10 Best Apple Watch Bands for Working Out

The Apple Watch is one of the best fitness trackers, so it only makes sense to outfit it with a watch strap designed specifically for working out. Be it running, cycling, strength training, or however you keep fit, wearing one of the best Apple Watch bands for working out is a great way to maximize your time spent exercising.

There's plenty of variety to choose from, too. Perhaps you prefer a rubber option like the Apple Watch Sport band, or maybe you'd rather wear a woven nylon strap. Choosing the best strap for you comes down to your preferred workout style and, ultimately, what feels the most comfortable.

Below are 10 of the best Apple Watch bands for working out, including picks that are compatible with the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch SE, as well as with the Apple Watch Ultra.

To see more of the best Apple Watch bands, check out our other guides to the best metal Apple Watch bands, the best leather Apple Watch bands, and the best Apple Watch Ultra bands.

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This mostly comes down to personal preference as some folks may prefer to wear a rubber strap while others may like the look and feel of woven nylon. Deciding between the two comes down to which one you feel is more comfortable against your skin while both wearing it normally and while working out.

It's worth noting that a rubber strap may be a bit easier to clean as it won't need as much time to dry off like a nylon band would.

While this ultimately comes down to personal preference and comfort, some Apple Watch sport bands are better than others for running, particularly those made of rubber with a design that promotes airflow.

For instance, the Nike Sport band features a perforated design that helps keep the watch lightweight and breathable, two things that are vital to runners (especially those covering long distances).

Not necessarily, no. So long as the third-party option comes from a reputable brand like Nike, Nomad, Otterbox, or others. Apple-branded sport bands are premium bands but they aren't the only option you have when picking out one of the best Apple Watch bands for working out.

The best materials to look for when shopping for an Apple Watch band for working out is either rubber (sometimes referred to as fluoroelastomer) and woven nylon.

Almost all sport bands you'll come across feature one of these materials and the reason is that these are both highly durable, lightweight, comfortable, and (mostly) breathable. They also tend to be easy to clean.

While you don't need to wash your Apple Watch band after every work out, it is smart to at least wipe any excess sweat off of it when you're done exercising. This means physically taking off the watch and wiping down the inside of the band, as well as the watch itself.

However, to ensure the long-term usability of the best Apple Watch bands for working out, you should be cleaning it often. This helps preserve its durability and also helps avoid any bacteria from forming which can potentially irritate your skin.

If you do start to see any irritation or a rash forming, take your watch off, wash the band, and let the irritation heal before putting it back on.

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