Gear4 Braided Watch Band for Apple Watch 2022 REVIEW

Braided Watch Band is so comfortable it doesn’t feel like you’re wearing a watch.

When the Apple Watch was originally released in 2015, I jumped at the chance to add the device to my collection of Apple products. As a loyal Apple fan, I knew I couldn’t pass it up. My fiancé and I grew up watching Inspector Gadget and the idea of having our very own communicator watch just like Penny did was a dream come true. The only thing we’ve struggled with over the years is finding that perfect watch band.

In the search for that elusive perfect accessory, I have become a band aficionado over the years. I have had every style of Apple Watch band and find myself always sticking with the Apple-branded watch bands. I don’t have anything against the other brands. I just never feel like they are as strong of a complement to the watch body as Apple’s bands are. This opinion was completed flipped around when I tried on the Braided Watch Band by Gear 4.

DETAILS

Gear4 is part of the ZAGG family and is dedicated to providing users with accessories for your most used devices – like your phone or smartwatch. The Braided Watch Band is one of the newest products that Gear4 has released along with the Sport Watch Band. The band is made to be comfortable, flexible, and durable.

The band is made from braided nylon and comes in three sizes – small, medium, and large. The different sizes are available for both watch body sizes (41mm-40mm-38mm or 45mm-44mm-42mm). Since the sizes are different for each watch body size, a sizing guide is provided on zagg.com. We have included a screenshot of the band size table below.

The Braided Watch Band is made with some recycled materials and the comfort-flex nylon makes the band comfortable for all-day wearing. The band weighs only 0.3 lbs and has a two-year warranty with it. Should something happen to it – the band gets worn or damaged – Gear4 will replace the band within two years of its original purchase.

The band has four different color choices – storm, navy blue, forest green, and wine.

UNBOXING – USER EXPERIENCE

The Braided Watch Band is packaged in a simple Gear4-branded box. When you open it you’ll find the band secured to a cardboard insert that also serves as a quick start guide. It provides written and illustrated instructions on removing the old watch band and installing the new one.

Unboxing was pretty simple. There wasn’t any plastic wrap to get through and the package is branded very well so you will know what you are getting if you pick this up in the store. There is a cutout on the front of the box that provides an opportunity for the user to touch the band before buying it. I thought this was a nice touch since some bands are rougher than others.

Installing the band was easy enough although I do want to point out that if you slide the lugs into the watch body upside down, they will appear that they don’t fit the watch. My fiancé did that and thought that she had the wrong band for her watch. We flipped the band over and it locked into place with no problems.

I work from my 2021 MacBook Pro all day. Some of the day it’s docked to my external monitor but until the battery is about to die, I am typing away on the laptop. Every watch band I’ve used until now has pressed against my wrist while I work. The two connector pieces – whether it’s a magnetic closure or a snap closure – have always rubbed against the wrist rest of my laptop, too. Because the Braided Watch Band is one continuous loop, this is no longer a problem.

I have been using it for a week now and I no longer have to keep adjusting my band to keep it from hurting me or scratching up my laptop. This wonderful Braided watch band snaps into place like any other watch band but is a stretchy comfort-flex nylon braided material that feels so good you can wear it all day and not even notice it.

CONCLUSION

I own a bunch of Apple Watch bands but most of them sit in a watch band case I have. I find most of them will probably never be used again. The Gear4 Braided Watch Band is not only a great color but a flexible material that feels wonderful on the wrist. I couldn’t be happier with this watch band.

Compared to Apple’s braided bands, the feel is almost identical. I actually think the Gear4 band might be more comfortable. The Gear4 band is about half the cost of the Apple braided band and I honestly feel the Gear4 Braided Watch Band is a better buy.

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