Different buyers choose their smartwatches based on different traits. Some want in-depth health features, others need a way to control their phone from their wrist, and some prefer a cheap and dumb smartwatch.

For me, I prefer a good running watch. I want something that's durable, tracks GPS accurately, and offers a long battery life. I don't need to manage my life or count my steps from my wrist. I just want data from my expeditions.

However, I broke my watch in the same way that I damaged the two before it. And it's taught me something: A good smartwatch is only as good as its strap, and spending money on a worthwhile band will pay off big time.

Smartwatches and their history

Trivia challenge

From early digital wristbands to today's health hubs — how well do you know the smartwatch story?

Which company released what is widely considered the first commercially available smartwatch in 1994?

The Pebble smartwatch became a landmark product partly because of how it was funded. How much did its 2012 Kickstarter campaign ultimately raise?

Apple Watch was first announced in September 2014, but when did it officially go on sale to consumers?

Which operating system powers the majority of Samsung's modern Galaxy Watch lineup?

IBM and Citizen collaborated on an early smartwatch concept in the late 1990s. What was this wearable prototype called?

The original Apple Watch was offered in multiple 'Editions' at launch. What material was the ultra-premium Apple Watch Edition casing made from?

Fitbit is best known for fitness trackers, but it did release a full smartwatch. What was the name of its first true smartwatch, launched in 2017?

Which health-monitoring feature did Apple add to the Apple Watch Series 4, making it a milestone for the wearable health industry?

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How a frantic tennis match broke my smartwatch

I hit the wrong kind of wall

I use the Polar Vantage M2 to track my runs, cycles and, recently, tennis matches. However, when I recently used it for the latter, within 30 seconds of play beginning, I chased a stray ball into a wall.

I didn't notice immediately, but I hit my wrist quite hard on the wall, and when I returned to the court, I was without my watch. It'd been knocked off my wrist in the impact, and I hadn't immediately noticed.

Thankfully, the smartwatch wasn't damaged, but the strap had been torn straight through. The small loop at the end housing the spring bar, which usually attaches to the watch, was torn. You can see what I mean in the pictures.

Despite the smartwatch working perfectly, the watch was unusable because I had no way to attach it to my person. I had to play an entire hour of tennis without tracking it: unthinkable.

Polar's replacement straps are expensive, so I bought a cheap alternative on Amazon. I like its look, but it's not very comfortable; that's what I get for cheaping out. And looking back at my history, I'll put more thought into my next purchase.

A history of broken smartwatches

The straps are a weak point

The Polar Vantage M2 isn't the first smartwatch I've broken in this way, or even the second. I have a history of breaking the straps on watches I use.

While I haven't done a survey, I imagine this is common. After all, watch bodies are often designed to be durable, with high IP ratings and a protective chassis. Some are built for climbing, diving, or contact sports: they survive.

However, watch straps are often thin strips of silicone or Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU). They're meant to be lightweight and breathable, but that often means they're frail and don't hold up under pressure.

Whether they're designed for fitness, fashion, or sleep ease, these bands aren't built to last in the same way that the bodies are, which is why I find them so easy to break.

I've previously broken the straps of two wearables I've reviewed; one was a Wear OS watch, and the other a budget fitness tracker. In both cases, the device was still useable, but the in-box strap didn't survive life's little challenges.

I should note: these straps weren't broken because of day-to-day use, but through accidents when using them to track exercises. In one case, I got too close to a wall while running and bumped it off, and in the other I fell off a bike.

So it's not that the bands are so frail that they're poor quality. But they're not designed to withstand the accidents that sometimes befall our tech, that the watch bodies themselves would survive.

Buying a strap that's designed to last

Materials and designs that work well

I've learned how to buy a watch strap that's designed to last. These often come from the company that makes the device, as a premium extra, but sometimes other companies make them.

Some watch straps are made from titanium or stainless steel, but I find metal bands add unnecessary weight and offer too much friction when running. To me, these materials are for fashion watches, rather than fitness ones.

I wouldn't consider a leather strap for a fitness watch. The salt from sweat destroys the material. They're not breathable either, making them nasty for summer use.

Fluorocarbon Elastomer, or FKM rubber, is often mentioned as a reliable alternative to TPU and silicone, which feels similar but lasts longer. For swimming or water sports, it's where I'd look.

But my personal preference is nylon. I find it the most natural-feeling strap material, yet it's durable and stays tight on a wrist. When I started using nylon bands, I didn't think they felt robust, but I've never had a problem with them.

Finding something you trust

Nylon isn't always the cheapest smartwatch strap material, but it's something I'd trust to keep my wearable on my wrist during an activity. I won't spend an entire run worrying about my watch flying off.

That's what you want in a strap. If you think TPU is the best material for you, be it due to the fit, feel, or a specific clasp type on a select strap, you'll have more peace of mind using it.

Finding a reliable strap is, in my eyes, as important as finding the best smartwatch. If you have a good strap and know how to maintain a smartwatch, you have an unbeatable setup.