3rd Party and/or Knockoff Bands off AMZN

[Scott-n-Houston]

I ordered 2 "Ocean" Bands that arrive today. They're labeled as different brands from Amazon and cost about $20-$24/each.
I would bet they're made at the same factory.
Will post back when I get them with my opinion whether they're actually the same factory as each other and how they compare to the actual Apple Ocean band. My AWU came with the trail loop, so my only experience with the Ocean is in the store, but will do my best.

Anyone else try these or similar 3rd party options off Amazon.

 

[wilberforce]

These are apparently not actually fluoroelastomer. If you look at the product pictures it says “soft silicone.” Silicone attracts lint and is not the same. This is typical for third party bands, which are always silicone, despite saying (misleading) otherwise.
Product pictures also say stainless clasps, not titanium.

Let us know if you find that they are the real deal. Sometimes easy to be fooled without a genuine Apple one to compare.

Note that the product description sneakily says “compatible for” then goes on to describe the genuine Apple Ocean band for which it is compatible:

"The Ocean Band for Apple watch is molded in a high performance elastomer" (not the Rauudk band)
"The Ocean Bands for Apple watch adopts new innovative corrosion-resistant titanium buckle design" (not the Rauudk band)

 

[bruinsrme]

Every silicon, or whatever they want to call it, bands from Amazon went in the trash about a year ago.
IMO they felt horrible and attracted lint and dust.
having moved twice in the last 4 years, some of my bands had fallen out of the box they were stored in, (with towels)
the apple bands were clean, the knock offs must have attracted the lint to help keep the apple bands clean.
I encourage anyone to buy at least one You may have different result, doubt it but it can happen.

 

[Scott-n-Houston]

Thanks!

I’ll let you know.
I have no doubt that they’re different and likely lower quality than Apple’s but for 1/5 to 1/4 the price, maybe worth it? That is to be determined when they arrive today.

 

[JWGold]

I ordered one of these and found out the color was all off and it was about 1/4 inch thinner than the Ocean Band. Not happy, I requested a refund. To their credit, they quickly refunded me, and told me to go ahead and keep the band. Honestly, the band sucks. I have no plans to ever use it.

 

[JWGold]

Kind of hard to tell in this picture, but the knock-off one was supposed to be international orange. It’s more of a peach/pink color. It’s also not as wide as the OEM Ocean band. The Yellow band is a legit OEM Apple Ocean band.

 

[GLS]

Some time back, I had a amazon/ebay sport band that "rotted" off where it connects to the watch. Thankfully, no damage was done when the watch fell off my wrist.

No more. Only legit bands from now on. Yes, they cost more, but they *feel* better, don't attact lint, I don't have any that refuse to snap into the watch now (yep, I had more than a few of those over the years that wouldn't lock into place, so those got tossed) and so on.

But, it's like anything. Collect what you want.

 

[Jack Neill]

Some time back, I had a amazon/ebay sport band that "rotted" off where it connects to the watch. Thankfully, no damage was done when the watch fell off my wrist.

No more. Only legit bands from now on. Yes, they cost more, but they *feel* better, don't attact lint, I don't have any that refuse to snap into the watch now (yep, I had more than a few of those over the years that wouldn't lock into place, so those got tossed) and so on.

But, it's like anything. Collect what you want.

I am kinda the same way, I've had several cheap ones from amazon, but the Nomad leather band is still one of my favorites.

 

[Southernguy]

Every copy I’ve looked at for the ocean band has shiny silver metal fittings (in at least one of their pics with the rest being Matt finish in the remaining 20 pics 🙄). not seen one with the Matt finish buckles yet.

 

[JWGold]

Every copy I’ve looked at for the ocean band has shiny silver metal fittings (in at least one of their pics with the rest being Matt finish in the remaining 20 pics 🙄). not seen one with the Matt finish buckles yet.

I don’t really care about the buckles. I know the knock-offs will be stainless steel and not titanium. I’m ok with that. I just wish they would get the straps right. Maybe as time goes on. It struck me as funny how the knock-offs were available on the first day of release of the Apple Ultra.. I would assume that now that the counterfeiters can get their hands on the real product, they can do a better job copying them.

 

[Mr.C]

Typically the cheap bands especially those that claim to be copies of the official Apple original bands tend to be of poor quality and I would stay away from them. The only third party bands I feel are worth getting are well known brands like Nomad.

 

[kevcube]

I would bet they're made at the same factory.

I have no doubt that they’re different and likely lower quality than Apple’s but for 1/5 to 1/4 the price, maybe worth it?

I have friends who do this all the time and end up having to pay twice. Once for the cheap one and once for the real deal.

 

[Southernguy]

Typically the cheap bands especially those that claim to be copies of the official Apple original bands tend to be of poor quality and I would stay away from them. The only third party bands I feel are worth getting are well known brands like Nomad.

Agreed. I have my nomad sport ultra orange on order. 😜

 

[Scott-n-Houston]

I have friends who do this all the time and end up having to pay twice. Once for the cheap one and once for the real deal.

Yep. I’ve been there with similar products.
“Buy right or buy twice”.

If the ones I ordered suck, I’ll return them.
I’m actually 75% sure I end up returning them but it’s fun to try.

I may end up keeping one as “junk” option for activities where I don’t care about hurting it. 🤷‍♂️

 

[Scott-n-Houston]

Ok. Got the 2 bands. One in dark blue (midnight) the other in Starlight.
Different brands but almost certainly same factory.
I tried putting one on and after a minute or so, removed and plan to return both.

The silicon actually feels ok. It’s the lugs and the clasps that make it not worth keeping.
I don’t have confidence that they will stay secured both on my wrist and to the watch itself! So buh-by. 😀
Money coming back … haha. Not with the $20/band even as a “throw away” option.

 

[Danfango]

Screw the cheap ones. The Apple ones are worth it.

My daughter bought a couple of no brand silicon ones on Amazon when she got here SE last year. They were impossible to clean properly, attracted all sorts of gack, stretched and deformed and got pitted really easily resulting in them getting binned after about 2 months each. Eventually she bought an official white sport band. 9 months down the line it still looks like new. Same with my Nike sport band on my S7. I've had since release day and it looks like the day I got it.

 

[MrMojo1]

Any non-Apple watch straps are cheaply made.
Bought some sports straps from different vendors (like on Amazon, eBay, etc...) and all broke at the connecter point (where it fits into the watch) every time within a few months.
Just pay a little more for genuine Apple straps. Sometimes you may get lucky and get a strap that's on a clearance sale. A strap that's marked down from $50 to $35/$40 is still some savings.