Apple's Leather Link Apple Watch Band: Long-Term Review! TWO YEARS LATER!

Рет қаралды 78,518

Күн бұрын

It's been two years since Apple released its Leather Link strap for Apple Watch. I bought two on day-one and have been wearing them ever since. Here is how they hold up and even my attempt to clean them.
Video: amzn.to/3zX67xn
Chapters ➡
0:00 Intro
0:59 Colors Options
1:53 Sizes
2:56 Leather Link details
4:07 Holding up over time
7:50 Summary
Grab the LOWEST prices on Apple gear! 👇
Macs - prices.appleinsider.com/curre...
iPads - prices.appleinsider.com/ipad
Apple Watches - prices.appleinsider.com/apple...
AirPods - prices.appleinsider.com/apple...
Follow our social channels! 👇
Twitter - / appleinsider
Facebook - / appleinsiderdotcom
Instagram - / appleinsider
Download our iOS app - itunes.apple.com/us/app/apple...
New here? AppleInsider has been around since the 1997 covering anything, and everything Apple. This KZfaq channel will give you the best coverage for anything Apple related. New MacBooks? We'll cover them! New iPhones? We got you covered on that as well. Want to get the most out of your new Apple product? We've got videos to help you with that. Make sure to subscribe, comment, and share our videos!
For all the breaking Apple tech news you'll ever need, visit appleinsider.com!
AppleInsider may earn commission on purchases made through affiliate links.
Ethics policy: appleinsider.com/help/ethics/

Пікірлер: 68

@wyndward Жыл бұрын

Including your cleaning experience made this review incredibly helpful! Please post a photo of the yellow band after you finished the cleaning.

@iDard3n Жыл бұрын

I bought mine with full intent to return because i thought it would come off easy but now it’s my favorite and go between it and the sport since the braided stretches too much

@GAMINGWITHTRUE Жыл бұрын

Love my leather link. I went with one of the 2020 colors for my series 7, the 2021 colors I didn’t like as much. I love this band. Up until this series 7, I used the sport band which always lasted me. Glad I got this one though.

@mattido123 Жыл бұрын

I have one of these in black -- very comfortable band!

@jrandom2995 Жыл бұрын

Great review. I’ve been hesitate to get one because of the design. I’ve been worried that it would easily fall off of the wrist. I have the older leather loop bands and they have been great also. Thanks.

@chamdabber6899 Жыл бұрын

I like that you compared dark and light versions, discussed how it lasted over time, and showed cleaning it and the effect after. Really loved this review. Curious as to how they hold up in rain?

@msdoshi27 Жыл бұрын

Which leather cleaner do you use or would recamend to us?

@BMar1andonly Жыл бұрын

Makes me want to buy one, but the colors! Give me more!

@VictorSanchez-tg2ek Жыл бұрын

Great review! What face is the one at 38 second mark?

@Natisk Жыл бұрын

thank you man for your details about size and how it will be on the wrist...... at last i found that info!!!!!!!! people spent 10 minutes of reviews to talk about color and magnets........

@JoshuaEliGilley Жыл бұрын

REGARDING FIT, I opted fro SM/MD but I only have like 4-5 overlapping links... I like that look, but do you think so few links will hold securely over time? thanks so much for for this coverage! I just got my Leather Link, since my braided-solo-loop stretched and crapped out, that was my fav but no good for long term...

@bandito241 Жыл бұрын

These are the reviews I appreciate. One after certain amount of months and years. That’s how you know if a product is good or not, longevity.

@mimotojiyt Жыл бұрын

what about the leather loop tho ? nice vid btw

@realericanderson Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the review! Convinced me, I just bought the sequoia green on sale at Best Buy for $60. It didn’t say what size but turned out to be a large, and coming with 4 months free of Apple Music and news definitely convinced me. My wrist is 7-7.5” (9 or 10 in apple sizing) and the M/L band has about 4 links available which makes it feel more secure, although adjustments are a little more difficult

@doctoruttley Жыл бұрын

Black and Tan on my Ultra. My favorite bands, by far.

