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

Jamacfer said:
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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I honestly can’t remember. When I did the paper print out, it appeared that I was between the 4 and 5, but when I used a string or measuring tape, it told me a 5. The 5 is perfect right out of the box, but it’s pretty loose now (especially on my series 7).

I really just wish they’d be transparent if they changed the sizing or materials at all, but that would open them up to complaints that the first ones were inferior or something probably.
 
I got a used braided solo 44mm size 7 charcoal and it was long, around 15.7-15.8cm.

01_before.jpg

They are all 44(45)mm size 7.

I washed the charcoal (by just cold water no soap) and blow dried by hair dryer and it shrunk about 2-3mm.

02 after.jpg


It tought it was interesting that it really shrunk. (and it was dirty too!)
 
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toughkitty5 said:
I washed the charcoal band again and left over night by furnace... and shrunk more. It's now about 15.3cm. About 5mm shrunk in total.

View attachment 1929391
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Wow. That’s crazy. I wonder how fast it’ll stretch back out again. I’m also curious as to what affect shrinking will have on the silicone in the band. That’s what makes me a tiny bit worried about shifts back and forth in size/stretch.
 
PaladinGuy said:
Wow. That’s crazy. I wonder how fast it’ll stretch back out again. I’m also curious as to what affect shrinking will have on the silicone in the band. That’s what makes me a tiny bit worried about shifts back and forth in size/stretch.
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Thanks for your reply. As soon as I put it back on, it stretched out! My conclusion is that once the braided solo band stretched out, it doesn't really shrink back. Thanks for reading.

05 no shrink.jpg
 
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Jamacfer said:
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.
Click to expand...
Got in the same boat as you, bought size 6 according their guidelines and it is too loose for 16.3cm wrist. What size did you end up purchasing?
 
I've been wanting to try on the new Braided loops in person with the 45mm. I have a Size 8 from last year with the 44mm which still fits well on my 45mm. Guy at the store had me try a Size 7, and it felt good. Size 8 also felt good.
Last year size 7 was too tight and size 9 was too loose. We'll see how they loosen up over time. I went with 8 again.
 
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My 1 year old Atlantic Blue Braided Solo Loop band has stretched about 1inch in that year. I was concerned about the sizing as my wife's watch came 1st also with braided loop band. It was obvious that you probably needed to go 1 size smaller. We ordered as soon as watch 6 was announced and used the template measuring method. I ordered a size 7 44mm which had a longer wait time and when it came about a month after my wife's I decided the 7 was too big. When I asked Apple for an band exchange they wanted me to send the watch as well which made no sense. After a few calls they agreed to exchange for a size 6. As it is hard to do the ECG or Pulse Ox test with a stretch out band, I called Apple support. That ended up with 3 discussions. The original tech was about to send me a new band but a senior advisor said they consider it wear & tear and would not send a replacement.The third call was from a support person from the ECG application. She called because I said the ECG function didn't work. It works superbly when the watch fit is proper. I told her as much. She agreed that a $99 band should last more than a year. By the way my wife has been using a sport loop band I bought at Best Buy last year to tide over until I got the size 6 Solo Loop. Hers had also stretched. If you are willing to pay $99 dollars for about 9-10 months of use, go ahead they are stylish and very comfortable.

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escalatev said:
My 1 year old Atlantic Blue Braided Solo Loop band has stretched about 1inch in that year. I was concerned about the sizing as my wife's watch came 1st also with braided loop band. It was obvious that you probably needed to go 1 size smaller. We ordered as soon as watch 6 was announced and used the template measuring method. I ordered a size 7 44mm which had a longer wait time and when it came about a month after my wife's I decided the 7 was too big. When I asked Apple for an band exchange they wanted me to send the watch as well which made no sense. After a few calls they agreed to exchange for a size 6. As it is hard to do the ECG or Pulse Ox test with a stretch out band, I called Apple support. That ended up with 3 discussions. The original tech was about to send me a new band but a senior advisor said they consider it wear & tear and would not send a replacement.The third call was from a support person from the ECG application. She called because I said the ECG function didn't work. It works superbly when the watch fit is proper. I told her as much. She agreed that a $99 band should last more than a year. By the way my wife has been using a sport loop band I bought at Best Buy last year to tide over until I got the size 6 Solo Loop. Hers had also stretched. If you are willing to pay $99 dollars for about 9-10 months of use, go ahead they are stylish and very comfortable.

