Last Updated on March 1, 2021 by James Matthews
Looking for the perfect fitness tracker can be a tricky thing, especially when you already have your heart set on a specific brand. However, as responsible consumers, we want to know everything down to the ins and out of the devices we’re using to monitor our bodies. Not only will this allow us to assess what happens to us physiologically, but it will also impact our financial, social, and emotional success.
An important thing to remember is that there is no such thing as a perfect fitness tracker, only perfect results. This type of innovation is one of the best competitions between brands for the good of health and fitness.
Therefore we will be talking about the difference and similarities of two excellent fitness devices: the Whoop straps and the Apple Watch 6. We hope that this guide will help you narrow down your requirements and choose the device that’s right for you.
WHOOP
Obtaining a wearable fitness tracker like WHOOP is all the rage these days. Big shot personalities like Michael Phelps use it to track their progress while the PGA Tour employs the use of WHOOP straps to monitor the health of athletes in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nick Watney, a golfer, reportedly contracted the virus. He noticed that his stats were a little off and he got tested. The test turned out to be positive, which made it a very important feature of the WHOOP strap.
For starters, the WHOOP strap is a fitness motivator, an exercise coach, and a performance monitor all in one. It has advanced sensors that collect data from your body, convert them into numerical data for easier assessment at certain periods, and summarize what your body lacks throughout the entire day.
During the night, it also records your sleeping pattern and comes up with solutions ready for interpretation for the next day ahead. The device is advanced enough to remind you of the sleeping time that you “owe” for pulling off an all-nighter.
The strap looks plain and minimalistic. It comes in various colors and has no watch face because WHOOP aims to serve fitness as a target goal instead of the time and various notifications. It also seeks to maintain a low profile for lesser distractions.
WHOOP is not a smartwatch, hence the lack of a watch face feature and GPS. Although it can record the distance of travel of its use within its interface, it does not count steps like the Apple Watch Series 6. WHOOP does not believe in putting a value on a person’s fitness using the number of steps taken during the day. Instead the device is designed to focus solely on the 24/7 functions of its user’s body.
The forms of measurement can be broken down into three pillars, namely strain, recovery, and sleep.
Strain
On the Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion, the amount of strain can be any value from 0 to 21. The higher the strain, the harder the users must push their body.
Recovery
The recording of a WHOOP recovery starts the night before the actual day. This is due to the four metrics put in place to assess the human body even in its sleeping state: resting heart rate, respiratory rate, heart rate variability, and sleep.
Usually, the metrics are affected mostly by the things we did prior to sleeping, what we ate, vices, illness, and so much more. Fluctuations will show how the overall recovery was impacted.
Sleep
According to WHOOP Inc., the number of metrics that are measured whenever a person is asleep is more than that when a person is awake. The calculated data to be presented using the following metrics can be found on the “Hours of Sleep” and “Sleep Needed” buttons by simply tapping on the app.
Here are some of them:
- Sleep duration – The length of time a person sleeps
- Consistency – The consistency of bedtime and waking time compared several days before
- Latency – The time it takes for the user to fall asleep
- Sleep Debt – How much extra sleep you need due to missed sleep from previous nights
- Disturbances – Tracks the amount of time the user manages to wake up in the middle of the night
- Efficiency – The amount of time the user is asleep over the amount of time they were in bed
- Sleep Stages – The length of time spent in Light, REM, and Deep Sleep, including their wake time
- Performance – Records the time for the length of sleep and another recorded time for how much sleep is owed
WHOOP Membership
The WHOOP membership plan runs on a monthly subscription basis. This includes a personalized metric data analysis report per user, a WHOOP journal for weekly, monthly, to yearly assessments, and an all-around fitness coach.
Users can also join and create teams to create a positive and engaging community for fitness enthusiasts. Users will be able to create custom teams, activities, training groups, interests, and more.
Key Features:
- The WHOOP straps can work with iOS and Android
- Your heart rate is broadcasted to third-party apps
- Requires a $30 subscription per month
- Tracks heart rate, recovery, and sleep 24/7
- 5 days of battery life
Pros:
- WHOOP includes exclusive membership for its users
- Waterproof, lightweight, and simple
- WHOOP STRAP 3.0 (FREE)
- You can wear it almost anywhere
- Daily analytics are readily available using the app
- Optimized guidance from Strain and Sleep coach features.
Cons:
- Overwhelming amount of graphical and numerical data
- No watch face
- Does not count steps
- No GPS tracker
Apple Watch 6
The Apple Watch Series 6 is yet another upgraded version of prior models. The new Apple Watch Series 6 comes in two sizes: 40mm and 44mm. It also has new additional colors available to best suit user style and preference.
