How are the wear of your QF26 bands?

Not sure what you're doing with yours but I've been wearing mine (the one that came with the watch) 24/7 for 3 months now and it still looks brand new. Swimming, cycling, running, working on my truck, sleeping, etc

I bought a second strap so I have 2 colours, but have been wearing mine day and night without any signs of wear on either strap. I got one of the early ones too (serial number <500) so I have had the watch a fair while.

It almost sounds like you are wearing the watch too tight. I've had garmin devices with bands made of the same type of material for years, and never seen what you are seeing

Jim, not sure if you have a fenix 5, but the material for the fenix 5 straps is different to those I've had on previous watches (205, 310, 910, 920, f1, f3). It is much more flexible and feels softer than previous straps, I guess they are the silicone straps you can now buy for the f3. I am hoping for me that they last longer. My body seems to eat the older watch straps which I cannot make last a year after which point they crack and break.

Anyway, despite the material being different, I have seen no sign of the wear being described.

KENTR

I'm seeing the same thing, I ended up buying a metal band for normal wear, and just using the silicone one when I work out.

gasterpod -
Yup. Got an f5. It's like the band on the va-hr and I had one of those since the day it came out. (so over a year on that one). They also had bands like this for the vivoactive (I got a silicon one for that early on)

Update to my previous post on this thread: fast forward a little bit and my stock band is now definitely showing some areas of smoothing on the area between the clasp part and the keeper loop, right where the inside of my wrist is. Since noticing this I've tried to be more conscious of where i'm resting/rubbing that part of my arm on things but can't really seem to put it together. Oh well.. bought a few of the Chinese knock off quick fits that should be here soon enough

So I've been wearing my F5x everyday since I got it on launch late March and I've noticed that the band lost all the textures between the buckle and clasp. What is even worst is that I've lost two holes on the band (meaning it expanded).

I'm just worried that the band might break and my F5x shoot out of my arm while running. So is it safe to assume to change bands every year? And are the black bands that come with the watch the same as the ones they are selling online (QF26) in terms of quality.

Cheers guys

I'm unsure what you do every day with your device, but as another poster suggested, it sounds like it may be a little tight.
I used my 3HR with daily, rough military usage and never had any strap issues.
I have been using my 5X in the same way and there isn't even a mark on the strap.
Tbh, I guess it's not really a big deal. Based on the assumption of an annual change, the straps are cheap as chips anyway.