Gear4, an accessories brand owned by Zagg, just added two nylon Apple Watch bands to its lineup. One is a braided nylon band priced at half the cost of Apple’s popular Solo Loop. The other is a two-tone sport band with Velcro. Both are made with recycled materials.

Hard to say if the quality meets Apple’s, but the prices certainly beat Apple’s.

One of the many things that set an Apple Watch apart from traditional watches is the massive selection of inexpensive straps. Cupertino made installing Apple Watch bands so easy that you can change up your look on a dime — and for almost that little money.

While seemingly millions of options exist for a mere $10 or so, Apple makes some of the best bands in the business. They cost a little more than most, but they may be worth it.

And one band, in particular, stands as the “most ambitious” watch band Apple ever made, according to Evans Hankey, Apple’s VP of industrial design.

Almost all the reviews of the Apple Watch Series 6 say the same thing: Yeah, it’s great, but it’s an incremental upgrade, and if you already have a Series 5, skip the upgrade.

That’s sage advice, I guess, especially in the middle of a crushing pandemic that’s ruined the economy, left millions unemployed, and has lots of people thinking carefully about their expenses.

But I say stuff it!

If you have the money, run out and buy the latest Apple Watch. It’s frickin’ amazing! It blows my mind that you can have a mini-iPhone strapped to your wrist that can make phone calls, pay for groceries, give directions, monitor your blood and heart, and so, so much more. It’s a technological marvel, my favorite gadget — and it could possibly save my life.

Thinking about picking up one of Apple’s new Solo Loop or Braided Solo Loop bands for Apple Watch? Unlike others, they’re not adjustable, so you’ll need to pick the right size for a perfect fit.

We’ll show you how.