Archive for Urban Armor Gear

My Apple Watch Band Collection – The 2022 Edition

Posted in Commentary with tags , , , on May 13, 2022 by itnerd

It’s been a while, as in two years since I’ve done one of these articles about what bands I own and use with my Apple Watch. Thus I decided it was time to fix that. Pun intended. Let’s start with what I put my Apple Watch bands in which is the Twelve South TimePorter:

This has just enough space to hold all my Apple Watch bands that I currently rotate through. Though if I add anything more to the rotation, I will have to find an alternate solution. Anything that I am not currently using gets popped into a box in my den. 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.

Urban Armor Gear Nato Strap for Apple Watch

I really like this band because it goes with the sort of business casual clothing that I wear But at the same time because it is made of high strength nylon and has hardware made of stainless steel, I can use it to work out with. For example in 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.

The Watch Strap Company Mesh Loop

When I want a add a bit of style, this is one of the bands that I go to. This Mesh Loop (The Watch Strap Company’s term for the Milanese Loop) uses stainless steel that is very soft and comfortable to wear. And it is very premium feeling and durable. Which is a good thing as The Watch Strap Company gear isn’t exactly cheap. But it’s very much worth it as it really ups my Apple Watch Game when I wear suits or business causal clothing.

Urban Armor Gear Leather Watch Strap For Apple Watch

My wife got one of these leather watch straps from Urban Armor Gear and I was insanely jealous. That’s because it’s high quality Italian leather that feels super comfortable on your wrist and goes with pretty much any style of clothing. It’s also got stainless steel hardware that makes sure your Apple Watch stays on your wrist. That includes a snap that locks everything into place so that there’s no way the watch will come off your wrist. Thus I had to get one to not only up my Apple Watch game, but to also replace two leather bands that were not even close to the level of quality that the Urban Armor Gear band offers.

The Watch Strap Company Link Bracelet

Another band that is on my go to list when I need something more upscale is the Watch Strap Company Link Bracelet. This is another top shelf product from the company that 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.

Nike Sport Band From Apple

A client of mine gave me two Apple Watch bands to thank me for coming to her rescue the day after my wife and I got back from our vacation in PEI. The first one was the Nike Sport Band from Apple which I will wear when 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 with this band.

Nike Sport Loop From Apple

The other band that this client gave me is the Nike Sport Loop from Apple. It has a reflective weave that gives you a bit of extra safety in lower light conditions. Plus sport loops are super comfortable to wear as you can get the exact fit that you need. I have also kind of jerry rigged my Road ID for Apple Watch to work with it. Thus this is my go to band when I ride my bike.

Urban Armor Gear Active Watch Strap

This is another go to band if I need to do something athletic as it will stay on my wrist no matter what I do, but it will feel comfortable the entire time 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. This band is a total winner for Urban Armor Gear.

Apple Black Unity Braided Solo Loop Band

This is a recent addition to my Apple Watch band collection. Once you figure out what your size is, this solo loop is super comfortable. And it can be used while you work out as it is woven which means it breathes pretty well. I can match it to the watch face that came out at the same time as this band, and it’s Apple’s only black solo loop that they offer. At least at the time that they sold this band as it was a limited edition.

International Collection Sport Loop Band

Apple came out with a number of bands to celebrate the Olympics last year. My wife and I got the Canadian one and along with the matching watch band displayed our Canadian pride. This too was a limited edition.

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.

My Apple Watch Band Collection – Fall 2019

Posted in Commentary with tags , , , on November 6, 2019 by itnerd

Earlier this year I posted an article on the Apple Watch bands that I use on a daily basis. Then I followed that up with another post this summer. Both posts proved to be very popular. Thus here’s an update as to what I am using at present. There are changes that I have made to my watch band collection since the summer. But what hasn’t changed is what I store my watch bands in. Which is the Twelve South TimePorter:

This has enough space to hold all my Apple Watch bands that I currently rotate through. Anything that I am not currently using gets popped into a box in my den. 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.

