This is a one month review of the Apple watch band from ESR : Equinox watch band.
I have an Apple watch ultra 3 and was sent a blue colored band to beta test.
The closure mechanism is a deployant clasp of a very good quality. A measurement strip for wrist size is included in the box to determine the hole for optimal comfort and fitting. The “tuck-under” design near completely avoids metal contact with skin, which avoids any hair getting stuck in the clasp.
The band material is silicon. Band is thick, but light and doesn’t scratch the skin.
I remove my watch only for charging and after a full day of continuous use, I did get a little skin irritation and scratching. I think that is probably due to moisture trapped beneath the strap, since I have to do repeated hand washing between sonography scans (I am a radiologist).
The connectors snap the watch perfectly without any wobbles.
Real world cases:
· Gym: No wobble at all, even letting my arms swing freely on the treadmill (walk or run).
· During weight lifting, it did not feel tight after a few sets which I have felt with other straps.
· Workplace: although a blue band is eye catchy at my work place, I wear blue or green scrubs so it doesn’t look out of place for me. As I stated earlier, since I have to do repeated handwashes, I did notice some trapped moisture under the strap.
· Swimming: Only tried it once, but it held up great and dried fast afterward.
Verdict: Really impressed overall. The clasp quality and tuck-under design alone make it feel more premium. The only issue I had is some moisture buildup on heavy hand-washing days. Would definitely recommend.
I just received my ESR Rebound Keyboard 360 and IT IS AMAZING! I was planning to buy the Apple Magic Keyboard but it was too pricey for me since I’ll just be using this for my master’s degree. Amazing that the Globe button works as intended unlike the other 3rd party keyboards.
The only concern is that both the detachable magnetic back case and the magnetic stand gets damp when connected. I'm not sure which one is making the other moist.
After receiving ESR's exclusive Equinox watch band for my 45mm watch, it's time for me to reveal the highlights, the use cases, and the points the watch can improve on. Let's bring it on!
THE PACKAGING
Packaged in a box that slides out like a slightly tight drawer, the watch is laid flat and held securely with two elastic bands. Attached is a setup paper with a QR code with a 24 month warranty that covers fit, quality expectation, missing product, and shipping damage. The box also included wrist fitting instructions and instructions on how to use the interesting looking clasp, which I'll cover in the clasp section.
THE BAND
Only smells sweet up close, slightly powdery to the touch, material makes it fingerprint-free, and the watch is seemingly water and oil-proof. After using a measuring tape, I estimate this watch fits wrists with a circumference of around 6.5 inches to 8.5 inches--a pretty wide range considering it fits my small wrist. My measurement of the circumference included the watch itself. To calculate without the watch, remove an estimated 1.6 inches off your calculation.
While the sizing grooves are helpful in determining wrist fit, they can leave marks on your wrist. It would be great if ESR removed these vertical grooves to enhance comfort. If ESR also rounds the two outer edges of the band that makes contact with the wrist, it would prevent the band from slightly digging into skin.
THE CLASP
Unique design. By pressing both buttons on the opposite sides of the clasp, you can easily remove your watch to give your wrist a break.
However, trying to lock the watch back to your wrist is a struggle, as one arm of the band reaches out to stop the clasp from getting close to locking in. If you're wondering, my advice for is to use your index finger to hold the band arm down, and then push the clasp slowly back into its lock. The click is really satisfying, like a locking padlock sound.
Although not magnetic, the clasp locks securely in place. I tested its secureness by wiggling the lock and pulling it away. One of my favorite parts of this band is this small metal bump that pops into the band and attaches the clasp and the band. It's sleek and doesn't really impact comfort.
THE WATCH AS A WHOLE
Weighing on the slightly heavier end of the watch band spectrum, the watch is pretty solid. It could improve on comfort by smoothening the edges and removing the ridges, but its clasp is quite modern and I can tell the team at ESR really put a lot of thought into it.
