Amazfit already had a credible $99 Whoop alternative in the Helio Strap. The Helio Strap Pro, announced at the HYROX World Championship in Stockholm in June 2026, doubles the price and adds a second sensor. One piece still lives on your arm. The other clips to your waist and, at launch, only wakes up for HYROX Race and Simulation modes when you also wear a Balance 3 or Balance Ultra. That is a much narrower product than the marketing suggests, and it is also the most interesting hybrid-training band of 2026 if that is actually your sport.
The verdict
Buy the Helio Strap Pro if you race HYROX and want station-level muscle load without a Whoop membership, and you already own or will buy a Balance 3 or Balance Ultra. Skip the Pro bundle if you just want a screenless recovery strap: the original Helio Strap is the better value. Hardware for general fitness is strong. The waist sensor is a HYROX tool today, not a general gym coach.
What the Helio Strap Pro is
The Pro is a two-module system sold as a $199.99 kit with no subscription. Helio Core Motion HR is the optical heart-rate unit (BioTracker 6.0 PPG, 9-axis IMU, skin temperature) you wear on the upper arm or wrist. Amazfit claims up to about 11 days on the arm module, magnetic charging in under two hours, 5ATM water resistance and live Bluetooth heart-rate broadcast to watches, bikes and apps. Helio Core Motion is the waist-worn 9-axis IMU with a claimed 40 to 44-day battery that Amazfit's own launch docs limit to HYROX Race and Simulation.
The package includes both sensors, wristband, armband, waist clip and magnetic charger. Zepp App support starts at Android 8 and iOS 17. For the wider screenless field, see our best screenless fitness trackers guide and the original Helio Strap review.
Quick comparison
| Feature | Helio Strap Pro | Whoop 5.0 / MG | Garmin CIRQA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price model | $199.99 once | $199-$359 per year | $199.99 once |
| Extra hardware | Waist IMU for HYROX stations | MG ECG and BP insights on Life | None; Garmin Connect depth |
| Battery (arm / main) | Up to ~11 days claimed | 14+ days with PowerPack | ~10 days claimed |
| HR broadcast | Yes, Bluetooth | No | Yes (ANT+/BLE paths) |
| Full HYROX UI | Needs Balance 3 or Ultra | N/A | N/A |
| Open data | Zepp; Health paths via sync | Scores inside membership | Garmin Connect open |
What it does well
HYROX station muscular load
This is the only consumer band kit purpose-built around the eight HYROX stations: SkiErg, sled push, sled pull, burpee broad jumps, rowing, farmer's carry, sandbag lunges and wall balls. Independent hands-ons from The 5K Runner after Stockholm are clear that the dual-sensor magic needs the waist module plus a paired Balance 3 or Balance Ultra. Post-session you can review how muscle load and cardio effort stacked as fatigue climbed across stations. Whoop was not designed for that job and still is not.
HybridCharge without rent
HybridCharge folds BioCharge-style readiness with Training Load and LifeLoad (stress, travel, real-world fatigue) into one capacity story. Firmware has brought pieces of that stack to the original Helio Strap too, so HybridCharge alone is not a Pro-only reason to upgrade. What is Pro-only is feeding muscular load from the waist IMU into that picture during supported HYROX modes.
Arm placement and HR broadcast
Upper-arm optical sensing helps when wrists flex under grip, sleds and farmer carries. Live HR broadcast is a real edge over Whoop for indoor bikes and treadmills. At $199.99 once, three years of Whoop Life still costs more than five Pro kits.
Where it falls behind
The waist sensor is idle outside HYROX
Amazfit's own materials and The 5K Runner's teardown agree: outside Race and Simulation the waist piece does nothing for CrossFit, open gym or general hybrid work. Broader modes are promised with no firm date. If you never race HYROX, you are paying $200 for a very good arm strap and a spare IMU.
You may need another Amazfit watch
Full station analysis at launch requires Balance 3 or Balance Ultra on the wrist. The Pro is not a closed Whoop-style solo loop. Budget for that watch if you do not already own one, or treat the arm module as a Helio Strap upgrade and ignore the waist clip until modes expand.
Zepp is still Zepp
Coaching polish trails Whoop. Expect more charts and less narrative. That is the recurring Amazfit trade-off against pay-once pricing.
Helio Strap Pro vs the alternatives
Against the original Helio Strap ($99): same optical generation in spirit, Pro adds 9-axis IMU detailing, skin temperature on the arm unit and the waist kit. If you are not racing HYROX, stay on Gen 1.
Against Whoop MG / Life: Whoop wins coaching and ECG. Pro wins one-time price and HYROX station analysis. See Helio Strap Pro vs Whoop MG.
Against Garmin CIRQA: same $199.99 sticker. CIRQA wins Garmin Connect and Body Battery for general athletes. Pro wins HYROX. Full split: Helio Strap Pro vs Garmin CIRQA.
Who should buy it
Buy it if: HYROX is your season, you will wear the waist clip on race and sim days, and you have or will buy a compatible Amazfit Balance watch.
Buy the original Helio Strap if: you want screenless recovery and HR broadcast for $99 without a niche sport module.
Specs that actually matter
Arm module: BioTracker 6.0 optical HR, 9-axis motion, skin temperature, about 11.4g for the core, 5ATM, Bluetooth 5.2, magnetic charge in under two hours, up to about 11 days claimed. Waist module: 9-axis IMU only, up to about 40 to 44 days claimed, same magnetic charging family. Straps cover wrist and upper arm sizing Amazfit publishes around 145-205mm for the wristband.
Those numbers explain the product: the waist piece is not a second heart-rate sensor. It is a movement and muscular-load instrument that only earns its keep in the modes Amazfit wired it into.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Helio Strap Pro need a subscription?
No. Core tracking, HybridCharge and HYROX modes are included in the $199.99 purchase.
Is the waist sensor useful for normal gym workouts?
Not at launch. Amazfit limits it to HYROX Race and Simulation, with more modes promised later and no firm date.
Do I need an Amazfit watch?
For full HYROX station analysis at launch, yes: Balance 3 or Balance Ultra. The arm module still tracks health and many sports alone.
Helio Strap Pro or Whoop?
Whoop wins coaching polish and cardiac extras on MG/Life. The Pro wins on one-time price and HYROX station analysis Whoop does not attempt.
Can it broadcast heart rate?
Yes, over Bluetooth to compatible watches, bikes, treadmills and apps.
Helio Strap or Helio Strap Pro?
Pro only if HYROX station load matters. Otherwise the $99 Helio Strap is the rational buy.
Method: Checked September 24, 2026 against brand product pages and independent coverage published around each launch. Prices are US list at publication unless noted. Fitcoin has no commercial relationship with the hardware brands named here. Wellness estimates only, not medical advice.
About the author: Harris Khan is the co-founder and CTO of Fitcoin, a UK fitness-rewards app.