As for the bands that I have on the go, here’s what I’m currently using:

Urban Armor Gear Nato Strap for Apple Watch

I really like this band because it goes with the sort of business casual clothing that I wear But at the same time because it is made of high strength nylon and has hardware made of stainless steel, I can use it to work out with. For example in our recent road trip to PEI this past summer, 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. 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.

The Watch Strap Company Mesh Loop

When I want a add a bit of style, this is one of the bands that I go to. This Mesh Loop (The Watch Strap Company’s term for the Milanese Loop) uses stainless steel that is very soft and comfortable to wear. And it is very premium feeling and durable. Which is a good thing as The Watch Strap Company gear isn’t exactly cheap. But it’s very much worth it as it really ups my Apple Watch Game when I wear suits or business causal clothing.

Urban Armor Gear Leather Watch Strap For Apple Watch

IMG_1374

My wife got one of these leather watch straps from Urban Armor Gear and I was insanely jealous. That’s because it’s high quality Italian leather that feels super comfortable on your wrist and goes with pretty much any style of clothing. It’s also got stainless steel hardware that makes sure your Apple Watch stays on your wrist. That includes a snap that locks everything into place so that there’s no way the watch will come off your wrist. Thus I had to get one to not only up my Apple Watch game, but to also replace two leather bands that were not even close to the level of quality that the Urban Armor Gear band offers.

The Watch Strap Company Link Bracelet

Another band that is on my go to list when I need something more upscale is the Watch Strap Company Link Bracelet. This is another top shelf product from the company that 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.

Nike Sport Band From Apple

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A client of mine gave me two Apple Watch bands to thank me for coming to her rescue the day after my wife and I got back from our vacation in PEI. The first one was the Nike Sport Band from Apple which I will wear when 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 with this band.

Nike Sport Loop From Apple

fullsizeoutput_e56

The other band that this client gave me is the Nike Sport Loop from Apple. It has a reflective weave that gives you a bit of extra safety in lower light conditions. Plus sport loops are super comfortable to wear as you can get the exact fit that you need. I have also kind of jerry rigged my Road ID for Apple Watch to work with it. Thus this is my go to band when I ride my bike.

Urban Armor Gear Active Watch Strap

This is another go to band if I need to do something athletic as it will stay on my wrist no matter what I do, but it will feel comfortable the entire time 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. This band is a total winner for Urban Armor Gear.

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.

 

 

UAG Releases Civilian Series Cases For The iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, & iPhone 11 Pro Max

Posted in Commentary with tags on October 15, 2019 by itnerd

Urban Armor Gear has developed a new series for those who choose to live beyond the known and venture into the unknown.

UAG’s new Civilian Series is stunningly sleek and was designed for individuals looking for something different- a modest design with bold hints of superior protection. Civilian Series’ features a multi-layer construction engineered to disperse energy from impact and lessen the forces transferred to your device. Offered in three daring colorways, there is sure to be a Civilian case that fits any of our customer’s style.

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CIVILIAN SERIES – iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max

Available colors: Black, Slate, Olive Drab

Price: $49.95 | £40 | €45

  • Feather-light composite construction
  • Tactile buttons & easy access to touchscreen and ports
  • Screen surround
  • Apple Pay compatible
  • Wireless charging compatible
  • Meets military drop-test standards (MIL STD 810G 516.6)

 

UAG Announces New Cases For Samsung Galaxy Note10

Posted in Commentary with tags on August 8, 2019 by itnerd

Urban Armor Gear have announced a new lineup of updated cases for the Samsung Galaxy Note10 and Note10+. From style conscious to tactically rugged, UAG’s new Note10 lineup offers the perfect case for every type of user.

Each new model meets military drop standards while accommodating all of the powerful tech advantages the new Galaxy Note10 has to offer, like 5G connectivityand Fast Wireless Charging. The cases also keep the distinctive stylus safely in place, allowingusers to express themselves as they push further and explore life to the fullest.

