The Pixel Watch finally arrived last year with mixed opinions, but overall it’s been a success. However, the band situation on the Pixel Watch hasn’t really changed a whole lot since launch, at least when it comes to official options, but we have had plenty of time to see how the bands hold up, and figure out where Google needs to expand its catalog for the future.
Pixel Watch’s official bands: How they’ve held up
The band situation on Google Pixel Watch was always going to be a bit messy. Google opted to develop a proprietary connection mechanism for the Watch. That meant that the countless spring pin bands out on the market are not compatible and that early buyers were left without many options. As a result, Google’s official catalog was very crucial, but as with any brand, Google’s options were also quite expensive. Have they been worth the cost? We’ve spent the past few months figuring that out.
The Active Band is included with every Pixel Watch, and to keep it short, this band is an absolute winner.
The fluoroelastomer material is comfortable, the band slips nicely into Google’s official mechanism, and months later it still feels just as good as it did at the start. I’ve been pleased to find that the band’s clasp hasn’t worn out at all, and over time I’ve been able to dial in exactly which slot is the most comfortable for extended wear. Back at launch I was getting skin irritation from wearing this band for more than a few consecutive days, but now it’s my go-to if I know I’m going to be even somewhat active. My sole complaint is that on hot and humid days, like my recent trip to Disney World, it tends to gather up sweat and get a little itchy.
Still, I’ve been super happy with this band, and even to the point of being glad I picked up a spare in an extra color option.
Buy Google Pixel Watch Active Band
- Amazon
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- Google Store
The other most widely available Pixel Watch band in Google’s catalog is the Woven Band.
This open is made from recycled plastic and feels like fabric. It’s been one of my favorites since day one, and I’m really surprised with how well it’s held up. The green color feels a bit darker than when I first strapped it on, but the hardware of the band has held up surprisingly well. The fabric hasn’t frayed at all, and I’ve never had to adjust the position of the clasp. Despite my initial fears of the clasp wearing down over time, it still feels just as strong as it used to. That might just be me, though, as our Damien Wilde told me his clasp seems to be wearing down a bit, and that he needs to readjust it occasionally when he moves around a lot (I can’t say I’ve noticed the same).
The only real knock I have on how this band has aged is with the connector. It feels a little looser than it did back at launch, a little more willing to wiggle around in the Pixel Watch’s connection points. But it’s still secure and I only notice it if I’m looking for it, so I can’t really complain.
Buy Google Pixel Watch Woven Band
- Amazon
- Best Buy
- Google Store
One of the bands I was rather excited for back at launch was the Stretch Band, which is a fabric, elastic band with no clasp. I’ve always gravitated to bands like these as they’re more comfortable for typing at a computer/laptop, as well as for sleep tracking.
Unfortunately, the Stretch Band has been quite a disappointment for me.
The elastic has worn in and the band no longer sits as tightly on my wrist, leading to it being eager to move around even when I’m just handling household chores. I can really only wear this band to sleep at this point, or I know I won’t be doing much that day. It just can’t handle any physical activity at this point, which is a shame. Even the comfort has degraded a bit for me over time, with the band pulling at my arm hairs a little more now than it originally did.
This is one I’d really only buy on a sale, but since it’s exclusive to the Google Store, those are few and far in between.
I’ve felt that the Two-Tone Leather Band for Pixel Watch has been the underrated hit in Google’s catalog.
This band is made from genuine leather and has half in one color, with the other half in another shade. There are options in two light brown shades, a white/grey, and the black/grey I’ve been using. It’s a unique look, and one I’ve really come to appreciate over the past few months of use. This is the band I turn to for “dressy” outfits.
The leather is comfortable, the silver lugs and clasp look great across both the black and gold Pixel Watch units I’ve used it with, and the leather has held up remarkably well too. I wish that this wasn’t the kind of leather that’s immune to patina, but otherwise I’m incredibly happy with this option. I just wish Google sold a darker brown option, because I’d buy it in a heartbeat.
Like the Stretch Band, this one is also exclusive to the Google Store. It’s not cheap at $80, but the quality at least holds up.
Finally, there’s the Crafted Leather Band.
Personally, this has been my least favorite and least-used Pixel Watch band. The green color I have is nice, but not quite what I want in a leather band. On top of that, the leather itself is very thick and stiff, and even after a few extended wears I’ve not been able to get over the uncomfortable feeling that comes with wearing it. That’s just me, though. Our Kyle Bradshaw disagrees, and this has been his favorite Pixel Watch band. He says that it “looks and feels just as good as the day I got it” and it’s the only band he’s been able to use for extended periods.
This is very much one where your results will vary. At $80, though, it’d be understandable if you didn’t want to take the leap.
Where Google needs to expand and improve
One of the big questions around the official Pixel Watch band catalog today is where the metal bands are. Google announced these bands alongside the watch last year, and they still haven’t been released. The Google Store still says they are “coming soon” and set to arrive sometime this Spring. With Spring officially upon us as of this week, that means the clock is ticking.
When they do arrive, the Pixel Watch metal bands will run $199 for the Metal Links band and $129 for the Metal Mesh band.
The thing that continues to blow me away about the Pixel Watch band catalog is the complete lack of brown leather. Despite having two leather band options and a variety of colors, there’s not a single brown leather band that can be considered “traditional.” The two-tone band has a brown option, but it’s very light. That’s not to say it’s not good-looking, it’s just not as universal as the typical brown leather bands that virtually every watch offers.
The issue of brown leather, and the pure scarcity of bands, is why I wish Google had a handful of accessory partners making official Pixel Watch bands. There are plenty of brands Google has partnered with on the Made for Google problem who also make killer bands for Apple Watch. Just to name a few, that includes:
Even having just one of these brands putting out Pixel Watch bands would boost options for customers dramatically. Nomad is at the top of my wishlist, especially looking at some of the brand’s that my colleagues over at 9to5Mac have been using.
It’s not particularly hard to see why brands would balk at developing options for the Pixel Watch. It’s a brand new product, a brand new market for Google, and a brand new type of connector. There’s a lot of risk involved, but it’s still surprising that Google couldn’t convince at least one brand to boost the catalog.
The state of third-party Pixel Watch bands
When the Pixel Watch first launched, there were no third-party options for bands. That slowly changed over time, with some bands hitting Amazon in November and December, and recognizable brands such as Ringke jumping on board as well.
At this point, it’s not all that hard to find third-party bands for the Pixel Watch. A quick search on Amazon turns up dozens upon dozens of options in a variety of materials, styles, and colors.
But the big question is still on quality. Our Andrew Romero has been using a copycat of Apple’s Alpine band on his Pixel Watch, and described the quality of the band itself as comfortable, but the connector as lacking. That seems to be a similar story looking through posts from Pixel Watch owners as well as reviews of the specific products. The bands themselves are generally good, but the connector is hard to get right.
It stands to reason this might get better with more time, but at the very least, it’s abundantly clear that buyers of the Pixel Watch have far more options than they ever have, and that’s great to see.
More on Pixel Watch:
- Have you scratched your Pixel Watch yet? [Poll]
- Hands-on with Spigen and Caseology’s accessories for Pixel Watch [Video]
- How to set up Google Pixel Watch Fall Detection
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Author: Ben Schoon
Source: 9TO5Google