However, the new blood oxygen (SpO2) monitoring is the game-changer that made this apple product the best fitness monitoring device yet.
This new model provides a user-friendly interface fit for users who are conscious of their fitness progress and body changes. The Blood Oxygen sensor measures the amount of oxygenated blood which is indicated by the red and green LEDs in the watch’s back crystal.
After that, the amount of light that’s being reflected toward the sensor is then measured by photodiodes. By calculating the color of your blood, the app can determine the current oxygen levels in your blood.
Aside from a wide range of color choices, there are also a variety of strap choices available for the Apple Watch. Models like the Solo Loop band, which is stretchy and clasp-less, are offered to ditch the traditional classic straps.
The Apple Watch Series 6 also keeps track of your sleeping patterns, heart rate, latitude, and ECG or electrocardiography. In addition, data gathered from all of these sensors are delivered easily, thus allowing for easier interpretation.
Apple Watch Series 6 Membership
Activity rings enable users to stay motivated on a daily basis. Inviting other users is also possible, especially in competing towards completing seven-day challenges. For straps, a seamless band in two materials with nine custom sizes is available. Or, a solo band is available, which is a slip-on band made of soft and stretchable silicone.
Key features:
- Blood oxygen monitoring is a key component of the Apple Watch Series 6
- The screen is always on and emits about 2x more brightness for easier outdoor reading
- Faster S6 chip
- New low-cost SE option
- LTE and non-LTE options for users
Pros
- Battery life can last for up to 18 hours
- Water resistance of 50 meters
- 36Gb of music storage
- Connectivity includes optional 4G requiring eSIM, compatible plan, Bluetooth 5, WiFi, NFC, and ultra-wideband
- Includes the following sensors: ECG, SpO2, heart rate, altimeter
Cons:
- Battery life is still at around 18 hours similar to its previous models
- Works best with an iPhone (non-iPhone users will struggle to get the full functionality)
Final Verdict: Which is Better?
Different determining factors will impact your decision making when deciding which device to choose. But then again, it is also important to value your health above everything else. Monitoring your health is one good way of avoiding the “inevitable”, prolonging life, and avoiding an early, expected illness altogether.
Studies show that keeping your body to be physically active will help enhance the immune system, strengthen the body, and lessen deterioration altogether. Investing in your health is crucial, especially at a very young age; however, we should also never forget that we can’t let these devices take control of our daily life.
Both devices perform better than most of the other devices in the market, and each model caters to varying demographics depending on the needs of the consumers. The final decision will ultimately boil down to your personal preference.
Each of these devices strives to push its users towards engaging in a healthier and more active life. Both items are programmed to monitor body activities, provide feedback, and encourage the users on what needs to be done to further enhance their quality of life.
The recording of information and bodily movements on a daily basis has proven to be necessary, especially when it comes to senior patients, athletes, and fitness experts. However, not everybody has the same opinion and needs as everybody else.
For data-driven users, or those interested in the numbers presented by the WHOOP app, WHOOP is best. With WHOOP, data is calculated and presented with graphs and numbers. This clearly shows what a user is doing wrong or what they are lacking.
These are the cold, hard facts that some users may find tiresome and cause them to ignore the app altogether.
For users who don’t want to be distracted by flickering LED lights, who are looking for longer battery life, and who aim for simplicity and rely on raw data, the WHOOP strap is ideal.
The Apple Watch Series 6, in turn, is good for users who don’t want to use their phones to access their data. The watch face itself can show the data gathered by the sensors. This is ideal for consumers with underlying illnesses such as hypertension and even asthma to keep their health in check at all times.
Additionally, the partnerships created between Apple and other universities and research centers are at the very core of the Blood Oxygen feature for the hopes that someday, everyone will be able to keep track of their health in real-time all the time.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Apple Watch Series 6 offers a wide range of variety when it comes to style, purpose, and connectivity. This product is ideal for millennials and the younger generation who are in search of a quality, multipurpose, and aesthetic wearable on the go. This is a product that’s undergoing constant changes in hopes of improving its users’ overall health journey.
The WHOOP strap, on the other hand, is ideal for biohackers and fitness experts. The simple and simplistic look of the WHOOP communicates its goals and focus clearly.
If you are the type of person to push yourself to peak performance, then the WHOOP 3.0 is best suited for you. But if you’re aiming for a multi-purpose watch with a GPS tracker with many connectivity options, then the Apple Watch Series 6 is the right one for you.