When heading into the toughest, most grueling conditions, UAG’s updatedMonarch Series is the go-to choice.Meeting 2X MIL-SPEC qualifications, the oversized tactile buttons and protective screen surround, takes premium protection to a whole new level. If the adventure calls for a featherlight option with serious protection, look no further than the Plasma Series. It’s stylish translucent case and composite material construction make it a slick companion for the modern-day wanderer. For those seeking ultimateprotection in a sleeker style, the Plyo Series is the ideal case. Itslightweight, minimalist design makes the Plyo Series the perfect match for on-the-go individuals.

PLASMA SERIES – GALAXY NOTE10 & NOTE10+

Available colors: Ice and Ash

Price: $39.95 | £31.00 | €35,95

●     Armor shell and impact resistant soft core

●     Feather-light composite construction

●     Oversized tactile buttons and non-slip ruggedized grip

●     Easy access to touchscreen and ports

●     Scratch-resistant screen surround

●     Reverse wireless charging compatible

●     Compatible with Samsung Pay and Samsung Fast Wireless Charging

●     Meets military drop-test standards (MIL STD 810G 516.6)

 

PLYO SERIES – GALAXY NOTE10 & NOTE10+

Available colors: Ice

Price: $39.95 | £31.00 | €35,95

●     Armor shell & impact resistant soft core

●     Air-soft corners for cushioning impact

●     Feather-light composite construction

●     Oversized tactile buttons & easy access to touchscreen and ports

●     Protective screen surround

●     Reverse wireless charging compatible

●     Compatible with Samsung Pay and Samsung Fast Wireless Charging

●     Meets military drop-test standards (MIL STD 810G 516.6)

 

MONARCH SERIES – GALAXY NOTE10 & NOTE10+

Available colors: Black and Crimson

Price: $39.95 | £31.00 | €35,95

●     Handcrafted, feather-light construction with 5 layers of protection

●     Top grain leather and alloy metal hardware

●     Soft impact-resistant core & honeycomb traction grip

●     Oversized tactile buttons & protective screen surround

●     Reverse wireless charging compatible

●     Compatible with Samsung Pay and Samsung Fast Wireless Charging

●     Meets 2X Military drop-test standards (MIL STD 810G 516.6)

●     10-Year Limited Warranty

 

UAG Releases New Case In Collaboration With Red Hydrogen

Posted in Commentary with tags on July 10, 2019 by itnerd

Urban Armor Gear have announced the launch of their newest case for the HYDROGEN One designed in collaboration with RED HYDROGEN.

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Creators of RED Digital Cameras have released their HYDROGEN One smartphone, a device designed with content creators in mind. With the rise of content creators pushing further to get the most epic shot, UAG has proven that it is the most protective case to accompany creators on their mission.

RED fanatics can now keep their innovative new device in pristine condition with UAG’s Plyo Series. Created in collaboration with RED, the case securely guards the HYDROGEN One’s state-of-the-art features like it’s Holographic 4-View Screen, A3D Sound System, and 4-View Capture Camera. The Plyo case features air soft corners for cushioning impact and easy access to all buttons and ports providing an exceptional user experience. The lightweight MIL-SPEC case also boasts an armor shell with 360-degree protection, allowing creators to take their HYDROGEN One further.

“We are stoked to collaborate with RED HYDROGEN on our latest case launch. It’s amazing to work with such a confident and forward thinking brand” said Casey Bevington, VP of Brand and Creative at UAG. “Our content creator customer base is growing exponentially and we’re confident that our Plyo Series will offer HYDROGEN One customers unparalleled protection.” 

Plyo Series for HYDROGEN One 

Available colors: Ice

Price: $49.95 | £41.00 | €45,95

  • Air-soft corners for cushioning impact
  • Feather-light composite construction
  • Easy access to touchscreen, ports & buttons
  • Scratch resistant screen surround
  • Meets military drop-test standards (MIL STD 810G 516.6)
  • Impact resistant armor shell

Review: Urban Armor Gear Nato Strap for Apple Watch

Posted in Products with tags on July 2, 2019 by itnerd

Last week the folks at Urban Armor Gear sent me two of their Nato Straps for the Apple Watch:

 

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The Nato Strap comes in two colors. grey and olive. I gravitated towards the olive strap which is what I wore this past week:

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The branding is what you see in the picture above. The lugs have very little play as well and give the Apple Watch a bit of a different look.

