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It’s Apple Watch season, as you may have heard following this week’s big virtual keynote. So we’re turning our attention to some of the best third-party alternatives out there. You see, Apple’s pricing for its own alternative Watch bands have always proven to be a tough pill to swallow. Thankfully, there are plenty of alternatives out there from various manufacturers. Today, we’re taking a look at the Nomad Modern Strap. It undercuts Apple on pricing at $70 and delivers a sleek approach to a leather band. Full hands-on and a brief overview can be found after the jump.
Nomad Modern Strap offers sleek styling for $70
One of Nomad’s primary selling points in recent years has been its USA-sourced Horween leather. Described as a material that’s “designed to beautifully patina with time, creating a handsome, rich leather strap with a look that is uniquely yours,” there’s a strong alignment with Apple’s approach to materials found on its popular iPhone cases.
The $70 Watch band arrives in a slim case with nothing else in tow aside from the bands itself. There are eight eyelets for adjusting the size but only two pieces in the strap, as Nomad elects to skip a small and large size in the box. For those with a smaller wrist, this may be a problem.
Nomad offers up the Modern Strap in both 38/40 and 42/44mm sizes. Two colors, brown (reviewed here) and black, are also available.
Other notable details include:
- Brown Horween leather from the USA
- Develops a rugged patina
- Custom stainless steel lugs and buckle
- Designed for Apple Watch Series 6, SE, and all previous versions of Apple Watch
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I’ve long been a champion of going with third-party Apple Watch bands. Frankly, I find Apple’s pricing scheme to be ludicrous, despite that, admittedly, the quality of its products is very strong.
However, the same can be said for Nomad’s attention to quality. The materials here certainly take center stage with a premium feel and patina out of the box. The slugs are made of all metal and line up perfectly with their designated cutouts, something that often plagues third-party bands.
My main point of complaint is the sizing. Having a wrist that tends to be on the smaller size means that I’m left with a substantial amount of band length after my preferred keyhole.
Overall, at $70 this is clearly a premium product that answers the call for daily wear or more dressed-up occasions. If you want a different band than the one that came with your Apple Watch Series 6 or SE, consider reaching for the Nomad Modern Strap.
Buy Nomad Modern Strap
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