Tried and tested: the best smartwatch accessories

These savvy Apple Watch accessories can transform the smartwatch into a heavy-duty timepiece or a sporty fitness buddy. We’ve tested out the best accessories.

Your smartwatch can say a lot about you. These accessories will help it say even more.

ELEMENT CASE BLACK OPS

A seriously heavy-duty case to transform your Apple Watch

$199.95, elementcase.com

PROS

– Hard, heavy-duty protection

– Solid stainless steel band

– Thoughtful additions

CONS

– Adds 127g to your wrist

– Very bulky form

– No screen cover

Element Case describes this accessory as “the ultimate armoured vehicle for your Apple Watch” and, in the hand, you’ll know why. This case is bulky, rugged and, weighing in at 127 grams or almost four times as much as an Apple Watch, it’s heavy on your wrist. But that’s what it’s designed to be: it transforms the smartwatch into a rugged timepiece for outdoor use. Its stainless steel butterfly clip strap can be customised to fit the wearer, its raised sides are designed to protect its screen, and it even has a tether bar that can be used to tie it up while charging.

VERDICT: ★★★★½

TWELVE SOUTH ACTIONSLEEVE 2

A smart (and soft) accessory for serious fitness fans

$64.95, twelvesouth.com.au

PROS

– Adds support for newer models

– Soft material is comfortable to wear

– Easy to secure

CONS

– Cold water wash only

– Makes Watch button stiff

– Only one colour

There are plenty of reasons to move an Apple Watch from your wrist: it could be hit during martial arts training, for example, or get in the way during yoga. This canny addition from Twelve South helps Apple Watch devotees move the device further up their arm (or even on to their leg). The ActionSleeve 2 is a soft, non-allergenic band with a rigid plastic shell to fit an Apple Watch Series 4, 5, 6, SE or 7 body. This lets the watch track the wearer’s heart rate from a safer spot, and leaves space for them to access its Digital Crown.

VERDICT: ★★★★

BELKIN SCREENFORCE TEMPEREDCURVE

Subtle but sturdy protection against scratches and drops

$39.95, thegoodguys.com.au

PROS

– Case snaps on to Watch

– Protects screen from scratches

– Acts as a bumper against drops

CONS

– Liquid can get trapped

– Makes Watch button rigid

– Adds some bulk

It takes little more than a stray swing of the arm to damage any watch, making accessories like this important. Belkin’s ScreenForce is designed to protect both the screen and the sides of an Apple Watch, with its hard plastic body clipping over all four edges of the device. It comes with a microfibre cloth to clean its surface before application, and instructions to remove it and clean it again if liquid becomes trapped. The protector does add to the Watch’s size but, thanks to its mostly transparent appearance, doesn’t change its look.

VERDICT: ★★★½

OTTERBOX EXO EDGE

This solid, plastic cage is one for butter-fingers

$29.95, otterbox.com.au

PROS

– Solid, thoughtful construction

– Available in three colours

– Inexpensive investment

CONS

– Adds bulk to Watch sides

– Blue versions are bold

– Doesn’t protect screen

This accessory is less like a “bumper” for your Apple Watch and more like a rigid, plastic cage. The Otterbox Exo Edge is created from two types of plastic — hard polycarbonate and bouncier thermoplastic elastomer — and fits its subject precisely. It also holds the Apple Watch’s body in place at the front and the back, protecting it from bumps on all sides, and its bolder blue colours make the addition obvious. One for clumsier Watch users, this model should protect the Watch from most drops (though not scratches).

VERDICT: ★★★½

APPLE PRIDE EDITION SPORT LOOP BAND

Apple’s newest rainbow strap features subtle hues

$69, apple.com/au

PROS

– All the rainbow colours

– Comfortable woven material

– Easy to fit this year

CONS

– Subdued colours

– Large on small wrists

– Pricey for a band

Each year, Apple releases a rainbow-hued Watch band in honour of Pride Month and the 2022 model wears its name more prominently than others. The special edition Sport Loop band features 10 colours to represent LGBTQ+ communities, including black and brown for marginalised groups and pink and blue stripes for trans people. Unlike past editions, this model can be easily adjusted to fit all wrists and, when flipped over, the other side spells out ‘pride’.

VERDICT: ★★★★

Originally published as Tried and tested: the best smartwatch accessories