The Ultimate Guide to Garmin Watch Straps

If you're anything like many of our other running obsessed Garmin Watch Strap customers, then your Garmin watch is not only a fundamental part of your daily life but also an extension of your arm. Garmin Watches boast some of the most impressive functions in the Fitness Watch space today and are not only the first on the shopping list not only for runners but for athletes of many different sporting backgrounds. But just like any other Fitness Watch on the market today your Garmin watch is only as good as good as the Garmin Watch Strap that is attached to it.

With Garmin Watch Straps there can be a little confusion as there is quite a bit of cross over in which models of Garmin Watch Straps fit each device. Therefore to help our Fitstraps faithful out with these queries we decided to put together the ultimate guide to Garmin watch straps, so you can find the perfect one for you going forward. 

Can Garmin Watch Bands be replaced?

Yes, all Garmin watch straps can easily be replaced. In fact, they were all designed in order for their users to be able to change out their Garmin Watch strap if they needed. This allows Garmin Fitness Watch users to easily replace their watch strap instead of the whole device when the strap is getting dirty and fraying around the edges. In addition to this many users wish to have the option of adding more colour choices to their wardrobe allowing them to match up their favourite Fitness device with a different Garmin Watch Strap for each running outfit or even going out gear.

Changing across your Garmin watch band to a fresh new one is a somewhat easy process; however these steps will vary slightly from model to model. With so many different options available for each and every Garmin Watch if you are looking for a fresh new Garmin Watch Strap to bring your watch back to its best then Fitstraps always the place to look first. With every device covered more styles and colours than anywhere else online. You’ll always be sure to find the right Replacement Garmin Watch Strap for you at Fitstraps.

Are all Garmin Watch Straps the same?

If you're a new Garmin Watch user and you’ve been using your Fitness Watch for a while, you may be thinking you might want to change your Garmin Watch Strap up at some point. Do all of the different models of Fitness Watch that Garmin make use the same type of watch band? Well the answer to this is, no, not all Garmin Watch Straps are the same, for the majority of Garmin Fitness Watches they require a specifically made replacement Garmin Watch strap corresponding to the Garmin device.

For the majority of cases, each of the individual models of Garmin watch have been designed to use a specific type and size of watch, based on the width and the locking system of the specific Garmin Device. That being said, there are a few models that cross over with one another allowing a Garmin Strap for certain devices to also be compatible with other Garmin devices.  For example one of the most popular, our Garmin Vivoactive 3 Straps, are also interchangeable with the stylish and Garmin Forerunner 245 Strap..This is due to the fact that both straps are 20mm in watch strap width and share vary similar fittings. 

This is because both of these styles use the most used type of watch strap in Garmin devices, which is what Garmin call the QuickFit strap, this style of strap uses a simple pin-and-tuck mechanism to ensure that your Garmin Watch Strap stays securely in place. These types of straps for Garmin are also available with Fitstraps and come in wide range of styles such as Leather, Metal and Nylon designs. These type of Garmin Watchbands are also the most simple to install and can be done in seconds without any tools for fitting.

At Fitstraps we design all of our Replacement Garmin Watch Straps to always ensue they have been specially designed for each specific device, corresponding seamlessly with the width and the catch of every single model of Garmin Watch out there on the market today. This not only allows for maximum comfort for the user but also swift instillation of your fresh new Garmin Wristband when it arrives at your door. 

Why are all Garmin Watch Bands so expensive and where can I buy them for less?

Garmin watch are on the pricey side because they're not only produced with high-quality materials but have been specifically made to cater to each specific model of Garmin Watch on the market today. They are also known for their high levels of durability, longevity in addition to being comfortable on the user’s wrist. This means they are obviously always the first option for users of Garmin Fitness Watches.  

However, in the end, the choice of whether you should buy an official Garmin Watch strap comes totally down to you. You love the device and how it functions, however by adding a few more watch straps colours to your wardrobe you could nearly buy a whole new device! At Fitstraps we just give you another option. If you are in the market to sharpen up you Garmin Watch Band for a better value price while making certain you don’t have to compromise on quality and style, FitstrapsUK is your number one choice. Check them out here.  

How to wash my Garmin Watch Strap?

As we have said previously keeping your Garmin Watch Strap clean year round is not only an important practice when it comes to making your watch strap last longer than ever before but also ensuring it feels more comfortable on your wrist for longer than before. If you are looking for the full guide on how to care for your Garmin Watch Straps-

If you just want the quick wins in your quest to a cleaner, longer lasting watch strap, try these tips below-

• Remove the Garmin watch strap from your Garmin Device, using the Fitstraps tools provided if applicable to your device.
• Give your Garmin Watch Band a quick rinse using just warm water.
• Then apply a tiny spec of mild liquid soap to a soft cloth and lightly scrub the strap, taking extreme care not to damage the material on the watch strap itself.
• Once this is completed rinse the soap off slowly using warm water.
• Let your fresh and clean Garmin band air dry wholly before reattaching it on to your Garmin watch again.

The Best way to wear a Garmin Watch Strap?