@gz9361 Жыл бұрын

I really want one,but I also workout So I don't know if I should buy them...

@kimbapslayer1995 9 ай бұрын

Why can’t I find these colors on the Apple Store? I only see brown ink and midnight

@leslie4215 Жыл бұрын

I love the leather link bands from Apple, they are my favorite.. I have the Umber color in S/M for Apple Series 7 Stainless Steel 41 mm watch. Umber is such a rich color and looks great !!!! Quality and fit are awesome !!

@lestagez Жыл бұрын

i just miss the true saddle brown, this year they have umber leather color, and im getting the ultra.

@jaeshasway Жыл бұрын

Hi 👋🏽 Thanks for the review. Very glad to find a longterm use review. Can you please provide your wrist size? If you got the small medium it would be helpful for us to know your wrist width so we’d know if small medium would work for us too. I have a 7.5-7.75 in wrist. Normal sized wrists isn’t a measurement.😂 Would small medium work for me? I don’t want to pay $100 and have it be too small or too big. Thanks! ✌🏽♥️🙏🏽

@craig4571 Жыл бұрын

I had a non-Apple band that looked similar to yours, also in yellow. While drying my hands with a towel, it caught the band and flicked it open. The watch fell on tile floor and the glass back shattered! After home insurance and Apple replacement I was out of pocket £100. How much did you say the Apple band cost? Oh well :-)

@davidjacobs6244 Жыл бұрын

I’ve always stuck with Apple’s standard sport band.I’ve tried one or two of the others over the years but always end up going back to the sport band.

@caliwator 5 ай бұрын

It’s the best all round band. It holds up incredibly well. And it can handle water and dirt without any problem. I also use the sport band the most but sometimes I also use leather that feels a bit more premium

@jgzman Жыл бұрын

Picked one up today and noticed it loosens up pretty easily. Anyone else have this issue? I’m not working out or playing sports with it on or anything. Just casual wear.

@KyleKoala28 9 ай бұрын

I really want that Sequoia Green, now that Leather has been discontinued. I tried on a Leather Link M/L, and I agree, it’s really too much length. I am hoping I can find a genuine second-hand Sequoia Green 45mm S/M.

@thewoodlife3 9 ай бұрын

What do you have to say about Apple not having any leather products anymore? 😢

@bossss227 Жыл бұрын

What about washing hands or getting little wet ? Are you removing it every time you wash your hands or just wiping them down immediately ?

@Ryaneli10 5 ай бұрын

it'd be cool to see this answered.. oh well..

@tommeleyn Жыл бұрын

I have the complete set gold brown and midnight (wallet, iphone case, leather link, AirTag hanger). What i weekly do is next take 2 micro fibers, 1 dry 1 wet (not to wet, just feels wet). And swap to other Color. I clean them all first wet then dry directly. Do same with my Magic Keyboard, macbook, mouse, keyboard, headset, monitor, ipad, iphone. Way easier to clean them weekly, its just a couple of minutes work and they stay beautiful. But to be fair i do a desk job and do not come on places that are dirty or have a lot of grease. And if i sport i use the traditional apple sport band.

@brainguynyc8729 Жыл бұрын

Does it interfere with the compass as Apple cautions?

@AppleInsider Жыл бұрын

It's hard to say. I know Apple warns magnetic bands can cause that but I haven't noticed it yet. I don't use the compass by itself very much but I do use navigation solely on my watch via cellular and it seems to be able to detect my direction and everything else correctly.

@michaelrutledge3750 Жыл бұрын

I’d try the Magic Sponge to clean your band.

@SeeSaw99 Ай бұрын

Just picked up one of these in wally-world for $30. Beautiful golden tan color. I've tried those knock-off ones and swore I'd never use another magnetic band again after my watch fell off several times. But the $70 savings proved too much to pass by, lol. 1 full day of use and I'm thoroughly impressed. It's night and day these magnets compared to the knock-offs lol.

@3wheelmannc860 Жыл бұрын

For me I am hooked on the Grove Life leather bands... I have a black and a brown leather version and they are my go to dress / dress/casual bands.

