Hi I’m Steve, I have been an Apple geek for more than a decade. I have lined up many a time for “firsts” and couldn’t help myself this go round when the watch was announced. I currently own the space grey 42mm version and I love it! Quickly it has become one of the most intimate pieces of tech in my possession. I’ve been rocking the black sports band that is pretty comfortable and lightweight. When it comes to accessories for my watch, I have been very particular - in fact I decided to 3D print my own watch charger dock because I couldn't find one I liked that held the watch horizontally.
A couple months into my watch experience, I became curious about other band options when I came to accept the fact that I had to take off my watch for ‘dressier’ moments (when the look of a sporty wearable just didn’t cut it). I wanted something minimalist and classy that complemented the watch and didn't add a ton of weight or bulk to my wrist. I like to feel free and am on the go all the time.
After surveying the landscape and obsessive review video watching, I began to worry that finding something of quality might be a hard task. Many reviewers commented on uneven links, faulty adapters and an overall cheap feel on many of the stainless steel bands I was looking at.
And then I discovered Xistwear!
This startup is all about providing fashion forward options for the active lifestyle, and I was lucky enough to get my hands on one of their 42mm premium stainless steel bands.
The first thing I did when I got it out of the box was examine the quality of the band (seeing so many sad reviews of other stainless bands online had primed me to look carefully for errors in craftsmanship). I studied the design and build of the band looking for inconsistencies and uneven planes. To my delight I discovered that the Xistwear band had the solid build and precision I was looking for and honestly expect in my Apple accessories.
This band feels great on my wrist; solid and light at the same time. The elastic stretch feels extremely well balanced and I found myself secretly enjoying the ease of taking my watch off and on so quickly (if you own an Apple watch you'll know what I mean, you've entered into the new paradigm of simple utility and great design that define the whole watch experience). The stretchy band keeps the Apple watch comfortably snug against my wrist, and I don't find myself having to push it down on my skin when wanting to take a heart rate reading (something I currently have to do with my sports band).
Getting out into the real world I found this band was easy to wear at work but shined even more when heading to happy hour where the sheen of funky bar lighting would catch an occasional reflection on my wrist. At home the band stayed comfortable and snug while playing basement basketball and Jedi battles with my 5 year old son. Xistwear’s band definitely dressed me up without weighing me down. At the end of the day, I'm surprised once again when I go to take off the watch and remember it's just that simple slip off! (Geek smile.)
This band was supposed to be for my ‘flex up’ attire but now I find myself wearing it as my daily band. For me, Xistwear’s band was the perfect complement to my on-the-go lifestyle that simply needed some fashion freshness.
In conclusion if you've been unsuccessfully searching for a band that’s just right, I strongly recommend you consider checking out Xistwear’s line of products.
~ Steve Blumberg of LMO Advertising