Hey guys,
I recently purchased a new 42mm Apple Watch Series 1 in Space Grey and bought a couple of bands to go with it. Now that I've had the watch for about a week and had a chance to use all the bands, I thought I'd share some thoughts for those who are looking for cheap third party alternatives to Apple's offerings.
TL;DR: LNKOO bands feel almost identical to my genuine Apple sport band but cost significantly less. Fit/finish is good, absolute buy! Spigen band is almost a perfect match for Space Grey. While more expensive than other milanese options, one of the few that comes in Space Grey and still ~10% of the price of the genuine Apple Milanese Loop. Get it!
LNKOO Sport Bands:
These bands are made out of silicone according to the product description, as opposed to the fluoroelastomer that is used to make genuine Apple sport bands. However, I will state that they feel extremely similar to the genuine black sport band I have, and I wouldn't be able to tell were it not for the description.
The shape and size is virtually identical to the genuine Apple band. They do feel maybe 1mm thinner than the actual band, but I can't confirm this as I don't have a digital caliper to measure with. Overall, it's a negligible difference in my opinion. The mold is also very well done, with hardly any noticeable seam along the side of the band, which I've seen in photos of some other third party offerings. Of note, there are no size labels on the bands at all.
The band itself doesn't feel excessively stretchy or different really from the genuine Apple band. It slides into the watch and clicks in fine, although i can tell that on some of the pieces it fits a little more or less snug, so consistency is not 100%. But no issues sliding any of my bands in and out of the watch.
There also doesn't appear to be much excess silicone hanging off the ends of the watch... it's pretty close to completely flush as with the genuine band.
Spigen Space Grey Milanese Loop:
My biggest concern with purchasing a Milanese Loop was I wanted to find one that would match my Space Grey watch. I didn't want a black loop, because it obviously wouldn't match and I had heard that they tend to be kind fo shiny. I wanted something that was more matte in finish, and I think this Spigen fits the bill. The band itself is not overly "shiny/metallic" and the color is just about perfect. It looks elegant and also pretty high quality. There's no obvious branding anywhere on the band's exterior. It does say "Spigen" right on the inside of the magnet, but this is not visible unless the band is completely open.
Speaking of the magnet, it's very strong. I have not had any issues with it coming undone or even slipping with prolonged wear. It stays exactly where I put it, so I feel confident that the watch is securely fastened to my wrist during normal activity.
The adapters fit into the watch nicely, without me worrying that it's scratching up my watch. They are sized appropriately and fit flush without any excess material hanging out.
As far as sizing goes, it obviously comes in only one size, and with it being magnetic, it will accommodate a wide variety of wrist sizes. That being said, my wrist measures about 160mm, and the magnet secures very close to the top of the watch where the adapter sits. In other words, if you have smaller wrists than I do, it is likely you may run into issues with this fitting you. Keep that in mind before purchasing! For reference, I wear a S/M sport band on the 4th (middle) hole.
All in all, the band looks and feels great, fits snugly and securely, and is comfortable. Definitely a purchase I would recommend to anyone looking for a Milanese Loop for their space grey AW!
I recently purchased a new 42mm Apple Watch Series 1 in Space Grey and bought a couple of bands to go with it. Now that I've had the watch for about a week and had a chance to use all the bands, I thought I'd share some thoughts for those who are looking for cheap third party alternatives to Apple's offerings.
TL;DR: LNKOO bands feel almost identical to my genuine Apple sport band but cost significantly less. Fit/finish is good, absolute buy! Spigen band is almost a perfect match for Space Grey. While more expensive than other milanese options, one of the few that comes in Space Grey and still ~10% of the price of the genuine Apple Milanese Loop. Get it!
LNKOO Sport Bands:
- Link: https://amzn.com/B016RKPG78
- Price: $7.58 (current). Only available as an add-on item to qualifying orders >$25. When I purchased, they were $6.98 each
- Options: available in both 38mm and 42mm, but only S/M length, and only stainless hardware
These bands are made out of silicone according to the product description, as opposed to the fluoroelastomer that is used to make genuine Apple sport bands. However, I will state that they feel extremely similar to the genuine black sport band I have, and I wouldn't be able to tell were it not for the description.
The shape and size is virtually identical to the genuine Apple band. They do feel maybe 1mm thinner than the actual band, but I can't confirm this as I don't have a digital caliper to measure with. Overall, it's a negligible difference in my opinion. The mold is also very well done, with hardly any noticeable seam along the side of the band, which I've seen in photos of some other third party offerings. Of note, there are no size labels on the bands at all.
The band itself doesn't feel excessively stretchy or different really from the genuine Apple band. It slides into the watch and clicks in fine, although i can tell that on some of the pieces it fits a little more or less snug, so consistency is not 100%. But no issues sliding any of my bands in and out of the watch.
There also doesn't appear to be much excess silicone hanging off the ends of the watch... it's pretty close to completely flush as with the genuine band.
Spigen Space Grey Milanese Loop:
- Link: https://amzn.com/B01E4TQJHK
- Price: Currently unavailable. $21.99 when I purchased it.
- Options: one size, only available in Space Grey
My biggest concern with purchasing a Milanese Loop was I wanted to find one that would match my Space Grey watch. I didn't want a black loop, because it obviously wouldn't match and I had heard that they tend to be kind fo shiny. I wanted something that was more matte in finish, and I think this Spigen fits the bill. The band itself is not overly "shiny/metallic" and the color is just about perfect. It looks elegant and also pretty high quality. There's no obvious branding anywhere on the band's exterior. It does say "Spigen" right on the inside of the magnet, but this is not visible unless the band is completely open.
Speaking of the magnet, it's very strong. I have not had any issues with it coming undone or even slipping with prolonged wear. It stays exactly where I put it, so I feel confident that the watch is securely fastened to my wrist during normal activity.
The adapters fit into the watch nicely, without me worrying that it's scratching up my watch. They are sized appropriately and fit flush without any excess material hanging out.
As far as sizing goes, it obviously comes in only one size, and with it being magnetic, it will accommodate a wide variety of wrist sizes. That being said, my wrist measures about 160mm, and the magnet secures very close to the top of the watch where the adapter sits. In other words, if you have smaller wrists than I do, it is likely you may run into issues with this fitting you. Keep that in mind before purchasing! For reference, I wear a S/M sport band on the 4th (middle) hole.
All in all, the band looks and feels great, fits snugly and securely, and is comfortable. Definitely a purchase I would recommend to anyone looking for a Milanese Loop for their space grey AW!
