The Best Silicone Wedding Bands for Men, According to Orthopedic Surgeons
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The first step to buying a silicone wedding band is resisting the temptation to Google “ring avulsion.” Just don’t do it. The same goes for “degloving.” Both are gruesome, albeit rare injuries caused by metal rings getting caught on a fast-moving object, or stuck during a fall, and causing a partial or full removal of the ring finger. According to the Cleveland Clinic, these infrequent injuries make up about 5% of emergency room visits each year, around 150,000 instances, but the results are so horrifying an entire product category has been created to lower the risk.
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“Whether it is full skin degloving or tendon avulsion, it can have permanent implications for your ring finger and that is the most important finger for your grip strength,” said Oregon-based orthopedic surgeon and avid outdoorsman Todd Clevenger. Avoiding these injuries is important, but taking a wedding ring on and off during every gym visit is not only a nuisance but increases the risk of losing an expensive piece of jewelry.
Silicone wedding rings and bands are comfortable and flexible, the latter a key component in avoiding appendage loss. They’ve become a common and popular alternative to hard metal rings during gym visits and everyday life, and as demand has increased designs have become safer and more flattering.
What the Experts Say
To be clear: avulsions and degloving are relatively rare, but every expert we polled emphasized how gruesome they are. “I trained in metal machining with a lathe, and they show you the most horrifying images imaginable to show that when working with equipment like that you should never wear a ring,” said Mike Munter, a director of research at Bioskin, avid climber and weight lifter. “You never plan for an accident to happen, but you can be prepared for it,” said Peter Goodwin, the founder of CEO of Groove Life, a brand that specializes in flexible rings, belts, and wallets.
Silicone rings are much cheaper than the average platinum wedding band, making them not just a low-cost alternative but a low-stakes one as well. They cost between $10-$60, depending on the desk, and many come in multi-packs for easy replacement if one gets lost.
For Billy Brown, Reviews Editor for Barbend.com, both working out and wearing a wedding band is non-negotiable, so he’s in a committed relationship with his silicone accessory.
“I use one every day. I have it carabiner-clipped to my gym bag so I can swap my metal one with it when I work out,” Brown said. Wearing a silicone ring also lowers the chance of losing the pricey metal one in the locker room, an added benefit.
Opting for an alternative also means less wear and tear on the original ring. “I wore a titanium wedding band and even that would get beat up,” Munter said. Brown agrees. “It saves your metal ring from getting all scratched up from barbell knurling,” Brown said.
BEST OVERALL
ThunderFit Silicone Rings
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Munter has been wearing one of these bands for two years, and is continuously blown away by how sturdy it is for the price tag. “You just don’t have to worry about these rings when you wear them because they are so inexpensive,” Munter said. He’s only made it through one within the 4-pack so far.
“They stretch a bit over time, but you can’t find a better deal than these,” Munter said. The ThunderFits may not be the most aesthetic choice, but if aesthetics were king you’d just wear your wedding ring. These are meant to be a durable placeholder, and they perform wonderfully in that arena.
HIGHEST VALUE
QALO Men's Classic Silicone Band
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Made For: Athletes who are hard on their rings.
The Vow: QALO was the first to the silicone band game and continues to make some of the most durable and best-looking rings on the market. They are Billy Brown’s ring of choice after over a decade of use. “I’ve always used Qalo, they seem to last forever,” Brown said.
The ROI: They’re more expensive than our top pick, but they look good enough to wear every day and are built to last years of daily use rather than intermittent uses at the gym. A QALO could become your default ring of choice and it wouldn’t look out of place.
BEST FOR SWEAT
Groove Life Zeus Edge Midnight
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Made For: Gym rats who sweat a little extra.
The Vow: “These rings have grooves on the inside that allow air to flow through, so sweat doesn’t collect under the ring and cause irritation. The Groove Ring is made from non-porous medical grade silicone which means bacteria isn’t going to collect and absorb into the ring,” said Peter Goodwin, founder and CEO of Groove Life. Munter said that these rings are worth the extra premium because of how good they look.
The ROI: Sweat under a ring can get super nasty. This ring has a design element specifically aimed at solving that problem.
BEST DESIGN
ROQ Middle Line Duo
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Made For: Those looking for flair.
The Vow: While most silicone rings are pretty muted, ROQ has opted for brighter, bolder colors. The ROQ Middle Line Duo toes the line classily between colorful and quiet in a way that draws just the right amount of attention to that ring finger.
The ROI: On top of using color in a tasteful way, these rings are among the least expensive on this list.
Frequently Asked Questions About Silicone Wedding Bands
How High is the Risk of Ring Avulsion With a Hard Wedding Band?
“It is a risk for anyone wearing a ring that is doing heavy manual labor or more extreme sports where things can happen quickly,” Clevenger said. “If you are an accountant your risk is fairly low, but if you are a mill worker then having a ring on your finger is a hazard.”
Are There Other Alternative Materials in Addition to Silicone?
Silicone is very comfortable and flexible, but for those working intense manufacturing jobs or in harsh conditions, it might not be durable enough. QALO also uses a proprietary formula in their rings that makes them more durable against extreme conditions. Q2X, as it’s called, “is ten times more resistant to solvent absorption than any other silicone ring on the market, can withstand extreme temperatures from negative 75 degrees Fahrenheit to 575 degrees Fahrenheit, is non-conductive, and can withstand up to 17-22 pounds of pressure” said Emily Mullins, vice president of product at QALO.
Why Not Just Take Your Ring Off and Put It Back On?
“You shouldn’t have to choose between being able to express love for someone and your safety,” said Mullins. “QALO silicone rings can be put on in the morning and worn all day regardless of job or activity.”
Why Is Silicone the Default Material in This Product Category?
“Silicone is a thermo-set plastic,” Munter said. “So it doesn’t change within most common temperature ranges and it gives you flexibility. It is also chemically resistant and doesn’t expand or contract with heat.”
“Silicone is known for its flexibility at extreme temperatures and ability to maintain its original shape even with heavy compression, so our rings expand and contract with the finger to be flexible, lightweight, versatile, and safe,” said Mullins.
Goodwin also touted the benefits of using silicone for a product that sits so close to the skin. “We use medical-grade silicone for a few reasons. It conforms to the finger, is soft to the touch, and is resistant to bacteria. It also holds up under different thermal and chemical environments. It’s such a versatile material.”
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