If you’re looking to get active, a fitness band or smartwatch could be a good investment so that you can track your activity and compare your progress – but did you know there are devices that can help with your recovery too? Both the Oura ring and the Whoop band are paving the way when it comes to wearable fitness that tracks exercise intensity, sleep, and recovery. But what are the differences and features? Read on for more on Oura vs Whoop to find out which would suit you best. 

What is Oura? 

The Oura ring is an activity-tracking device that is different from the rest. It can be worn around your finger as an alternative to smartwatches that are often bulky and not the best looking! If you don’t like wearing a tracker on your wrist, the Oura is the perfect product. It is made from titanium and comes in four different colours depending on which you prefer – gold, silver and black, as well as a matte black finish for those of us that don’t like polished. This ring is not only different in the way that it looks, but it also tracks different health elements than you’d find with your everyday tracking band… 

Why choose this tracker? 

The Oura focuses on tracking health-specific elements of your health, including your sleep and your recovery from exercise. Its focus is to make you more aware of your overall well-being. It can be a good option for those of us that are keen to improve the quality of the sleep we’re getting so our bodies can function effectively. It can also be a good option for those that are active and want to know how to rest their body to ensure improved performance. The Oura shows users a readiness score, which tells them how ready they are to tackle the day ahead. This tracker focuses on three main factors: stress, sleep, and activity. 

What is Whoop? 

The Whoop Band is a fitness tracker, but again, not as you know it! Instead of focusing on steps and calories burnt, it tracks how well you recover from training and helps you to work out whether you’re getting enough sleep. Unlike the Oura ring, the Whoop band is worn around the wrist. It comes in various colours so that you can match it with your aesthetic or your outfit. One of the best and most exciting features of this band is that it allows you to integrate your Whoop into clothing that can track you throughout the day! This feature is what makes it one of the most advanced on the market. So, why should you choose the Whoop? 

Why choose this tracker? 

As we mentioned above, you can wear your Whoop in different ways to get the most out of it even if you don’t like wearing it on your wrist. When it comes to tracking, this band offers a huge range of metrics that could be a great option for those of us that compete in a team or are training for an event. The Whoop measures metrics like strain, which relates to exertion, recovery, which tells you how well you have rested your body, and sleep which tells users how long they need to sleep for optimum recovery. If you frequently take part in hard workouts, the Whoop tracker could be the best choice for you as the metrics can reduce the risk of injury and overtraining. 

Which is best for sleep and recovery? 

Whilst the Oura and the Whoop band are both based on recovery and sleep, how they compare when it comes down to these factors depends on what you’re hoping to get out of your tracking device. For example, if you are looking for a way to improve your rest and feel the benefits of a good night’s sleep, the Oura ring is great for anyone keen on looking after their general well-being. On the other hand, although the Whoop band can offer the same metrics, they are more in-depth, meaning that they work well for athletes and those of us who train hard frequently – this is because most of the data they provide is based on exertion and rest. You should consider your lifestyle and what you’re hoping to get out of your tracker before you make your purchase. 

What about tracking activity? 

Both devices track your activity to some extent so that they can condense the information into an overall score, which lets you know how you are exerting yourself over the course of the day. The Whoop tracking band automatically detects your workouts and sums up your daily activities in the form of a chart, so you can easily see your activity and the impact it had on your body over the course of the day, or the week. In comparison, the Oura ring tracker does not track your activity – although it is said that this is a feature that they are working on. It is worth noting that neither of these bands track metrics that you would find with your average fitness band – so if you’re hoping to track steps or calories, these devices may not be the ones for you! 

If you take part in hard workouts regularly that push your body to the limit, the Whoop band helps you to track exertion over certain parts of the day and means that you can make sure you’re resting for the right length of time, to reduce the chance of you becoming injured. The Oura ring allows you to track activity, but it is not what it is geared towards. If you would benefit from better rest and recovery in general, the Oura ring could be a great purchase.