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There’s black anodized stainless steel hardware and it’s made with high strength nylon that as a whole looks very militaristic. But overall, I will say that it will go well with causal clothing, or perhaps business casual clothing like I tend to wear (jeans with collard long sleeve shirts is what I usually roll with).

I wore the Nato Strap for a week, and I found it to be very comfortable in daily use. But I also did a couple of rides on my bike and it was equally of comfortable. And as a plus, it dries quickly when you do something athletic and get sweaty. That combination along with the fact that my Road ID for Apple Watch fits it perfectly makes it my go to for situations where I need to wear a band during the day doing my job and then going out for a ride after work or doing some other workout without changing bands.

Gripes? Only one minor one. A black color option would be welcome to those who want a bit more of a neutral option. But other than that, this is an absolutely brilliant Apple Watch band. Expect to pay $67 CDN for one.

Review: Urban Armor Gear Leather Watch Strap For Apple Watch

Posted in Products with tags on June 10, 2019 by itnerd

I am jealous of my wife as she’s using the a classy looking yet rugged leather Apple Watch band that I would love to get my hands on. It’s the Urban Armor Gear Leather Watch Strap:

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My wife got her band in brown and the lugs, which have less play that I am used to, give the Apple Watch a bit of a different look.

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One of the unique things about this band is this snap that locks everything into place so that there’s no way the watch will come off your wrist. In her time wearing the band, my wife noted that she didn’t feel that the strap was in any danger of coming off at any time. The strap is made with Italian Leather and intricately hand stitched. You can feel the quality of the leather and smell it as well. My wife made the comment that her co-workers thought it smelled like cuban cigars and they thought that it was a quality product. As you can see in this picture, it has a begun to patina which is a sign of a quality leather band. That’s something that my wife’s co-workers picked up on as well. All the branding is discreet and the band looks very upscale which makes it great for almost any situation. In summary, it’s a great looking and functional band that my wife loves wearing.

The Urban Armor Gear Leather Watch Strap goes for $95 and comes in black and brown. Urban Armor Gear has a great band on its hands. Now I have to get my hands on one as my wife can’t be the only one to have a good quality leather Apple Watch band

 

Urban Armor Gear Announces Scout Series For The Google Pixel 3a and 3a XL 

Posted in Commentary with tags on June 4, 2019 by itnerd

Urban Armor Gear (UAG, urbanarmorgear.com) creators of rugged, lightweight mobile device cases, announced their new slim Scout Series, specifically designed to provide the ultimate protection for the just-launched Google Pixel 3a and 3a XL.

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The new Scout Series offers all-around protection for a device that’s designed for you to do more. The case boasts a featherlight construction and a sleek, minimalistic design all while meeting UAG’s impressive MIL-SPEC standards.

The Scout Series will bear the “Made For Google” badge, meaning UAG’s Pixel 3a and 3a XL cases have been certified to meet Google’s compatibility standards. Carefully engineered to protect the unique aspects of Google’s new devices, the case offers a screen surround, a non-slip ruggedized grip, and an armor shell to keep the Pixel 3a’s innovative technology intact.

Scout Series – Google Pixel 3a and 3a XL Color: Black Price: $29.95

• Feather-light construction

• Armor shell and impact resistant soft core

• Non-slip ruggedized grip

• Easy access to touchscreen and ports

• Scratch resistant skid pads and screen surround

• Compatible with Fingerprint Sensor & Active Edge

• Google Pay compatible

• Meets military drop-test standards (MIL STD 810G 516.6)

Review: Urban Armor Gear Active Watch Strap

Posted in Products with tags on June 3, 2019 by itnerd

Thanks to the folks at Urban Armor Gear, I’ve found the best Apple Watch strap for those who lead active lifestyles. And it’s called the Urban Armor Gear Active Watch Strap.

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It’s a two piece band made of high strength nylon and it has a large amount of Velcro as well as a lot of stainless steel for the lugs and one section of the band.

