Is Oura Ring Waterproof? Here’s what you need to know.
Fitness trackers have vastly grown in popularity in the last decade or so. However, in recent years, their functionality has expanded to smartwatches, which have ultimately evolved into health trackers with cutting-edge sensors that can accurately measure heart rate and body temperature and even estimate blood oxygen saturation levels.
The only caveat is that this transition from simple bands to bulky smartwatches has negatively affected comfort levels and battery performance. Nevertheless, Oura Health has managed to cram health and fitness tracking features into a wearable with the dimensions of a regular wedding ring, making it more comfortable to wear all day.
The Oura Ring Gen 3 promises a 7-day battery life, eliminating the need for daily charges. It’s coupled with improved sensors that provide a more thorough suite of sleep quality tracking and health monitoring features. The Ring can even detect the onset of illnesses based on body temperature readings.
All this is quite fancy, but how does the Oura Ring fare in water? You may wonder if you can wear it while swimming, showering, or doing other water activities. Whether the Oura Ring is waterproof or not is answered in this guide.
Is Oura Ring Waterproof?
The Oura Ring is its own thing when it comes to smart wearables. It tracks your activities, monitors your health, detects sleep patterns, and estimates your stress levels— all while also being water resistant at up to 100 meters (~330 ft.) of depth.
Note the differences between the words “water-resistant” and “waterproof.” The Oura Ring is water resistant, meaning it’s still susceptible to water damage in one way or the other. Had it been advertised as waterproof, one could’ve worn the ring submerged underwater for over 12 hours or kept it on while scuba diving.
Oura Health strongly advises against using the ring in both the following circumstances. The only thing standing between water droplets and the Oura Ring’s internal components is the seamless, non-metallic inner molding. If you’re wearing the ring in a high-water-pressure environment, water can make its way into the internals, causing corrosion and irreversible damage.
Oura’s water resistance certification applies to regular usage. It includes bathing, washing dishes, or having a sweaty workout at the gym. You can also wear the Oura Ring while swimming in chlorinated or salt water or partaking in recreational diving activities such as snorkeling.
The Oura Ring uses Titanium for its external surface, so you don’t have to worry about corrosion or rust. Just be sure to take it off after a shower or swim and dry it with a soft towel before putting it back on.
Can I Shower With My Oura Ring?
Things to keep in mind when using Oura Ring in the shower
While the Oura Ring can withstand wetness, you should mind a few things when using it in the shower.
Daily shower and bathing products like soap, shampoo, conditioner, and shaving cream can leave residues around the ring’s sensors, lowering the accuracy of the collected data or outright resulting in faulty wellness readings.
Once you’re out of the shower, hold the Oura Ring under running tap water to clean off any soapy residue. You may also use soap-free cleansers if you need to. But before you put the ring on, dry it well with a soft, non-abrasive cloth, and ensure there are no water droplets around the sensors.
Constant contact with liquid hand wash, bar soap, and moisturizer can also cause slow degradation of the ring’s inner molding, affecting the wearable’s water-resistance capabilities. Hence, it’s best to take off the Oura Ring when using such products.
Can I wear the Oura Ring in hot tubs or saunas?
If your skin can take the heat, the Oura Ring can also take it. It’s completely safe to wear the Oura Ring in hot tubs and saunas as long as it doesn’t exceed the ring’s maximum operating temperature range of 52°C. That’s 125°F for the Imperialists.
In fact, the Oura Ring’s lowest operating temperature is (-10)°C or 14°F, meaning it can even survive in ice baths and cryotherapy tanks. Also, check our latest article about Fitbit Luxe.
Related Guides
Wrapping up
Like most other smart wearables, the Oura Ring is far from waterproof and still susceptible to water damage. However, its 100m water-resistance grade is better than most fitness and health trackers on the market and is suitable to wear while bathing, swimming, and taking a quick dip in the pool or ocean.
Still, you shouldn’t wear your Oura Ring in deep water for extended periods as it isn’t designed for such activities. And as we mentioned earlier, constant exposure to some chemicals found in a range of toiletries slowly degrades the ring’s water-resistance seal.
It’s also worth mentioning that the wireless charger supplied with the Oura Ring doesn’t have any level of water resistance and is unsuitable for use in humid environments.