The Best Apple Watch Ultra Bands of 2024

Picking the right band for your Apple Watch Ultra often comes down to how you use your watch in the first place. It's tricky, but luckily, there are loops and bands that satisfy every activity, whether you run wild in the woods or love taking dives in the ocean.

What to Consider with Apple Watch Ultra Bands

Due to their simplicity, finding the right Apple Watch Ultra band comes down to three main categories: durability, material, and intent. Outside of that, perhaps you'd consider colors and double-check if you're picking a size that's right for your Apple Watch.

First, ask yourself, "What kind of environment am I exposing my Apple Watch to?" A band specializing in style may not have features useful in, say, a gym setting. This will drastically influence the type of Ultra band you move forward with.

Let's consider swimming, for example. An Ultra band made of some kind of rubber is going to be far more useful for the pool than a band made of fabric. The latter can retain water and, in turn, take longer to dry. Not to mention, it causes your skin to itch.

For regular use and perhaps some light exercise, an Ultra band made of fabric may be the best option since they tend to be softer and more comfortable. Whether they're fabric or rubber-like, you should be able to wash the band, too.

And don't forget sizes, too. If you have the smaller, 41mm Apple Watch Ultra, picking up a strap that's meant for the 49mm model is going to feel way too big. It wouldn't just be loose, but there would be too much material at the end, leaving you with a long tail.

Best Apple Watch Ultra Band for Hiking/Running: Surundo Trail Loop

Regardless of where you fall on the extreme scale, in terms of your hiking and running habits, having a watch loop that’s always at the ready is a gift. Swapping to the Surundo Trail Loop gives you a neat party trick: pulling on the fabric tab lets you tighten your Apple Watch when you’re ready to take off.

Not too tight, though! You want it snug for your health sensors. Of course, even a snug fit can get uncomfortable, but the Surundo Trail Loop uses a super soft nylon weave. It’s tough, too, thanks to the tight stitching, but more importantly, it's really easy to clean.

To keep your watch secure during hikes, runs, and rugged adventures, the Surundo Trail Loop uses incredibly strong velcro. It’s designed to be nice and secure, but still maintain that quick-and-easy tightening system with the little tab.

Best Apple Watch Ultra Band for Swimming/Diving: Apple Ocean Band

If we were ranking designs, the Apple Ocean Band would be the strangest Apple Watch band, but the tubular slots do serve a purpose when you’re swimming and diving. Since the Ultra is known for its aquatic apps and features, the band is arguably the perfect pairing due to its material.

The Apple Ocean Band is made of elastomer, a kind of rubber, which not only aids in the band’s durability but also doesn’t retain water. The water just beads on the top, so it’s easy to pat it dry with a towel. However, you may have to give the band a shake to help release the water inside the little tubes.

It’s a small trade-off because the tubular design actually grants the Apple Ocean Band a little more elasticity, making it much easier to fit your Apple Watch Ultra over a wetsuit. For extra security, the band uses a metal clasp system to keep your watch in place when the ocean currents get wild.

Weight training leads to a lot of sweat and heat, and it’s obviously important to keep an eye on your vitals. The Apple Watch is great for that, but the wrong band can get itchy and sweaty, especially when it needs to be tight enough for the sensors. With the Svisvipa Sports Band, weight training with a watch won’t be such an irritation.

For starters, the Svisvipa Sports Band is made of silicone, which is soft, smooth, and incredibly easy to clean. It’s also sprouting a bunch of holes, like the Nike Sports Band, giving the heat a place to escape from and let your wrist breathe.

Those holes also serve the purpose of clasping the Svisvipa Sports Band into place. With so many holes closely together, finding the right fit is much easier.

Best Apple Watch Ultra Band for Small Wrists: Apple Alpine Loop

Although Apple has bands for smaller wrists, there’s still a chance you’ll have a lot of leftover material. That can be really annoying, nor does it look good aesthetically to have a long tail on your watch. The Apple Alpine Loop has a neat way of tightening without causing a bunch of leftover material to fold in on itself.

The Apple Alpine Loop fastens with a G-hook, which slips into medium-sized loops. What’s great about this system is that the loops have a slight amount of give to them, so when the G-hook is in place, it’ll loosen just a bit for a more comfortable fit. It helps you avoid going one loop too tight.

The strap itself is a tough, textile strap. No stitching here. Since it’s a single strip, it’s very resistant to wear and tear while still allowing heat to escape through the fabric. The Apple Alpine Loop won’t absorb as much sweat, but it dries fairly quickly even when you do have to clean it (and you should, anyway).

For those with sensitive skin, the Suitisbest Braided Solo Loop is practically made for you. It's made of a more skin-friendly polyamide material, which is much more hypoallergenic thannylon or polyester.

Sweat is one of the causes of itchiness, but luckily, the Suitisbest Braided Solo Loop is quite breathable—in fact, the material doesn’t retain heat very well. That, coupled with its snug fit, it won’t feel like your watch is there.

The Suitisbest Braided Solo Loop is washable, though you should be gentle and stay away from harsh chemicals (I recommend this for any strap, really). You get four in a single pack, so when you wash one, you can switch to another while the other is drying.

FAQ

Is the Apple Watch Ultra 2 waterproof?

No, it's water-resistant, not waterproof. It can withstand specific depths, but it does have a limit. In the case of the Apple Watch Ultra 2, it's rated for 100 meters, but it's not recommend to go any deeper than 40 meters.

Can the Apple Watch Ultra 2 go in salt water?

Yes, it's designed for that. Just be sure to never exceed its depth limit and use your watch's Water Lock function to manually force water that may be trapped inside.

How do I clean my Apple Watch bands?

Although each band is slightly different, having a soft, non-abrasive, lint-free cloth to wipe the band free of any dirt and grim is all you really need. Excluding leather bands, which you just wipe dry, you can use the following:

Small cup of cold fresh water with the tiniest amount of soap. Dip the end of your cloth into the solution, squeeze until most of the water is out. Keep one end of the cloth dry. Gently wipe the band clean. Use the dry end to remove any water and lay the band flat to dry somewhere at room temperature and out of any sunlight.

If it's a band made of fabric, it could take a day to dry. Rubber-like bands can be worn shortly after they're dry.

What is the difference between the Apple Watch Ultra, Apple Watch, and Apple Watch SE?

The Ultra, SE (2nd Gen), and the main Apple Watch line share numerous features with one another, like being able to make calls, texts, use GPS, and track your health. And all models are water-resistant, though it varies; the Ultra, for example, can withstand 100 meters, while the Series 10 is limited to 50 meters.

The Series 10 and Ultra have an ECG sensor, whereas the SE (2nd Gen) does not, but all three keep an eye on your heart rate, cardio, and notify you of any irregular rhythms.

Thankfully, Apple has a way for you to compare Apple Watches on their site. When you compare the three, the SE (2nd Gen) is your basic Apple Watch, the Series 10 has all the new bells and whistles, and the Ultra is ideal for more adventurous folk, due to its usefulness in the ocean.