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Hilo Core Blood Pressure Smart Wearable Band Launches In U.S. — Hands-On
Hilo Core smart band
Hilo
Hilo, the health tech brand from Swiss company Aktiia, has launched Hilo Core in the U.S. as a category between traditional blood pressure monitors and consumer wellness wearables. I’ve been using Hilo for several years — here’s all you need to know.
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What Is Hilo Core? Design And Wearability
Hilo Core consists of a band, an app and a blood pressure cuff. The band is screen-free and has an understated, mostly black design. It is lightweight, light enough to be worn 24 hours a day. It has what’s called Optical Blood Pressure Monitoring, that is, it takes its readings with optical sensors only — there’s nothing inflatable on the band.
The data is synced with the smartphone app which shows your latest figures and offers insights.
Monthly Calibration Via Hilo Core Wireless-Connected Cuff
Around once a month, you calibrate the wristband with the supplied FDA-cleared inflatable cuff. The cuff, which connects wirelessly to the smartphone app, takes three conventional readings which set you up for the month ahead.
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The company stresses that this is a wellness product and it has no plans to expand into a regulated medical platform.
Beating White Coat Syndrome With Hilo Core’s Silent Tracking
White coat syndrome is the phenomenon where having your blood pressure taken causes anxiety, enough for your blood pressure to shoot up, ironically. I have often suffered from this, and Hilo’s band is a way around it. You don’t know the reading is being taken as it’s silent and largely invisible (you occasionally catch a glimpse of a red or green glow in a darkish room, for instance), so you don’t worry about it.
The band takes 30-35 readings a day, Hilo says, and so it can provide a view of trends and patterns. Occasional measurements with traditional cuffs may provide fewer insights.
Hilo Core App Features And Smartphone Compatibility
The app also has the capability to take a measurement on demand using the camera on your smartphone. Note that this is not available with every phone: it worked with my iPhone 16 Pro but not yet on the iPhone 17 Pro, perhaps because of Apple’s camera upgrade last year.
It can show you how much of each day has been spent with readings under 120/80 and average resting heart rate. The app has been redesigned for U.S. users, but looks similar to the version I’ve used in the U.K., which is clear and detailed with articles about why sleep matters and notes about daily habits such as sleep and steps.
My blood pressure is in a good place, thanks for asking, but I find that wearing Hilo offers peace of mind and interesting information.
Hilo Core Price And Availability In The U.S.
Hilo Core is available now, from hilo.com and amazon.com. It costs $89.99 for the wristband and cuff, plus an annual subscription of $149.99.