For over two years, I almost never took my gold Oura ring 3 off. The only time it left my index finger was to catch a charge, and I never went out on the town without it -- it was stylish enough for a nice dinner with friends, and how else was I going to count the steps I took back to my apartment?
The Oura Ring's tendency to scratch is no uncommon qualm -- there are various Reddit threads discussing the issue, and Oura even addressed it itself by strengthening the finish materials on the newest Oura Ring 4 line. But I was still hesitant to pick up a dumbbell, especially with my new Oura Ring 4 Ceramic and its ultra-strong make. I refused to keep sacrificing the whole picture of my health, so I sought out a surprisingly simple solution.
Oura Ring 4
- Brand
- Oura
- Heart rate monitor
- Yes
- Notification support
- No
- Battery life
- 8 days
A simple silicone ring cover
The scratching solution
I wasn't going to let Scratchgate ruin my health data. I bought a pack of 10 silicone smart ring covers from Amazon for $10 -- which came out to about $1 per cover -- and brought them to my weight-lifting gym two weeks ago, albeit rather nervously still.
During my first HIIT class sporting the cover, I kept looking down at my ring nervously, half expecting the beautiful Tidal ceramic to be destroyed each time. Alas, that stunning blue shine remained without a single scratch. Now two weeks later, I'm walking into every workout with one of these covers at the ready.
You can put the cover on before or after you have the ring on your finger, although I think it's easier to apply when the ring is off. There's even a little notch on one side that you can line up with on your ring, so you know the sensors are lined up with the bottom of your finger. It wraps just around the exterior and avoids interfering with the sensors on the inside of your ring, so none of your metrics are impacted.
Silicone smart ring cover
These silicone smart ring covers protect your Oura ring from scuffs, scratches, and other damages that might occur during weightlifting or other equipment-involved workouts.
The (minimal) drawbacks
Slight bulk and easily lost
Admittedly, the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic is slightly bulkier than the titanium Oura Ring 4s and especially the Oura Ring 3s. When I put the cover on, it only added to that bulk. I was very aware of the ring squished between my finger and a dumbbell for most of my workout, which wasn't the best. However, I tested the covers with my old golden Oura Ring 3, and the sensation was much less noticeable.
Next, if you or someone you know has long hair, you're very familiar with the lost-hair-tie phenomenon. No matter how many dozens of hair ties you might have on hand, you eventually look around one day to find that they've all disappeared without a trace. It's the same with these ring covers -- I'm almost halfway through my first 10-pack simply because they keep getting lost in my gym bag, forgotten in jacket pockets, or even left at the gym (which only happened once so far). I can see myself ordering a new pack very soon, simply because I'll be lacking an extra one entirely.
However, both the bulk and the cost are a very small price to pay per unit to maintain a full picture of my health. I recommend these silicone covers to anyone worried about scratching up their fancier fitness rings, even if you're sporting a tougher ceramic one like I am -- the peace of mind is well worth it.
Oura Ring 4 Ceramic
- Brand
- Oura
- Heart rate monitor
- Yes
- Battery life
- 5-8 days
- Sensors
- Blood Oxygen, Heart Rate, HRV, Respiration Rate