57cmjNIiTvaTrC6jJbwoLQ I am going to focus in on the lugs for a second. They have very minimal play and they are on the large side which gives the Apple Watch a bit of a different look.

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Most of the branding on the strap is seen below. The only other branding is on the buckle. And if you are wondering what the ISO 22810 means on the logo that’s on the strap, here’s a quick description from here:

ISO 22810 defines no minimum standard for water resistance; instead, it presents testing criteria for the widest possible practical range for non-dive watches, and also makes it the manufacturer’s responsibility for stating “warranty conditions and precautions to be taken to maintain the quality of the watch over an extended period of time.” Rather than requiring any tests, it provides testing procedures which it is then the manufacturer’s responsibility to define at the production stage “if he wishes to be able to guarantee that they satisfy the requirements of the International Standard.” 

This is a reference to the ability of the Apple Watch Series 4 to survive in 50 meters of water during activities like swimming and the like as described here.

So, when my wife and I got our respective straps from UAG, we wondered how to test them. Our first test was to do a 50 KM training ride our our bikes which would help to prepare us for our upcoming fundraising ride later in June which I have written about previously. The strap felt very secure and stable on our wrists during the two hours on the bike and it was very comfortable. But my wife took it to the next level by taking it to her CrossFit gym and did a full workout involving weights, apparatus, and doing things like burpees and the like. Again, there were no issues as according to her. But again my wife took it to the next level beyond that. She signed up for an obstacle trail race called Rugged Maniac. Here’s how the organizers describe it:

our 3-mile course packed with 20+ epic obstacles designed to both challenge and thrill Maniacs of all fitness levels, from couch potatoes to marathoners.  

What they don’t say is it also has mud that deep enough to suck your shoes off and water deep enough to be interesting. And there was a fire pit too. If there was one test that would really highlight the strengths and weaknesses of this band, this would be it. When she lined up in the start pen, a lot of people thought that she was nuts for wearing an Apple Watch for something like this. Even she was skeptical given that this wasn’t exactly the best environment for an Apple Watch even though it was water resistant. But she ran the three miles in under 84 minutes, and had to overcome stuff like this:HhEWAW1gTL+T1+ld4d090Q

And this:

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And this:

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And here’s what her Apple Watch with the UAG Active Watch Strap looked like at the end of the event:

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The Apple Watch was a mess and it took me over half an hour to clean it. The UAG Active Watch Strap was a mess too. But I solved that by throwing it in the washer. As for the Apple Watch, it was in working order as well. According to my wife the Apple Watch was solid on her wrist the entire time and she never felt it was going to come off her wrist. Clearly if this band can survive this, it will survive anything.

Gripes? In the case of my wife, she did comment that on her slender arms and on her 40mm Apple Watch, the band can look overwhelming. In my case, a reflective option like the Apple Nike band would be welcome. But neither of those are deal breakers in any way as this is a great Apple Watch strap overall.

The Urban Armor Gear Active Watch Strap goes for $83 CDN on their website. It can clearly survive anything we threw at it, which means that it will survive your active lifestyle with ease.

Urban Armor Gear Announces Case For The OnePlus 7 Pro

Posted in Commentary with tags on May 30, 2019 by itnerd

Urban Armor Gear creators of rugged, lightweight mobile device cases, announced their renowned Plasma Series for the all new OnePlus 7 Pro. Created to withstand shocks and impact, UAG’s MIL-SPEC case protects the OnePlus 7 Pro from the inevitable drops we all face.

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The Plasma Series offers full compatibility with the OnePlus 7 Pro’s in-display optical fingerprint scanner, front pop-up camera, and NFC Payment systems. A ruggedized grip will minimize any slips, but if an accident strikes– the case features scratch resistant skid pads and a feather-light construction with an impact resistant core.

Plasma Series – OnePlus 7 Pro Colors: Ice and Ash

Price: $39.95

•      Feather-light composite construction

•      Armor shell and impact resistant soft core

•      Non-slip ruggedized grip

•      Easy access to touchscreen and ports

•      Scratch resistant skid pads and screen surround

•      Meets military drop-test standards (MIL STD 810G 516.6)