Let’s be honest — the Apple Watch is already kind of bulky, and most of us aren’t climbing mountains with them on anyway. The craziest I get is maybe leaving it on while I shower at the gym.
For those of you who actually engage in rugged outdoor activity, a case might be warranted. You’ll certainly want to have some drop protection so you don’t get stuck with a shattered watch face.
Seriously, though, a case for your Apple Watch just might be overkill.
Speck’s CandyShell Fit, based on the company’s popular iPhone case line, is a little piece of hard plastic with rubber on the inside that snaps easily on and off your Apple Watch to give you a bit more protection.
It only comes in one color so far, a black/space gray combination that looks pretty nice on my wrist, even with the green Sport band I chose when ordering my Apple Watch. The CandyShell Fit makes my watch look just a little bit more rugged, too, so that’s nice. I’d bet it would look just fine with the various leather loop bands, but not so much with the metal bands like the Milanese loop or the silver link bands.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac
There are cutouts on the side of the CandyShell Fit to let you access the side button and Digital Crown, along with open areas on the left side of the case to let the mic and speaker breathe.
It’s easy to snap the Fit on and off, too, so you won’t be stuck with the extra thickness when you just want to go out to dinner.
Ultimately, though, the Apple Watch is pretty rugged on its own; if you’re needing even more protection, this Speck case just might fit the bill at $29.95.
Rob LeFebvre is an Anchorage, Alaska-based writer and editor who has contributed to various tech, gaming and iOS sites, including 148Apps, Creative Screenwriting, Shelf-Awareness, VentureBeat, and Paste Magazine. Feel free to find Rob on Twitter @roblef, and send him a cookie once in a while; he’ll really appreciate it.
7 responses to “Putting a case on your Apple Watch might be overkill”
Just give us a Zagg for the screen and it’ll be ok.
Actually, the Apple Watch is no bulkier than any other smartwatch or oversized (by design) watch. As far as a cover, I think it is prudent to have one knowing how easy it is to either bang the watch on a hard surface while wearing it or even dropping it. Watches can get jacked up pretty easily, and I plan to wear it constantly. The extra protection for a $400 item makes sense.
I’ve never broken an iPhone screen but had the Apple Watch for two days before I smashed it by brushing my wrist against a fish tank. I think a case is a good idea.
I don’t find my Apple Watch to be bulky at all, but I do think that a case would make it that way. These cases don’t do anything but make money for the makers of the case. They look stupid, just like most iPhone cases.
I use a Spigen [Ultra-Thin] Apple Watch 42mm Case Slim. I don’t love it, but the few times it’s saved my watch from knock on a door jam, or a whack it on a cabinet door has made it feel more valuable. I’m sure the stainless steel is fairly robust, but I’d rather not find out with a giant scratch or gouge in the side of the case.
Use a Slickwraps? Anyone?
As someone who just shipped off his cracked-screen Apple Watch off to Apple, I am very much in disagreement that it is overkill.