Nomad’s new iPhone case and Apple Watch band may be its coolest yet
Though the world of Apple accessories is a dime a dozen, one of the better brands that you can buy is Nomad. Nomad has a variety of amazing leather Apple Watch bands and cases, as well as non-leather options, too. In August 2023, Nomad released a one-of-a-kind Glow in the Dark Apple Watch band that sold out in about 12 hours.
Since that Glow in the Dark band was a limited edition, no one was sure if Nomad was going to re-release it, and this explains the high resale prices you’ll find on eBay. But Nomad just released the Glow 2.0 Apple Watch Sport Band as well as a new Glow 2.0 Sport Case for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. And, yes, they’re just as wonderful as before.
The new and improved Glow 2.0
So, what makes Glow 2.0 better? The original was more of an off-white color with a tinge of pale green. The new Glow 2.0 definitely has more color to it, with the classic pale green color that turns into an eye-catching, glowing neon green when the lights go out. The glow effect is three times brighter than the original, which wasn’t an easy task. Nomad went through about two dozen variations of the product to get both the color and glow intensity right.
The Glow 2.0 Apple Watch Strap is made with FKM fluoroelastomer rubber that is 100% waterproof and features a custom aluminum closure pin (it’s similar to the Apple Sport Bands with the pin-and-tuck enclosure). You can get it in two sizes for the Apple Watch: 49mm/45mm and 41mm/40mm. The strap costs $60, and you can purchase one from the Nomad website.
This is also the first time that Nomad has created a glow-in-the-dark Sport Case for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The case has a high-gloss yet grippy backplate and anodized aluminum tactile buttons. It provides 8 feet of drop protection and is fully MagSafe and wireless charging compatible. It’s $50 and available to purchase on Nomad’s website.
Nomad says that the trick with the band’s FKM material was finding the right balance of pigment dye and luminous material. After two dozen variations, it glows three times brighter than the original.
For the case, there was more to it than just changing the color. Nomad had to sample three different manufacturing techniques for applying the luminous ink to achieve a color and glow intensity that it was happy with. Once that was determined, it needed another few months of production trials to ensure that the glowing effect wouldn’t be degraded by high heat and pressure during the production process.
Give your Apple gear a glow-up
When the original Nomad Glow in the Dark Apple Watch Strap came out, I was on a family vacation and didn’t get a chance to check it out. I wasn’t aware that it would become one of Nomad’s fastest-selling products either, so I was out of luck on getting one and didn’t want to pay a ridiculous above-retail price for it. I had asked Nomad if it was coming back at some point, and it looked bleak at the time.
But when I saw the news of Glow 2.0 hit my inbox, I was ecstatic because I didn’t think it was ever happening. I got a Glow 2.0 strap for my Apple Watch Ultra as well as a case for my iPhone 15 Pro. I’ve always been a fan of Nomad’s products because they’re high-quality and look good. In fact, I prefer Nomad Sport Bands over the Apple ones, and the Glow 2.0 is my new daily driver.
At first, I thought the pale green color looked a bit yellow. Even my 2-year-old daughter thought it was yellow at first. Maybe it has a tint of yellow in it, but for the most part, it is definitely a pale green. I like this color more than the original, which was almost white.
As for the Glow 2.0 Sport Case for the iPhone 15 Pro, it’s definitely a brighter shade of green than the strap. The anodized aluminum buttons provide great tactile feedback when pressed, and the overall profile is slim. I’m not a big fan of the high-gloss back, though, as it is prone to fingerprints and smudges, so you’ll have to wipe it down often. But it is nice and grippy in the hand.
Now, let’s get down to the fun part: the glow itself. I’ve been wearing the Glow 2.0 Sport Band for the past few days, and it’s just lovely. Like most things that glow, you’ll get the best results after exposing the band to bright, direct light.
When the lights go out, the Glow 2.0 gets pretty bright. I took a few photos of the case and strap in my bedroom with blackout curtains, so it gets pretty dark in there. But the best example I was able to capture was when I went to see a movie, and my strap was pretty much lighting up the place. You could easily spot me in a pitch-black theater if I waved my hand around.
If you’re worried about the glow keeping you up at night, don’t! The glow does fade after a while, so it won’t be lighting up the room all night long.
Want one? You better act fast!
I had a serious case of FOMO when I missed out on the glow-in-the-dark band and wasn’t sure if it was coming back. I’m thankful Nomad brought it back for a second run that’s actually better than the first, and this time with a phone case.
If you’re interested in picking up a Nomad Glow 2.0 Sport Band or Sport Case for your iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max, then don’t wait. There were only a limited number of units produced, and with the first run selling out in less than 12 hours, this one is probably going to go fast, too.
