This handy little fitness tracker is waterproof to 5ATMs, making it nearly all purpose for water and land activities. Walking, jogging, running, swimming, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, and countless other activities are all open to you with this powerful little device. Having so many options open to you means that you can try something new and not have to worry about getting wet. How it functions in deep water is not reported, but scuba diving requires special gear in general that other aquatic adventures do not, so do your research before undertaking something of that depth. Additionally, consider that a ring might make certain hand-heavy sports inconvenient or dangerous. Rock climbing, for example, is an easy way to catch the ring on a rock and de-glove your finger. If you handle an un-padded piece of equipment, you may risk scratching the finish. While keeping those safety and aesthetic concerns in mind, the world is your oyster.

Like most fitness and activity trackers the Motiv ring has a step counter, a measurement for active minutes, what kind of activity and how intense it is, how far you go, an optical sensor heart rate monitor, calories burned, and how long you sleep each night. It links via Bluetooth to an app on your phone or computer and from there you can track your goals for the day, your progress, and even your weekly goals. The Motiv Ring is even programmed to adjust your daily goals to meet your weekly goals. If you do a lot of extra activity on Monday, or example, it might make Tuesday a little lighter. If you miss your daily run around the neighborhood on Tuesday due to a thunderstorm, it will alter the rest of your week to demand a little more out of you in order to meet your goals for the week.

In addition to these features, the Motiv Ring also offers a waterproof rating of 5 ATM, which not all fitness trackers can boast. It also has a find-my-phone function, a social sharing function, and advanced security features, some of which are still in beta testing. One such feature is the 2-step verification (2FA) feature. If you are working on a computer and need to log in, you can set two-step verification to make it so that you have to wave your ring-wearing hand in front of the screen in a specific gesture in order to prove that you are in fact the person you claim to be. It also has the option for fingerprint and/or facial ID to let your phone open your Motiv app, keeping your information on the app safe and secure. A third feature, which is reportedly still in beta testing, is the Walk ID security feature. This is designed with the idea in mind that everyone’s gait is different, and so it learns what yours is through normal wear. If someone else tries to wear your Motiv ring, the ring recognizes that you are not the one wearing your ring. What the ring does with that knowledge is still in the works, but the possibilities are varied: it could alert your phone to let you know that your ring is on the move somewhere, possibly sending out a GPS signal to show you the location. What Motiv has in store is still unclear with this feature, but it is an exciting idea to think about.

As was briefly touched upon, this ring syncs up to your smart phone via Bluetooth. It generally syncs automatically, but if at any point you want to make it sync on demand you simply twist the ring around your finger a few times. It is compatible with iOS version 9.0 and onward, with Android 6.0 marshmallow onward, and works with Alexa, Google Fit, and Apple. Some specific phones that are compatible with this ring are the iPhone 5s and onward to more recent models, the Galaxy S7 (and Edge), the s8, s8 Plus, s9, s9 Plus, and the Note 5 or Note 8. It also works with the Google Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, and Pixel 2XL. If you do not see your specific smart phone on this list, confirm its compatibility to the Motiv Ring before purchasing, just in case. Especially if you are unsure what version of operating system your smart phone offers.

It is unclear what apps might be connectable to the Motiv Ring’s phone app, if any. Unlike some fitness trackers and most smart watches, the Motiv Ring does not have the capability to play music, so connecting to such apps is moot. Whether or not it may sync with a meal planning and activity tracking app My Fitness Pal or a similar alternative, though, you will always have the option to simply note your total calories burned and activity level and duration and log them after the fact. If the apps pair, you are even more streamlined as you monitor yourself and your fitness health. Even if they do not link up, however, do not let that dissuade you from this device because it is still incredibly useful.

Being as streamlined as it is, the Motiv slides on and fits like any other ring. You may notice it slips around, moving the heart rate monitor from the underside of your finger to the back of your finger near the knuckle – since this is something every ring is capable of doing, it is not terribly shocking to learn. The trouble is that this ring may not measure your heart rate accurately after slipping around backwards, so take that into consideration before selecting your size when you order.

Having been designed with appearance in mind, the Motiv ring comes in three colors: rose gold-tone, silver, and black. These finishes are designed to look like any other band-style ring, keeping their secret purpose to themselves. Their form is a lightweight titanium to protect the flexible circuit board and curved battery within, with the emphasis on ‘lightweight’ – the Motiv weighs approximately the same as a United States issue penny and is less than .1 inches in thickness. This functional piece of jewelry is meant to look and feel like a regular ring, while still pulling off all of the abilities that a fitness tracker can manage.

With so thin an overall build, it might not come as a surprise that this ring is not unbreakable. For those people who buy this ring as an alternative to a potentially bulky, occasionally clashing, and not always waterproof wrist-worn fitness tracker, this is a great find. The downside is this: if you have hand-based sports in mind, you are in a different boat. The finish, just like any other ring, is likely going to scratch if you lift weights, as those bars are not completely smooth. If you take it rock climbing, you may risk de-gloving (if you do not know what that is, research at your own risk, it can be gory). You may find that this ring is safely out of the way for your purposes, or tucked under a glove, or something similar, then by all means wear it to your heart’s content. If you worry for the safety of your fingers, however, take into consideration the kind of activity you may be using it for.

