Elago released a clear Apple Watch band and, after some reluctance, I picked it up. I loved this clear look. Hell, I had tried to capture it once before, but that watch band ended up being horribly uncomfortable. I was afraid the Elago watch band would be the same. Just hard plastic cutting into my wrist. But it wasn’t! In fact, it looked even better than those watch bands you might find on a nice watch in the 90’s. It’s clearer, thicker, more flexible, and a higher quality than I expected.
And it’s only $15.
This review isn’t going to be all raving about Elago’s clear Apple Watch band, but it is going to be a lot of it.
In This Article:
Appearance 9.5/10
Photo: Elago
I love the look of my own arm. It’s a nice arm. Some tattoos, moisturized skin. Not bad, arm! If you like your arm, oh boy, you’re going to like this band. Out of all the bands I’ve tested, it’s the one that shows the most arm.
…
Okay, yeah, it’s kind of weird when you think about it. Like, you wouldn’t wear a clear shirt. Maybe to a club or a rave, but then it’s mesh and you know exactly what you’re doing when you’re wearing that.
So does this just look like your arm?
Yes and no.
It gets out of the way, adds a bit of shine, and has a sort of classy, fashionable appearance. But, yes, it is just showing off more of your arm. Your wrist, specifically. It has a sort of lens effect that just makes it look translucent. Like it disperses light at certain angles, obscuring your wrist, but showing the area behind it. At other angles, yes, you can see your wrist. It’s a clean, tidy look.
I like it. You might not. I could see someone who has a lot of arm hair, an embarrassing tattoo, or a blemish preferring to not draw attention to it with a cool and shiny clear watch band. But for others? It’s very fashionable. It makes your Apple Watch pop on your wrist, standing out against your skin in a way that a colorful or opaque watch band just can’t. In a way, it draws more attention to your seemingly floating Apple Watch. It’s a great look.
Yellowing?
I initially got this watch band in February of 2021. I wore it, to be sure, but let’s face it, I wasn’t getting a lot of time in the sun. It can take years for modern plastics to start yellowing, but they usually do. In the time I’ve had it, I’ve exposed it to UV-C light thoroughly, as I have a UV-C phone cleaner from Phone Soap. I have worn it outside, but, thanks to the pandemic, working from home, going out less with friends, and just not getting too much exercise this summer, I haven’t spent much time in the sun. The sun doesn’t just give you skin cancer, it can also yellow your plastics! You should be more worried about the former.
Not just because it’s cancer, but because Elago designed the band to resist yellowing. It seems to work. This band is still as clear as the day I got it, even with me trying to push it to yellow earlier with my phone cleaner. Will it yellow? Yes. It will eventually yellow. It’s a clear plastic, all clear or white plastics will eventually yellow. But this will last you long enough before that starts to happen so you can enjoy its brilliant clear looks.
Cleaning?
Like other TPU or silicone watch bands, this is washable. Just take a wash cloth or wet paper towel and wash down the clear parts. It’s that easy. It’ll look brand new each time you do it. And you will have to do it from time to time. It will show residue from soap when you wash your hands, as well as oils from your skin. You may not have to clean it off every day, but might want to give it a quick wipe down every once in a while. I do have some scuffs on mine that simply haven’t come off. They may never. So do be careful with it. Fortunately, they’re not very easy to see when I’m actually wearing the band.
Comfort 7/10
Fitness & Sleep
I don’t always wear my Apple Watch to sleep anymore. Still, sometimes I want to track my sleep closely. When I do, I wouldn’t use this watch band. In fact, during a nap, this one actually did pull my hair. Some hair got stuck in the buckle and it was a very painful way to wake up from an otherwise nice nap. This has a standard watch buckle, that can catch on threads in sheets or hairs on your head.
As for exercising, this thing is a green house. It has a small pocket that helps the band sit off your skin slightly, but it still traps sweat. If you get a sweat on during a workout, you will notice it sticking around under the band. It’s not painful, but it’s certainly not comfortable. Fortunately, the silicone is easy to clean, but you may not want to wear this for working out.
It’s actually because of the sleep and work out rating that I had to lower the comfort rating for this band. In everyday wear, it’s quite nice. If you spend all day in a comfortable temperature and aren’t working out, you can wear it all day. You may still adjust it once or twice throughout the day to let your wrist “breathe,” but that’s standard for most watch bands.
Splashes and Getting the Band Wet
However, exercise isn’t the only time you’re going to get moisture under the band. It’s also really uncomfortable if you get any water under. Hopefully you’ve been washing your hands a lot this past year, so you can see how it’s a problem. The watch band isn’t too difficult to dry, thanks to it being silicone, but you’ll have to pay extra attention to the connectors, as they can trap some moisture. It’s also a bit of an annoyance to have to do it any time your wrist gets a little wet.
