GoKawiilAfter about a year of wearing a smart ring, I've decided to throw in the towel.
I did really like my Oura Ring. Tracking my sleep and steps, amongst other things, has been really helpful for my health journey. Symptom Radar was also typically pretty accurate and usually let me know I was about to get a cold even before I noticed the symptoms.
But a smart ring has a few major downsides that a wrist-based device doesn't, and they weren't obvious to me when I first bought mine.
1. Your fingers change size and rings are not adjustable
Turns out your fingers store quite a bit of fat, and if the fitness-tracking device helps you successfully lose weight, the ring might no longer fit. I initially bought an Oura Ring in size 13 when I was around 94 kg. Then I lost about 14 kg and it became really loose. After picking up a new sizing kit for a replacement device, I learned I was down to a size 11.
Your fingers also change size with temperature. Cold makes your fingers smaller, whilst warmer temperatures do the opposite. Oura's product guidance says that finger size also fluctuates with food and drink, exercise and altitude.
2. You have to take them off to lift weights
Many exercises, from pull-ups to the bench press, place the ring between your hand and a metal bar. Oura recommends removing the ring during activities that involve friction, including weightlifting, to avoid scratches. For me, tracking workouts was one of the primary reasons that I bought it in the first place.
3. They get in the way when you wash and generally use your hands
Rings are constantly exposed while washing your hands, showering, cleaning and gripping things. Even when the ring is water-resistant, water and soap can become trapped underneath it, so removing, drying and replacing it becomes another small source of daily friction - something I repeatedly forget to do, which might explain how I ended up with 2 broken devices which I explain below. The outer surface is also easy to scratch. Oura's care instructions acknowledge the issue of both trapped moisture and scratching.
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