Unlike most wrist fitness trackers, this device has no formal face. It does not show any readouts of your progress, it cannot tell you if someone is calling or texting you, and it does not have the capability to display the current time for you. There is a small black portion of the ring that shows on the finger, and it bears a single LED light that is used merely as an indicator, usually only lighting up to let you know that the ring is correctly mounted on the charger and the act of charging is being carried out. This undoubtedly contributes to the 3 day battery lifespan of the product, but it also means that you will either need to wear a separate watch or check the time in other ways. If you are the kind of person who does not need to check the time frequently or with any level of urgency throughout your day, then by all means you have nothing to worry about. If you are semi-constantly checking your watch to see the time, however, you may need to consider wearing a non-fitness watch of some sort to supplement the Motiv’s lack of readout.

The biggest physical difference between this ring and any fitness or activity tracker worn on the wrist is the size. Making it around the circumference of a human wrist typically falls into two or three sizes at the most: a range of sizes deemed to be a “small” and a range of sizes deemed to be a “large”. Occasionally an “extra-large” category may be added, but it is not terribly frequent. Being a ring, the Motiv already has a wider range of sizes to start from. They are not measured to come out the same as a standard jewelry-style ring, however. They do not come in half or quarter sizes like some fashion rings can. There are seven sizes to choose from, and when you place an order for a Motiv you are first sent a sizing kit to use for the purposes of determining what size ring to order. Once that is done, you send back the kit and report your ring size. None of the sizing kit portion’s shipping fees are the buyer’s responsibility; the labels are pre-printed for the return of the sizing set, and once you have your ring size established you simply change labels on the box and send it back the way it came.

Unlike some smart watches that have multiple screens and setups to go through, or even some fitness trackers with measurements and settings to maneuver on your new piece of equipment, the Motiv ring has a simple phone app – you charge up the ring, sync it to your phone, and put the ring on. Wrist-watch style trackers can be great but navigating a series of screens or menus with which you are unfamiliar can be frustrating and confusing when you are supposed to be excited about your new tech gear.

The battery of the Motiv ring is a rechargeable lithium ion, which is admittedly unsurprising. The nuance that sets this battery apart from others is the fact that this one is curved in order to keep the ring sleek and smooth all the way around. The charging dock, a simple USB port-compatible magnetic item, is smaller than some wireless mouse plug-ins and gives a full charge in under 90 minutes. While in use, this tracker has 3 days of battery life. It also has 3 days’ worth of on-board memory, so you can leave your phone home on a run or an overnight camping trip, while out on the water kayaking or while having a swim, and everything will be recorded and sync up as soon as you are back in range.

Having so many incredible features and functions built into so compact and sleek a shape is quite an impressive feat. Naturally, tech as advanced as all that - including a curved battery and circuit board – is going to have a pretty hefty price tag for the relative size. Depending upon your retailer of choice, the Motiv ring is going to cost you anywhere between one-hundred seventy and two hundred dollars. While this is likely going to make some people balk, others may think this is a better deal than they expected to hear; any price and feature comparison is up to you as the buyer to decide. The cost monetarily can be told to you, but how much you value certain features over others is entirely in your hands.

Being a functional accessory in and of itself, the Motiv ring is not likely to come with much in the way of extra add-ons. It comes with a USB-port magnetic charging dock, potentially one with key chain ring attachment for ease of transport, and – depending upon where you buy yours – a warranty. As far as accessories go, that is as much as can be done. The ring is a solid piece of metal that protects the curved technology within, the base interior of the ring being the location for the heart rate monitor. With everything so sleek and compact, there is not much to be added.

-All the tracking of a wrist-based fitness tracker
-Titanium exterior
-3 day battery lifespan and built-in memory

With sleek minimalism trending and fitness tracking as widespread as it is, the fact that a fitness tracking ring exists should come as little surprise. The Motiv is not the only one out there, but it has plenty going for it that will make it a strong contender as people seek a fitness ring for themselves. The Motiv does anything a fitness tracker worn on the wrist can do, except tell you the time, and all without the sweat and dead skin buildup of a wrist-placement option. Like most trackers with physical activity in mind, the Motiv ring has its limitations and concerns, but being waterproof and small in design means there is a wide variety of activities for which it is compatible. Swimmers, tennis players, runners, and paddle boarders will find this tracker to be a sleek and stylish way to record their day without their phone weighing them down.

In truth, the Motiv might be mistaken for a slightly large wedding band if worn on that finger, making it incognito for those of us who might have to wear their tracker in a board room before taking it for a run, bike ride, or swim. It transitions with ease from place to place by the nature of its appearance, and with a 3 day battery life you will be able to record your activities via the internal memory and leave your phone home or safely on dry land if you so choose. Seek your adventure, and the Motiv will record the rest.