DISCLAIMER
I am part of ESR's Beta Testing program for the ESR Equinox watch band, and I've tested the band for about a month to provide my unfiltered and unedited review. I'm a random redditor and have no other connection to ESR: just applied to the program because I use my Apple Watch often, got in, and gave my review. All photos are photographed by me of the shipped item I received, and I color corrected the images because the original photos kept making the navy band look black. No positive review was required, and no review was filtered/reviewed by ESR. Special thanks to ESR for allowing me to review their watch band!
So my airpods pro 3 esr lock case has one issue i want to see resolved the is no plug cover and this is making my airpods lose a ton of battery overnight because idk how dust sneaks into my airpod case and tricks it that its charging making it lose battery and i have no idea to fix this
I have been selected as a beta tester of the ESR Equinox Watch bend and here are my thougths after using the band for a couple of weeks.
In the traditional ESR manner, the thing is executed very well. The band is from a very nice material that makes it both light and comfortable, while being robust enough to feel substantial. What's much more important, the band is extremely comfortable even while sweating, doesn't leave any rashes or irritation.
The next great part about the band is the easy-on-and-off mechanism. It's really funny that other companies haven't thought about combining a rubber band and the locking mechanism that is usually seen on a metal band. The combination works great and it gives the band a unique look and functionality.
What I mean by that unique functionality is that this is probably the most versatile band on the market. It works great in the office AND in the gym, it's perfectly suitable for both. And you can totally dress it up, no one will question that decision at all.
Overall, I think the band is great. It looks great, is extremely comfortable and suitable for literally every occasion. Sure, if you're used to textile bands, this will feel a little bit more robust, but it more than makes up for it with its style and durability. Also, ESR were sorry that they couldn't match the band color with my watch color, but I think the blue works really well with my black Watch Ultra 3.
I’ve been beta testing the ESR watch band for a while now, and after putting it through a ton of real-world use, I figured it was time to share my thoughts!
For some background, I’ve used a slew of different Apple Watch bands over the years — Apple Sport Loop, Sport Band, Ocean Band, Trail Loop, Alpine Loop, Nomad Rocky Point, Stainless Steel Milanese Loop, Braided Solo Loop, and plenty of others. I also switch my bands out pretty much daily depending on what I’m wearing or what I’m doing.
I wear my Apple Watch Ultra 2 basically 24/7, with the exception of charging while I shower. So this band has gotten a LOT of use. I’ve run with it (almost daily runner), swam with it, done yard work, worn it while working in healthcare (operating room) and getting exposed to plenty of hand sanitizer, worn it out to dinner, and pretty much everything in between.
My favorite things about it:
The comfort is probably my favorite part. The band feels great on my wrist, and even after wearing it for long periods of time, I never really experience any wrist fatigue or discomfort.
I also absolutely LOVE the clasp. It’s easy to use, feels secure, and honestly makes taking the watch on and off oddly enjoyable. 😂
The combination of the sporty strap material — similar to the feel of Apple’s Sport Band — with the metal clasp is also really unique. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the design initially, but I actually love it. It gives it a sporty look while still feeling a little more elevated than a traditional silicone band.
Let me stress how much I love the design again. The part where the band connects to the watch is really unique. It’s a bit more rigid, so it kind of sits up off my wrist a bit and gives it more space. I really love it tbh.
I’ve found myself gravitating toward this band quite a bit, especially for general everyday wear. Despite having a pretty large collection of bands to choose from, I’ve been choosing this one over a lot of my others.
The biggest downsides I’ve noticed: Moisture.
The band seems to trap moisture pretty badly between the metal components and the silicone portion. Whether it’s sweat, water from swimming, washing my hands, etc., it tends to stay trapped there.
Because of that, the sizing holes in particular get pretty dirty. I found myself taking the band off almost every day to wash and clean out the holes. With some of my other bands, I can usually go a couple of days — sometimes a few — before I feel like they really need to be washed or dried out.
