WHOOP storms the wearables arena today with its twin launch of WHOOP 5.0 and WHOOP MG. The Boston start‑up shrinks the band’s body by seven percent, yet it doubles processing muscle and squeezes out a formidable 14‑day battery life. Founder Will Ahmed proclaims a fresh mission: bring elite‑grade recovery science to “every runner, lifter, and late‑night coder.” The company pairs the devices with three revamped memberships, each built to tear down price barriers that once scared casual buyers.

Whoop 5.0 wireless PowerPack doubles runtime

The entry‑level WHOOP One plan charges $199 yearly. Members receive the 5.0 band plus core metrics for sleep, strain, and recovery. The mid‑tier WHOOP Peak plan costs $239 per year and unlocks deeper readiness analytics, custom strain coaching, and an included wireless PowerPack that doubles runtime. The top‑shelf WHOOP Life plan jumps to $359, bundling the medical‑grade WHOOP MG tracker, full ECG capability, and groundbreaking Blood Pressure Insights.

Engineers load the MG clasp with an FDA‑cleared electrocardiogram sensor. Users press thumb and index finger on conductive pads, tap “record,” and capture a 30‑second heart trace. The phone app stores readings in a secure vault, then shares pdf reports with physicians in seconds. Blood Pressure Insights arrives as a headline feature. After a single cuff calibration, the algorithm estimates systolic and diastolic values during everyday life, then links pressure swings to training load, caffeine intake, and sleep debt. Weekend warriors finally connect pounding headaches to late‑night gaming sessions and heavy deadlifts.

WHOOP tackles longevity through its new Healthspan dashboard. The system tracks nine markers—HRV, resting heart rate, respiration, sleep efficiency, metabolic rate, temperature deviation, skin conductance, recovery percentage, and pressure variability. A proprietary model condenses them into your WHOOP Age. When members skip stretching and binge on energy drinks, the age climbs. Consistent recovery drops the number, creating a gamified target that sparks daily discipline. Fitness influencers already post dramatic screenshots flaunting six‑year swings after one month of strict bedtime routines.

Hardware refinements go beyond the board

An exclusive SuperKnit strap resists sweat salt and dries within minutes. New AnyWear™ accessories hide the sensor inside bras, compression sleeves, and polished leather bracelets, letting corporate commuters collect data without flashing neon bands in boardrooms. A sapphire lens shields photodiodes from scratches, while upgraded LEDs sample biometrics 26 times each second. WHOOP claims the pod now gathers 4,000 data points every minute, beating previous models by a hefty margin.

Competition looms fierce. Apple Watch touts fall detection and on‑wrist ECG, yet screens drain batteries fast. Garmin courts triathletes with multi‑band GPS but costs almost double. Oura Ring slips on fingers and tracks body temperature but offers limited strain analysis. WHOOP counters by ditching displays altogether. The band remains invisible under clothes, funnels biometric torrents into the app, and converts numbers into plain‑language coaching. Early reviews praise the distraction‑free approach, noting fewer dopamine hits from notifications and richer focus on recovery.

Retail partners—Best Buy, Dick’s, Flipkart, Virgin Megastore—start selling both models today in 56 markets. Online orders ship immediately with no wait‑list. Existing 4.0 owners pay $49 to upgrade hardware while keeping remaining subscription time. Analysts predict a membership surge as marathon‑season training plans kick off. If the company’s cheaper doorway and medical promises stand strong, the fitness‑tech hierarchy could face its loudest shakeup since step counters entered smartphones.

The summer training block begins soon. Joggers, powerlifters, and stressed executives now decide: stick with bright screens, or slip on an invisible coach that whispers, “Recover better, live longer.”