Swapping the Watch Straps - is the Watch buttons and clips-in durable? Better after Series 2 watch?

[Marty_Macfly]

Hi all,

New to this, after ages with only 1 strap on watch!


Be great to:
1. Put nike strap on for sweaty sports
2. Wash and charge
3. Put on different comfortable clean strap for everyday wear and Bed for sleep recording


However:

I’ve just taken the strap off my Series 2 for the 1st time in 3 or so years, the 1st time since I started wearing it....

It was a right fiddly faff.

I cleaned off all the accumulated crap in the nooks and crannies, and off the strap attatchment bits, and I put it together again, and repeated the taking off steps....

It is easier now but still a faff, and it feels like the plastic strap attachment bits are cheap and will wear out if I keep doing it everyday.


Questions:



Q1. Are all the physical bits and the process a lot more sturdy, now we are onto a 40mm Series 6, compared to my 38mm Series 2?

- Are the buttons bigger and less fiddly?



Q2. Are the Watch buttons and clips-in parts on the watch casing durable themselves?

- After using my finger nails on the buttons a few times, I resorted to a plastic chopstick to get the straps off. I looks like I may have marked the casing around the buttons. Jeeezzzz.... Just to get the straps off
- I may have damaged a corner of one of the straps, trying to get the thing in.

- The straps are back on now. I’m leaving the hell alone. Not going to damage the watch anymore just to prove a point.



Q3. Does the process get easier the more times you do it?

- I.e. is it just losening up the “Take on” and ”Take off” bits



Q4. Can the casing get too loose if you do it too much?

- I.e. So even new straps will be loose, wobbly, and the watch might fall off?




Hope you can advise.
Be great to swap out the strap regularly, but not if its as much of a pain as tonight!


Regards
Martin

 

[Apple_Robert]

To answer your questions... and in no particular order, yes, no, yes, no

The band lugs are sturdy and shouldn’t easily break sliding on or off the watch.

The watch casing is very sturdy and should not be compromised when removing a band

The button to depress releasing the band lug is still small on both sides of the watch.

Many, many people change bands every day and haven’t experienced problems.

It is a good idea to remove the band at least once a week to clean the inside lug area of debris build up. It will make removing and installing bands much easier.

 

[BigMcGuire]

I'm still wearing watch bands that I purchased with my Apple Watch 3. I've used an Apple Watch for the last 3 years. AW3 for 2 years, AW5 for 1 year, and now I have a brand new AW6.

I swap out my band whenever I exercise. I have a nike band that I use for exercising and a sports loop for everyday wear. For 2 years I swapped out bands every other day on average. Last year I exercised ~15/days a month so it wasn't quite every other day <cough>. This year I'm getting back into shape and last 3 days I've exercised every single day - meaning I swapped out the bands twice/day.

I only use Apple bands.

I saw no wear and tear on the AW3 or the AW5. The AW6 is still breaking in - and I expect it to last years and years. I'm still using bands I purchased for my AW3 because I love my sports loop and my nike band for exercising.

I use my fingernail to open both sides - and have for 3 years now. Never had a problem.


TLDR: I have a several 3 year old Apple bands that I switch out almost daily. No problems, use fingernail, no issues.

 

[Marty_Macfly]

Thanks for the info guys


Good to hear is a thing loads of people do all the time, so the quality of these watches must be up to it. Good sanity check


Maybe the marks around the buttons is just years of accumulated crud quashed down around the button holes and I need to brush off somehow.

I will need to look at the watch properly in good light tomorrow.


Night guys


Martin

 

[movieator]

As the others have said here, it’s fine. I swiped out my leather band for the sport loop on my Series 4 almost every day so I could exercise after work and have never had an issue after two years. I expect the same with my Series 6.

And I’ll also recommend cleaning the band and the the area where the lugs connect on the watch once a week to keep it gunk free.

 

[Marty_Macfly]

As the others have said here, it’s fine. I swiped out my leather band for the sport loop on my Series 4 almost every day so I could exercise after work and have never had an issue after two years. I expect the same with my Series 6.

And I’ll also recommend cleaning the band and the the area where the lugs connect on the watch once a week to keep it gunk free.

Hiya M,

Sorry thought I replied ages ago on this!

Thanks for the info, am investigating, and will experiment when I get the new watch. Maybe try any soft brushes on the old watch 1st as the Ginea pig. Don’t really fancy trying to take the old watch apart again until I get the replacement watch I can wear in its place.


Regards
Martin

 

[Marty_Macfly]

Hi all,


I’ve compared the back of the 2 watches. See photo below.

For the S6, the glossy hard finish covers the whole back, including the strap buttons. A much better more durable solution. See on my S2, the strap buttons and the surrounding back, where they are marked from my 1st and only attempts of removing the strap 1st time in 3/4 years

The shaping of the S6 is a lot easier to man Handle when swapping straps as well imo.

Hope that helps