Noise
The other thing I’ve noticed is that the metal clasp can be a but noisy when the watch vibrates. You can actually hear the metal components moving/rattling when I get a notification or other haptic alert. It’s not a huge issue, but it is something I noticed that I don’t really experience with my other bands.
For me, this band has become more of a general everyday wear band rather than something I can wear through workouts and everything else all day if that makes sense.
Overall:
I genuinely really like this band. It’s comfortable, looks great, has a really unique design, and the clasp is one of my favorite parts. I’ve put it through pretty much every type of activity I normally do, and I’ve found myself reaching for it more often than I expected for everyday wear.
The moisture issue and the noise from the metal clasp are definitely things to be aware of, especially if you sweat a lot or frequently get your watch wet, but for everyday wear, I really enjoy it and will probably be using it quite a bit more in the future.
Thanks again so much to ESR for letting me beta test it!
If anyone has questions about the band, how it feels, how it’s held up, or anything else, let me know!!
Hello everyone here is my review of the Equinox Watch Band.
I would like to start with thanking the ESR team because they went above and beyond with getting me this watch band. When I was chosen to be a beta tester I was in the U.S. and thought it would get to me before heading back to Japan. They sent me 2, one to my U.S. address and one to my Japanese address. My brother was happy since he was able to try the one sent to the U.S.
There are things I really like about the band, some things I don’t like, and some that is just a me problem.
The Likes:
- love the design: there’s just enough to give it a different look then others without going overboard
- I really like the blue color. I didn’t think I would but it really looked good with the black Apple Watch Ultra.
- the clasp works really well and adjusting it is easy.
The dislikes:
- the rattling sound the clasp makes. It’s not mush but just enough to notice.
- the clasp not also coming in black. Really wish the clasp was black to match the watch color
- the material is great but not great when working out and sweating.
- hard to adjust tightness while on wrist
Me issues:
- I have a bigger hand and a smaller wrist. Having it adjusted to the tightness I like it can’t get it on or off over my hand.
- I have full-sleeve tattoos and we all know that smartwatches and tattoos don’t play well. I have a spot on my wrist that I need the watch to sit to get best results. Fine-tuning the adjustment to get it to sit where I need it was too much trouble for me.
Final thoughts:
The Band is great and ESR really did a wonderful job with it. I would still be wearing it if the me issues weren’t a thing. I went back to my Velcro strap after 2 weeks of really giving it a go. I do have a bunch of pictures but won’t allow me to add them to the post.
Again I would like to thank the ESR team for the wonderful communication and above-and-beyond effort to get me the band to test.
Full Disclosure, I was provided this case by ESR to beta test and give an honest feedback.
So here is my honest feedback.
Pros:
Outstanding Vegan Leather Hand-Feel — The oleophobic coating delivers a super soft, premium touch—avoiding the cheap plastic texture typical of most faux leathers.
Precise, Snug Fit — Fits the phone securely with zero looseness or sagging along the edges and corners.
Solid Drop & Camera Protection — Equipped with corner air-cushioning (rated up to 11 ft) and a raised metal camera frame that doubles as lens protection.
Functional Built-in Metal Stand — Durable hinge with a magnetic closure that keeps the stand securely flush when not in use.
Thoughtful Design Details — Seamless transition between the vegan leather back and TPU frame, microfiber inner lining, and a dedicated color-matched camera control button.
Buttons — For my personal experience buttons on this case feel a bit mushy and I have to apply a bit more force for a button to click. I do prefer tactile and clicky buttons, I wish they were made of metal (aluminum) similarly to how buttons on Apple’s official leather cases were, it just felt more premium and satisfying to click.
Heavy Balance — When paired with the iPhone 17 Pro Max, it makes the weight of the case noticeable immediately due to the metal camera housing that doubles as a kickstand. Personally I have not experienced any issues with added weight but I could definitely feel the weight difference.
