I’ve put a case on my smart ring, and it’s not quite as silly as it sounds. Oura, makers of the Oura Ring smart ring, has teamed up with luxury gym and fitness club Equinox to create a package called the Rest & Recovery Kit, and in it is a soft rubber cover for the ring itself.
But what’s it like, and does it make any sense at all? Surprisingly, it’s great, and it managed to remove a worry I had.
Equinox and Oura
Oura announced a partnership with Equinox — which runs a network of luxurious and expensive gyms — in January 2023, when it became part of the Equinox Circle, where brands provide special offers to Equinox members. The Rest & Recovery Kit was part of this, and it has finally arrived.
It consists of a third-generation Oura Ring in either Stealth or Silver finishes, a subscription to the Oura Ring app for a year, a pouch to keep your smart ring safe, and three Ring Covers. The whole package costs $445. This means you pay only a small amount extra for the accessories, $30 over the $349 starting price of the Horizon Oura Ring and $66 for the first year of the app subscription.
The Ring Cover really caught my attention, as we’re all used to putting cases on our smartphones, and some even put them on smartwatches too, but why would you put a cover on a smart ring? There is a strong argument for doing so, but a lot of it rests on whether the Oura Ring remains comfortable with it on. Is this something you should explore?
Wearing the Oura Ring Cover
The Equinox x Oura Ring Cover is a simple piece of black rubber with Equinox stamped into it, plus a making on the underside, so it’s easy to tell when the ring is centered on your finger. Fitting it is simple. It helps to align the locating marker with the central sensor bump first and then stretch the cover over the ring. It takes no time at all and is equally simple to remove. The idea is to store the covers in the pouch when you’re not using them.
The fit is perfect. I was worried it would misalign, sag, or slip, but once the Ring Cover is on, it sits in exactly the right position and won’t budge. I’ve been wearing it with the Heritage design Oura Ring, which has a flat section on the top, and it still fits without issue. It seems it’s the entirely circular Horizon model that comes in the Rest & Recovery Kit, though.
It does add a millimeter or two to the size of the smart ring, but I haven’t noticed any impact on wearability. However, you will sometimes feel the stamped Equinox logo between your fingers, It’s not uncomfortable, but it’s not quite as pleasant as the smoothness of the ring.
Of course, you’re also covering up a beautiful titanium ring with a piece of rubber, so there’s a style consideration too. So why would you want to put the cover on your smart ring?
Metal on metal
Under normal circumstances, the Oura Ring can grind or rub against something you grip, and when that surface is metal, it can result in scratches appearing. I’ve worn an Oura Ring for more than 18 months and can attest to this. At the gym, you’re going to grip metal dumbbells and other equipment, and that’s when the Ring Cover comes into play. It’s also why the Equinox partnership works.
There’s no doubt it’ll do the job. It entirely covers the surface, and when you grip a metal bar with it attached, you never get that sudden grinding sensation as it comes into contact. It doesn’t always happen anyway, but it’s good to know that with the Ring Cover, the ring is protected when it does. It’s not only at the gym when the Ring Cover will come in handy. I usually take the Oura Ring off to wash my car, as I don’t want to risk catching it against the paintwork, and the ring cover stops me from worrying about this.
Unlike a case for your phone, it’s not really meant to be left on the smart ring all the time. That’s why the pouch is included. Made of a faux leather material, it has Oura and Equinox branding on the front and is opened using a spring-loaded fastener. It’ll keep the Ring Covers safe until you want to use one. Having now used the Ring Cover on my Oura Ring, I’m surprised by how much I appreciate the peace of mind it brings in situations where before, I would have simply taken the smart ring off.
Want to buy one?
I’ll admit it — I scoffed when I first read about the Ring Cover. But after seeing and using it, it makes a lot more sense. I’m really pleased that it doesn’t look or feel cheap, and I’m impressed with the excellent fitment. It does serve a purpose, and I could genuinely see myself using it in situations where I want to protect the Oura Ring or something it may come into contact with from harm.
Unfortunately, the only way to currently get your hands on a Ring Cover is to buy the Equinox Rest & Recovery Kit. That’s great if you don’t have an Oura Ring already, but not so good if you’re already wearing one. It’s possible Oura may introduce its own Ring Covers without Equinox branding in the future, and it’s something we’d like to see.
For now, the Ring Cover is part of the Equinox Rest & Recovery Kit, which is available in the U.S. through Equinox’s own online store.
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