So far, I’ve liked the Apple Watch Ultra — I’ve grown to love the bright 49mm screen, and found the action button to be very useful when tracking my workouts (here How to use the Action Button on Apple Watch Ultra), but one thing I think the Apple Watch 8 does better, and it’s pretty simple: It’s missing a simple silicone band.
Apple gives you three different strap options for the Ultra and it can be hard to choose between them when you buy the watch (you can buy additional bands, but they’ll set you back $99 / £99). Apple says all bands are designed for the great outdoors, but let’s take a look at each one individually.
Designed for “explorers,” the Alpine Loop is made with two combined layers of high-strength yarn, and the loop is secured with a titanium G-hook lock.
The Trail Loop is designed for “endurance athletes and runners” and Apple says it’s the thinnest Apple Watch band to date. The woven fabric is designed to be soft and flexible, with a Velcro tab that allows you to customize the fit.
Finally, the Ocean Band, designed for “extreme water sports and recreational diving.” Made of flexible rubber, it has an extra long tail for a snug fit in a wetsuit.
When it comes to choosing the band that suits you, it largely depends on personal preference, and the type of activity you plan to do the most. One thing to note, though, is that sizing makes a huge difference here – the Alpine strap comes in small, medium and large sizes, and the Trail Loop comes in S/M, M/L. If the strap is too small and narrow, or you have a lot of straps Which you can’t try, it will likely affect your comfort, so bring a tape measure before you invest.
For complete clarity, I haven’t yet gotten my hands on the Trail Loop for testing (this may have been the marathon runner’s go-to), but I was swapping between the Alpine Loop and the Ocean Loop during testing.
The Alpine Loop is sure to be a fan favorite—it’s available in orange, alpine green (recently spotted on John Mayer’s wrist) and starlight. During the first few days of testing, I really struggled to get hold of the belt—the G-hook makes it hard to get it on and off, especially if you remove it every day to take a shower.
This leads me to my next gripe – like all physical bars, the Alpine bar retains water for a while after showering, swimming, or just washing the dishes. While this won’t be much of an issue for some, I can’t stand the wet cloth around my wrist (that’s one of the reasons Whoop 4.0.0 Update He now lives in a drawer) and I feel like it won’t take long for the band to get a little criminal and smelly.
With the Ocean Loop, there is an option to take the strap off like a traditional watch strap, but this is not an everyday silicone watch strap. It’s made up of lots of small tubes, with an adjustable strap holder to prevent the strap from flickering around your wrist.
This takes some getting used to – you actually have to insert the bottom of the metal bar holder into the tube of your choice, then open the top inward and wiggle the tape through. The benefit of the elastic waistband is that after your swim workout, your jacket sleeve won’t get wet as you walk to the office. The ocean ring only comes in one length, but there are three different colors to choose from – yellow, white and midnight.
After a week of wearing the watch 24/7, I find the Alpine Loop much more comfortable to wear 24/7, especially at night, but the Ocean Loop is more accessible in the daytime. I prefer wearing my watch tighter against my skin for an accurate HR reading while working out, then loosening it when I’m working or sleeping, and I found the Ocean Loop easier to adjust on the go.
It remains to be seen if Trail Loop will be the answer to my prayers. But for now, I’d rather wear the watch over my old Apple Watch 7 sport band that doesn’t retain water, is easy to adjust, and is comfortable to sleep in — if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it, right?
Are older Apple Watch bands compatible with Apple Watch Ultra?
Good news for anyone who has already invested in one of the best Apple Watches – the old 45mm straps are compatible with the larger watch.
However, Apple made the following claim: “The Ocean Band, Alpine Loop, and Trail Loop are all 49mm bands designed specifically for use with the Apple Watch Ultra when engaging in rugged activities such as hiking, running, climbing, kitesurfing, diving, and more. Apple compatible Watch Ultra also comes with 45mm straps, but 45mm straps should only be worn for casual everyday wear.”
“If you like a Braided Solo Loop or Solo Loop and want to use one with your Apple Watch Ultra, you may want to use a smaller size than you’re used to due to the larger case of the Apple Watch Ultra. Before purchasing a Solo Loop or Braided Solo Loop to use with your Apple Watch Ultra, Try bands with your Apple Watch Ultra.”
I went for a jog with the 45mm Apple Watch Series 7 Sport Loop and had no problem, but the Apple Watch Ultra is undoubtedly heavier, hence the Apple warning.
Looking for more Apple Watch news? Here are the main differences between Apple Watch Ultra vs Apple Watch 8. Plus, This is the feature that makes the Apple Watch Ultra a game-changer for runners.
[ad_2]
