Health and fitness tracking have become increasingly popular over the past few years, and for good reason. Understanding your baseline for things like sleep, energy, and stress can help you make more informed decisions about your lifestyle and recognize when something may need to change. And while watches used to take centre stage, rings are now giving them a run for their money — and OURA is leading the charge.
Now, let me start by saying this: this is not my first rodeo when it comes to fitness trackers. I spent years sporting an Apple Watch, gave the Google Pixel Watch a try, and trained with a Garmin Vivoactive 6. I loved these models for the wealth of metrics they offered, but I had three main issues: they were bulky, moved around when I broke a sweat, and, frankly, weren’t exactly versatile fashion accessories. I also found them a bit distracting, as I was constantly checking my stats thanks to their easy-to-read interfaces and large screens.
Like most people who have faced these problems, I’ve considered investing in an OURA Ring, but two things held me back: the required monthly subscription for the companion app and how bulky the OURA Ring 4 felt. I’d tried it on before and found it pretty uncomfortable. Yes, the price is also a hurdle for many, but that kind of premium is somewhat par for the course with this type of tech.
I was lucky enough to have a briefing with the OURA team when the new model launched, and they really sold me on the updated design. Not only has the brand started investing more in women’s health tracking, which is important to me, but it also slimmed down the ring, making it more comfortable to wear without looking like you’re, well, wearing a fitness tracker. I’ve now been using mine for a few months, and I’m here to report back on my experience. Spoiler alert: I love it.
Using the OURA Ring 5
Now, let’s start with aesthetics. This sleek and stylish model has a full titanium exterior and interior with a superhard PVD coating. Since I wear gold jewellery almost exclusively, I opted for the Gold model. I’m happy to report that they’ve updated the gold tone, too. It’s lighter and mimics the look of 14K gold, so it really does blend in with the rest of my jewellery. If gold isn’t your thing, it also comes in Silver, Black, Stealth, Brushed Silver, and Rose Gold.
And the bulk is all but gone. It actually just looks like a regular ring. When I’m not working out, I stack it with the others in my collection — I’m a big ring person — and you can barely tell I’m wearing a tracker. I’ve even had to point it out to friends!
Very importantly, I don’t have another screen to check. In this digital age, I feel like I’m being bombarded with LEDs and LCDs at every turn, and my job doesn’t help. Since the OURA Ring 5 is screenless — it’s a ring, duh — I can choose when I want to interact with my metrics instead of seeing them every time I lift my wrist.
Of course, as with any fitness tracker, the tech inside is the main draw, and this one is chock-full of useful features. Loaded with two photodetectors, two triple LEDs (red, green, and IR), a temperature sensor, and an accelerometer, it tracks more than 50 health metrics with research-grade accuracy. When paired with an OURA Membership, you can view insights into everything from heart health, activity and movement, and sleep and rest to stress, metabolic rate, and women’s health. The latter includes everything from hormonal birth control support and cycle tracking to menopause insights.
I really enjoy that I don’t have to set my workout — it automatically recognizes that I’m doing an activity and categorizes it correctly. I’m mainly into cycling and walking, with the occasional Pilates and yoga session, and it’s never gotten it wrong. If, by chance, it does miscategorize your workout, or you forget to wear your ring during a workout, you can manually edit or add the activity, so you’ll never end up with inaccurate metrics.
Sleep and readiness are also features I’m learning to take advantage of. I’m a very picky sleeper, and I could rarely make it through an entire night wearing a fitness watch. Heck, I can’t even wear earrings without getting uncomfortable. The OURA Ring was surprisingly easy to get used to, and I love being able to see everything broken down, from my REM sleep and sleep efficiency to my restfulness. Today, I’ve been crowned “optimal,” and I have to say, it feels pretty good.
And while I still rely on Clue for my cycle tracking, mostly because I have a long history with the app, I can see myself switching over to OURA, too. Its cycle insights are clear, concise, and easy to read, while offering the same benefits and more. Plus, it’s one less app for me to have on my phone.
The app interface is easy to navigate and, even though this isn’t super important, way more visually appealing than the others I’ve used.
Another thing I love is the battery life. I had to charge my fitness watches much more frequently, with the exception of my Garmin, which actually lasted pretty long. I can’t speak to the most recent Apple Watch or Google Pixel Watch models, but with older versions, I found myself plugging them in almost nightly. That meant I couldn’t take full advantage of their sleep-tracking features without sacrificing wearing them for part of the day. My OURA Ring, by contrast, lasts more than a week. I get a notification before the battery dies, and it takes just over an hour to reach a full charge. That means I’m rarely missing out on my metrics.
The downside
By now, you’ve probably already figured out that I’m obsessed with my Oura Ring 5 — and I am. I’ve recommended it to countless friends and even a few strangers at parties. But there are a few things to consider before taking the plunge.
First, it ain’t cheap. The Stealth, Brushed Silver, Gold, and Rose Gold models ring in at $649 CAD, while Silver and Black come in at $529 CAD. That’s pretty comparable to the fitness watches I’ve tried, but it’s definitely more expensive than something like a Fitbit. You also have to factor in the companion app fee, which is $7.99 CAD per month or $89.99 CAD per year. Yes, that’s about the price of a Grande Starbucks beverage every 30~ days, but it does add up.
Second, you have to give it some time to learn your body, which can take a few weeks. In the age of instant gratification, that feels like eons, but I promise it’s worth the wait.
My final thoughts on the OURA Ring 5
Overall, I think the OURA Ring 5 is a great option for anyone who wants to reap the benefits of fitness tracking without suffering from an aesthetic perspective. It’s lightweight, comfortable, and accurate, with an app that keeps you well informed about your health. For me, it’s worth the investment.
Oura Ring 5: To Buy or Not to Buy?
Why it’s a winner…
- Thinner and less bulky than the original model
- Blends with the rest of my jewellery collection
- Doesn’t shift around while working out
- Solid battery life
- Accurate metrics
- Great companion app
Why you might want to keep on looking…
- Very expensive
- Takes a little while to calibrate your metrics, so there’s a bit of delayed gratification
- There is a subscription cost to take into account with pricing
What are reviewers saying about the OURA Ring 5?
The Oura Ring 5 has an impressive 4.9-star rating on Best Buy Canada and a 4.4-star rating on Amazon Canada. Reviewers praise it as a stylish, lightweight alternative to bulky fitness watches and say it provides accurate insights into their health, fitness, and sleep metrics. They also appreciate the long battery life, which lasts for several days on a single charge. The biggest complaint is the required membership fee, though many reviewers say the features make it worth the added cost.
