Favorite straps, bands, bracelets (and makers thereof!)
I have a much stronger sense of the watches I would or wouldn't add to my collection than I have of the strapsI like or dislike.
I don't get particularly excited about rubber and NATOs (please take care not to get tangled in all that excess fabric when you start stoning me!), but I have a soft spot for canvas straps and aged pigskin and Horween leather, and sometimes for perlon straps as well. I also have a few preferred makers: Holben's Fine Watch Bands offer great bang per buck; and RedRockStraps makes my favorite canvas straps bar none. I'd like to try Forstner's bracelets soon, and maybe Crown & Buckle.
But there are so many strap makers and styles! The StrapSense blog provides some orientation, but I'm very curious about the preferred choices of other Crunchers. Have you found a strap maker that just nails it in terms of price/quality/style, or a style that just works for you and your watches? Keen to broaden my horizon if you're willing to share in the comments! 🙏
I’ve only recently started buying and changing the straps on some of my watches. I’ve gone with Delugs for a few and also NosTime. I recently picked up a strap made of Hanpu Canvas from NosTime.
https://nostime.com/products/tropical-tan-hanpu-canvas-standard-strap
Pictured in order
ZuluAlpha $$$
Lorier/Crown and Buckle/Haveston $$
MARATAC $
I prefer single pass straps. If a strap I like comes as a double pass, 2.6 seconds with trauma shears and a lighter solves the extra height problem.
ZuluAlpha x WOE collab is 👌🏻
I recently praised a Haveston strap: https://www.watchcrunch.com/complication/posts/tudor-heritage-ranger-and-a-new-haveston-strap-195802 but it never made the front page of the site, despite quite a few likes, so a lot of folk probably never saw it. So boosting the signal here; have a look at Haveston.
I am a fan of a decent stainless steel strap that fits well, I like to feel the weight, I also really like NATO straps have a look @hawkrigger I got one for my birthday this year. I was never really a fan of leather as it restricts you to certain activities, so my sevenfriday has taken a bit of a battering on the leather, but I recently won a leather strap from @linhnghiem so I'm going to look after this one 🙏
I really like Barton’s Silicon Elite rubber strap. Very soft and supple, quick release, two sized straps provided for larger/smaller wrists, keeper retention lugs. 5*
For leather,
JPM are excellent off the shelf with some fun colours, quick release etc.
ABP Concept do some very nice bespoke straps with a thousand variations of leathers, colours and online configurator. Pricey but excellent. These guys are based in Paris and are not your run of the mill home made in a backyard shed outfit.
Nomos do very nice suede straps. Super soft and high quality.
For nato style stuff - Bark and Jack are great. Also Erika’s originals for an elastic aged version. You can buy cheaper but these are nicely finished.
I have a few Nick Mankey straps that are really comfortable.
The ribbed single pass from blushark is another one I like.
Delugs CTS is probably the most comfortable rubber I've tried so far.
Exactly 99 strap stores categorised by strap type and material > https://www.straphunter.com/
My favourites retailers are TwoStitchStraps, Haveston, Crown & Buckle, Singular Straps, TorreStraps, Velle Alexander.
I’ve only recently started buying and changing the straps on some of my watches. I’ve gone with Delugs for a few and also NosTime. I recently picked up a strap made of Hanpu Canvas from NosTime.
https://nostime.com/products/tropical-tan-hanpu-canvas-standard-strap
The NosTime straps look lovely, if a bit pricey! Do you have any experience with their leather or suede offerings? I have yet to find a suede strap I really like.
Pictured in order
ZuluAlpha $$$
Lorier/Crown and Buckle/Haveston $$
MARATAC $
I prefer single pass straps. If a strap I like comes as a double pass, 2.6 seconds with trauma shears and a lighter solves the extra height problem.
ZuluAlpha x WOE collab is 👌🏻
Single-pass for the win!
I recently praised a Haveston strap: https://www.watchcrunch.com/complication/posts/tudor-heritage-ranger-and-a-new-haveston-strap-195802 but it never made the front page of the site, despite quite a few likes, so a lot of folk probably never saw it. So boosting the signal here; have a look at Haveston.
I'm very intrigued! I like that there's the option for a canvas keeper. Thanks for sharing/boosting!