Quality 7.5/10
You know, when you order a $15 Apple Watch band online, you’re not expecting much. It’s not easy to find good third party Apple Watch bands. So many are clones of Apple’s, but use thinner, flimsier materials and poor lugs or connections to the Apple Watch itself. Some of the best third party watch bands I’ve gotten have either come from watch companies like Jord or companies that sell watch bands for any watch, and added Apple Watch lugs to their universal bands. I’ve bought a few of those adapters myself so I could re-use some bands I had purchased for watches in the past, like my Pebble.
Elago was a different case though. I didn’t know them for their watch bands, specifically, but I did know them from other products. They made the Apple TV remote case that I’ve used (and loved!) for years. They made the cute little iMac Apple Watch charging stand I use. I’ve known of the company and known that they don’t make lousy products, so I was willing to take a risk on the Elago Apple Watch bands.
I knew they made nice stuff, but I was honestly surprised with these.
The clear material they use isn’t just some clear plastic like a phone case or, well, most clear watch bands. Instead, it’s thick and dense, more like Apple’s silicone bands. It’s still smooth, with only a few rough edges along the side, which doesn’t contact your skin. It has a nice 3D shape to the inside of it. The lugs fit well, and the buckle has an engraved Elago logo on it. It’s a nice touch. While the band isn’t perfect and seamless, it’s still much better than you’d expect for a band like this. At first glance or seeing it on someone’s wrist, looking sleek and fashionable, you’d think it’s worth closer to $35.
Durability 7/10
I had to take some points off here because this will eventually yellow. All materials like this do, especially clear and white ones. Yes, even if they’re treated. It just happens. Exposure to UV rays and the sun don’t help, but they simply age over time. There are methods you can take to restore it, but they’re not as easy as just polishing it.
Speaking of just polishing it, there are some scuffs that are as easy to remove as taking some cloth and rubbing the scuff. However, I found some were more difficult to use, and others permanent. They don’t show particularly well once it’s on your wrist, so it’s not a huge problem, but it is possible to get the Elago clear Apple Watch band scuffed, then have a hard time getting it un-scuffed.
Other than that, it never came apart on me. It’s a dense material and doesn’t seem to show wear easily. It’s surprisingly thick for a clear band, and it’s quite durable. Everyday bumps don’t seem to faze it. It’s easy to clean as well. If not for the potential of yellowing down the road, this would likely be in my rotation for years to come. It’s a high quality band, and will last you long enough to be pleased with your purchase.
Value 10/10
I have Apple Watch bands that cost as much as $100. Some people drop $500, $1,000, or even more on watch bands. They do so in the hopes of finding something of high quality, that’s fashionable, fresh, and unique.
Well, this does all of that for just $15. $14.99, specifically.
Yeah, it’s an excellent value.
This is a surprisingly high quality band. Not because I don’t trust Elago, but because anything for $15 isn’t something you expect to scream “high fashion” and “quality.” And yet, this does. I shouldn’t be so surprised anymore. So often it’s these inexpensive bands from reputable brands that end up being a great buy. Some of my best bands have been from watch makers and other great accessory makers, and, often, they’re cheaper than Apple’s watch bands.
Sustainability 3/10
Sustainability is something I’ve been trying to consider more in my reviews. Now, right off the bat, this is a TPU or silicone band. It’s basically a form of plastic. That means that it’s going to be around for a very long time, even if I’m only using it for a few years. The fact that, even though Elago is using anti-yellowing technology, it will eventually yellow, means that, even if I take care of it and use the same Apple Watch for the next 3-5 years, eventually I’ll replace it.
We can’t ignore that this isn’t like an iPhone case though. Apple’s been using the same lugs since the first Apple Watch, so you can use an Apple Watch band for many years. In fact, thanks to the fact that the band is separate from the lug itself, you could move it over to an Apple Watch that uses drastically different lugs one day too.
That being said, I noted even when opening the shipping package that Elago used cardboard well and minimally at that, though with a loose and light plastic covering. They win points for not shipping a plastic item completely in “disposable” single-use plastics, but there was still some here. At the end of the day, this band may outlive you unless we get very good at breaking down plastics soon, which means it may likely one day end up in a landfill.
When I consider sustainability, I think about how it’s made and sourced, whether or not it can be re-used or broken down, how long it will last, and how it’s shipped to you. Elago at least made a product you can use for years, and shipped it mostly sustainably, which is why, despite being a plastic item, they didn’t get the lowest score possible here.
Overall 8/10
I like to play with style a lot. I’ve got my lazier styling, just a plain tank top and some jeans or cargo pants. Sometimes I’ll wear a fitted top, or even a dress. My collection of Apple Watch straps reflects that as well. Some are polished wood and titanium. Others are canvas. One is even yarn! Elago’s clear strap lies more in my dressier, chic collections. I could see wearing it with a fun A-line dress or a halter top and ripped jeans on a summer day. I could even see wearing it with some of my most ripped up Chucks, raggedy jeans, and loose top. I’d say it leans more classy and femme, but I think anyone can pull it off thanks to its universal (and unisex) retro good looks.
Elago made a good looking, high quality Apple Watch band, and they’re selling it for just $15. Frankly, it’s a steal. Let them pack one up and ship it to you before they figure out you’re stealing from them.