Football is one of the hardest hours of your week for your body, which is exactly why so many players want it in their fitness data. But it is also one of the hardest places to wear an Apple Watch. Here is what actually happens to a watch on the field, and how to keep tracking without breaking it.
Is it allowed?
That depends on your league, your level and sometimes your referee. Rules on wearing watches and jewelry vary between youth, high school, flag, club and adult leagues. Before game day, check your league's equipment rules or ask your coach. Practice and training sessions usually have more flexibility than games.
What can go wrong with a bare watch
- The screen. A tackle, a fall or a hand on the turf puts your wrist under someone's body weight or straight into the ground.
- The band. Bands can snap or the watch can pop off when a jersey, a glove or another player's hand catches it.
- Other players. A hard watch case is an edge in a pileup. That is a big part of why leagues are cautious about watches at all.
- Sweat and dirt. Turf, mud and sweat build up between the band and your skin over a long practice.
Your three options
1. Take it off
The safest choice for the watch, and the worst for your data. You lose heart rate, calories and workout credit for one of your hardest sessions.
2. Leave it on, uncovered
You keep the data and take on the risk: a cracked screen, a broken band, and a hard watch face in contact with other players.
3. Cover it with padding
A soft padded cover over the watch and band keeps it tracking while hits land on padding instead of glass. Impact Band uses D3O®, a material that stays soft while you move and hardens on impact to absorb and spread the force.
Games vs practice
In a game you are not checking your watch, you just want it covered and out of the way. The Band is low profile with no flap, built for game day. At practice you want to see your stats between reps. The QB has a padded flap that flips open, then closes again. Plenty of players use both, which is why The Bundle exists.
Getting the fit right
Impact Band slides over your watch and its band, so pick your size by wrist measurement, not by watch model. Measure around your wrist where you wear your watch. Bands run snug, so size up if you are between sizes. See the size guide.
Coaching a team?
We make custom bands with your logo on every band, like the ones we made for the DC Divas. Get a team quote.
Keep your watch on for every snap. See Impact Band for football or read more about Apple Watch protection.
