Is the WHOOP 5.0 Waterproof? Swimming, Showering and Band Care

By Daniel Reyes, Product Care Editor, Astra Straps. Manufacturer claims checked against WHOOP’s product and support documentation, February 2026.

Table of Contents

1. What Does IP68 Actually Mean?
2. How Deep Can WHOOP 5.0 Go?
3. Can You Swim with WHOOP 5.0?
4. What About Ocean Swimming?
5. Can You Shower with WHOOP 5.0?
6. Chlorine vs. Salt Water: What’s the Difference?
7. How Do You Clean WHOOP 5.0 After Swimming?
8. When Should You Take WHOOP 5.0 Off?
9. Can You Wear WHOOP 5.0 in a Hot Tub?
10. Can You Wear WHOOP 5.0 in a Sauna or Steam Room?
11. Do You Need a Different Band for Swimming?
12. What If It Stops Working After a Swim?
13. Key Takeaways
14. Conclusion
15. Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

Is WHOOP 5.0 waterproof? Depends what you mean by it, and WHOOP itself avoids the word. Its own site states the device is IP68 dustproof and water resistant up to 10 meters for two hours, and WHOOP support confirms the 5.0 can be worn in the pool. That rating means the device passed ingress protection testing under set conditions. It doesn’t come with a list of approved activities, so a fair amount of this comes down to judgment, and most of the judgment turns out to be about the band rather than the sensor.

 

What Does IP68 Actually Mean?

IP68 means the device is dust tight and has been tested against water ingress under defined conditions. The defined conditions are doing a lot of work in that sentence.

The code comes from IEC 60529. Its first digit rates solids from 0 to 6, where 6 means no dust gets in, and the second rates liquids from 0 to 9. Here is the catch. Two devices can both carry IP68 and have been tested at completely different depths and durations, so the manufacturer’s stated figures tell you more than the code does. The IEC has made a similar point about how loosely waterproof gets used in marketing, in their ingress protection explainer.

 

How Deep Can WHOOP 5.0 Go?

WHOOP states 10 meters for two hours. Those are the conditions it was tested at.

Immersion testing happens in still water at a controlled temperature. Swimming happens in neither, so the depth figure works better as a reference point than as a line you can swim up to. The other thing to keep in mind is that water resistance doesn’t last forever. Drops, cracks, repairs, wear and plain age all affect the seals over time, so an older or knocked-about unit won’t necessarily perform the way a new one does.

 

Can You Swim with WHOOP 5.0?

Yes. WHOOP’s support guidance says the 5.0 and the MG are water resistant and can be worn in the pool. There is a qualifier attached, though: WHOOP says only waterproof bands should be worn when swimming.

Sensor and band are rated separately, which is easy to forget when you are looking at one number on a spec page. A cashmere or leather band is not a swimming band whatever the device is rated to. Fit matters as well: a loose band shifts around during freestyle, and a sensor that loses skin contact will cost you the heart rate data for that session.

 

What About Ocean Swimming?

Ocean swimming falls within the same water resistance guidance as pool swimming. What changes is what the water leaves behind. Seawater dries into salt crystals that settle on the band, and they gather especially in seams, clasps and textured knits. Rinse with fresh water after an ocean session and let everything dry before it goes back on your wrist.

 

Can You Shower with WHOOP 5.0?

Yes. WHOOP’s rating covers normal water exposure like showering, and its care guidance recommends using the shower to wash the band and sensor.

The official wash and care instructions are specific. Take the device off, wash the band and sensor with soap and water, and wash the patch of skin that sits under the sensor too. Nearly everyone skips that last one. WHOOP also says to hang the band to dry, or wring it out with a towel. Baths work the same way, and we would add one thing: keep bath oils and scrubs off while you are wearing it, because that stuff sits on a band a lot longer than shower water does.

 

Chlorine vs. Salt Water: What’s the Difference?

Both can leave residue on the band, so rinse after either. The type of residue is really the only thing that changes.

Exposure	Main concern	What to do
Chlorinated pool	Chlorine and residue on band and skin	Rinse with fresh water and dry fully
Salt water	Salt crystals and residue	Rinse soon after swimming and air dry
Shower or bath	Soap and conditioner residue	Wash, rinse and dry
Lakes and rivers	Dirt and microorganisms	Rinse and dry the sensor area
Hot tubs and spas	Heat and concentrated chemicals	Avoid or limit exposure
Sauna or steam room	High heat	Take it off

 

Chlorine leaves a film behind, and salt dries into crystals that work their way into seams and weave. Neither is a reason to stay out of the water. Thirty seconds under a running tap deals with both.

 

How Do You Clean WHOOP 5.0 After Swimming?

WHOOP’s instructions are to hand wash the band and sensor with soap and water, rinse thoroughly, and let everything dry before wearing it again.

