REVIEW – I’ve been using nonmetallic Apple watch bands for a long time. I’ve tried the Apple-branded Link bracelet, but it was really expensive and rattled a lot when the watch vibrated. I got a chance to put the Nomad Stainless Steel Apple watch band to the test.
What is it?
The Nomad Stainless Steel batch band is a metal link bracelet with a Diamond-Like Carbon coating for scratch resistance. It comes in Silver or Graphite in 45/49 mm size and 40/41mm size.
What’s in the box?
- Nomad Stainless Steel Apple Watch band
- Pin tool
- Spare tool accessories, pins
You get everything you need to resize your Apple watch band. You’ll need to supply your own patience.
Hardware specs
- 316L Stainless Steel
- Custom Magnetic Clasp
- DLC scratch resistant coating
- Tool included to adjust length
- Designed for Apple Watch Ultra (49mm only), Series 8, 7, 6, SE, and all previous versions of Apple Watch
Design and features
The fit and finish of the Nomad Stainless Steel Apple Watch band is impressive. The silver finish is shiny and very scratch resistant.
Here’s a closeup of the buckle. It’s magnetic so when you bring the two halves close together, they connect with ease. You don’t have to press the side buttons to attach the halves.
To unbuckle, simply squeeze the side buttons.
If you’re used to fabric or silicone-like straps, the Nomad Stainless Steel Apple Watch band is pretty hefty at over 3 ounces (100g).
Setup
You’ll use the pin removal tool to resize the Nomad Stainless Steel Apple Watch band. Try not to lose the pins!
On some links, you may notice a teeny tiny “sleeve”. Don’t lose these, either! At least Nomad packs in an extra pin and an extra sleeve.
Note that there are actually “half size” links in case you need that extra bit of fine tuning.
The Nomad Stainless Steel Apple Watch band slips right into your Apple watch.
A perfect fit!
This is the Apple Watch Series 8 in stainless, which is a shiny finish. Matches the band perfectly.
Performance
I was quite happy that the Nomad Stainless Steel Apple Watch band was sturdy and felt luxurious. The scratch-resistant finish is amazing! It rarely rattled even when the watch vibrated.
It took some trial and error to get the sizing just right, and that’s when I realized that metal bands don’t expand with your wrist. If you enjoy the comfort of a stretchy band, this may not be for you. And, it’s much heavier. But doesn’t it look amazing?
What I like
- Looks incredible in person
- Nifty magnetic closure
- Comes with everything you need to resize
- Cheaper than Apple’s offering
What I’d change
- Not ideal for frequent size adjustments
Final thoughts
If you want a shiny metal bracelet to match your stainless Apple watch, look no further than the Nomad Stainless Steel Apple Watch band! It looks and feels amazing. You’ll definitely need some patience to get it sized the way you like.
Price: $200 (Stainless)
Where to buy: Nomad
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Nomad.
