Could Nomad Stratos be the best Apple Watch strap yet?

Nomad Stratos combines rugged titanium with soft FKM to deliver an Apple Watch strap that’s as refined for the boardroom as it is ready for outdoor travel.

Nomad has a reputation for making one of Apple’s most popular devices look even better. From the rugged Horween leather collections to the glow-in-the-dark Rocky Point Band, the Californian brand has a knack for blending design with toughness when it comes to the Apple Watch.

Every release refines how the Apple Watch can look and feel, elevating it from tech to something that styles and fits seamlessly into daily style. Earlier this year, Nomad introduced the Tempo Band, a lighter and more affordable option aimed at casual users.

Now, the brand has moved to the other end of the scale with the Stratos Band, a premium Apple Watch strap built for people who expect more from their gear, not just their gadgets.

The Stratos Band continues Nomad’s steady evolution in design. Following two years of development and more than six years of refining its earlier bands, this latest model takes the company’s materials and craftsmanship to a new level of precision. It’s Nomad’s first hybrid metal strap and, visually, one of its most distinctive.

By combining Grade 4 titanium with compression-moulded FKM rubber, the company has created something that looks like a traditional bracelet but wears like a high-performance sports band. The titanium forms the outer structure, giving the band its strength and the refined industrial edge Nomad fans expect. Through the cut-outs, flashes of coloured FKM rubber peek through, revealing the flexible inner core beneath.

That inner structure is where the comfort lies.

FKM, a high-end fluoroelastomer known and used for its resilience, is waterproof, flexible, and resistant to wear. It ensures the band is soft enough against your skin but strong enough to keep up with a demanding lifestyle.

Nomad has always paid attention to the small details, and Stratos continues that tradition. The titanium links, lugs, and buckle are injection-moulded and finished with a Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating to help prevent scratches. The inner FKM links feature discreet ventilation channels, keeping things cool during extended wear.

Even the clasp has been redesigned with a nickel-plated Grade N52 magnet that secures firmly and releases smoothly, withstanding up to 20kgf of lateral force.

The fit has also received attention and now boasts a new feature that many will find helpful. A micro-adjustable buckle offers fine-tuning in 1.8 mm increments, supported by two included three-quarter-length links for perfect sizing.

Nomad has switched to a stainless-steel spring-bar system, making it far easier to adjust or resize than older Nomad metal bands, and every strap includes an adjustment tool, extra links, and spare spring bars.

Nomad designed Stratos to fit almost every modern Apple Watch, with compatibility across 49, 46, 45, 44 and 42 mm sizes.

This band bridges the gap — a hybrid band for a hybrid lifestyle — offering a more polished alternative to athletic bands and a more comfortable option than metal bands.

Nomad Goods

For smaller wrists, the adjustable 130–200 mm range should ensure a better fit.

The band will be available in six configurations, each combining different hardware and FKM finishes. You can choose between Black Titanium or Natural Titanium for the outer metal components, matched with Black, Volt Yellow, or Ultra Orange FKM rubber cores.

The Black Titanium/Ultra Orange pairing perfectly mirrors the Apple Watch Ultra’s orange Action button, while the Natural Titanium/Black core offers a cleaner look that pairs neatly with more of the standard Apple Watch finishes.

Nomad’s product team describes Stratos as the culmination of everything learned from crafting hundreds of thousands of Sport and Titanium bands over the past six years.

Stratos has been designed for men aged 25 to 45 who live active lives yet value a balanced routine. That insight shapes the product: Stratos isn’t trying to be flashy or over-engineered; it’s meant to perform wherever you take it.

With a clean and contemporary design language, the contrast between the titanium and pops of colour from the inner FKM makes the Nomad Stratos one of the most eye-catching Apple Straps of the year.

Features	Nomad Stratos Band
Sizes	42mm 44mm 45mm 46mm 49mm Ultra Series 1–11 SE
Wrist Range	130 mm – 200 mm
Width	23.5 mm
Weight	Up to 55g
Colour Options	Black Titanium + Black FKM Black Titanium + Volt FKM Black Titanium + Ultra Orange FKM Natural Titanium + Black FKM Natural Titanium + Volt FKM Natural Titanium + Ultra Orange FKM
Materials	Grade 4 titanium outer links Compression-moulded, PFAS-free FKM rubber inner core
Water Resistant	Water-resistant design
Features	Scratch-resistant DLC coating Nickel-plated Grade N52 magnetic clasp Withstands 5–20 kgf lateral slide-out force Micro-adjustable buckle (1.8 mm refinement)
In the Box	Stratos Band Adjustment tool Extra links and spring bars
Website	nomadgoods.com

The Stratos Band retails at $179/£149, and each model ships with a complete adjustment kit, only at nomadgoods.com.

With Tempo now established as Nomad’s entry-level option and Stratos positioned at the premium end, the company has defined a clear multi-tier approach to its Apple Watch bands.