1.   Take the device off. You cannot reach the underside while it is on your wrist.

2.   Rinse the band and sensor under fresh water to remove chlorine or salt.

3.   Hand wash with a little mild soap. WHOOP specifies hand wash only.

4.   Rinse thoroughly so no soap is left behind.

5.   Clean the sensor underside. WHOOP recommends doing this two to three times a week with soap or sanitizing wipes. There is a thin groove down there that collects debris, and a soft brush clears it gently.

6.   Dry it. WHOOP says to hang the band or squeeze it with a towel, then air dry completely off your wrist.

Do not charge the device while it is wet. And while WHOOP does not say this outright, we would steer clear of abrasive brushes, bleach and strong household cleaners, on the grounds that none of them appear anywhere in the manufacturer’s guidance.

 

When Should You Take WHOOP 5.0 Off?

Take it off for diving, high impact water activities, and any time the band or your skin isn’t fully dry. The rating covers the hardware. Your skin is a separate question.

Recreational scuba routinely goes past 10 meters, which puts diving outside the stated conditions. Anything with impact or entanglement risk is out too, though there the worry is a damaged band or cracked housing more than water getting in. Skin is the other trigger. If you notice redness or irritation, WHOOP suggests switching arms and moving to a more breathable band like SuperKnit, and says irritation that persists beyond two or three days is worth seeing a physician about.

 

Can You Wear WHOOP 5.0 in a Hot Tub?

It is better to take it off. Hot water, steam and concentrated spa chemicals all sit well outside what an IP68 immersion test covers.

WHOOP’s published guidance does not mention hot tubs at all. That silence is worth taking seriously, because spa water combines heat with a heavier chemical load than a pool, and the swimming guidance was never written with either in mind.

 

Can You Wear WHOOP 5.0 in a Sauna or Steam Room?

It’s best to remove it. IP68 is an immersion rating, and sustained heat and steam are a different kind of exposure entirely.

We are not saying the device will fail in a sauna. Heat exposure just sits outside what the rating describes, so you would be operating without any published guidance to fall back on.

 

Do You Need a Different Band for Swimming?

Match the band to the activity, because the device rating tells you nothing about the band attached to it. WHOOP is explicit about it: waterproof bands only for swimming.

●      Best for frequent swimming: silicone. WHOOP describes its SportFlex silicone as suited to swimming and high sweat activity, cleaned with water and dried fully before wear.

●      Better for everyday wear: knit. Breathable, comfortable for continuous wear, and WHOOP’s suggested switch if a band irritates your skin.

●      Keep out of water: leather. WHOOP says to wipe leather with a dry microfiber cloth and avoid submerging it or using harsh cleaners.

All of which makes a decent case for owning two: silicone for pool and beach days, something softer for the rest of the week. Astra Straps carries both for the 5.0. Just check the generation first, because WHOOP 4.0 bands do not fit the 5.0. Our WHOOP 5.0 bands guide covers the materials.

 

What If It Stops Working After a Swim?

Dry it completely before doing anything else, and do not charge it while it is wet. Rinse off any salt or chlorine, then air dry the device and band fully, off your wrist. Once everything is dry, check the app connection and try charging. If it still will not sync or charge, get in touch with WHOOP support. Do not open the device up or try to dry it with heat.

 

Key Takeaways

Question	Short answer
Is WHOOP 5.0 waterproof?	It is water resistant, rated IP68, stated at 10 meters for two hours.
Can you swim in it?	Yes, WHOOP says the 5.0 can be worn in the pool.
Does the band matter?	Yes. WHOOP says only waterproof bands should be worn swimming.
Can you shower in it?	Yes, and WHOOP recommends washing the band and sensor then.
Hot tub, sauna or steam room?	Take it off. Those conditions sit outside the rating.
How often should you clean the sensor?	WHOOP recommends two to three times a week.
Is the rating permanent?	No. Damage, wear and age can affect seals over time.

 

Conclusion

So, is WHOOP 5.0 waterproof? No, and WHOOP has never claimed it is. It is water resistant, rated IP68 at 10 meters for two hours, which is plenty for swimming and showering but stops well short of diving, saunas and hot tubs. What that means day to day is a lot less involved than the spec sheet makes it sound. Rinse after chlorine or salt. Wash the sensor and the skin underneath it a couple of times a week, the way WHOOP recommends. Let everything dry before it goes back on. Keep leather out of the water.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I swim with the WHOOP 5.0 in chlorine or salt water?

Yes. WHOOP states the 5.0 is water resistant and can be worn in the pool, though it specifies that only waterproof bands should be worn swimming. Rinse the device and band with fresh water afterwards, and dry both fully before you wear it again.

Can I wear the WHOOP 5.0 in a hot tub or sauna?

It’s better to take it off. IP68 describes water ingress protection under defined test conditions and does not cover prolonged exposure to high heat, steam or concentrated spa chemicals.