I’m over NATO straps

I have to agree - NATO straps are OK occasionally, but I can't get over them making the watch 'hover' on my wrist. You can partially mitigate that by having a single pass-through, but that is not 100% satisfactory. There are plenty of fabric/canvas straps with quick release spring bars. Those are the ones I prefer to wear.

I never liked them and I think they are only good for insta-cheaping the look of watches.

I go back and forth. I like the look of the NATO strap on some of my watches, but the nylon material makes my wrist itchy - not in an allergic reaction way but in "the tag on the back of your t-shirt" way. I think I may need to buy more expensive NATO straps or go back to bands.

I’m in the same place - really like the look but don’t like the experience. The watches seem to sit too high on them and the strap end is too long so I end up fiddling around to tuck it away. Luckily they are generally inexpensive - unless you choose to pay over £300 for an OEM Omega Bond strap (?) - so it’s easier to bear the disappointment!

I used to have that NDC Olive Green/Yellow line strap on my Seiko Flightmaster. I had it on for a while but I just got sick of it after I got caught out in the rain once. It just felt gross. The one that I have on now, feels way much better. As far as the other NATOs that I have on my Seikos, no complaints. I guess that is just something that NDC straps have that cause people problems. And that Olive Green color? Ummmmm, reminds me of a big ol' toad :P

ordered a Erika's Originals

Holy cow, those are expensive as hell for a piece of elastic. I've gotten the exact same thing on amazon for $10US. Granted, there's not a huge logo on the buckle, but that's a plus imo.

I can pretty much guarantee that you have not gotten "the exact same thing" on amazon. There is very much a difference in the quality of the fabric and stitching, both of which can have a noticeable effect on the wearability and durability of the strap.

That doesn't mean that Erika's Originals straps are worth their price. "Worth" is, after all, a subjective evaluation. For some folks the better quality is worth the higher price; to others it is not. Watches are fun because of the variety of opinions held by its enthusiasts.

I was also going to suggest a Marine Nationale style strap as an alternative. I do own several Erika's Originals and like the quality; however, in reference to the OP, they are also threaded between the lugs like a NATO strap and, thus, have a layer of fabric between the watch case and the wrist.

To avoid that altogether, I suggest a hook strap from Nick Mankey Designs or an Original or Minimalist Series from The Watch Steward. Both will give the look of a NATO strap with increased comfort (softer fabric), better fit (elastic strap and infinite adjustability), and no fabric between the watch and wrist.

I love NATO's. Their versatility is a big plus. Super simple and cheap to change up a look by swapping straps. NATOs and Bund straps rule when working on the farm or other outdoor activities with comfort and redundancy. In the office whilst not as preferable than sailcloth or leather straps still better than bracelets that get scratched up on desk surfaces whilst working at a desk.

The only NATO straps that I have came as extras with my Homage watches. I tried wearing 1, and it lasted all of ten minutes on wrist. Not certain if that is a quality issue or just my personal likes and dislikes though.

A NATO strap on a field watch looks great, I love them.

I predict next year’s trend will be non-integrated sports watch bracelets. In other words, people just using the nice bracelet that they bought with the watch.

I'm definitely biased but I definitely think there's a spot in everyone's collection for NATO straps. I think a large part depends on the quality of the straps you buy. With proper quality straps the next main aspect is how many holes are put on the strap. On my straps I try to get as many as possible to allow the small adjustments needed for each watch. Different watch cases will take the same NATO and make it feel completely different. Having extra holes allows for the "micro" adjust.

I like the „on-the-fly-changeabilty“ bit they never stick long to any of my watches 🤷🏻‍♂️

I am not a NATO strap fan. They seem to look fine on other folks but I just dont care for them.

I got some from Ebay, CNS Watch Bands, and one of them on Mercari. 21mm bands are really hard to find in specific colors. You just have to search all over the net for them.

Okay, some other comment here. I love NATOs I order them by the dozen. I just learned to get used to bracelets.

The look of a watch completely changes by colour and theme.-pulled Leather, is my new drugs. So here it is, greetings 🖖🏻 from a nato lover

I hear you on the NATOs, I prefer the parachute and zulu straps myself if I'm going for that look. I also prefer bund straps to any of those.

If you like NATOs, but don't like the feel of most or how they sit on your wrist, then you should try the ones from Lorier. They are super silky smooth and sit beautifully on your wrist. They are also very reasonably priced.

Here are some wrist shots using them...

For the more rugged watches, then definitely bund straps for me...

They different materials indeed. And sometimes the watch hovers to much above your wrist. There are straps with just a single go through and no extra belt under. I’m in great favour of the pulled leather at the moment. But hey it’s a free world. Don’t wear it if you don’t like it.

Thanks for the info

Look at that. A pilot watch above the clouds. Doing’ great up there Kristian full G

It's snow, since both are made of ice crystals I guess it's similar. 😉

Oh wow, thanks for this 👍

Love NATOs. They can make a watch truly pop when worn with an outfit, and add a touch of colour to keep things interesting.

I don’t like them at all. I don’t like how they feel or look. Then I did this just to see. Looks great maybe I’m wrong 😂

I have a ton of them too, but the only regular use I give any of them is on field watches. Having an already huge dive watch floating half an inch above my wrist is too much 😁

I wear my watches (Oris, Sinn, IWC) on NATO straps 75% of the time. I think it puts all of the focus on the watch head — which I really like.

I have to balance bracelets, with rubber, with NATO straps. I just did a TGV and put a NATO on my Flighty, but my new Glycine came with a nice rubber strap. You know there are 7 different ways to wear a NATO apparently. I have a single pass under which limits the hover.

I recommend Marine Nationale straps. Somewhat the same look, but single pass, flexible and adjustable to the precise millimeter that fits you😊

Love a NATO, but pretty specifically must have a sewn in buckle or it's not a NATO it's a material strap that looks like a NATO , coz as I'm sure we're all aware the whole point of the NATO strap is to negate the effects of spring bar failure...and having the buckle held on by a spring bar clearly doesn't fit this ethos!!

Sewn in buckle

My preferred brand is Watchgecko Geckota Zuludiver (whatever they want to call themselves) & I honestly choose them over my Omega NATO's because the Omegas are thicker (raising the watch too high), don't have a sewn in buckle, the keeper on the flappy bit is sewn in in such a way that it's inflexible so the strap can only be worn one way ( traditionally,so you can't do single pass & reduce height)....

Love a good NATO 😜