Abanen Hook and Loop Quick Dry 26mm Woven Nylon Ultralight Sport Watch Band for Fenix 8 51mm / epix Pro 51mm / Instinct 2X / Enduro/Instinct 3 50mm / Fenix 7X/6X/5X

After trying multiple different bands for my Fenix 6 and now Fenix 8 watch, this is by far the best, most comfortable band I've tried.It is super breathable, dries very fast, extremely pliable, and non-stretch. It is exactly what I needed for a snug and secure fit while swimming to get an accurate heart rate reading without having to resort to using a chest strap.I particularly like the metal tab at the end, that is wide enough to prevent the band from slipping off the watch even if the outside hook-and-loop attachment came loose (which never has, at least not so far).

Easy to set use, high quality, exceptional value. Bought this after the rubber strap on my Garmin Fenix 6x Pro Solar finally started to give out. Looks and feels nearly identical to a Garmin UltraFit Nylon strap, which retails for 39.99 USD: you get two of these for half the price at 19.99 USD, and it’s money well spent.Fits snugly in the QuickFit 26 lugs - takes a little bit of effort to push/pull the strap through when you first connect it, but it is really perfectly sized.Not sure how it’s going to handle for swimming/other wet applications, but that’s the nature of the beast for a nylon/velcro strap setup. Update: Mar 2025 - just did some light lap-swimming with it, and the velcro held up held up great! Didn’t have to readjust at all.Would definitely recommend/buy again.

The band that came with my watch was bulky on my small wrist and it's grippy silicone texture would catch on some surfaces, especially my desk. This new band was difficult to attach, I needed to use a metal hook to pull it under the spring bar and pliers to pull it through. Once in place, it feels sturdy and reliable. I can now put my watch on easily with one hand and this band is more comfortable than the original.

SummaryThis is a decent watch band so far. It's comfortable and will likely fit most wrist circumferences. It's easy to install, and for most watches will be easy on / easy off the wrist-- but I have a watch that is not listed as compatible (see Details section.) Comfort-wise, the material is soft and there is a bit of elasticity to it. However this could be a double edged sword when it comes to band longevity. As another reviewer mentioned, when wet the velcro doesn't stick as well.DetailsWatch: Garmin Instinct 2X Tactical SolarWrist size: Under max supported, I'd say smallMain concern: Comfort, can wear to bed. Doesn't get caught on my wrist rest while workingSo I got this because I type a lot for my job, and the stock silicone band is the usual type with a clasp. It would always get caught on my wrist rest, so I'd end up unconsciously taking it off. I need my watch on for a few reasons (mostly pulseoximiter due to athsma, reminders for my job), but I'd end up losing it's benefits during my 8 ~ 10 hour shift. Additionally, I'd take the watch off in my sleep. I tried wearing the band looser, and that alleviated the bedtime issue, but my readings were off.With that in mind, I searched and settled on this band. It's my first 3rd party watch band.*Comfort*So far so good. I haven't had it for that long, but immediately I noticed no itching feeling...so that's good. It's very comfortable and breathable.*Installation*Installing the band was easy...after I realized I gambled with it being compatible and purchased QuickFit adapters (26mm QuickFit Adapter for Watch Band Compatible with Garmin Fenix...), like another reviewer did. I could have probably made it work without them, but there would have still been too much friction (literally) for on / off the wrist. The band works very well with the QuickFist adapters. If you notice the band it a tinybit too wide for the adapters, I recommend getting all setup (band, adapters, watch); then hopping in a hot shower and doing on / off a few times. This'll break things in a bit.(I think another reviewer mentioned places where the band didn't fold well if your wrist isn't a certain size...will fix that too)*Wet*I'm sure this band will dry well when wet...in the summer...but it does hold a bit of moisture. I towel dried the band by covering my hand with the towel and pinching along the band. Helps a bit. Currently wearing the band wet, and it's not so bad. I've noticed that it's dried a bit already in the last 10 minutes...but I take max hot showers.The Velcro does lose a bit of stick when wet, probably due to a combo of less friction, and if hot water, loosening of the hooks / stretching of the eyes. Re-apllying the Velcro when wet did seem to help...a little. YMMV*Longevity*The elastic will eventually wear out, bit it should still be wearable (based on stretch being limited by nylon weave), but may lose comfort as afforded by elasticity. I don't have a problem with that based on my reasons for purchasing, and that will likely be well down the road. It does not seem to be a band meant to take a beating, so don't give it one. I'm sure it can withstand most usage, but scraping in rocks, or anything tough like that is going to wear it out fast.Overall, this band currently meets my needs (comfortable, no clasp catching on things), but I'll probably purchase another band for more intense activies. Since I had to pair this band with QuickFit adapters, that seems like an ideal solution for multi activity usage. Time will tell about how long it lasts, and how it performs when wet, but I'm optimistic

I’ve been wearing a yellow, black, or green one on my Garmin watch for over a year. Pretty durable considering the price

Dries quickly. Looks great on the wrist. Nice alternative to the OEM as the adjustment in tightness allow the band to be "just right" vs the OEM where sometimes it is either a bit too loose or a bit too tight.

You could pay $40 for one of Garmin’s ultra fit nylon bands, or you could get two of these for $20… with no drop in quality! These are great value and super comfortable. They absorb a bit of sweat/water but dry really quickly. Highly recommend.

Not bad, but expensive for just one piece of tape