ZAGG’s gear4 brand on Thursday announced a lineup of new Apple Watch straps that resemble that of the Alpine Loop that Apple pairs as an option with the flagship Apple Watch Ultra.
Dubbed the Highland, gear4’s new Apple Watch straps feature an adjustable double-layered nylon braid and aluminum hardware that appear to be color-matched to the bare titanium 49mm case of the Apple Watch Ultra. Much like the Alpine Loop, wrist size adjustments are made with a G-hook style latching system.
The new straps are available in Black, Beige, and Blue, colors and in small, medium, or large sizes. These are colors that Apple doesn’t offer for their own first-party Alpine Loop strap, which only comes in Starlight, Green, or Orange.
The lug of the Highland strap is designed to fit any 49mm, 45mm, or 44mm Apple Watch, which includes the Apple Watch Ultra, Series 8, or any older series of the proper size. Sadly, there doesn’t appear to be an option for the smaller 41mm and 40mm family of Apple Watches.
One thing that sets the gear4 Highland Apple Watch strap apart from Apple’s Alpine Loop is the fact that it’s coated with an antimicrobial coating that inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria and destructive microorganisms. This seems to be a common trend in iPhone cases these days, so it’s nice to see it being extended to the Apple Watch – a device you likely sweat on all day long.
As for the price, gear4 dials the tag in at $69.99, which is a nice discount from $99 for Apple’s Alpine Loop. Comparatively, Apple uses titanium for its metal material on its bands, which is a more premium material than the aluminum found in gear4’s.
The Highland Apple Watch strap comes with a non-transferrable two-year warranty that protects users from defects.
Do you think you’ll be picking up one of gear4’s Highland straps for your Apple Watch? Let us know why or why not in the comments section down below.