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Questions Comfort, exercise, sizing: Milanese vs link bracelet

J

jbizzybeetle

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 9, 2015
501
195
For those having worn link bracelets, how do you think link may compare to Milanese for wrist fit and comfort while working and exercising?

Is it even possible for the link to fit as firmly and breath well enuf to get through exercise or hot summer work?
 
Probably depends on the type of exercise and your personal preferences around fit and comfort. There's a reason sports watches come with rubber bands, though.
 
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jbizzybeetle said:
For those having worn link bracelets, how do you think link may compare to Milanese for wrist fit and comfort while working and exercising?

Is it even possible for the link to fit as firmly and breath well enuf to get through exercise or hot summer work?
Click to expand...

No. Links are not comfortable, especially if your exercise requires flexibility on your wrist. Wear the rubber one if you really need a watch for exercising. When you are exercising, the diameter of your wrist may change from varying hydration. Also, when you are sweating, good luck trying to clean the inside parts of the link bracelet.

You may just want to leave it at home for certain exercise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRb5s2lOxV8
 
My Omega has links and it gets sweaty and its heavy to wear all the time. I heard the Milanese loop feels like fabric and breathes well also.
 
You will be able to adjust how loose or tight to wear the milanese at your liking because of the magnets, but the link will be inconvenient to adjust daily because it requires you to add and remove links.
 
Wallabe said:
No. Links are not comfortable, especially if your exercise requires flexibility on your wrist. Wear the rubber one if you really need a watch for exercising. When you are exercising, the diameter of your wrist may change from varying hydration. Also, when you are sweating, good luck trying to clean the inside parts of the link bracelet.

You may just want to leave it at home for certain exercise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRb5s2lOxV8
Click to expand...

Apple begs to differ :cool:

The-Gorgeous-Space-Black-Stainless-Steel-Apple-Watch-Likely-to-Be-the-Top-Choice-Among-Men-466064-2.jpg
 
It's doable, but it won't be comfortable :)

I plan on getting the SS link, changing my mind from aluminum, but I still wouldn't want to exercise with it.

And Apple photoshopped that one.
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
Apple begs to differ :cool:

Image
Click to expand...

How many times are you going to post that picture?

For the OP, you will not want to exercise with a metal band. The heart rate monitor will require a snug fit to be accurate, which will be hard to achieve with any non-rubber band. Further, as others have said, there is a reason rubber is the choice of virtually every sports-oriented watch. It's comfortable. Apple marketing can beg to differ all they like, they're just trying to sell a watch.
 
Cashmonee said:
How many times are you going to post that picture?

For the OP, you will not want to exercise with a metal band. The heart rate monitor will require a snug fit to be accurate, which will be hard to achieve with any non-rubber band.
Click to expand...

Wait, what? The Milanese Loop can be worn tighter than the rubber band so I'm not sure what you're talking about.
 
Armen said:
Wait, what? The Milanese Loop can be worn tighter than the rubber band so I'm not sure what you're talking about.
Click to expand...

If I recall correctly it is attached by magnet. You don't think that will loosen as the band is tensioned? The magnet will likely slide down the band until the tension is sufficiently loose for it to stay in place. I would be surprised if you can make it tight enough for the heart rate monitor to register properly and have it actually stay there without loosening. It would be impressive if Apple made a magnet that didn't easily slide along a magnetic surface.
 
Cashmonee said:
If I recall correctly it is attached by magnet. You don't think that will loosen as the band is tensioned? The magnet will likely slide down the band until the tension is sufficiently loose for it to stay in place. I would be surprised if you can make it tight enough for the heart rate monitor to register properly and have it actually stay there without loosening. It would be impressive if Apple made a magnet that didn't easily slide along a magnetic surface.
Click to expand...

I recently listened to an iMore podcast that was discussing everything about the Apple watch because Rene Ritchie and Georgia went to the Spring forward event. One of the guests on the show asked Georgia how strong the magnets were on the Milanese Loop.

She said "I put it on as tight as I could and flexed my wrist to see if the magnet would slide further down the band and no matter how hard I flexed it would not budge. I had to peel the magnet off and move it myself".

Her statement plus the fact that the magnet part has a notch made for a fingernail is a bit more evidence that it just may be a strong magnet.
 
Armen said:
I recently listened to an iMore podcast that was discussing everything about the Apple watch because Rene Ritchie and Georgia went to the Spring forward event. One of the guests on the show asked Georgia how strong the magnets were on the Milanese Loop.

She said "I put it on as tight as I could and flexed my wrist to see if the magnet would slide further down the band and no matter how hard I flexed it would not budge. I had to peel the magnet off and move it myself".
Click to expand...

Ok. I highly doubt after a few mile run that will remain the case. Again, maybe I am wrong, and Apple have created a magnet that won't slide with tension.

I didn't see the second part about the notch. That could make it not slide, and may keep it tight. I still would not want a metal bracelet for exercising, but perhaps it would remain tight if there is something beyond the magnet keeping it from sliding. I just doubt it would be comfortable.
 
I am planning on the link but do not plan to use it in the gym. Getting a sport for that. I do not want to potentially scratch it on equipment.
 
Cashmonee said:
Ok. I highly doubt after a few mile run that will remain the case. Again, maybe I am wrong, and Apple have created a magnet that won't slide with tension.

