Much as I love the use of wood in high-tech products such as speakers and smartphone cases, I’d never really considered the use of wood in an Apple Watch band. However, start-up Bandly is now selling Apple Watch bands made out of genuine wood, including Rosewood and Teak in light and dark finishes. These are not link bands of some sort as you might assume, but flexible bands made from a thin wood veneer.
First Impression
Bandly sent me a pair of Apple Watch bands. The Rosewood was an immediate eye-catcher. The dark Teak was attractive, but in a less showy fashion. At 9.5-inches long the band offered plenty of adjustability, even for larger wrists. Hardware seemed solid. Although both 38/40mm and 42/44mm Apple watch models are supported, the hardware is only offered in black finish, so you’ll have to live with a mismatched buckle and lugs if your watch case is a different color. On close inspection, the wood layer has an almost matte plastic-y sheen to it. It’s not fake, but is obviously coated in something to protect it from sweat, water and scratches.
MSRP is $69, but at time of publication the bands were being offered at $49.
Comfortable and Eye-Catching
The Bandly Apple Watch band was comfortable, and really felt no different than any of the other bands in my collection. The first few times I put it on required a little effort to flex the end of the band enough to thread through the support loops, but no more so than a leather band. And after the first few uses, it began to loosen up.
And I have to say that after several years of plastics, metal links, rubber, woven cloth and leather, the Bandly wood Apple watch band really stands out. I especially liked the way the Rosewood popped against the Space Gray of mine. My wife immediately noticed it the first time I was wearing it, remarking that it looked “really cool.”
If you want to dress up your Apple Watch and want something different from the usual options, the Bandly bands stand out in a crowd as something both stylish and unique. Because this is real wood, the differences in grain mean every band will be different, even when made from the same type of wood.
Eco-Friendly
It’s nice to know that the Bandly bands don’t just add a natural look to your Apple Watch, these bands are also eco-friendly. The backing is made of animal-free, non-toxic vegan leather. The wood layer is made from recycled lumber.
Custom Wood Watch Faces
If you really like the look of wood, Bandly provides images to make custom watch faces to match its Apple watch bands. I’m a big fan of natural wood in products but personally, I find the wood watch face is too much — a big part of the appeal to me is the contrast of the wood against the metal case, glass and OLED display. But if you want to go all-wood, you have the option, with a watch face to match.
Durability
When you’re talking about a slice of wood that’s going to be taking the place of a leather or plastic strap, durability is an obvious question. Especially when it’s a single strip of wood. I had my doubts as well… However, the Bandly bands I tried out were very flexible. They not only bent easily the way they need to as an Apple Watch band, but they could also be twisted without suffering any apparent damage. Water drops rolled off the surface.
The company says its distress testing includes 10,000 bends, 500 “stabs” and water resistance. After just a few weeks with Bandly, I can’t attest to long-term durability but the wood Apple Watch bands certainly seem up to the job and are showing no signs of failure.
It’s also worth noting that Bandly says its parent company Analog Watch Co. has sold over 30,000 flexible wood bands for traditional wristwatches — some of those have been sold through outlets including MoMA and the Guggenheim.
Recommendation
If you like the look of natural wood, Bandly’s Apple Watch bands are about as good as it gets. And even if you aren’t specifically going for a real wood look, they are a unique way to dress up your Apple Watch and make it really stand out.
If you’re a Fitbit fan, the company also offers wood bands for the Versa smartwatch.
Disclosure: Bandly provided samples for evaluation but had no input into this review.
