Milanese Loop - Thoughts?

[Dino F]

I will be visiting my local Apple Store next week and I am really torn between buying a Leather Loop band or a Milanese Loop band (its gonna be an anniversary present from my wife so need to decide what I want!!).

I have a 42mm Sport Space Grey watch and currently using the Apple Nylon band (black/grey colour), which is super comfy in the sunny/humid weather we are currently having here in the UK.

I thought I wanted a Leather Loop band (either in Storm Grey or Midnight Blue - BOTH of which are currently out of stock and have been for some time - they show as "Unavailable", on the Apple UK online Store) but after watching some reviews on YouTube, I am now not too sure...
It kinda looks a little squarish (the way the magnets stick to each other, where the band goes through the loop) and looks a little strange?! Not sure of the comfort value of it either......

And then I thought, I could possibly go for a Milanese Loop instead, primarily, the black one, to go with my Space Grey watch. A few questions though:

1. What is the weight like? Is the metal quite heavy like or very lightweight (I would actually prefer it to be on the heavier side)
2. I have seen/read reviews from people saying that the band becomes loose during the day, requiring re-adjustment all the time? How true is this?!
3. How comfy is the band itself?
4. What are your opinions of it?!
5. Any pics of the black Milanese with the Space Grey watch?

Thanks in advance!

 

[The Game 161]

Weight wise it isn't heavy at all and feels fine on my wrist. You won't get any marks like you get on normal bands like the sport bands for example

Yes it does come loose from time to time throughout a day. Certainly when it gets cold it will be loose early in the morning if you are outside for example.

I really like mine and is on watch daily. They say it ain't great to use in the gym but it's isn't too bad for that at all. Does look loose when you sweat but is hardly a huge issue. I've got the original Milanese loop not the black

 

[circatee]

I was curious about this band, too. Good feedback from @The Game 161

 

[Dino F]

...I also don't understand why the 42mm Silver Milanese is shown as £129 however, the black is shown as £179???? Why charge more just for a different colour? Surely the materials in the black are the same as the silver??!?

 

[ambershafer]

I have a 3rd party milanese loop that was only about $20 and I love it. It's heavier than the sport band but doesn't bother me at all. It fits nice and snug and the magnet keeps it in place. I don't really have to adjust it, maybe once a day. My only complaint with it is that because of the magnet sometimes i get stuck to metal things (silverware, fridge door handle). People have compared them and they are very similar to the expensive Apple one.

 

[Bbqthis]

...I also don't understand why the 42mm Silver Milanese is shown as £129 however, the black is shown as £179???? Why charge more just for a different colour? Surely the materials in the black are the same as the silver??!?

The DLC process that is used to make the milanese loop black is quite an involved process. It's not just a quick coat of paint.

 

[Sigoogle]

I have both the Silver and the Black Milanese loops, they're super comfortable! (more comfortable than i thought they would be before i got my hands on them) I absolutely adore these straps, both colours work pretty well with the Silver Sport, so i'm sure that the Black Milanese will tie in real nice with your Space Grey

And also, i've had experiences with the fake Black Milanese loop, the fake straps feel very flimsy and have not that much weight to them compared to the real Apple straps, at least with the real straps you know you have amazing quality and is well worth the money.

 

[212rikanmofo]

I am too also curious about the black Apple Milanese band to go with my Space Grey Apple Watch. I saw the fake ones on youtube and will stay away from them. But I would like to know more about the authentic one from Apple. Will the black coating chip or fade? And how well does it blend with the non stainless steel Space Grey watch? For $200 I hope this is a solid band, it's quite expensive, so I want to make sure I've done my research before making the purchase.

 

[Dino F]

I have both the Silver and the Black Milanese loops, they're super comfortable! (more comfortable than i thought they would be before i got my hands on them) I absolutely adore these straps, both colours work pretty well with the Silver Sport, so i'm sure that the Black Milanese will tie in real nice with your Space Grey

And also, i've had experiences with the fake Black Milanese loop, the fake straps feel very flimsy and have not that much weight to them compared to the real Apple straps, at least with the real straps you know you have amazing quality and is well worth the money.

...fantastic, thanks for that - I think you've just sold it to me!!!

 

[Tom G.]

The thing I like best about my Milinese Loop band is it's infinitely adjustability. Normal bands seem to always be uncomfortably tight, or sloppy loose. This last is not good when you are using the heart monitor as much as I do. The Milinese Loop allows me to set it exactly where I want it. It seems to rarely come loose during workouts, but then just a small adjustment and your good to go again.

I do take the band off occasionally to scrub it with an old toothbrush and plain water to keep it looking good. I really appreciate Apples design that allows this to be easily done.

Enjoy.

 

[dotnet]

I've had the original ML since day one, and I love it. It has more heft than a leather or rubber band but not as much as a link bracelet. It is super comfortable. I adjust it looser or tighter several times a day (step-less adjustment!), to suit my whim and swelling wrist. When I get really sweaty it becomes a bit slippery, but that's not an issue for me. The magnet in the end piece hasn't lost its bite.

I do like the look of (some) leather straps but the big advantage of the ML is that it's impervious to sweat, water and staining. It is very easy to clean.

 

[BSG75]

The Milanese Loop is great. As others have said, one of its best features is that it's infinitely adjustable. Another great feature, IMO, is that the band "breathes" which makes it great for warm days. It's very comfortable and feels more like fabric than metal.

I have both the OEM silver (that came with my SS AW) and a third-party black (that I used with my SGS). IMO, the black Milanese looks better with the SG than the silver band.

Too bad you can't find a leather loop in your color preference, it's a good band as well.

 

[srshaw]

It's my favourite band, I also own a classic buckle and a couple of sport bands.