5 Best Rugged Apple Watch Cases to Protect Your Smartwatch

The Apple Watch is one of the best smartwatches out there. Be it the accurate sleep tracking after the watchOS 7 update or the seamless app integrations; there’s a lot to like about these smartwatches. However, like any gadget out there, these watches are delicate and tend to collect its share of scratches and scuff marks on the belt if you are not too careful with it. And trust me it’s not a pleasant experience. Thankfully, there are plenty of rugged and armored cases in the market.

With hard TPU edges and reinforced corners, these rugged cases keep your watch in pristine conditions. They are especially helpful if you are often in the field. The only issue is that they lend a bit of bulk to the case. But rest assured that does not ruin the style and in fact, lend their own style to the watch.

So if you are in the market looking for some rugged cases for your Apple Watch, here are some of the best ones to protect your new smartwatch. But before that,

• Looking for cases for your AirPods? Here are the best clear cases.
• These are the best lightning charging cables for your car.

1. Spigen Rugged Armor Pro

Compatible with: Series 4, Series 5

Spigen Rugged Armor Pro

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If you are a bit careless about their smartwatches, you should certainly get the Spigen Rugged Armor Pro. It packs a thick layer of shock-absorbing material that wraps around the watch (except for the crown) and safeguards it from impact, scratches, and bumps. Spigen chooses to do away with the strap of the Apple Watch and replaces it with a rugged band. And as you may have expected, this one gives an altogether rugged look to the smartwatch.

Like most phone cases, this one also has raised edges along the sides that protect the screen from scratches, should the watch fall face down.

My husband has been using this strap for quite some time now, and can safely say that it does its job as advertised. The good thing is that the material is breathable and doesn’t collect sweat easily.

The only thing you have to keep in mind is that it adds considerable bulk to the watch and you’ll have to sacrifice its slim profile. But well, that’s the price you have to pay for safety.

You can get this case for both the Series 4 and 5 watches.

2. Spigen Rugged Armor

Compatible with: Series 4, Series 5

Spigen Rugged Armor

Buy

If you are searching for a strong and sturdy case minus the band, the Spigen Rugged Armor makes for a good buy. It’s a shock-resistant case that keeps the edges shielded. Quite naturally, it adds a bit of bulk, but luckily you can choose a band that will fully complement the case.

Installation is pretty easy. Unlike the one above, you do not have to remove the watch body. All you need to do is attach the case from the above.

The crown remains exposed while the side button is enveloped with a textured button cover.

The Spigen Rugged Armor is available in four colors – Olive Green, Black, Rose Gold, and White, to coordinate with the watch strap’s original color.

3. YOGRE Apple Watch Waterproof Case

Compatible with: Series 2, Series 3

YOGRE Apple Watch Waterproof Case

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The YOGRE case for the Apple Watch seals the watch from all sides and provides 360-degree protection. Yeah, this TPU case also bundles a screen protector and you can bid farewell to screen damage. Like the first item on this list, it bundles a band with the case with a traditional watch-like lock. And the IP68 waterproof protection sweetens the deal.

The case lets you wirelessly charge your watch, which is a big plus. After all, you wouldn’t want to take off the case each time your watch needs a charge.

Unlike the watch cases above, the YOGRE covers both the crown and the side button.

4. Supcase Unicorn Beetle Pro

Compatible with: Series 4, Series 5

Supcase Unicorn Beetle Pro

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The Supcase Unicorn Beetle Pro case for the Apple Watch brings both style and ruggedness to the table. The dual combination of TPU and polycarbonate does it best to shield your watch from damage and to bear the brunt of impacts and falls. Needless to say, this makes it one of the best cases to have if you work in a construction site or if you handle heavy machinery. The crown is uncovered while the side-button has a textured cover.

The band is integrated with the case has a series of double perforations. This design ensures that there’s no sweat trapped between the band and the strap.

The Supcase Unicorn Beetle Pro case is available in many attractive colors and hues. If you want your watch to stand out starkly, the Memba is the best option.

5. ADDSMILE 360-degree Protective Case

Compatible with: Series 4, Series 5

ADDSMILE 360-degree Protective Case

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The Addsmile case beings the best of both worlds. While the primary case is built strong like a rugged case, the straps are designed like sports cases. The latter has enough perforations like sports cases and makes sure that both water and sweat evaporate easily. It’s built like a tank and the odds are that your smartwatch will remain in pristine conditions.

The only issue I found was that it has a thick raised platform on the right edge, which tends to steal the look of the watch.

If you are fine with that, this one is a good case to consider.

As Strong as a Tank

With these rugged and armored cases, you can rest assured that your smartwatch will remain in good condition. And well, bulk and armored cases go hand in hand. Just be sure to store the original bands of the Apple Watch carefully as they do not come cheap.