​

Click to expand...
I recently posted an idea about what to do when a solo loop stretches, but so far, no response. Hasn't anyone tried to do something to deal with a stretched solo loop?

forums.macrumors.com

Idea for dealing with loose solo loop

So as I've mentioned in other threads, I recently bought a knock-off solo loop from Amazon, and while I mostly find it satisfactory for the price, it's started to get a bit loose. The good thing about having a cheap band is I feel more free to experiment on it. So I tried folding up a small...
forums.macrumors.com forums.macrumors.com
 
k1im said:
Got in the same boat as you, bought size 6 according their guidelines and it is too loose for 16.3cm wrist. What size did you end up purchasing?
Click to expand...
Just a follow up - returned size 6 and got 4 instead. Thought it would be too tight but instead turnt to be perfect for regular use and exercising. Size down boys, maybe two ?
 
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earthdog said:
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.View attachment 1835847
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I’ve bought 3 solo loops, a silicone size 10, a red braided size 9, and a pride braided size 9. I initially bought a size 10 braided as my first one but it stretched fast as I was fortunate that they exchanged it out of policy for a size 9. The two braided size 9 bands are not longer than the silicone size 10 band that I have. They’re probably closer to size 11 now I think, while the silicone one fits exactly the same.
If you’re getting a braided one, size down twice, minimum. It’ll be uncomfortable at first, but once it stretches out, it’ll be more likely to fit properly. Especially size down if you’re getting something like the pride band or another designed one, as it’s stretched further than my solid color band.
 
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Wanted to try braided loop on Apple Watch ultra but hesitant as the loop would stretch given the weight of the Watch.
Any thought ?
 
Went for the 4 (2 sizes down from 6, which was on the old Watch). It’s snug fit, slightly tight. But I am sure it would stretch pretty soon given the weight of the Watch.
My precious braided loop stretched after 2 years and to be honest I didn’t really notice the difference until I put that on the ultra. That is one advantage of aluminium models, they weight nothing compared to ultra.
 
Here are a couple photos I took just now to show the increased distance between the “lugs” on the Ultra compared to my S4. The Ultra makes the band a size larger.


0D68E570-A7E4-43D5-AEF8-A01F696D9727.jpeg 0BE81EFC-86CC-4FD0-974C-AE6F509F459B.jpeg
 
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Raajj said:
@TorontoSS Wondering if you noticed any stretching after long term usage?
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Much less than the previous generation. I had electric orange (earlier generation), dark cherry (newer generation) and the dark cherry generally stayed smaller even though they were the same size. I recently got Maize on eBay and I sized up to a 4 (I'm normally 3) because I wanted to use it to sleep and the size 4 was closer to size 3 electric orange (which is the older generation).
 
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TorontoSS said:
Much less than the previous generation. I had electric orange (earlier generation), dark cherry (newer generation) and the dark cherry generally stayed smaller even though they were the same size. I recently got Maize on eBay and I sized up to a 4 (I'm normally 3) because I wanted to use it to sleep and the size 4 was closer to size 3 electric orange (which is the older generation).
Click to expand...
Thanks for coming back. I am happy the new versions are less prone to stretching then.👍
 
And also please correct me if I am wrong here. I find that the new straps are lot shinier and don’t appear fabricky .
I am comparing my recently bought midnight blue with Inverness green I had little while ago. And the braid pattern is also slightly different.
 
Last edited:
I have the size 11 and do think it's has stretched and it's too big now to be on right on the wrist. So I have ordered a 10 so hoping it will fit fine on the wrist.

I did buy a 9 and felt it was slightly too tight. So will see when it arrives tomorrow.
 
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