Overall it’s been very good but accommodations are necessary. First it is a heavy watch compared to previous Apple Watches and any standard electronic watches someone may be used to. However that is not an issue for me as I have been wearing, prior to my Apple Watches, a Rolex Sea Dweller for 40 years. It is a divers watch, though I do no diving, with a helium escape valve. It’s one of the largest and heaviest mechanical watches out there. I was initially self-conscious of it but that passed eventually. So the size and weight of an Ultra will gradually fade from day to day notice. But like the Rolex the weight of my Ultra, along with the trail loop band that it came with, will cause it to slide down my wrist bumping into the knob end of my ulna at my wrist. The Rolex does this because of the metal bracelet and I would frequently re-adjust it during the day. That’s just something to become accustomed to when using a heavier watch.
The trail loop band while very nice and comfortable has a very smooth surface next to your skin allowing for more slippage unless you really tighten it up, almost to the point of discomfort. Out of curiosity I wanted to compare how the sport loop bands that I had for my previous Apple Watch , a series 5, would compare to the trail. And overall I think they are superior for my uses. I just did a 30 minute rapid walk that is part of my regular exercise routine, and keeping the sport loop at a comfortable snugness there was little to no slippage down my wrist. The sport loop has what I can only describe as a slightly rougher texture, but extremely comfortable feeling against the skin, causing it to be a little grippier than the trail, so less slippage. And they've always been very breathable so they are the bands I use in the summer. The tab at the end of the trail was added, I believe, to make it easier to grab with gloved hands. However the hardened tip end of the sport loop band has always been easy for me to grasp with or without gloves. So that tab really has no purpose in my daily use.
Having said all this about the bands I have ordered a sport band from Nomad which makes highly regarded, high quality products including watch bands. I’ve use their sport bands in the past but not during the summer, just during cooler periods. The rubber-like material is very sweat inducing, and trapping, in hot weather. But the nature of the compound used is quite grippy against the skin and I never had any watch slip down toward my hand. They are bulkier than Apple’s sport band and look like a perfectly appropriate choice and fit for these larger watches. They also have a similar adjustment mechanism to Apple’s band. I ordered the orange Nomad which I think will be a good match for the Ultra.
So with certain activities and general daily usage some slippage of the watch down towards your hand is to be expected depending upon the band used. Running, when your arms are more elevated and parallel to the ground, would not be an issue. I’ve had no functional issue with the watch, but I’m definitely not an “adventurist” so I’m never going to be looking for those specific features or issues that others might. Call quality is very good, but I found that my previous series 5 was also quite good. The Ultra is better when getting a call outdoors. That was noticeable. The daily tracking of oxygen saturation through pulse oximetry, which can be turned off, is interesting but I’m a retired respiratory therapist and the finger tip versions are going to be more accurate because of the proximity to the capillary bed underneath the nail. I’m not using the sleep focus so I can’t speak to the temperature tracking during the night, I think that’s a specific use case and not useful to me. The screen is easier to swipe across for different functions with that flattened shape, that’s been very nice.
Overall, more rugged case, easier to use side button and crown, programmable action button, longer battery life, more responsive and easier to use, and see, flat screen, and really cool new watch faces and compass feature make this a really good choice even for non-adventurists. For me the deciding factor is I got all that for only $50 more than the stainless steel series 8 I would have bought. But there are accommodations to be made. And I am very happy to make them.
The trail loop band while very nice and comfortable has a very smooth surface next to your skin allowing for more slippage unless you really tighten it up, almost to the point of discomfort. Out of curiosity I wanted to compare how the sport loop bands that I had for my previous Apple Watch , a series 5, would compare to the trail. And overall I think they are superior for my uses. I just did a 30 minute rapid walk that is part of my regular exercise routine, and keeping the sport loop at a comfortable snugness there was little to no slippage down my wrist. The sport loop has what I can only describe as a slightly rougher texture, but extremely comfortable feeling against the skin, causing it to be a little grippier than the trail, so less slippage. And they've always been very breathable so they are the bands I use in the summer. The tab at the end of the trail was added, I believe, to make it easier to grab with gloved hands. However the hardened tip end of the sport loop band has always been easy for me to grasp with or without gloves. So that tab really has no purpose in my daily use.
Having said all this about the bands I have ordered a sport band from Nomad which makes highly regarded, high quality products including watch bands. I’ve use their sport bands in the past but not during the summer, just during cooler periods. The rubber-like material is very sweat inducing, and trapping, in hot weather. But the nature of the compound used is quite grippy against the skin and I never had any watch slip down toward my hand. They are bulkier than Apple’s sport band and look like a perfectly appropriate choice and fit for these larger watches. They also have a similar adjustment mechanism to Apple’s band. I ordered the orange Nomad which I think will be a good match for the Ultra.
So with certain activities and general daily usage some slippage of the watch down towards your hand is to be expected depending upon the band used. Running, when your arms are more elevated and parallel to the ground, would not be an issue. I’ve had no functional issue with the watch, but I’m definitely not an “adventurist” so I’m never going to be looking for those specific features or issues that others might. Call quality is very good, but I found that my previous series 5 was also quite good. The Ultra is better when getting a call outdoors. That was noticeable. The daily tracking of oxygen saturation through pulse oximetry, which can be turned off, is interesting but I’m a retired respiratory therapist and the finger tip versions are going to be more accurate because of the proximity to the capillary bed underneath the nail. I’m not using the sleep focus so I can’t speak to the temperature tracking during the night, I think that’s a specific use case and not useful to me. The screen is easier to swipe across for different functions with that flattened shape, that’s been very nice.
Overall, more rugged case, easier to use side button and crown, programmable action button, longer battery life, more responsive and easier to use, and see, flat screen, and really cool new watch faces and compass feature make this a really good choice even for non-adventurists. For me the deciding factor is I got all that for only $50 more than the stainless steel series 8 I would have bought. But there are accommodations to be made. And I am very happy to make them.
