WEARABLE health trackers offer plenty of health benefits but we're not a huge fan of how they tend to look, so we were eager to try out the Oura Ring UK.
The Spy Kid style of wearing a big smartwatch has put us off wearing one in the past, so being able to see our health data while wearing a simple ring piqued our interest immediately.
The Oura Ring has research-grade sensors that track heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), personalized temperature, activity, and sleep monitoring technology.
The ring gives the wearer three scores each day: Readiness, Sleep, and Activity. Using these scores, the user can switch up their day depending on if they need to take it easy or are equipped to up their activity.
Using the Oura Ring requires a monthly membership alongside the ring which costs £4.77 a month (or $5.99 USD)
- Oura Ring Gen3 Horizon, from $299 (£238) in silver + monthly membership – buy here
Overall rating: 4/5
Pros
- Very lightweight
- Natural Cycles partnership
- Easy sleep tracking
- Precise step counter
- Stylish
Cons
- Chunky
- Subscription model
- Expensive
Oura Ring review: How we tested
Two Sun Selects writers wore the Oura Ring Gen3 Horizon for a month straight in order to give it a comprehensive review.
We tested its ability to track sleep and activity, as well as how well it worked in conjunction with the Natural Cycles app for contraception.
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We also compared it to an Apple Watch to see which health tracker would come out on top.
Oura Ring review: First impressions
Order and unboxing
The first part of ordering an Oura ring is to be sent a free sizing kit with plastic replicas of each ring size so you can try them on for style and size and ensure a snug fit.
These rings have three replica sensors which need to be lined up on the palm size of your hand to provide accurate data.
It slipped onto the recommended index finger but also fits comfortably on the middle finger, depending on your preference.
The key is making sure it's tight enough to stay in place but not so tight that it's uncomfortable.
- Oura Ring Gen3 Horizon, from $299 (£238) in silver + monthly membership – buy here
The Oura ring had a reasonably speedy delivery considering it came from The Netherlands. The order was placed on Friday, and it arrived within two business days.
Set up
The whole set-up process took 10 minutes maximum. To set the Oura to ring up, you download the Oura app and ensure that your Bluetooth is on to allow the ring to pair.
The ring arrived with nearly a full charge, but we always have a slight paranoia about battery life so left it to charge until it was 100% whilst setting up the app.
- Oura Ring Gen3 Horizon, from $299 (£238) in silver + monthly membership – buy here
Sign-up was easy; it involved an email sign-in link for verification, and we were on our way. The app confirmed basics like height and weight and asked if we could share our Apple Health data.
It took about 10 seconds to pull in the data from the long walk we had to work earlier that day, adding estimated calories and information on how our day was pacing.
Design
At first glance, we thought the ring might look too chunky or too wide compared to other jewellery. However, we got used to it quickly, and despite being a thick model it's remarkably comfortable.
We went for gold to match our watch and other rings. The ring comes in five different colours so that you can match it with your preferred metal.
Oura ring and sleep
Both of our testers were already fiends for productivity, and both were using their Apple Watches to track their sleep, but found it uncomfortable to wear in bed.
Sleep tracking was why we were so excited about reviewing the Oura ring.
Call us a loser, but there is nothing quite like knowing that you've had more than an hour of deep sleep, five hours of light sleep and two hours of REM sleep in one night.
It may well be a placebo effect, but knowing that you've hit your body's quota of certain types of sleep is invigorating.
Just when you think you can't get through the day, you're quickly reminded that you have had a perfect night's sleep and a high readiness score and have no excuse not to finish that report that is due on Monday or head to the gym.
- Oura Ring Gen3 Horizon, from $299 (£238) in silver + monthly membership – buy here
The length of your sleep and the amount of time you spent in various stages of sleep can be measured by the Oura ring, including periods of time spent awake, in REM sleep, deep sleep, and light sleep.
Oura gives you a tangible sleep score out of 100, which considers factors like total sleep, efficiency, restfulness, REM sleep, deep sleep, latency, and timing.
The app also lets you know when it's time to start winding down for the evening, and offers evening meditations to help you set the mood which we found very beneficial in helping us drift off.
Oura Ring and Natural Cycles
The Oura Ring is able to take your temperature, which means you can use it in conjunction with Natural Cycles as a method of hormone-free birth control.
Natural Cycles usually uses the temperature from an oral thermometer used first thing in the morning to track your daily fertility status. When used in combination with the Oura ring, the ring measures your temperature while you sleep and lets you know your fertility status in the morning.
Remembering to take your temperature manually every morning is a step we could definitely see ourselves forgetting, so having the ring do it for us automatically made the process seamless.
Once the Natural Cycles app has synced with the data from the Oura Ring in the morning, it will ask you a few questions before telling you whether you need to use protection that day.
When you're sick or hungover the temperature reading can't accurately reflect your fertility status as your temperature has been affected, so those readings won't be taken into account.
