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Like it or loathe it -and the jury seems to be very split on this one -but that orange Alpine Loop Band for the newApple Watch Ultra is very eye-catching and fabulously distinctive.

And so, it wasn't going to be long before third-party copies started to go on sale at the usual places.

I've had quite a few questions about these bands that I decided to take a look for myself, so I ordered three differentorange Alpine Loop -style bands from three different sellers. The straps were priced between$15 and$24.

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My first surprise was that all three bands were same. Packaging varied slightly, but the bands were identical to each other.

The color, the weaving, the finish on the metal parts, all the same. This leads me to believe that they all came from a single source originally.

Another thing I noticed was that these bands are small. I'd ordered medium-size bands (I wear a large band, but I was sent a spare medium band), and the Apple band is some 25mm or 1 inch bigger than the clone. I'd struggle to get an Apple Watch Ultra fitted with a medium band on my wrist, but with this one I had no chance.

Clone Apple Watch Ultra band (top) next to a genuine Apple Watch Ultra band (bottom). Both are medium-size, but the clone is substantially smaller.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/

Then there's the color.

The loop part of the band seems to be a close match in color to the Apple band, but the main part of the strap is a deeper color, more red than orange. In fact, on close inspection it looks like a weave of red and white threads.

The colors are nowhere near correct, with the clone strap (front) being a much darker red.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/

At a glance, the copy might pass as a genuine Alpine Loop, but a closer look is going to easily dispel that idea.

The fit and finish of the metal parts are quite good. Not anywhere as good as the finish of the parts on the genuine Apple Alpine Loop, but not bad at all. However, the hook is magnetic, which means that it's definitely not titanium, and the end bits are much brighter and polished, and while they're not magnetic, they're not titanium either. I'm guessing they're made of stainless steel, but maybe not.

The metal parts on the clone strap are different from those on the genuine Apple band, and the hook doesn't match the end bits.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/

While I wasn't expecting titanium parts, it is worth noting that two of the three straps I purchased specifically mentioned a titanium G-hook in the listing.

The metal parts on the clones are definitely not titanium!

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/

Now, so far, these bands don't feel too bad. I mean, the genuine Alpine Loop band is$99 and these range between a quarter and a sixth of that price.

The clone strap fits well on the Apple Watch too. The fit isn't as tight as the genuine strap, but it's more than acceptable.

Fit and finish of the genuine Apple Watch band (left) compared with the clone (right).

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/

What do you expect.

But then I took a look at the strap itself. 

I noticed that the ends are glued down, and they came apart with very little encouragement. This adhesive wouldn't stand up well to water or sweat even in the short term. Underneath the tab was some ugly-looking stitching holding the hoop together. 

This adhesive is very poor-quality and not built to last.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/

The good thing here is that when the adhesive gives way (it's not a case of "if"), the stitching will stop your Apple Watch from falling off your wrist. But the quality of the stitching isn't brilliant either, so how long that will last is up for debate.

Buy the Apple Watch Ultra Alpine Loop Band

$99 at Apple

Verdict

I wanted to like this first crop of Apple Watch Ultra Alpine Loop clones, but given the poor quality of the strap, I really can't recommend them. Sure, if you want a strap that'll last for a few weeks and are happy to toss it into the bin when it starts to fall apart, then that's OK.

But your watch strap falling to bits is one thing -- if both the adhesive and the stitching come apart, then you could lose yourApple Watch , which is another thing entirely.

I also have concerns about the metal parts. If you're allergic to metals such as nickel then I'd be wary of using a clone strap like the ones I examined, because one thing's for sure, those parts are not titanium.

So my advice is to either wait for better clones to hit the market, or splash out on agenuine Apple Alpine Loop band . 

Apple

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• Unlock the best new features in iPhone 15, iOS 17, and Apple Watch with these tips
• iOS 17: The most impactful new iPhone features are also the ones you'll notice the least
• New iPhone 15 models compared: iPhone 15 vs. Plus vs. Pro vs. Pro Max
• One subtle (but important) reason to buy the iPhone 15 Pro instead of the iPhone 14 Pro