With smart rings, the right size matters

Getting a smart ring is a little more complicated than getting a smartwatch. To buy one, you need to acquire a sizing kit, try on a bunch of sample rings, find your size, wear it for 24 hours, make sure it fits properly, let the company know your size, and then, you get your smart ring. At least, that’s how it usually works. Apparently, you may be able to skip that process entirely with Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Ring — I just wouldn’t necessarily recommend it.

Leaker Evan Blass posted a screenshot of the Samsung Galaxy Ring’s delivery process in his latest Substack post. Like other smart rings, you have the option of getting sent a sizing kit. It does note, however, that the Galaxy Ring follows US standard sizing and that if you know your ring size, you can just order the ring directly.

On the one hand, this shortens a tedious process. You can easily and affordably buy a standard ring sizer off of Amazon or Etsy. Or, if you happen to wear a lot of rings, you might know your ring size already. Where it gets dicey is that smart rings and regular rings absolutely do not wear the same.

Fun story, my engagement ring was bought based on my Oura Ring size. It was entirely too big for my ring finger, and I had to get it resized at the jeweler. This was my bad. I hadn’t warned my partner that the Oura Ring comes in sizes that are slightly larger than US standard sizing. But that said, my standard size is a 7.5. Thus far, no smart ring comes in half sizes. From what we know about the Galaxy Ring, it doesn’t look like Samsung is offering half sizes, either.

For folks who fall between sizes, the general rule of thumb is to go for the bigger size with smart rings. But that’s where sizing kits come in handy. Unlike your wrist, your fingers swell. It can be hard to yank a ring off in the summer compared to winter. I also find it difficult if I’ve eaten a salty meal, taken a hot shower, or am feeling otherwise bloated. Conversely, it’s much easier after I’ve woken up in the morning or washed my hands with cold water. I don’t have particularly fleshy fingers, either — but dang, mom and dad gave me some gnarly knuckles. This is why other smart ring companies recommend you wear a sample ring for at least 24 hours. You won’t find out a lot of these nuances until you actually wear the dang thing.

My other gripe with smart ring sizing is that it doesn’t always take into account the seasons of life. After my mom died, I gained 15 pounds. Then I lost 15 pounds. I put on some muscle. For my body, I’ve learned that small weight fluctuations can make wearing smart rings annoying. Regular rings are much thinner, and the materials aren’t always as rigid. That gives a bit more flexibility. I need to gain around 20 pounds before I start having issues with my regular rings. Plus, in a pinch, I could always have them resized. I can’t do that with a smart ring. One thing a sizing kit can help with is understanding how differences in materials and rigidity manifest for you — and whether those differences are okay for daily long-term wear.

The perfect smart ring fit is snug but not too snug. The sensors need to align with the underside of your finger. If your ring is too loose, it might twist around your finger willy-nilly. If it’s too snug, trust me — it can really hurt taking it off. It’s not quite as simple as cutting a smart ring off, either.

These are all reasons why, although I know my ring size for each of my fingers, I always insist on getting the smart ring sizing kit. It’s an annoying step, but it’ll save you much more grief and waiting in the long run.