A rubber Apple Watch band has plenty of uses, like when want to you take the wearable along for heavy workouts or swimming without worrying about getting it wet. Add some style, just the right amount of ventilation and a secure clasp and you have solid athletic Apple Watch band. And that’s just what you get in the new Journey Motion Apple Watch Sport Band (with just a few quibbles, below).
Journey Motion Apple Watch Sport Band
Journey’s Motion Apple Watch band is a sport band that come in a choice of three colors and fits all models and sizes of Cupertino’s wearable, including Ultra and Ultra 2. I tried out the 38-41mm size of the band with my Apple Watch 6. And I found it to be a solid sport band for activities with a handsome look to it that works anywhere I might loaf around, too.
The band is notable for its ruggedly sporty look, thanks to slightly raised ridges on the edges and a series of oval cutouts or perforations along most of the length. That also makes it look a little more sophisticated than the most-basic silicone bands. And it provides breathability so the band won’t get slick with sweat except during strenuous exercise.
And the band’s sturdy clasp, with a metal post that fits into any of the oval perforations, stays fastened during activity. At no time while biking or swimming did I think it might come off. However, I found it a bit awkward to slide the loose strap end through the clasp and fit the metal post when putting on my Apple Watch. It just take some getting used to. And the connectors on the ends put up a bit of a fight sliding in and attaching to my wearable.
Antimicrobial FKM strap
And unlike a straight-up silicone sport band like Apple’s, Journey Motion sport band is made of FKM — fluorine kautschuk material — which is a high-performance fluoroelastomer “with the comfort of silicone plus the added benefit of being antimicrobial,” Journey said. That could mean less skin irritation even when you haven’t washed the band in a while. I’ve only tried the band for a several days, but I’ve experienced no skin discomfort.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
Well, I’ve experienced no skin discomfort except in one small way, that is. The clasp is both secure and somewhat substantial, and I felt it at times. I wear my watch on the left hand, which has also been my favored mousing hand in recent years (I go back and forth, but when I used my right hand, fatigue sets in quickly, possibly a relic of long-ago repetitive stress injury — or maybe it just needs more mousing to toughen up). So when my left wrist lays flat on a the desk or padded mouse wrist rest, or at the keyboard, I feel the clasp against my skin. That’s not a big deal, just a mild annoyance that happens with plenty of watch bands.
The Motion band comes in three pretty interesting colors: ultra orange (catches the eye like you’d expect from the name, but probably isn’t visible from space), light/cool gray (seems nearly white to me; Journey calls it both “light gray” and “cool gray” on its product page) and marine blue (with a darkly minty-cool green/gray hue).
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
Features and specifications:
- Lightweight, waterproof and breathable with ventilation holes
- Made with sturdy, antimicrobial FKM rubber and zinc alloy closure pin.
- Designed for all Apple Watch series (9-1), SE, Ultra and Ultra 2.
- Dimensions: Small (38-41mm) – 128mm to 186mm long, 26.2mm wide; Large (42-45mm) – 150mm to 202mm long, 26.2mm wide
- Colors: marine blue, ultra orange and light/cool grey
- Thickness: 3.2mm
- Materials: FKM (fluoroelastomer) rubber and zinc alloy closure pin
- 1-year warranty
I recommend the Journey Motion Apple Watch Sport Band. It serves as a capable sport band and looks good for everyday use. It’s priced the same as Apple’s silicone Sport Band and it’s worth it.
Price: $49.99
Where to buy: Journey
Journey provided Cult of Mac with review units for this article. See our reviews policy, and check out other in-depth reviews of Apple-related items.
★★★☆☆
