Nomad's Latest Apple Watch Band Is Bright Enough To Stop Traffic - And It's My New Favorite

Nomad Tempo Apple Watch Band

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The $49 Nomad Tempo watch set fits astir each Apple Watch
• It comes successful 4 colors and is breathable and elastic for progressive lifestyles
• It lacks a genuinely neutral colour option, and immoderate whitethorn not want an FKM band.

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Nomad conscionable launched a caller Apple Watch band that's eerily akin to nan erstwhile Sport Slim band, and its colors are truthful agleam that they whitethorn conscionable extremity traffic. 

I'm not moreover kidding. The caller Tempo watch band comes successful 4 colors. The muted options, Black and a purple Dusk, are awesome for moody looks. But Lumen (a yellow-green sour candy colour that almost makes maine pucker) and Crush (an orange-based red) battalion a bold punch you tin spot from a mile distant (probably). This makes them nan cleanable set for outdoorsy individuals for illustration runners and hikers, aliases likewise progressive aliases on-the-go individuals. 

The Tempo set fits watches from 41mm each nan measurement up to nan Ultra models. It features a creation akin to nan celebrated Sport Band, which has a thicker and chunkier look -- though I americium a large instrumentality of it arsenic well. If you are looking for nan classical sporty look, Nomad's Sport Band is backmost successful nan Glow 2.0 colorway -- a fluorescent greenish that glows successful nan dark. 

Also: The champion Apple Watch Ultra bands: Expert tested

What I emotion astir nan Tempo set is its somewhat sleeker and skinnier appearance, which I deliberation is cleanable for smaller wrists aliases an elevated look. But don't fto nan mini framework fool you. This set is still comfortable to wear, breathable, and flexible. When I put nan Tempo set on, I was amazed astatine conscionable really malleable it really is -- moreover much truthful than my Slim Sport Band, which took immoderate clip to conform to my wrist. 

The Tempo set (41mm/42mm) successful Dusk from nan side. 

Kayla Solino/ZDNET

The Tempo set already fits for illustration a brace of bully jeans, and nan Dusk colour is nan cleanable spooky popular arsenic we caput into nan early autumn season. The pin is easy to popular connected and disconnected but still remains secure, and Nomad says nan bands are "built pinch versatility and capacity successful mind," specifically for "everyday users and top-performing athletes alike." 

I'm not a top-performing jock successful thing too possibly shopping (I am, successful fact, ZDNET's deals and shopping editor), but I tin easy spot nan Tempo band's duality. It is awesome during workouts (it doesn't get excessively basking and is easy to clean) while still being stylish and comfy capable for everyday. 

Also: Should you upgrade to Apple Watch Series 11? Here's really it compares to older models

Nomad's Bone colour is my favourite for mundane wear, truthful I americium sad to spot it missing from nan Tempo band's lineup. Black, while neutral, is harsh, and a existent neutral for illustration achromatic aliases taupe would really information retired nan practicality of this postulation for nan mundane user. I americium besides highly impartial to nan colour pink, and would see unhinged activities to get a ray pinkish aliases basking pinkish variety of nan Tempo band. (Nomad, if you're reference this … telephone me.) 

Notice really agleam nan Tempo set is successful nan Crush (red) and Lumen (yellow-green) shades. 

Kayla Solino/ZDNET

The Tempo band's encompassing greatness is supported by its FKM construction. 

The debased down connected FKM

FKM, nan abbreviation for Fluorkautschukmaterial, aliases much commonly known arsenic Fluoroelastomer, is simply a synthetic rubber worldly made from chains of PFAS. It's durable and tin withstand much utmost elements, for illustration UV rays, aging, deterioration and tear, and, of course, nan tegument cells, dirt, and different grime that tin accumulate connected a watch band. Because of these factors, FKM bands are a awesome action for outdoor activities aliases progressive individuals. Nomad's Tempo set is made of FKM. 

However, immoderate individuals (including plentifulness of Reddit users and Nomad fans) consciousness that FKM whitethorn not beryllium nan safest action for smartwatch bands. If this is you, I'd see watch bands made of leather, metal, aliases different materials. Part of nan FKM statement stems from caller research. A December 2024 study from nan University of Notre Dame suggests that fittingness trackers and smartwatch bands are nan latest user products recovered to incorporate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) -- aka, "forever chemicals."

CNET: Apple watch suit claims immoderate bands incorporate harmful 'forever chemicals

"We are assured that each of our FKM products are safe to deterioration daily. That being said, we person been moving pinch our proviso concatenation to create a PFAS-free FKM, which gives each nan benefits of FKM pinch zero PFAS present. We introduced this worldly for our Tempo set and will beryllium rolling it retired crossed our set lineup complete nan adjacent fewer months," a Nomad spokesperson for nan marque told ZDNET. 

ZDNET's buying advice

If you're looking for an Apple Watch set that tin grip workouts and regular wear, I highly urge immoderate of Nomad's athletics bands, peculiarly nan caller Tempo design. It's a bully size for those pinch smaller wrists aliases those wanting a slimmer look, and it has each nan aforesaid observant creation elements arsenic Nomad's larger strap options. It is besides disposable to brace pinch astir each Apple Watch model. 

If you're looking for a much neutral colour beyond black, you'll want to look elsewhere aliases hold for Nomad to merchandise caller colors.