Smartwatches are built to track your training, but most are not built to take a hit. If you play a contact sport, lift, race or work on your feet, here is how to think about protecting your watch, and which option fits the way you play.
The three kinds of smartwatch protection
Screen protectors
A thin film or glass layer over the display. Good for scratches from everyday wear. They do little for hard impacts, and nothing for the band or for the people around you.
Bumper cases
A hard shell around the edge of the watch. They help with knocks against walls and doorframes, but they add a hard edge to your wrist and usually leave the band exposed.
Padded covers
A soft cover that goes over the whole watch and band. This is the only option that also protects other players from a hard watch face, which matters in contact sports. Impact Band is a padded cover with D3O® inside, a material that stays soft while you move and hardens on impact to absorb and spread the force.
Which one do you need?
- Everyday wear and the office: a screen protector is usually enough.
- Contact sports like football and soccer: a padded cover, so you are protecting the watch and the people around you.
- Training like CrossFit, HYROX and lifting: a padded cover you can open to check your stats.
- Racing like obstacle course racing: a low-profile padded cover with nothing to snag.
- Work like construction, trades and warehouses: a padded cover over the screen and band.
Do you need to see the screen?
This is the deciding question. In a game you are not looking at your watch, so full coverage makes sense. That is The Band. In training you want your splits between sets, so you need a cover that opens. That is The QB, with a padded flap that flips open and closes again.
Does it work with my watch?
Impact Band slides over the watch and its band, so it fits most wrist-worn smartwatches and fitness trackers. You choose by wrist size, not by model. More detail for Apple Watch, Garmin and WHOOP.
One more thing: check your league
Some leagues restrict watches and jewelry during games. Check your league's equipment rules before game day.
Play hard. Keep your watch on. Shop Impact Band. Not the right fit? Returns within 30 days are free.