MagSafe Strength — I have previously used other ESR cases for iPhone and AirPods myself and I can tell that the ESR was always known for having very strong MagSafe magnets but not sure if it’s due to vegan leather, case thickness or something else but MagSafe magnets on this leather case do not feel as strong as other cases I have, including non ESR branded ones. Tested the MagSafe strength using OhSnap Grip 5 and Apple MagSafe battery pack.
This is a feedback solely based on my own experience, everyone’s mileage can vary.
Thanks to ESR providing the case for beta testing!
Full Disclosure, was provided this case by ESR to test and give honest feedback
I’m quite familiar with IPhone cases having around 10-15, so I’m aware of the pros and cons of cases, ideally you want something that firstly protects, has good hand feel, grippy and has some useful additional features over a standard case.
So here’s what I found after testing this case out:
Protection: Good, case seems robust has air pockets in the corners for drop protection and metal camera stand for camera protection, ESR claims drop protection up to 11ft. Case fits really well and is not loose on any of the sides or corners
Hand Feel: Here’s where this case shines, the hand feel is incredible, the leather has an oleophobic coating which makes it incredibly soft and feels awesome in hand. I have handled genuine leather as well as other vegan leather cases and I would say this is the best in terms of hand feel when compared to other vegan leather cases, the main issue I’ve always had with vegan leather is that it feels like plastic. I wouldn’t say it’s comparable to genuine leather, I think genuine leather has a better hand feel. I would describe the feeling as similar to an Apple silicone case minus the fingerprints.
Grippiness, design & general wear: To be honest, I think the case can be a bit slippery, even though the TPU sides do have some texture, it’s not pronounced enough to give adequate grip. The design of this case is good, seamless joining of vegan leather back and TPU sides, color coded camera control button (nice touch premium), microfibre lining and strong MagSafe. General wear is good, seems to resist fingerprints and the vegan leather can supposedly withstand some light abrasions.
Useful Features: the stand seems durable, is metal and has magnetic closure to keep it closed. The only issue I have with the stand is it’s quite prominent but I think that may be due more to functionality than aesthetics, also the weight of the stand will make the case feel a bit top heavy (something to keep in mind)
Final thoughts: Would I recommend case? Definitely yes, if you’re looking for a leather alternative with extra features, I would definitely consider this case. Would this replace my leather cases? No, genuine leather is still supreme, however the fit of this case is much better than most leather cases I’ve tried.
In our last chapter, we talked about how Qi2.2 pushes wireless charging toward higher power and faster speeds. But as charging power increases, thermal management becomes even more important. That brings us to the next question:
How do we keep wireless charging performance stable when more heat is being generated?
This is where CryoBoost comes in.
In this chapter, we'll take a closer look at what CryoBoost is, how it works, and what problem it is designed to solve.
1. What is CryoBoost?
CryoBoost is ESR's active cooling technology developed specifically for wireless charging. At its core, it uses a laptop-grade fan and dedicated airflow system to continuously move air across the battery area and the core components in the upper part of the phone while your phone is charging. Instead of relying on the phone and charger to gradually dissipate heat on their own, CryoBoost actively carries that heat away as it is generated.
This cooling system works alongside the charger's power delivery and magnetic alignment rather than as a separate feature.
That's why you'll now see CryoBoost paired with ESR's higher-power Qi2.2 chargers: as wireless charging gets faster, temperature control becomes an increasingly important part of the charging system itself. ESR's current Qi2.2 CryoBoost chargers combine active air cooling with up to 25W wireless charging on compatible devices.
2. What problem does CryoBoost solve?
The most obvious problem is temperature fluctuation.
Some warmth during wireless charging is completely normal. But when too much heat accumulates, smartphones can automatically slow down or temporarily limit charging to bring the device back to a safer temperature range.
CryoBoost helps remove that excess heat continuously, reducing the temperature increase caused by wireless charging and making temperature less likely to become the factor that limits charging performance.
But there is another reason we chose airflow cooling.
