Apple Watch Nike+ First Impressions.

My Apple Watch Nike+ arrived this afternoon. I’ve been waiting 6 years for Apple & Nike to officially collaborate on a piece of running hardware, we’ve come a long way since the SportBand and shoe pod.

I placed it on the table, and carefully sliced along the seam of the the box. The first thing that struck me when the box popped open, well the first thing that strikes you with any Apple product is the insane attention to detail and aesthetically pleasing, dark, rich, black box.

On opening, Apple have built that ‘suspense’ into the box, it doesn’t just pop open, you have wait a few seconds, it really adds to the appeal of the product.

I was met with the perfect statement, which sums up why I have always been and always will be loyal to Nike+.

“Designed for athletes by Apple and Nike” …. Perfect.

Before I took it out of the box, I thought I would make a list of things that catch my attention, both good and bad, a Pro’s and Con’s list if you like.

This is just my opinion, and in no way is what everyone looks for, but these were my first impressions. I’ll start with the;

Pro’s

Build Quality: Absolutely solid watch. Feels great in the hand and on the wrist. Will definitely stand up to knocks and bumps on the road.

Design/ Aesthetic: Absolute Knock Out. It really is. So clean, sharp and simple. I’d go as far to say the best I’ve ever seen or worn in the running tech space. An absolute design masterpiece. I have the 42mm.

Weight: It’s a lot heavier in the hand than I anticipated, but it disappears on the wrist. It adds to the build quality for me. It just feels like what a running watch should do. They’ve put a bigger battery in due to integrated GPS so this is the main reason.

Colourway: I always had Black Volt in my sights. They’re the vintage Nike+ Colours. I read a few early reviews saying the band was a bit lighter, almost space grey? It’s Black. Rich, matt black with striking Volt. It’s incredible.

Exclusive Nike+ Band: The band itself is awesome. I always have trouble with running watch bands. They’re fiddly and uncomfortable to begin with. The AW Nike+ band is super comfortable straight out the box. I did struggle with the clasp mechanism, but it took 2 goes to get it right. It just feels natural on the skin.

Impact: I mean impact on life (quite dramatic I know). Most running watches/ fitness trackers I’ve had are quite invasive. I have to take them off when writing or typing. I genuinely forgot I had the AW Nike+ Watch on whilst working today. It’s so form fitting and non invasive. It’s a massive shift from the norm.

Removal: Taking it off is super easy. One move. Lift the tab, that’s it. Simple.

Responsive: The ‘wrist turn’ function is unreal. Absolutely seamless. Navigation is quick, customization is impressive. More to come on this in future updates.

Display: The screen is stunning. The resolution is sharp. The display in daylight is incredible, another massive tick from me.

Nike Run Club App: The app is built into the home screen. Unique to this model. It’s great. Literally 2 taps and you’re off. I haven’t ran with it at the time of writing, but have briefly tested the apps functionality. It’s a lot sharper on this watch.

There are some cool updates. ‘Schedule a run’ is a sweet function. I guess a few runs will help with this space. I know there is a LOT more coming from Nike+ in the future. I’m so excited.

Heart Rate: I was VERY nervous about this. HR is a big metric for me. I tested it directly with my Garmin Forerunner 235, which is spot on, and I’m glad to tell you, it’s absolutely PERFECT!! Literally one beat difference maximum. This is a big deal.

Con’s.

I genuinely haven’t found any big Cons so far, certainly none to note. The NRC app was a bit ‘buggy’ to begin with, but after about 5 minutes it was up and running and is so simple to use off the bat.

I hope this has been helpful for now. I’ll look to do a deeper review with battery performance on a run, but these were my first impressions.

This won’t be for everyone. But if you want a stunning running partner, simple to use, key metrics and tonnes of functionally, all built into a solid timeless piece? You’ll love the Apple Watch Nike+

Great job Nike & Apple.