Hands-on with special edition Apple Watch Sport Loop Pride bands

Earlier this week, Apple revealed the latest additions to its annual collection of in-house Pride Watch bands. Delivering two new styles to your wearable, the bands are now available via Apple Stores and the first orders are arriving to buyers. Now we’re taking a hands-on look at the two new offerings, which blend the usual premium build with some added flair to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community. 

Apple Watch Pride Band hands-on look

Each year, Apple expands its collection of Apple Watch bands with a new offering in honor of Pride Month. This time around for 2022, we’re getting a pair of refreshed and special edition Sport Loop bands.

As per usual with the Sport Loop bands, these special edition Pride versions included, there is a soft woven build that features an adjustable strap. There’s nothing too outside the norm in terms of the form-factor, though it’s the actual design that’s getting all of the love from Apple.

Arriving in two unique yet similar designs, each of the new Apple Watch bands sport the expected Pride-themed design. There’s both a standard white version, which joins the lineup alongside Apple’s latest collaboration on the Nike front that yields a sleek black design. In either case, each of them has the signature Pride flag rainbow stripes printed into the base of the strap, which gets diffused by the velcro.

Both share that similar design inspired by the Progress Pride Flag which marks one of the first times in the lineup that Apple is specifically representing marginalized LGBTQIA+ communities of color as well as trans folks with the pink and blue stripes. Standing out from each other, there are some differences between what Apple’s standard and Nike editions bring to the table.

The white design notable has a shaved out section on the exterior that reads Pride right towards the end of the band in the same style of cursive as the iconic hello message. On the Nike version, you’ll forgo that inclusion in order to score the sleeker black design which sports even more contrast between the dark base and brighter Pride flag colors. Each of the new Apple Watch Pride bands also come with their own matching Watch face, which round out the looks.

So how do the Apple Watch Pride bands appear in person? Check out these hands-on shots from 9to5Mac for a better idea:

9to5Mac’s Take 

I’ve been collecting each of Apple’s new Pride Watch bands for the past few years, and these new releases are some of my favorites to date. The Sport Loop design is already a favorite for many for a reason, and having the added stylings thrown into the mix is a very nice touch for this queer writer. I’m sure many are going to gravitate towards the black Nike version for its sleek design, but I am still quite partial to the uniqueness that Apple has packed into its standard model.

You can order yours today from Apple’s website for $49 each, and the company says it is committed to financially supporting LGBTQIA+ organizations working to bring about positive change upon diversity.