Garmin is officially stepping into the world of screenless fitness trackers. On Monday, the brand launched the Cirqa Smart Band—a discreet, bracelet-like wearable that monitors health and fitness metrics without a distracting display.
The Cirqa Smart Band is Garmin’s first screenless fitness tracker.
ILLUSTRATION: FORBES / PHOTO: RETAILER
By replacing a traditional watch face with a fabric band on its newest device, Garmin borrows a page from Whoop and Fitbit Air, two competitors equally focused on screen-free fitness tracking. Despite its minimalist look, the Cirqa is said to still deliver the comprehensive features we’ve come to appreciate from Garmin. Here’s everything you need to know.
Health And Fitness Tracking With A 10-Day Battery Life
Garmin makes some of the best fitness trackers we’ve tested, and the Cirqa Smart Band promises to deliver the same versatility and accuracy we expect from the brand. Similar to other Garmin trackers, the Cirqa keeps tabs on several biometrics to provide data on your sleep, heart rate, energy level (Body Battery), Pulse Ox, skin temperature and more via the Garmin Connect app. It can also provide women’s health and cycle insights, as well as connect to the Natural Cycles app for more in-depth fertility readings.
As for fitness tracking, Garmin says the Cirqa Smart Band can identify over 80 different activities and workouts. The wearable also features automatic activity tracking that becomes more accurate as you confirm and edit your entries in the Garmin Connect app. The battery life is on par with other Garmin fitness trackers we’ve tried—the company claims it lasts 10 days, which is nearly equivalent to the power on the Garmin Venu 3, our pick for the best fitness tracker overall.
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Looks Like The Whoop—But Without A Subscription Fee
At first glance, the Cirqa Smart Band bears a striking resemblance to the Whoop, a screenless health-tracking strap that’s risen in popularity due to its low-profile design. Both the Cirqa and the Whoop feature a fabric band that wraps around your wrist and covers the small case that contains the wearable’s sensors. That said, unlike the Whoop, the Cirqa has a small button on the side of the band that lets you interact with the tracker when your phone isn’t in hand.
The Cirqa also doesn’t require a subscription fee. (In comparison, Whoop charges between $199 and $359 per year to use its device.) However, you can choose to purchase Garmin’s optional Connect+ subscription for $6.99 per month to unlock extra features, such as nutrition tracking, real-time stats and advanced coaching and breathing exercises.
Available Starting July 24
The Cirqa Smart Band is available starting Friday, July 24, on Garmin’s website. It comes in four colors, including black, blue, gray and mauve, and two sizes—small/medium and large/extra large. All colors and sizes retail for $199.99.