Since getting the Apple Watch Ultra I have done a bit of a revamp of my watch band collection to match the vibe of the Ultra. And I’ve now got longer term storage for my bands:
I found this case on Etsy. It says that it is designed for Apple Watch bands, but I think it’s more of a generic case that they advertise as an Apple Watch case. It’s made of leather and it holds my complete collection just fine.
Now that things are starting to get back to normal, I will be travelling again. And when I do, the Twelve South TimePorter will go into my bag. The big plus to the TimePorter is that you can put an Apple Watch charger in it along with a slim battery pack to allow you to charge on the go. You can even fold it up to a 45 degree angle to use it as a display stand which is a great use case for a hotel room.
Now let’s talk about the bands. But before I do, let me answer a question that I get asked a lot. Which is can you use older Apple Watch bands. The answer is yes if the bands in question are for 42mm, 44mm or 45mm Apple Watches. And there’s a bit of a catch:
As you can see here, the lugs for the bands do not fit flush with the Apple Watch Ultra. This only happens on one side and is only noticeable if you are looking for it. I thought I would point that out because the bands specifically designed for the Ultra don’t do that. Another thing to point out is that I note that some third party bands are tighter than normal to get on and off the Ultra. I am guessing that the cause for that is that Apple slightly tightened up the tolerance for the lugs on the lugs. Likely to make sure that they didn’t pull out of the watch if you were doing something “extreme” with the Ultra.
Speaking of bands for the Ultra, let’s start with the band it came with:
I got the Alpine Loop as I didn’t like the Trail Loop nor did I like the Ocean Band. Once it’s on you, it will not come off because of the titanium hook on the band. I wear this occasionally as it is very comfortable. Typically when I am doing something athletic. It does dry quickly if you sweat a lot.
I have a pair of sport loops. One is the Nike Sport Loop that has reflective thread, and the other one is the Canada Sport Loop that Apple did for the Tokyo Olympics. Much like the Alpine loop, I use them for things like workouts and anytime I need a band that will be comfortable and dry quickly.
I also have an Apple Black Unity Braided Solo Loop which I also wear for workouts. It’s pretty comfortable but I have noticed that it fits slightly on the loose side. I am not sure why that is as this is a bigger watch and the opposite should be true. But it’s not a dealbreaker for me.
The UAG Active Watch Strap is one of my go to bands for workouts it will stay on my wrist no matter what I do, but it will feel comfortable the entire time that I wear it. After all, if my wife was able to use this band to do an extreme trail running race and have the watch stay on her wrist, anything that I do should be a non-issue. It also matches the vibe of the Apple Watch as it is big and bulky.
I have a couple of Apple Sport Bands lying around from previous Apple Watches. Thus I put them into the rotation in case I need a band that could be used for going out or for athletic activities.
The Nike Sport Band from Apple as of late is my go to watch band I am doing something athletic like hiking or working out in the gym. One big plus is that it also fits my Road ID for Apple Watch which gives me a bit of extra safety should I feel the need to use it when I am out for a ride on my bike or doing a hike solo. Because it is made of rubber and has holes in it, it stays dry on your wrist.
The UAG Nato Strap is a band that I really like as it adds a bit of style to the Apple Watch Ultra. During our last road trip to PEI in 2019, it was the only band that I wore as I could hike or cycle with it in the day, and go out to dinner with it at night. And it’s machine washable as well. It also fits my Road ID for Apple Watch which gives me a bit of extra safety when I ride my bike for example. Plus it is super comfortable.
UAG also makes a Leather Watch band as well which I find to be very comfortable and stylish. Plus it includes a snap that locks everything into place so that there’s no way the watch will come off your wrist. It is starting to show some wear but I am fine with that as it adds some character.
The Watch Strap Company Link Bracelet has the look and feel of the Apple Link Bracelet without the Apple price. It’s a very premium feeling product and goes great with everything from suits or business causal clothing. I have had the black one for years, but I recently added the silver one to my collection as it almost matches the casing of the Apple Watch Ultra.
I also have The Watch Strap Company Mesh Loop (The Watch Strap Company’s term for the Milanese Loop) in my collection. It uses stainless steel that is very soft and comfortable to wear. And it is very premium feeling and durable. Again, the black one I have had for years, but I got the silver one to match the Apple Watch Ultra.
That’s my Apple Watch band collection. One thing that I have to say to those who have Apple Watches and want to have good quality upscale bands is that you should skip the really cheap bands on Amazon. Those ones from personal experience don’t have good quality materials and typically will not last all that long. Bands from companies like Apple, The Watch Strap Company, and Urban Armor Gear are examples of good quality watch bands that should be part of your collection.
What Apple Watch bands do you use? I’d be interested in hearing from women with Apple Watches as seeing as I have put forward a collection for men. Thus I figure that many women would be interested in what women use. But male users should join in on the conversation as well by leaving a comment and sharing their thoughts.