You will have red days and green days, green days are when your temperature indicates you aren't ovulating and don't need to use protection.
Red days are when you need to use extra protection.
Natural Cycles takes into account what your fertility goals are, and if you're trying to get pregnant will tell you which days you are fertile.
Like all contraceptions, Natural Cycles is not 100% effective, and according to their research it is 93% effective with typical use and 98% effective with perfect use, so take that into account when you're weighing up your options.
You can read more about Natural Cycles' effectiveness here.
We've had negative experiences with hormonal birth control in the past (although it does work perfectly for many) so having the option of non-hormonal birth control was great for peace of mind.
You will need a Natural Cycles membership on top of your Oura membership, which is £8.99 a month or £53.99 for a yearly subscription.
You can sign up for Natural Cycles here.
Oura Ring vs Apple Health
Both the OURA app and the Apple Health app allow you to view information about your breathing patterns overnight as well as your heart rate during sleep.
For the Apple Watch, the addition of sleep stages is quite recent. It only became available last September along with WatchOS 9.
The Oura technology is updating all the time and has even had an update since we started writing this review which matches performance with the gold standard polysomnography sleep lab test and uses a behemoth data set to match against, making it come on top for sleep tracking.
- Oura Ring Gen3 Horizon, from $299 (£238) in silver + monthly membership – buy here
Going to sleep with a watch each night was never quite something we could get used to, so taking the watch off and using the Oura ring to track sleep was a dream.
We immediately felt more comfortable with the ring from the first slumber. As the resident sleep fidgeter, it was also great not to cause any damage with flailing arms whilst we slept.
When it comes to wearable tech, it makes sense to convert to an Apple Watch if you often wear a watch.
However, some people, particularly at home, dislike wearing bulkier items like watches so you can easily miss out on crucial health data.
The Oura Ring, on the other hand, remains still on your finger and you become used to wearing it as you would an engagement or wedding band.
Despite the fact that there are just two design options (horizon and heritage), you can match it to your personality because it is available in four distinct colourways – silver, black, stealth and gold.
The Oura Ring is a great option if you want a fitness tracker you can wear without thinking about it.
Also, when it comes to battery and charging, we had a clear winner.
We struggle to find time in the day to take off our Apple Watch to charge it, and the battery doesn’t last longer than a 24-hour period which means by the time it comes to settling down to sleep, the watch needs charging and therefore, cannot be used to track sleep.
The Oura ring, on the other hand, lasts around six days on a single charge and gives you a handy notification which lets you know to charge your ring before you go to sleep to continue sleep tracking.
We are big fans of keeping it simple and love OURA’s uncomplicated approach to scoring. It gives you a sleep and readiness score, and with one look at the app in the morning, you’ll be able to see what your body needs for the day.
Where to buy an Oura ring in the UK
At the moment, you can only buy an Oura ring in the UK from the Oura website.
While the website displays the pricing in either USD or Euro, they offer worldwide delivery and we received ours within a few days of ordering.
How much does an Oura ring cost?
Oura Ring Gen3 Horizon starts at $299 (£238) for a silver finish or $449 (£357) for gold.
In addition, there is a monthly membership fee of $5.99 (£4.77) a month but the first month is free.
What are some Oura ring alternatives?
The main Oura ring competitor is the Apple Watch. The latest Apple Watch Series 8 tracks sleep, heart rate and exercise – along with body temperature and blood oxygen levels.
However, the Oura ring may be a more comfortable and fashionable choice for many who don't want to wear a watch all the time. Plus, it's more affordable than the Apple Watch Series 8 (from £419).
Another smart ring alternative is the Circular ring, which also tracks sleep, fitness and heart rate – and retails at £239. Other brands are set to release smart rings in 2023 too so keep an eye out for the latest tech in this space.
Other smartwatch alternatives include the Garmin Venu 2 Plus (£349.99 – on sale) smartwatch,and the Fitbit Sense 2 (£199.99 – on sale).
What's the difference between the Oura Ring generation 2 and 3?
The Oura 3 tracks your heart rate in real-time and features more accurate sleep staging tech.
It also has more temperature sensors, allowing the accuracy needed to help women to predict ovulation dates and have a better understanding of their menstrual cycle.
The Oura Ring generation 3 also has an improved battery life.
What is the Oura Ring 4 release date?
We haven't got word on the release of the Oura Ring 4, so check back as we'll let you know as soon as it's announced.
But we have heard whispers that the latest Oura Ring could let you make contactless payments, which will change the game when it comes to your daily spending.
Can you use the Oura Ring without subscription?
You can use Oura Rings without a membership, but expect some limits to what it can do, and it all depends on what model you have.
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If you've got the Oura Ring Gen2 then you won't be charged a membership fee and it'll still get updates, but it won't get any future upgrades.
That's where the Gen3 comes in, but without a membership you'll only see your three daily Oura scores, ring battery, and basic profile information, you won't be able to access the Oura API.
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