Oura Ring Generation 3 review
I've worn an Oura Ring since November 2021. Worth it?
How it started
I picked up the Gen 3 through Oura's trade in program in October 2021, upgrading from a Gen 2. The hook was a free lifetime membership (currently worth about $5.99 / £4.90 a month) for anyone upgrading.
What I have
A Heritage ring in Stealth ($399 / about £326.43), size 11, worn on the wedding finger of my right hand. Honestly, a 12 would have been better so I could wear it on the index finger.
A bit of background
- First month of membership included; $5.99 / about £4.90 a month after that
- Sleep, Readiness and Activity scores
- In depth sleep analysis, personalised insights, live heart rate, temperature trends
- Membership is tied to your account, not the ring itself
- 30 day return window
- Ring specific charger (size dependent)
- Up to 7 days battery life advertised
- UK shipping: $15 standard / $35 express
- Pay by card or PayPal
What size?
Oura recommend:
- Index finger preferred, middle and ring fingers fine
- Avoid fingers where the base is narrower than the knuckle
- Sensor bumps go on the palm side
- Comfortable, secure fit at the base of the finger
- Make a fist. If there's a gap between the top of your finger and the inside of the ring, go smaller
- Wear the sizing ring for at least 24 hours. It shouldn't rotate
Key features
- 24/7 heart rate for stress and recovery
- HRV monitoring
- Blood oxygen (SpO2)
- Detailed sleep tracking
- Stress detection
- Body temperature day and night
- Cycle prediction
- Workout heart rate
- Wellness content (articles, videos, podcasts)
- Waterproof, durable
- Long battery life (advertised up to 7 days)
Why people buy one
Most people get an Oura Ring to track sleep, and fair enough. It's one of the more accurate sleep trackers around. The data helps you improve sleep quality, see what affects readiness (alcohol, late food, caffeine), and track your trends over time.
What I like
Readiness score. First thing I check in the morning. Most useful when it drops, because it might mean alcohol, poor sleep, too much training, or the start of an illness. It pretty much told me I had Covid the day before I tested positive.
Sleep score. Same thing at night. Useful when it dips because of alcohol, late meals, caffeine or going to bed too late.
Easy to wear. The most unobtrusive health wearable I've used compared to an Apple Watch or a chest strap. I only take it off for barbell or dumbbell work.
The iOS app. Clean, intuitive, matches the quality of the ring. Stats and insights are easy to find. There's also a web interface (Oura on the Web) for desktop. I haven't used the Android app.
Pros
- Readiness score
- Sleep score and sleep tracking
- HRV
- Resting heart rate
- Easy to wear
- Comfortable to sleep in
- Nap tracking
Cons
- The ongoing membership cost
- Accuracy isn't perfect, don't rely on it completely
- Wrong size and you'll get finger pain or hand pain
- No half sizes. Too loose and it slips and gives bad data, too tight and you'll need water and soap to get it off
- My battery is down to about 3 days now, and that'll get worse
- Can't comfortably wear it lifting, the metal will scratch
- Surface marks build up over time
What could be better
- An advertised replacement service for a small fee, to take the edge off battery anxiety
- Push notifications for things the ring picks up (illness for example) without having to open the app
- Automatic app updates rather than waiting for me to open it
- Public groups or leaderboards like Whoop has, for fitness communities
- Better HRV and sleep accuracy
- Blood pressure
- Continuous glucose monitoring
Who's it for?
Anyone serious about health and wellness tracking. People who want to improve sleep, optimise recovery, understand their stress, or see how alcohol and other inputs actually affect them.
In summary
Overall I'm a big fan of the Oura Ring. It's my pick for sleep, HRV, RHR and general wellness tracking. Lower friction than anything else I've tried, and the long term trends are useful.
One note. Don't rely completely on its opinion. If the ring says you're tired and you actually feel great, don't let it talk you out of feeling great.
Got questions about the Oura Ring, or what you'd want from the next generation? Drop me a line.