Qalo SL-1 review: screenless band that misses the basics

Qalo, best known for selling silicone rings, has launched its first fitness band. The SL-1 is a screenless tracker that aggregates your vital signs into a single daily score called the Q Score. Engadget tested it and came away unimpressed given its $199.95 price.

The SL-1 competes directly with the Garmin Cirqa, which costs the same. Engadget noted that the Cirqa is hardly amazing itself, but it includes features the Qalo lacks. The biggest omission: automatic workout detection. The SL-1 cannot tell when you go for a walk and log it separately. You have to start a workout manually, a step Engadget called essential even for casual exercisers.

The band's design has a magnetic strap that looks clever in theory but dislodges easily when a sleeve slides over it. Engadget said it takes about 30 seconds to see why other watchmakers don't use similar straps.

The SL-1 tracks activity, sleep, heart rate, SpO2, HRV, stress, temperature and menstrual cycles. It delivers a daily Q Score out of 100 along with three sub-metrics: Sleep, Movement, and Vitality. Engadget found the app's conclusions unhelpful: it reports past-tense commentary like "your score is low because you didn't log a workout" without considering that you might have had a rest day.

Battery life is a bright spot. Engadget wore the band for a full week and still had 59 percent charge, suggesting it will easily beat Qalo's claimed 12 days.

For $200, Engadget concluded there are better options even when you factor in subscription fees from rivals like Whoop. The SL-1 is basic and simple, fine for a beginner who just wants to try a screenless tracker, but its price puts it against more capable hardware.

• Engadget
• fitness tracker
• Garmin Cirqa
• Qalo
• screenless band
• SL-1