I didn't see the second part about the notch. That could make it not slide, and may keep it tight. I still would not want a metal bracelet for exercising, but perhaps it would remain tight if there is something beyond the magnet keeping it from sliding. I just doubt it would be comfortable.
Click to expand...

I don't know. We'll see I guess.
 
Wallabe said:
Would you wear one while exercising? Actually, have you done so?
Click to expand...

I can't anyway as I practice judo several times a week and we have a rule that all jewelry must be removed for safety reasons. But, yes, I've seen instructors wear their Rolexes with metal bands while teaching. However, teaching is quite different from actively working out.
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
I can't anyway as I practice judo several times a week and we have a rule that all jewelry must be removed for safety reasons. But, yes, I've seen instructors wear their Rolexes with metal bands while teaching. However, teaching is quite different from actively working out.
Click to expand...

Exactly. When you are ACTUALLY exercising and sweating, you need maximum flexibility. No jewelry or unnecessary objects in your way. There's a reason why that rule was created. You wouldn't want to wear large loop earrings while doing Judo, just the same as you wouldn't want to wear a watch while doing gymnastic moves. Some exercise are ok, like running, it doesn't necessarily require wrist flexibility, but consider the sweating and itching.

Teaching is different, you are not putting in the energy and intent while doing those movements, it's mainly form and technique instead. Traditional mechanical watch is not appropriate for intense movement like playing tennis. Fast movement and shock will damage the internal gears and mechanisms. I'm certain the Apple watch will also be affected by such shock over a period of time.
 
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My husband complains metal links yank on arm hairs when he exercises.

I had a mesh band similar to a Milanese loop and I recall I didn't ever find it comfortable so I switched to a leather band. It also tended to collect grunge, then when I'd clean it, it would accumulate whatever I tried to clean it with and sometimes I'd get a rash. But it definitely was extremely adjustable.

Metal links collect grunge, too. By grunge I mean salt deposits from sweat, skin flakes, dirt from the environment and lint from clothes. You'll accumulate barely any grunge over a month or more if you wear your watch just for dressing up. Daily wear in an office job setting won't be too bad either. But start wearing it for exercise or outdoor activities and you'll notice some "yuck" if not by the end of the day, by the second day for sure.

I gleaned a lot of this from firsthand knowledge plus when I was a little girl I used to hang around and help my dad polish his shoes and clean his watches. We used to talk about it. Dad always preferred metal link watches because he liked the looks and feel. My husband is the opposite and prefers leather bands. I like either. I'm not a fan of sport type bands but then the ones I have experience with have been very cheap and trapped sweat and felt like they weren't letting my skin "breathe" very much.

Anyway, I just find metal links easier to clean than the one metal mesh type strap I had experience with.

However that mesh was not precisely what Apple is offering so I am not sure how much my observation is worth.
 
Exactly why I am avoiding the Milanese band. It looks shiny when you first own it, but over time, the sweat and oil will build up even when you're not exercising. If you try to wash it, it would be impossible to get all of the soap scum off. You would need to get a ultrasonic jewelry cleaning machine to get it close to looking new. Not to mention hairs getting caught in the loops. I'm sure it looks great but it's not practical in real life.
 
It was over 30 years ago so not only did I have to dig up old memories, I had to dig up the mesh band itself which I still have. I should also still have the watch itself but can't seem to find it. Now I remember what irked me about it the most besides cleaning it...when bent into a circle around the wrist it is rather stiff and rigid, like wearing a bangle bracelet. At the time I had an even smaller wrist than I do now so I couldn't get it adjusted to a snug fit. It used to rotate too much so I ended up looking at the side more often than the face of the watch.

Even if you're able to get a good fit on a Milanese Loop, I do wonder how stiff and unyielding it will feel on the wrist.
 
GrumpyMom said:
It was over 30 years ago so not only did I have to dig up old memories, I had to dig up the mesh band itself which I still have. I should also still have the watch itself but can't seem to find it. Now I remember what irked me about it the most besides cleaning it...when bent into a circle around the wrist it is rather stiff and rigid, like wearing a bangle bracelet. At the time I had an even smaller wrist than I do now so I couldn't get it adjusted to a snug fit. It used to rotate too much so I ended up looking at the side more often than the face of the watch.

Even if you're able to get a good fit on a Milanese Loop, I do wonder how stiff and unyielding it will feel on the wrist.
Click to expand...

The milanese will be very flexible and this will be a none issue. The links are so small it will be much more flexible than either the leather or the rubber bands that Apple makes. Those will eventually break in to fit your wrist (the leather more so), but out of the box they will be much stiffer than the milanese (which will have basically zero stiffness).
 
jbizzybeetle said:
For those having worn link bracelets, how do you think link may compare to Milanese for wrist fit and comfort while working and exercising?

Is it even possible for the link to fit as firmly and breath well enuf to get through exercise or hot summer work?
Click to expand...

I have both a link bracelet (Pebble Steel) and a Skagen watch with a Milanese loop band (traditional clasp; not a magnetic one). Any metal watch band with fixed connection points set at different intervals will never be able to adjust easily to the minor variations in wrist circumference brought on by exercise, heat, water retention. It's one reason I'm considering the Milanese loop SS model. It's infinitely adjustable and still very versatile as far as style vs. sport. I'm torn between that and the traditional link bracelet, although I may steal one of the sport bands from my BF's Apple Watch Sport Edition.
 
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