@starsixcooper5063 Жыл бұрын

What about how they hold up to water? Did you swim with it? I know they’re not water resistant as I see with my new one soaking up water but that’s no big deal if it can stay together for a couple years

@kefinkamed Жыл бұрын

You should absolutely not swim with this band, you´re going to ruin the leather.

@kosta1605 Жыл бұрын

not sure why you would think about swimming with it. Common sense says no instantly lol.

@andrewmathias Жыл бұрын

Was a winner ever picked for the ESR HaloLock?

@MilesMitchell Жыл бұрын

Beyond cleaning, if you want to restore the color in the areas it's worn out, you can always use some leather toner/stain.

@Jonathantuba Жыл бұрын

I have this band in dark blue. It is by far my favourite Apple Watch band ever and I have tried a few - but since getting this band about one year ago, I have used every single day. It is a bit dirty, but perfect otherwise

@hsclater Жыл бұрын

It’s quite easy for this to get pulled off your wrist. I had it come clean off once when caught on the edge of something, also putting on a backpack is prone to catch the end and pull it off. It’s strong normally but very easy to pull off by the end. I’m worried that this will fall off and smash the watch now.

@dsdddsd4543we Жыл бұрын

I'm intrigued that Apple hasn't done a vegan leather watch band yet, as their focus has been sustainability.

@stickgarrote8582 Жыл бұрын

As much as I hate to admit it, faux leather is not nearly as durable as actual leather. With a product that uses this little leather, it’s very hard to calculate which is actually more sustainable - plastic faux leather or leather. I think a faux leather alternative would absolutely be better for animal rights but sustainability is a more dubious argument. The actual watch is a nightmare from a sustainability POV though. Not repairable, manufacturing causes many environmental and labour rights problems and it breaks relatively easily.

@allenseeallendo5844 9 ай бұрын

Until you use handle and wear this watch band it’s impossible to describe it to someone. It’s soft sturdy supple flowing and strong. I used my fathers and instantly fell in love.

@whodakat9989 Жыл бұрын

Hands down the best watch band. Didn’t buy one the first year because I wasn’t sold on the looks. But sports bands stink, literally. After a few months of workouts and yard work, they get tossed. The solo loop is extremely comfortable but completely worthless after a few months as it stretches out so much it will slide right off your wrist. But the leather link holds up! It doesn’t stink over time and never stretches out. It’s very comfortable and the magnets are top notch. The looks have grown on me. I also have some Nomad leather bands, which may be a bit better looking (maybe) but they are stiff, time consuming to put on, and just not as comfortable. I like them but I almost never wear them, while my leather link is always on. I actually have a couple different leather links and I’ll mix and match the two pieces with different colors just to be different.

@srxshadow Жыл бұрын

very comfortable watch band.... but watch went flying from the 3rd deck of top golf last night - do not use it for sports!

@Ryaneli10 5 ай бұрын

so did you wear them both every day? i'm not sure how claiming you wore 2 daily for 2 years makes sense. kind of a misleading title.

@autofctrl Жыл бұрын

Not dirt - that's patina ;)

@cesartrujillo4190 Жыл бұрын

Braided solo loop is terrible. It stretches so much over time.

@chamdabber6899 Жыл бұрын

Supposed to buy it tight

@user-uk2eq6sw5m Жыл бұрын

@@chamdabber6899 buddy even if it’s tight, it will stretch and then not fit either way. It’s an elastic band that’s how they are trust me I’m in the same situation and it’s driving me crazy I’m getting a leather link band and a milienes loop for the more fancier functions

@HeIIoThere Жыл бұрын

Clean it in the washing machine then dry it and it will revert and additionally look brand new

@ayhanapaydin 10 ай бұрын

I don't see how you consider those lasting up. Regular leather watch bands never end up in that condition in two years. Although you said those marks come off, I don't see it in the video, maybe spend time cleaning to back up your claims? I have the orange one and those marks happen after 6 months of usage which is ridiculous. They look very bad, and they are not dirt! Because as you can see in the they are also visible in the inside of the band where two straps touch each other and not your body or the outside world and they also have those little dots.

