Best Apple watch strap? Best iPhone Kickstand?

October 29, 2023 7:38 AM

Looking for two Apple accessories: good Apple Watch Ultra watch bands; thinnest kickstand for iPhone 15 Pro Max. Snowflake details inside.

I don't love the strap that came with my Ultra 2 and in general find Apple straps over priced. I'm familiar with Nick Mankey straps, which get great reviews, but are there other alternatives?

What is the absolute thinnest kickstand for an iPhone 15 Pro Max? Don't need it to be a wallet or finger loop or anything except be able to quickly and securely support my phone in landscape mode so I can easily see it why using an external bluetooth keyboard. Magsafe would be ideal but would consider other attachment options as long as they don't add bulk (for instance, not interested in a case with a kickstand).

Thanks!

posted by dobbs to Shopping (5 answers total)

I like the Alpine Loop the best by far among the Apple options (and don't hate the Magnetic Link or Trail Loop, though the Velcro in that one will eventually wear out). You're right that the Apple-branded ones are often more expensive than comparable third-party, but they're generally fairly high quality (for example, the Ultra-specific ones have titanium hardware, which is rare among third-party options).

Nomad, Bellroy, and Native Union make some good ones.

I feel like Dsptch might fit well with your aesthetic, though I'm not exactly sure what you're looking for here (leather? cloth? metal? more sporty? more dressy? particular use case like diving or gym workouts in mind?).

Urban Armor Gear straps are durable, but I find them pretty ugly.

I don't know anything about kickstands.
posted by box at 9:59 AM on October 29, 2023

I recently got the Peak Design Mobile Tripod for on the go photography use with my iPhone 13 Pro, but it is just as useful as a perfect portable display stand. I saw it at the Peak Design store and became instantly smitten due to its outstanding design and construction. It is extremely well engineered and totally scratched my love of small, super useful gadgets (I do wish it was cheaper, but you get what you pay for, and it has a lifetime warranty for what it is worth).

The MagSafe connection is strong enough that I don’t worry about it falling off even when placed on the edge of a cliff for time lapse video, and it is very stable. It is surprisingly dense and solid given its credit card size, but you need that for tripod stability. It works flawlessly in both portrait and landscape modes.

The reviews at B&H convinced me to go back to the store and buy it, my experience so far aligns with just about everyone else’s…
posted by rambling wanderlust at 2:37 PM on October 29, 2023 [1 favorite]

I really like this steel mesh strap from Astra Straps, it's comfortable to wear and looks more elegant than a lot of other ones I've tried.
posted by exceptinsects at 2:01 PM on October 30, 2023

Response by poster: Thanks for your answers, folks.

I ended up getting two Mankey hook straps and can say that they are in fact excellent and very comfortable.

rambling wanderlust, your PD product looks fantastic. It's simply too thick for my needs. Hoping to find something credit card thin. Thanks, though.
posted by dobbs at 2:50 PM on November 8, 2023

Response by poster: Back to update my own thread as I was gifted a few bands for my Watch Ultra 2 by a company called LuluLook. Terrible name, but I love them all except for the Titanium one. This stainless steel one is now my go-to and this one for when I'm in the ocean (I have it in 3 colors).
posted by dobbs at 11:23 AM on February 24