shift band by edgegear questions the traditional orientation of smartwatches

shift band by edgegear questions the traditional orientation of smartwatches 
all images courtesy of edgegear

avid athletes always need gear that allows them to evolve and improve their performance. with smartwatches used to assist in collecting and delivering torrents of vital information, the traditional placement has always been a distraction. the ‘shift’ band by edgegear wants to change the way people interact with devices while still staying focused.

‘while on a long run, my good friend andrew green cursed his new running watch, insisting the watch would be easier to see and press buttons if it was here while pointing to a part of the hand we later called the sweet spot,’ explains c0-founder james gilmore. ‘for the rest of the run, we discussed alternative solutions, but also why fitness watches were still in the same location as the timepieces of yesteryear. we wanted to know our cadence without losing it. we wanted to know our pace without going slower. we wanted the metrics, but wanted to spend less energy and focus getting them. laughing, we blamed the watch interface, our addiction to metrics, or possibly andrew’s dependence on reading glasses, and then the root of the problem dawned on us – the fitness watch really is in the wrong place.’

designed in norway, the band offers an easy fit for both left and right-handed users. the founders james gilmore and andrew green made the first 24 prototypes on their own 3D printer. these iterations resulted in a comfortable and secure fit that weighs approximately 50% less than traditional bands. it has an adjustable strap that fits small to large sized wrists and comes with three loop sizes to choose from ensuring a custom fit and goes on and off easier and faster than a traditional band. the shiftband fits smartwatches like the apple ‘watch’, pebble, as well as fitness training versions by garmin and timex. 

the band with an apple watch the band places the smartwatch in an ideal position for biking   prototypes focused on the needs of just runners 
the design works with a variety of smartwatch brands