made during the route.

The GCash Watch Pay booth became unexpectedly helpful for a lot of participants. It let everyone bind their GCash account to their HUAWEI smartwatch.

It made sense for runners who preferred to go cashless and travel light. Shopee was also present and reminded everyone how modern life blends with fitness.

Every corner of the event touched a part of our daily routines. It showed how technology can help simplify healthy habits.

Keeping the streak alive with Light Up Your Active Rings

The fun run wrapped up the physical celebration but HUAWEI kept the momentum alive through the Light Up Your Active Rings Online Challenge. It runs from November 8 to 30 inside the HUAWEI Health App.

Participants only need to burn 1500 kcal within the challenge period to unlock the exclusive Manila Medal, a new badge inside the app that feels like a digital pat on the back.

Sharing the medal on TikTok with the hashtags #LightUpYourActiveRingsPH and #EnjoyYourMoment also enters participants into a chance to win a HUAWEI Watch GT 6.

HUAWEI will announce the winner on December 15. It feels like an invitation to stay active long after the race banners are packed away.

The challenge is simple and the message is clear: movement matters even when it feels small. Running, walking, cycling, or making your day a little more intentional can change the way you show up for yourself.

A community that runs with you

That morning reminded me that fitness does not need to feel lonely. The run united beginners, athletes, and curious participants who wanted to experience something new.

It gave us a morning filled with movement and reminded us that wearable technology can help us stay accountable in a way that feels supportive.

HUAWEI continues to build a fitness community that encourages healthier habits and celebrates every active streak. The Active Rings Fun Run made that mission feel real on the ground. Meanwhile, the Light Up Your Active Rings challenge brings it online for anyone who wants to keep going.

I left the MOA Complex with tired legs and a full heart. My Active Rings glowed with pride and I promised myself that this would not be the last time I ran for the kind of joy that morning gave me.