New nylon watch strap poorly made!

[xraydoc]

Just received a black nylon 42mm in the mail today from Apple.

Both sides clicked right in to my 1 yr old stainless AW with a satisfactory snap on the first try. Slides in much more smoothly than the navy/gold nylon band that came with my 3 week old Gold Sport.

Very happy.

 

[choreographics]

Sounds like there's a bigger problem with the Nylon bands than expected—and my experience is no exception.

Bought a black and royal blue on launch day at the Apple Store. The black one was fine, the shorter band of the royal blue failed to lock—tried on different watches. Returned, get a new one.

Ordered Pearl and Scuba Blue, shipped to store on different days after more than two weeks of waiting. Both failed to lock—it's always the shorter band. No replacement at the store available, so get a money refund and have to wait 3 to 4 weeks again. It's a know issue so returning wasn't a problem.

Surprisingly the Pearl already left China and will be available at the store today. Fingers crossed. Never had any problems with other bands.

 

[zea mays]

Ordered Pearl and Scuba Blue, shipped to store on different days after more than two weeks of waiting. Both failed to lock—it's always the shorter band. No replacement at the store available, so get a money refund and have to wait 3 to 4 weeks again. It's a know issue so returning wasn't a problem.

And that (in bold) is the problem, it's not always the shorter band for everyone. It's not the same problem for each watch/band combo. For my 38mm launch day sport, the shorter band will usually lock in (2/3 - the 3rd neither would lock) but the longer never would, no matter which side of the watch I tried to install it on. But, both sides WOULD lock in the associates 38mm stainless. Typically we've been able to see a pattern and I really haven't seen one yet!

I'm off to the Apple Store at 10 central. I'm hoping one of the two they have in stock and held for me will work!

 

[profets]

Received a 42mm Royal Blue nylon band a few days ago (shipped from China). On my year old SS AW the longer portion of the strap locks fine, the shorter portion slides right through - though with just a bit of fiddling I can get it to lock in.

 

[chuyn]

Hope you guys will have better luck. The royal blue I received recently (ordered it after their shipping times jumped to the 4-6 weeks) works great. No problems sliding in and locking on my 42mm stainless.

 

[choreographics]

And the saga continues. Picked-up my replacement for the Pearl today and it wasnt easy but finally works great. Mission accomplished. Kind of. — I was wearing a Black Woven Nylon and wanted to changed back the band, when I realized that the Black one I was wearing the whole day doesn't locked anymore (the shorter part). Both the Apple Store guy and me were surprised and couldn't believe it. Unfortunately there were no Black bands available.

At the end of the day I have a new Pearl, but seems I have to replace the Black band, which works fine until today. Don't get it.

 

[T-Will]

It really seems like Apple is using non-OEM connectors on these bands. I'm really surprised at the lack of quality (even though I still like how it looks).

 

[choreographics]

It really seems like Apple is using non-OEM connectors on these bands. I'm really surprised at the lack of quality (even though I still like how it looks).

Yeah, I am kinda disappointed, because I really like the look and feel of the Woven Nylon bands.

 

[zea mays]

And that (in bold) is the problem, it's not always the shorter band for everyone. It's not the same problem for each watch/band combo. For my 38mm launch day sport, the shorter band will usually lock in (2/3 - the 3rd neither would lock) but the longer never would, no matter which side of the watch I tried to install it on. But, both sides WOULD lock in the associates 38mm stainless. Typically we've been able to see a pattern and I really haven't seen one yet!

I'm off to the Apple Store at 10 central. I'm hoping one of the two they have in stock and held for me will work!

Well, the fourth band didn't work, either. Again, the short strap would lock but not the long strap. They're sending my watch to the depot and will do an out of warranty replacement for me (most likely). I miss my watch but am looking forward to wearing it with the nylon strap!

 

[srshaw]

Well, the fourth band didn't work, either. Again, the short strap would lock but not the long strap. They're sending my watch to the depot and will do an out of warranty replacement for me (most likely). I miss my watch but am looking forward to wearing it with the nylon strap!

So are they saying the watches are at fault? Mine didn't work with the pearl nylon (neither side clicked into place) but works fine with the two sports bands and classic buckle I have.

 

[zea mays]

So are they saying the watches are at fault? Mine didn't work with the pearl nylon (neither side clicked into place) but works fine with the two sports bands and classic buckle I have.

Yes, that's what they're saying. My watch was a launch day 38mm sport. It works with every band I've tried (milanese, two sport bands) except the nylon bands and they have newer watches in the store that the nylon bands I've tried click in just fine. Kind of at a loss of what to do, so that's the offer and I'll accept it at this point. I just want a watch that will work with every OEM band option.

 

[Mac2me]

Wow, I've held off picking up another woven (have pearl…which I love) thinking by now things would have been investigated and resolved. I honestly wouldn't trade in my Watch...for a band issue with one particular band style. That simply doesn't make sense to me. I'm sure Apple is doing it out of sheer frustration and its desire to keep its customers happy. The Watch case band channel is manufactured within certain tolerances plus or minus and so are the band adapters. Given how all of our Watches, up until the Woven bands, have seemed to work just fine with any band, to me it seems like the tolerances on the Wovens are the issue.

