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Apple Braided Solo Loop Band does Stretch 1 Year use with pictures!

earthdog

earthdog

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 25, 2014
378
215
So Apple has the asterisk the Braided Solo Loop may stretch. Well they do. These are the Red (purchased 9/20), Blue (purchased 11/20) compared to a replacement I purchased 9/21. I wear my watch 22 hours a day including sleep tracking (not when showering or in the water and no real working out except cutting my 1/4 acre yard). I have worn 2 other Sports Loops over the same year. If you consider the worst case scenario that I wore the 2020 purchased Solo Braided Bands 6 months out of the year. They cost me $16.50 per month to wear a Solo Braided Band since its average life is 6 months before being stretch out.

What is stretched out? I randomly lost Heart Beat measurements. Its spins on my wrist. O2 measurements fail. It slides up and down my wrist 1-2 inches with ease. All of these items make the band unusable.

Do I think Apple should replace them YES. Would Apple replace them NO. Did I read that they MAY Stretch YES. Do I think 6 months is a ridiculously short life span YES. Did I buy a replacement YES. Am I fool to do it again YES. Do love the Solo Braided Band YES. Would I advise someone to purchase one NOT AT ALL! Don't be a sucker.

FYI: I wear the size 11 in case you wanted to know. Here are pictures for your consideration. IMG_7900.jpeg
 

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That’s crazy. I don’t think mine has stretched that much. It definitely is a little longer, but it doesn’t move around on my wrist. I had a hard time deciding which size to keep, but I think I’m still glad I kept the recommended size.

I’m thinking I’ll get one smaller one for winter months though with my next watch.
 
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I would assume the amount of stretching hinges on how often you wear it (duh) but also your individual anatomy, i.e. how much larger your hand is than your wrist. I personally have a method to put all Solo Loops (braided and regular) on and off with minimal stretching. It's a little tricky, but it works.
 
I got myself a braided loop when they got released. There is no denying mine is looser, it's almost a tad bit too lose for my liking now especially for doing workouts. And lets be honest, we've had COVID-19 going on so I'm most certainly not any slimmer compared to what I was when I got it. I haven't been doing too bad, but I'm +3 kg compared to when I got myself the braided loop and it's still noticeable looser around my wrist compared to what it was back then.
 
I keep meaning to give mine a wash and dry in a pant pocket. I’ve heard others say that this completely brings it back to original tightness.
 
PaladinGuy said:
I keep meaning to give mine a wash and dry in a pant pocket. I’ve heard others say that this completely brings it back to original tightness.
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I had done an occasional was on the Red in a nylon bag. I don't think it really help as it would go back the stretched size for me.
 
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The benefit though of the braided solo loop is that it doesn’t have the shine or wear that the silicone solo loop develops. Overall, I think the braided solo loop is much more durable than the solo loop.
 
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I have a number of braided loops, but I wear my charcoal one the most frequently, ahead of the blue I wear infrequently at best. There is a palpable difference from those I rarely wear, the blue and the charcoal being the loosest. In fact, it slides with ease up and down my wrist with at least a half-inch ease, and almost 45 degrees around. I only put it on in the morning and take it off in the evening to charge. I wonder if it is just natural, or if something else is at play (i.e., I have washed the charcoal band and let it air dry).
 
I had a call yesterday with Apple support.
I sized down almost 2 sizes. Got between 8-9 on the tool. Ordered a 7.

Was good for a month and then it was stretched.

decided I don’t agree with this for €99. So I called Apple, and I talked with 3 people who “didn’t know this could happen”.

after 1 hour and 45 minutes, I got a senior advisor on the line. I needed to send some photos of me wearing the band. And then they decided I would get a replacement, they agreed with my idea for a size 6, so I wouldn’t have to call again after a month.

I just came home, and already got my replacement, and the old size 7, I could keep. ( so i already sold that one on our “eBay”, with the real size in mm).

The service was a rollercoaster , from nice to angry and disbelief, to this good outcome.

props for Apple in my case

edit: I bought this in June, and I called yesterday after leaving this thing in a drawer for almost two months.
 
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The braided solo band used with my iW 6C did stretch too much after maybe 6 months. I showed it to someone at Apple Store but they would not replace it. Washing the band made no difference.
Yesterday, I had someone at the OKC Apple Store measure me and they said I am half way between 7 and 8. I took a new 7 braided solo, but when I got home realized I really need a 6 as the new 7 for my iW 7C was moving around like the previous 7 worn for several months.
So I must truck back to the store today and hope the 6 does not feel too tight in the early days of use.
 
xenoako said:
The braided solo band used with my iW 6C did stretch too much after maybe 6 months. I showed it to someone at Apple Store but they would not replace it. Washing the band made no difference.
Yesterday, I had someone at the OKC Apple Store measure me and they said I am half way between 7 and 8. I took a new 7 braided solo, but when I got home realized I really need a 6 as the new 7 for my iW 7C was moving around like the previous 7 worn for several months.
So I must truck back to the store today and hope the 6 does not feel too tight in the early days of use.
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Try it on in person. They should have the different sizes on display for testing. At least they did last year when they came out.
 
Anyone know if the sizes are the same across smaller and larger apple watches please? Say if I’m size 7 41mm will I also be size 7 45mm?

Thanks.
 
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I don’t think so, the measuring method is ridiculous for these things. Also with the 40 mm and 41mm watch. All your previous bought solo’s that fitted perfectly with 40 mm, are too loose with the 41mm ?
 
My braided for 44mm/S6 still seems good with 45mm/S7. Maybe it's a lil looser?

I'd like to get another but only if I'm in the store to test it out.
 
I’m curious about the construction of the newer braided loops. I ordered a size down on the loop with my series 7, and it doesn’t seem to be stretching out as quickly as my Atlantic blue braided loop from last year. Anyone else experience this?
 
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This topic is interesting to me. I have some braided solos and they all fit differently. So, I checked the lengths.

Atlantic Blue size 6, Inverness Green 6, Pink 7, Abyss Blue 7
20211112163333_53.JPG


I wear Inverness Green often. Atlantic blue some times. Pink almost never. Just got the Abyss Blue. They all have different lengths. I wish I had checked the original lengths when I got them.
 
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The other thing that I’ve noticed is that Apple no longer has the disclaimer on the solo loop bands that they may stretch over time. I’m curious as to why they removed that.
 
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PaladinGuy said:
The other thing that I’ve noticed is that Apple no longer has the disclaimer on the solo loop bands that they may stretch over time. I’m curious as to why they removed that.
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there's discussion in another thread, I think the "Every Apple band" thread, noting they haven't noticed any stretch.

I have a newish dark cherry solo braided band and so far also haven't noticed stretching but it's literally been like a week.
 
I chatted with a couple people at Apple today and was told by a Senior Specialist that the current braided solo loops still might stretch some but might not. They did not say anything about differences in manufacturing. In other words, it’s a crapshoot. I am debating on trying to see if they’ll exchange my band for a size up or just take my chances and see if it stretches some.

I can wear the 4. It just leaves marks on my wrist and is a tiny bit tighter than I’d prefer.
 
PaladinGuy said:
I can wear the 4. It just leaves marks on my wrist and is a tiny bit tighter than I’d prefer.
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What is your wrist size? Mine is 16 cm and I am undecided between size 4 and 5 (braided solo loop). Last year I tried size 6 but I returned it since it was too large.
 
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