5 Great replacement bands for the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live

BY Rita El Khoury

Published 30 Jun 2014

g-watch-gear-live-replacement-band

The LG G Watch and the Samsung Gear Live are currently available for pre-order and ready to ship this week (for the LG) or the next (for the Samsung). One advantage to both Android Wear devices is that, despite their nondescript look, they have removable 22mm watchbands, so you will be able to accessorize them to your liking with different colors or materials. I’ve been on an Amazon/eBay mission to find some of the best 22mm bands and came away with 5 main designs you can purchase today.

Military-style nylon band

Military nylon bands have one advantage over all other replacement watch straps: they can be easily replaced without having to remove the watch’s pins, making them the ideal choice for those who like to change them often and match them with their clothes or other accessories. I was a bit unclear on how the band was installed, until I saw this video below that explains it.

There are hundreds of different options for 22mm military nylon bands on eBay, but you may want to look at this $5.95 one with many color options, a well-rater US seller, and worldwide shipping for $1.79. You can also find them for roughly $10 on Amazon. And if you don’t like the silver buckle, you will want to look for “PVD” in the title, which gives you bands with black-colored buckles, like these ones on eBay or this one on Amazon.

Military nylon band replacement for the LG G Watch / Samsung Gear Live

Stainless Steel strap

If you’re looking for a classier look, nothing beats the feel of metal in your watch, and that’s where these stainless steel straps come into play. There are many different designs for these bands, the main two being the classical one with individual removable elements or the uni-piece with a steel mesh — I’m personally a fan of the latter.

Stainless steel bands with individual elements are available in silver or black for around $11.5 on Amazon or $6.5 on eBay. The mesh design (black, silver, gold, rose-gold) is currently on sale for $6 on Amazon and also available for $17 on eBay.

Black mesh stainless steel replacement band for the LG G Watch / Samsung Gear Live

Rubber tire strap with buckle

I instantly fell in love with this watch strap but unfortunately, I won’t be able to get it, because its minimum length is around 13cm and I have tiny wrists that measure 15cm total (including the 5cm for the actual watch). However, if you have larger wrists, you can get any rubber strap and cut it to fit. It’s a very sporty look and one that should work very well with any smartwatch.

You can find rubber tire straps in various colors (black, white, red, blue, orange, yellow) starting $13 on Amazon or $17 on eBay.

Rubber tire with buckle replacement band for the LG G Watch / Samsung Gear Live

Stitched silicone strap

This is quite possibly the most ideal replacement strap for Android Wear devices because it’s tough, sporty, and comes in black silicone with colored stitching (white, grey, orange, blue, yellow, red) for a nice effect without too much flamboyance.

The stitched silicone strap can be found between $17 and $19 on Amazon depending on the color, or for $17.5 on eBay.

Stitched silicone replacement band for the LG G Watch / Samsung Gear Live

Leather strap

Of the various straps I found, this has to be my least favorite, because leather feels a bit too traditional and prone to damage to me. However, if you like leather and you want to give your Android Wear watch a more conventional look, then you’re in luck because replacement 22mm leather watch straps are quite easy to find.

There’s an abundance of finishes, qualities, and colors, starting from $1.70 for a PU leather band on eBay or a well-reviewed genuine leather with an alligator print band for $13 on Amazon, and going to exorbitant $50 and $100 priced bands for fancier materials and brands.