With the Wovens being priced at the lower end where I assume margins are slimmer, all these returns can't be great. It's really a shame since they really are a great feel and look. I'm still hoping to pick up one or two more colors. Have to wonder if Apple doesn't get their manufacturing issue resolved wheher they won't just pull the wovens at some point. Would like to find a few good ones before that happens.

 

[T-Will]

Whoever manufactured the connectors should be fired.

 

[zea mays]

Wow, I've held off picking up another woven (have pearl…which I love) thinking by now things would have been investigated and resolved. I honestly wouldn't trade in my Watch...for a band issue with one particular band style. That simply doesn't make sense to me. I'm sure Apple is doing it out of sheer frustration and its desire to keep its customers happy. The Watch case band channel is manufactured within certain tolerances plus or minus and so are the band adapters. Given how all of our Watches, up until the Woven bands, have seemed to work just fine with any band, to me it seems like the tolerances on the Wovens are the issue.

With the Wovens being priced at the lower end where I assume margins are slimmer, all these returns can't be great. It's really a shame since they really are a great feel and look. I'm still hoping to pick up one or two more colors. Have to wonder if Apple doesn't get their manufacturing issue resolved wheher they won't just pull the wovens at some point. Would like to find a few good ones before that happens.

Right, but who's to say that when they come out with bands in the future that these same tolerance issues won't happen again? I feel like I'm doing the right thing after trying four bands and waiting over a month and a half since the bands were released. This was definitely not the resolution I sought out or even really wanted, but I feel like it's the only option at this point. I don't want this to happen again with a different band in the future.

 

[zea mays]

Just in case anyone is still following this... Very interesting. I picked up the new watch body tonight. I brought the 38mm Scuba Blue band that hard previously not locked into my watch. In the new watch body it is VERY snug. It clicks in but is a MUCH tighter fit than in my old watch body. There clearly was a tolerance issue with the old watch body. Overall, I'm happy. I have a watch body that will hopefully work with any new bands they come out with.

 

[bandrews]

After being a bit dismissive of the whole nylon band issue, I just received a scuba blue for my 42mm SS. Buckle end doesn't clip in. Neither part is tight and both go in reasonably easy. Top one just refuses to click into place no matter how much I wiggle it around. Going straight back.

My new marine blue classic buckle however is awesome.

 

[camry298]

After being a bit dismissive of the whole nylon band issue, I just received a scuba blue for my 42mm SS. Buckle end doesn't clip in. Neither part is tight and both go in reasonably easy. Top one just refuses to click into place no matter how much I wiggle it around. Going straight back.

My new marine blue classic buckle however is awesome.

How's the quality of marine blue classic buckle ? i'm thinking to get one after I gave up all nylon bands. Also How long did you receive your marine blue classic buckle ?

 

[bandrews]

How's the quality of marine blue classic buckle ? i'm thinking to get one after I gave up all nylon bands. Also How long did you receive your marine blue classic buckle ?

It's really nice. Won't be wearing it at work (not sure the farm dirt will wash off as easily as on the sport bands) but it looks and feels nicer than the renders on the apple site might have you believe.
Put my order in for classic buckle end of last week, got it yesterday.

 

[Mac2me]

Well noticed that my local store had gotten in the Black woven band so took a chance and asked my husband to pick up one on his way home without being able to try it on first. With some trepidation inserted it into my 42mm SS watch (from AW launchtime) and it went in perfectly and locked just fine. Actually the fit on this was a bit better than my Pearl that I got maybe a month ago. Still no Scuba Blue ones in stock which is probably the last nylon I might get and then set my sight on one or two of the classic leathers later in the year just in time for fall. I still haven't made it into a store to see any of the displays in person.

BTW I was wondering how I'd feel about the black buckle on this band with my SS case (have loved this band with the black cases) and actually with the watch display being black when not in use, the band looks well matched. Very pleased with both the Pearl and Black bands. I just really love the feel.

 

[MrGimper]

I bought a black nylon a couple of months back and after a bit of an issue locking in the buckle end it now locks into place without issue. Even when I change straps.

Received the Royal Blue and Pearl straps today and both have the issue of the buckle side not locking into place. However I think I've found the knack, or at least a solution. As you slide it into the watch body, push it towards the watch body... So you are pushing at 90 degrees to the sliding motion. This seems to work 100% of the time for me. Hoping things loosen up in time so I don't need to do this but having spent an hour or so with it not locking, and with this "trick" it locking every time, I'm happy.

 

[Irock619]

Epic failure with these straps. Better to source on eBay!

 

[Mac2me]

Picked up the Scuba Blue band, finally came into stock at local store. No problems and I love the color. Posted some photos under a Scuba Blue thread someone had started. I'm finding lately that my woven bands are my go-to-bands at the moment. The amazing thing about all this is that only until the wovens came out did you ever really hear about problems with installing a band on a watch.