I am a fan of a decent stainless steel strap that fits well, I like to feel the weight, I also really like NATO straps have a look @hawkrigger I got one for my birthday this year. I was never really a fan of leather as it restricts you to certain activities, so my sevenfriday has taken a bit of a battering on the leather, but I recently won a leather strap from @linhnghiem so I'm going to look after this one 🙏
Some of those leather straps are WILD! Thanks for sharing!
Some of those leather straps are WILD! Thanks for sharing!
he's a lovey guy too ✨
I really like Barton’s Silicon Elite rubber strap. Very soft and supple, quick release, two sized straps provided for larger/smaller wrists, keeper retention lugs. 5*
For leather,
JPM are excellent off the shelf with some fun colours, quick release etc.
ABP Concept do some very nice bespoke straps with a thousand variations of leathers, colours and online configurator. Pricey but excellent. These guys are based in Paris and are not your run of the mill home made in a backyard shed outfit.
Nomos do very nice suede straps. Super soft and high quality.
For nato style stuff - Bark and Jack are great. Also Erika’s originals for an elastic aged version. You can buy cheaper but these are nicely finished.
I had never heard of JPM! Wow. They look lovely. Have you used one of their straps and seen how it ages and wears in?
I have a few Nick Mankey straps that are really comfortable.
The ribbed single pass from blushark is another one I like.
Delugs CTS is probably the most comfortable rubber I've tried so far.
Never heard of Nick Mankey! I have one elastic strap from www.thewatchsteward.com that I like, especially on a field watch. I might get a second elastic in a bolder color scheme, e.g. from Watch Gecko: https://www.watchgecko.com/products/zuludiver-octopod-watch-strap-aden
Exactly 99 strap stores categorised by strap type and material > https://www.straphunter.com/
My favourites retailers are TwoStitchStraps, Haveston, Crown & Buckle, Singular Straps, TorreStraps, Velle Alexander.
Super useful resource; thanks!
I had never heard of JPM! Wow. They look lovely. Have you used one of their straps and seen how it ages and wears in?
Yeah! They’re great straps. I think Bark and Jack use them to produce their leather straps. Really nice. Soft, supple -
Especially their suede stuff.
I had never heard of JPM! Wow. They look lovely. Have you used one of their straps and seen how it ages and wears in?
Yeah! They’re great straps. I think Bark and Jack use them to produce their leather straps. Really nice. Soft, supple -
Especially their suede stuff.
I had never heard of JPM! Wow. They look lovely. Have you used one of their straps and seen how it ages and wears in?
Yeah! They’re great straps. I think Bark and Jack use them to produce their leather straps. Really nice. Soft, supple -
Especially their suede stuff.
I had never heard of JPM! Wow. They look lovely. Have you used one of their straps and seen how it ages and wears in?
Yeah! They’re great straps. I think Bark and Jack use them to produce their leather straps. Really nice. Soft, supple -
Especially their suede stuff.
I had never heard of JPM! Wow. They look lovely. Have you used one of their straps and seen how it ages and wears in?
Yeah! They’re great straps. I think Bark and Jack use them to produce their leather straps. Really nice. Soft, supple -
Especially their suede stuff.
I had never heard of JPM! Wow. They look lovely. Have you used one of their straps and seen how it ages and wears in?
Yeah! They’re great straps. I think Bark and Jack use them to produce their leather straps. Really nice. Soft, supple -
Especially their suede stuff.
I had never heard of JPM! Wow. They look lovely. Have you used one of their straps and seen how it ages and wears in?
Yeah! They’re great straps. I think Bark and Jack use them to produce their leather straps. Really nice. Soft, supple - Especially their suede stuff
I'm very intrigued! I like that there's the option for a canvas keeper. Thanks for sharing/boosting!
Yes, I really liked the canvas keeper option, too. A great strap. Really good price, too.
The NosTime straps look lovely, if a bit pricey! Do you have any experience with their leather or suede offerings? I have yet to find a suede strap I really like.
Certainly not the most economical choice! Unfortunately, I don’t have much experience with their leather or suede straps. I have a leather pouch from them and it is really good quality leather from Germany. I think they also source from Italian tanneries.
If your looking for full custom straps I have purchased three straps from Arron Bespoke in Toronto. They are one of the best buying experiences I’ve ever had. Responsive, helpful and a great product, gary
I have to go with @twostitchstraps. Whether it's something completely custom or something from their standard offer, they always deliver. I really love the fact that every strap they make is made to order, so you know that your strap is made specifically for you and you can customize it. That's why I keep buying from them for years now.