Nomad is often my go-to brand whenever it comes to Apple Watch straps, and that’s because I like something that’s both durably rugged and aesthetically modern. The company achieves these requirements with its leather, metal, and silicone offerings.
A match made in Apple Watch heaven
This year, I decided to snag the titanium-cased Apple Watch again when ordering my Series 7, and it seems I can always count on our friends at Nomad to have a strap that pairs seamlessly with this particular fit and finish of Apple Watch.
In case you haven’t been paying attention, Nomad just this year released a completely redesigned v2 of its metal straps that offer a modernized aesthetic with slimmer lugs and links. The redesign also features a new magnetic snap clasp that differs from the previous generation’s fold-over snap clasp.
While you’d think that making the lugs and links slimmer would result in a flimsier product with a cheaper look and feel, that certainly isn’t the case with Nomad’s v2 metal strap. I ordered the black titanium version to match my black titanium Apple Watch Series 7, and it feels just as high quality as the first generation model did.
Nomad’s chunky in-house lugs were always sort of a pain point for me. While some disagreed with me, I can confidently sign off on the newer redesigned lugs because they bring the links closer to the Apple Watch’s case and streamline the overall look and feel of the strap on my wrist.
I’d also like to turn your attention to the new magnetic snap clasp, as one end fully separates from the other as opposed to how the previous design merely scissored open to provide only enough wiggle room to let your wrist out.
This new clasp features very powerful magnets. After they snap together, a mechanism locks the strap to your wrist, requiring you to push buttons and pull to release the strap. The mechanical connection offers peace of mind, ensuring your Apple Watch doesn’t come off your wrist, while the magnetic separation makes it more compatible with many desk-based chargers.
A lesser appreciated feature of Nomad’s new second-generation titanium strap is that the individual links feature higher quality pins. While the previous generation used basic friction pins, the newer version utilizes two-piece pins that mechanically ‘click’ into place. These offer a greater sense of security and are often only found in higher-end Apple Watch straps, but they’re just as easy to remove with the included size adjustment tool.
Wrapping up
With a $300 price tag, Nomad’s titanium straps aren’t cheap, but I would never expect them to be considering all the challenges that come with machining harder titanium products. For those who aren’t worried about the extra weight and would like to save a few bucks, Nomad also offers stainless steel versions of this strap for $150.
Both black and silver options are available in both metal configurations, so Nomad’s metal Apple Watch straps are built to suit two of the most popular Apple Watch colors on the market in both stainless steel and titanium. After using Nomad’s straps for so many years, I’m glad I added this one to my collection.