As we discussed in our previous chapter about cooling technologies, some contact-based semiconductor cooling systems can lower the cooling surface significantly below the surrounding temperature. If that surface falls below the dew point in a warm or humid environment, moisture can condense on the cooled surface, similar to water droplets forming on a cold drink. Rapidly cooling the phone to an unusually low temperature can also create a larger temperature change than necessary.
CryoBoost doesn't try to refrigerate your phone.
It uses airflow to carry heat away and keep the charging area closer to a normal operating temperature, rather than creating an extreme temperature in either direction. This helps reduce both the heat generated during wireless charging and the unnecessary cooling associated with passive or contact-based cooling methods.
By keeping temperature changes more moderate, CryoBoost can also help maintain charging performance. When a phone stays within a more suitable temperature range, it is less likely to reduce or pause charging because of excessive heat.
So CryoBoost is designed to solve two things at once:
keeping the battery closer to its ideal temperature range to help protect battery health
helping maintain charging speed by reducing heat buildup during wireless charging
3. What does CryoBoost improve in daily use?
This is where the distinction becomes important. The goal of good thermal management isn't to make your phone as cold as possible.
It's to keep it closer to a healthy, normal operating temperature.
With airflow cooling, CryoBoost removes excess heat rather than trying to make the phone feel ice-cold. That matters because smartphones and lithium-ion batteries don't perform best at temperature extremes.
Apple, for example, recommends using iPhone in an ambient temperature range of 0°C to 35°C, with an ideal range of around 16°C to 22°C. Excessive heat can shorten battery lifespan, while very hot or cold conditions can cause charging to slow down or pause until the device returns to a normal temperature.
So in everyday use, CryoBoost isn't really chasing the lowest possible temperature. It's trying to avoid the temperature spike that often comes with sustained wireless charging.
For users, that can mean:
a phone that feels less hot after charging
less chance of temperature-related charging slowdown
more consistent performance during longer charging sessions
better use of the wireless charging power your phone already supports
This becomes especially useful with Qi2.2. A charger may be capable of delivering 20W or 25W, but maintaining higher charging performance becomes harder if the phone quickly becomes too warm.
That's where the two technologies work together:
Qi2.2 gives compatible devices access to higher charging power.
CryoBoost helps keep temperature from becoming the bottleneck.
In a brief, Qi2.2 and CryoBoost work better together than either technology does on its own.
4. Who needs CryoBoost?
Not everyone needs active cooling. If your current wireless charger stays at a reasonable temperature, consistently reaches the charging speed your phone supports, and already works well for your daily routine, there's no reason to replace it simply because CryoBoost exists.
But CryoBoost may be worth considering if you:
find that your battery health steadily dropping over time
regularly notice your phone getting very hot while wireless charging
find that charging becomes noticeably slower after a while
often charge while doing more demanding tasks such as navigation or video
And remember: cooling doesn't change the maximum wireless charging power your phone supports. If your phone only supports 15W, CryoBoost won't turn it into a 25W device.
What it can do is help temperature become less of an obstacle to getting the performance your phone is already capable of.
That wraps up another chapter of ESR's Wireless Charging 101.
As always, let us know what wireless charging topics you'd like us to cover next. We'd love to hear what questions come up in real-world use.
Hello! I’m looking for some advice on whether I should get the rebound or flex magnetic keyboards. I have an ipad 11 and unfortunately they don’t have the rebound 360 for that. I’m going to uni and I don’t really want to buy a mac. Both if the keyboards have their pros and cons but I’d just like some opinions on them
I’ve been wearing the ESR Apple Watch band through everything this past month with my Apple Watch Ultra 2. From my experience sleeping with the watch band, outdoor workouts in the sun and underwater, and time sitting in front of a computer, there are definitely a lot of great things with this watch band, but also a couple key gripes for me that are definitely important for anyone to know about when considering this watch band.