@atorbtech Жыл бұрын

Imagine an Apple watch strap costing as much as a Logitech mx mouse. Makes no sense.

@AppleInsider Жыл бұрын

I think it makes perfect sense. Leather is not a cheap material that is a skilled labor and requires years of hard work to hone your craftsmanship. Apple isn't using some cheap mystery leather from China but rather a high-quality, durable leather from France. It's the same reason a wallet costs well over a hundred dollars for a solid leather one. If you don't care about the quality of your leather, how it's made, or where it came from, you can get leather cheap, which is the same way with these bands. There are cheap ones made from tough mystery leather that don't hold up at all.

@ninopiamonte2 Жыл бұрын

@@AppleInsider It's true. I got the official leather case for my iPhone 13 and having bought a third-party leather case from experience, nothing can compare to the softness and less bulk feeling of the official one. I'd say it is a worthy purchase

@AppleInsider Жыл бұрын

@@ninopiamonte2 Yeah, it's basically paying for craftsmanship and materials. Similar to saying I can't believe this 2-foot tall piece of pottery is as much as a Logitech MX mouse! You should believe it!

@Streamlined955 Жыл бұрын

The leather link loses its color way too easily. Your Poppy band looks terrible. I don’t believe for a second that “it’s just dirt”. It lost it’s color permanently. You should prove it’s dirt and show us the fully cleaned band when you’re done. The older leather loops held their color much better.

@AppleInsider Жыл бұрын

6:43. That link was grimy as the rest and that’s post-cleaning

@Streamlined955 Жыл бұрын

I have 3 leather links. They always wear worse towards the bottom and less up towards the top where you picked a link. At the bottom it’s more wear and less grime. At the top, it’s more grime and less wear. I’ve seen enough leather links to know that they lose their color and it’s not dirt.

@kefinkamed Жыл бұрын

@@Streamlined955 Personally, I find that all Apple accessories are a bit tricky and you need to pick the right colour. With the leather cases and leather links, the darker ones hold up much better. I have had the Sequoia Green and Dark Cherry and they both held up pretty nicely over time. The lighter shades pick up dirt much quicker and the colour does rub off when you clean them regularly. Conversely, with the silicone products like the iPad folios, if you go with darker shades, they are going to show everything from fingerprints to dirt, and they are a nightmare to keep clean and smudge-free. Same with the iPad keyboards from Apple, they are terrible in terms of maintenance.

@wasjab Жыл бұрын

My leather band completely disintegrated after 2 years and black powder spilled out. This is an overpriced badly designed product. Apple refused to replace it. Basically, this is a a two year £99 product that you have to throw it. Shame on you, Apple!

@Michael-hj3jg Жыл бұрын

You need to clean it and show it not make false claims the dirt will come off! 15.00 I can by 6 for 90.00 and not have to worry about dirt because I’ll have many to wear in 2 years. I band for 100.00 that gets beat up and does clean up is a complete waist. Are you an apple shill if you are I’ll unsubscribe! Let us know.

@whodakat9989 Жыл бұрын

Just toss those 6 bands into the overwhelming amounts of trash we generate. You can keep your cheap 💩 😂 . I don’t throw things away because they get dirty.

@AppleInsider Жыл бұрын

Hey Michael, I did just that. Just didn't clean the whole strap. At 6:43 I show you the dirty link compared to the cleaned link. Again, this is two years with very minimal wear on there, it hasn't stretched out at all, the leather isn't stretched, and as I demo towards the end, you can see a dirty link next to a cleaned link.

@kefinkamed Жыл бұрын

There is an easy solution here. If you take care of your leather products regularly, you´re never going to reach the point when they look like the band in the video (no offence, but it does look pretty beaten up). I gently wipe everything from my watch band to my shoes about once a week/two weeks and use a bit of conditioner or beeswax balm afterwards, and all of them look as good as new for ages. There is no need to generate so much waste when you can simply maintain your things.