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One look at the UA Band and you'll agree: this is, by no means, a re-imagining of the modern wearable. Still, once wrapped around your wrist, it feels refined and unobtrusive. That's because its design is lightweight and seamless, perfect for a wearable that gets better the more you wear it.
The Band rocks a cohesive design that expertly strides the line between sporty and fashionable. But, no matter which camp you personally lean closer to, its looks blend in well with any outfit. Unless you hang around a crowd who are wise in wearables, passersby will probably just thing you're wearing a black, rubber bracelet.
In terms of build materials, much of the Band and its straps are made up of flexible silicon, which aids in its sweat proof, water-resistant efforts. The only section where you'll find anything else is on the frosted plastic top and its underside, which is capped in tough, red plastic.
Facing up is the PMOLED display, which blends well inside of the all-black body of the Band. Its sole button is located on the side, which powers the tracker's display on and off. Through UA Record, you can customize the orientation of the screen. So, if you'd rather have the button facing up instead of down, you're in luck. It's a small detail, but any added customization is welcome.
Extending off of the Band's sides are the dot-patterned straps. To put them around your wrist, feed the excess slack of the strap through the loop until you find whichever holes feel the most comfortable. It's like the mechanism built into the Fitbit Flex, and does good to stay locked into your selection through sleep, workouts, showers, etc.
The Band's pre-installed strap accommodates a wide range of wrist sizes, yet HTC and UA have also included a strap for tinier wrists that you can swap out with a SIM tool.
Flipped over, the red-bellied UA Band reveals its heart rate sensor and battery charging port. Included with the purchase is a proprietary charger which connects via USB. Latching said charger to the UA Band on the first try requires a bit of practice and finesse, as it isn't very intuitive. But, once secure, the magnetic clasp is tough enough to let it dangle from the outlet while charging.
Comfort
A wearable is something you have to live with, so you're going to want to make sure it's comfortable. Thankfully, with the UA Band, there are no pinched arm hairs, awkward rubbing, or rashes to be had. Its design yields comfort that lasts all day, all week, and even all month, if you're in it for the long haul.
It's quite easy to judge a fitness tracker's comfort before you actually spend valuable time living with it, but the Band makes a solid first impression. Once you find the sizing that suits you best and snap the teeth into the strap, it barely feels like anything is on your wrist.
Branching off of my early impressions, implementing the UA Band into my life continues to be painless. From the start, it has been a set-it-and-forget-it affair, but I've grown to relish its simple aesthetic and lightweight design. And since I'm at the desk more often than not, I really like that it doesn't get in the way of my mouse-wielding hand.