Garmin Watch Straps come in many different shapes and sizes, as do users of Garmin devices. Over the years we have served marathon runners to Olympic levels weightlifters and therefore there isn’t a precise answer to this question when it comes to tightness. How you choose to wear your Garmin Watch Band will depend completely on your specific comfort preferences and sport and fitness goals. Many user like to wear their Garmin Watch straps fairly tight, while others would much prefer a fit on the slightly looser side. This being said there are a few pieces of key info that may be helpful to you when making the decision of how you want to start wearing your Garmin Watch Strap in terms of tightness.

Thinking that a looser fit would be better for you? Something you may want to keep in mind here is that the looser you have your watch strap to your wrist the less precisely the sensors on your Garmin device can work when it comes to taking the readings from your wrist. This would lead to your stats possibly becoming marginally skewed when the data is presented across a whole week. So we would say that if functions such as the heart rate data were of massive importance to you in getting the most from your Garmin Device, just to keep this in mind. It will be a trade-off between how comfortable you feel when wearing the watch and how well your device is gathering that all important data.

If you are brand new in the Garmin Watch Strap game, it may be a good idea to begin with a somewhat tightened setting, see how this feels over a few weeks and then you can modify as you need moving forward. This will offer you the opportunity to get used to the feel of the watch on your wrist and make sure that it stays tightly in place and feels comfortable also. If the strap feels annoying as the days go by you can just loosen as the strap slightly to see if that feels any better.

Can Garmin Watch Straps fit other Fitness Watch models such as Apple and Fitbit?

At Fitstraps this is an extremely regular question we get asked- can Garmin the watch straps also fit for other models of Fitness Watches such as Apple and Fitbit? 

And the answer is yes..............sometimes………………….but not that well. We know that is one on the vague answers you could be given, so we will elaborate.  The problem is, each Fitness Watch design holds its very own proprietary strap mechanism, unique to its own design. Some of these designs are very similar for some of the Fitness Watch designs and therefore on certain Fitness watches it is possible to force the straps into place. For example many of our Garmin Watch Straps for certain designs are also compatible with many of the models of Samsung fitness watches due to the fact they share the same straps width of 20mm and similar fittings.

Despite this our advice is to always ensure that you get yourself the correct straps specifically designed to fit the model of Fitness Watch you own. This will make certain that you keep your Fitness watch as securely fastened to your wrist as possible will providing you with the best wearing experience.

The great news is though if you are in the market for a Fitbit Strap, Apple Watch Strap or a Samsung Sports strap. We have these all fully covered too, with an amazing selection of styles and colours for every model on the market today. 

Why does my Garmin Watch Strap irritate my skin?

This an issue we have come across many a time since we began providing Garmin Watch Straps way back in 2018. A small handful of Garmin Watch Strap customers have over the years reported problems with a small rash on their wrist directly underneath the position that they wear their Garmin device.  This issue of some mild skin irritation may be due to the materials used in the Garmin watch strap that reacts badly to certain users skin conditions.  The majority of Garmin Watch Bands that are worn are made with Silicone materials and in all our years serving the Fitness Watch community here in the United Kingdom we have only ever had this complaint from users of the Classic Silicone Straps. The Silicone Garmin Straps can cause a minor skin irritation in some user skin especially if they have sensitive skin. If you're a Garmin Watch Strap user who has ever encountered this problem, there are a few little actions that we can advise that may be worth attempting to help alleviate the issue.

First of all, if this issue ever affects you we would recommend switching across a different material of watch strap as this has combated the issue rapidly for the majority of our users. We would urge you to switch across to either a Leather Garmin Watch Strap or a Metal Garmin Watch to see if this will cause the skin problem to cease. At Fitstraps we have an ever growing collection of alternatives for all models of Garmin Devices so if this issue is effecting you check them out here-

You’ve tried switching up to a leather Garmin Strap or a Metal Garmin Strap but the issue still persists. What now? We would encourage you to always make sure that your Watch Strap is being cleaned properly on a regular basis. When you’re massively into your running as many of our Garmin Watch Strap customers are, it can be really easy for sweat and dirt to build up on the strap, combine together which can unfortunately be a supporter of the conditions causing the irritation. Therefore keeping your watch strap clean all year round is of tremendous importance in your fight against that pesky rash on your wrist. If you are in any doubt of how to best keep your Garmin Watch Strap clean without damaging the look or the feel of the straps we have a full guide here which should assist. 

If you are still having issues after addressing the above steps the last tip we are able to give would be placing some sort of plaster or bandage on your wrist behind where you will be wearing your strap. This can act as a barrier between your skin and your Garmin Strap which will help assist against the irritation. This however may a bit uncomfortable for some users so it may be better to just do this when you are exercising to stop the sweat coming into as much contact with the watch strap.

Finally, if you have given all of these tips as try with no success we would always point you in the direction of your GP as there may be another condition link to the skin irritation that they will be able to diagnose.

When the dust has settled and it’s all said and done, a new Garmin Watch Strap is a fantastic way to customize your look and feel of your favoured fitness watch. With a tiny bit of know-how, you can easily find the strap to fit your needs – whether that’s for when you’re out running, hitting a hard CrossFit workout or even out for dinner with friends. We really hope this guide covering sizing, changeability, best practices and common problems with Garmin Straps as helped in some way. Don’t forget to share this article below via the buttons at the bottom with any of your Fitness Watch friends out there.