Strapple’s mock-croc Apple Watch band gives you a taste of the exotic [Review]

Lust List: Crocodilus Apple Watch band by Strapple

This crocodile Apple Watch strap is a total crock. But in a good way! Made of Italian calfskin leather but stamped to look like crocodile skin, this beefy Apple Watch band looks exotic but costs a fraction of what a real reptile hide would set you back.

Big and black, the Crocodilus weighs more than any other Apple Watch band I’ve ever owned. The added heft reminds me of a chunky Fossil watch I loved (back in the days before I couldn’t function without a tiny computer on my wrist).

At first, the Crocodilus seemed slightly stiff. But it quickly broke in with daily wear, and now it’s as comfortable as a favorite baseball mitt. And it’s polygonal buckle, available in black or silver, looks distinctive and feels totally solid.

Alligator vs. crocodile leather: Your wallet loses!

Watch or fashion nerds might spot the difference between alligator and crocodile skin — and they might be willing to drop the extra coin to get the real deal.

True aficionados apparently prefer alligator hide over a crocodile. But there’s no way a punter like me, who’s just looking to put an exotic twist on my Apple Watch without breaking the bank, will pay the premium to go gator.

A beautiful alligator strap from Ullu goes for $399. It looks totally rad! But I’d rather grab one of Strapple’s $129 Crocodilus bands and upgrade my OG Apple Watch to a Series 2 for practically the same money as the Ullu band.

After more than a month, I only encountered one problem with the Crocodilus. You know those little loops that hold down the end of a watch strap? The Crocodilus comes with two, one anchored firmly in place and another that slides up and down the strap to accommodate various wrist sizes. The second one popped off though it added zero functionality. If anything, it proved annoying as I strapped on my watch.

When Cult of Mac asked Strapple, an artisan Apple Watch band-maker based in the Netherlands, about the loop, the company apologized profusely saying, “If anything breaks, we would send regular customers a replacement strap. Some people, with large wrists, also cut off the second holder deliberately because it is of no use to them.”

A well-made mock-croc Apple Watch band

The Crocodilus band looks and feels great. Precision stitching with rugged linen thread attaches the embossed outer surface to a smooth inner lining that’s totally comfortable.

This faux crocodile Apple Watch band will give you a taste of the exotic without taking a gigantic bite out of your bank account.

Enter Strapple2017! to enjoy a 10 percent discount on the Crocodilus and other great Strapple straps. 

Price: $129

Buy from: Cult of Mac Watch Store

Strapple provided Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. See Cult of Mac’s reviews policy; and check out more stuff we recommend in our Lust List reviews.