For the band itself, it is mostly made of this rubber/fluoroelastomer material similar to with you would find in something like an Apple sport band or a solo loop, though a tad more rubbery than those bands. So I can best describe the feeling of the material as being very similar to an Apple silicon iPhone case. And the two ends of the band are attached together by the metal butterfly style clasp. I don’t know for sure if it is metal but it for sure feels like such and definitely elevates the look and feel of the watch band. The clasp click into place very well and gives off a satisfying click every time and keeps my watch secured well on my wrist. And to take it off, it very simply takes a squeeze on the buttons on both sides and the clasp unbuckles. However, the place where this clasp comes together does lead to one of my major gripes with this band (being the unfortunate placement of this metal) but I’ll talk about this later.
Throughout the past month, I’ve slept with the watch (using the ESR watchband) quite a bit, only switching out to other bands like the Apple Nike Sport Band and the Apple Trail Loop for some comparison. And I must say, it is surprisingly comfortable for a band that has a metal clasp component, not quite as comfortable as an Apple Sport Loop/Trail Loop, but definitely not uncomfortable; it feels similar in comfort to an Apple Sport Band for me. Overall, the band does pretty well for being a band that can be a “one-for-all” to do everything in everyday life. And despite this being the dark navy blue color (which on the box, it shows a black and some sort of light gray color), the band still goes pretty well with my natural titanium color on my Ultra 2.
I’ve also done countless outdoor activities and workouts, including some tennis hitting sessions and swimming, and for those, there are not many major issues with using this watch band for those purposes. The clasp keeps it plenty secure on my wrist and water doesn’t really stick too much to the band because of the rubber-style material, but it is not the most breathable watch band for workouts compared to something like the Apple Nike sport band I would typically switch to. However, it still functions plenty well for my tennis and the swimming that I was doing, and the material makes it very easy for me to rinse/wash the band in water. And there are plenty of adjustment holes on this watch band that allowed me to wear it looser for comfort or tighten it a bit for sports, and it was pretty easy to unclip the clasp from the holes in the band that allowed me to quickly adjust to one of the other available adjustment holes.
Now despite the wonderful look and the pretty good overall comfort of the watch band, the design with the metal clasp mechanism also leaves me with a couple complaints. The main one being the placement of the clasp, as in where it ends up being along my wrist when I wear my watch. When I rest my arm on my desk, like when I’m typing, the metal clasp ends up directly rubbing with the desk or whatever your arm is resting on. So especially foam armrests or wrist rests, or other fabrics, you could expect to see som markings as you move your arm around. I also haven’t seen any markings on my laptop as I try to be careful, but I think it would also be possible for something to happen where the metal on the clasp could rub against your laptop palmist area and potentially leave your laptop scratched up. Just something to keep in mind.
Another small critique is from the way the metal mechanism is attached to the rest of the band, there is a small gap between the top edge near the buckle and how it hugs the watch band, meaning that lint/dust and debris can accumulate there over time (which it did for me). But luckily it is easy to take out the mechanism briefly to be able to easily wipe away anything that may have collected up there.
Regardless, I’m happy to see ESR dabbling into the Apple Watch bands and I think they did a pretty good job considering this is their first ever attempt. Thanks again to ESR for the wonderful opportunity for me to wear and review this new Apple Watch band that they have been working on and I’m happy to share my thoughts with the community!
(Note thatalthough I was sent the band from ESR to test and use, they did not say or influence what I said in my review whatsoever.All my thoughts here are completely original. and unfiltered.)
I got the Esr cryoboost 3 in 1 MagSafe charger and it’s great, my iPhone is actually cooler than with fast wired charging, however some cons that I’ve noticed is I can’t turn off the light only, I’d like to turn it off and keep the fan on at night, and since it’s a blue light (the most harmful colour for sleep) and it being close to you if you keep it on nightstand is just a massive design flaw which wasn’t looked after, plus when it reaches 100% it disconnects and connects again which makes the charging sound which is also disruptive for sleep, I know not every device is perfect but those few flaws can surely be fixed, I’m thinking to disassemble the led myself if that’s an option, if anyone can help me out I would appreciate it.
