The Ultra-Strap... Band. The Ultra-Band
I bought a knock-off version of the orange ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜ Ultra band – the Alpine Loop. I like the look of it in ads (and so on) so much that I wanted to try it. I use the smaller watch, but, alas, no version of the legit band is made to fit the smaller model (tho it will fit the larger model of the regular watch). So, rather than buy a whole new watch to try a single band, I bought a knock-off for cheap on Amazon just to see how I liked its design in real life.
I did this because I really like the design but also because I've always wanted an official orange strap, but there will probably never be an official orange-orange strap because of Apple's Hermès deal. And there is no way in all hell that I'm buying an Hermès ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜ.†
As for the band itself, its plusses: I quite like the mechanism, it’s clever and holds reliably firmly (I’ll wear it while cycling); having a soft strap is lovely (it lays kindly on my forearm’s massive ulnar head); finally an actual orange strap.
However, it definitely has drawbacks.
Putting/taking it on/off is a pain (the original sport-whatever strap remains the best strap in world hx); adjusting it one or two loops is a slippery disaster (a third hand is needed – or a clamp); charging the ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜ is a bit irritating with it on (and I own those super-cute tiny Apple II-looking chargers which are extremely easy to... load/unload?); it’s cheap (minor surface rust on the hook FTW!); the hook (clasp? 6? G?) scratches whatever it hits so you gotta be careful where you put your wrist (it at least makes a sound; I’m terrified to check for actual scratches); I assume cleaning it is difficult(?); the lugs don’t match whatever-space-gray version my watch is; the top of the strap looks cool, with the looping fabric attached to the other, thicker fabric, but where it flips over on itself doesn’t look very good at all.
All told, I like it, but the drawbacks are plentiful and I assume most apply to the actual strap – minus the surface rust…. In the main, its design is pleasing, and I'm fine with having spent a couple thousand yen on it.
I do love the orange, tho. Orange all day. Orange for the real win.
† I don't like the stainless steel ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜ model at all, really, and fuck the Hermès one is pricey. I will acknowledge, tho, that the original Hermès watch face is the only truly beautiful face Apple has released. If they released it on any of the other models, I would've been using it from Day One – and I'm neither a watch person, nor an analog-clock person. Fucking thing is that gorgeous; they aced its design.
note: i posted some updates here.