Three Essential NATO Straps For The Summer
 

Three Essential Military-Style Straps For The Summer

3 min read
Christopher Perry

Categories

Guides

Christopher Perry

Categories

Guides

When the weather gets warmer sometimes you just cannot beat a good Military-styled strap...

Summer is finally here and with that a lot of outdoor activities. For me a good Military styled strap is the best type of strap for summer, even better than a metal bracelet. Military and ZULU straps can be found at a pretty neglectable sum of money, can go in the water and are super easy to swap around without the need for tools. Because Military straps come in such a large amount of different colours, designs and materials it’s also a great way to add a little bit of extra colour to your wrist. With two or three different types of Military straps you’ve got all the bases covered and can change straps in seconds depending on what the day has to offer.

 

The ZULUDIVER Sennen - Image Credit: @fadedbezel

 
Another important reason and one of the main reasons I started wearing Military-style strap in the first place is the safety aspect. Because Military straps are one piece they protect against possible spring bar failure. Now, it’s not common and I’ve never had a spring bar fail on me, but I would hate to lose a watch to the bottom of a lake due to a dodgy springbar. You know, wearing a Military strap is just one less thing to worry about and that’s a good thing. Worry-free and looking good!

Below are my picks for the ultimate summer trio...

Geckota "Duntz" Leather

If you don’t have any water activities planned and just want to “chill”, a genuine leather Military strap is a great choice. The leather range of Military straps are very soft and relatively thin compared to many other leather straps that I’ve tried, which means that it doesn’t add too much height to the watch. Due to the thickness, or rather lack of thickness, it’s also great for folding the end of the strap, not ending up with a huge bulge, but instead a neat little fold like on a fabric Military strap. Another great thing about a leather strap, besides looking great on almost any watch, is that it will over time get a nice patina, which makes it look even better and can add a little vintage feel to a modern watch.

The ZULUDIVER 328 Italian Rubber

 

The ZULUDIVER 328 Italian Rubber - Image Credit: @fadedbezel

 
If you know that you’ll have a day of water activities then the ZULUDIVER 328 is a perfect choice. The super-soft rubber smells like vanilla and has solid and premium feeling hardware. This strap has served me very well both in and out of the water. Because the rubber is super soft it won't slide around on the wrist and still wears comfortably, even when the wrist swells up due to heat. One thing to keep in mind is that this type of strap doesn’t allow the wrist to breath, meaning it can get a little sweaty unless you go in the water.

Make the ZULUDIVER 328 Rubber yours here...

ZULUDIVER Sennen 

If I could only choose one strap to wear on all my watches the ZULUDIVER Sennen would be it. This is by far the most comfortable Military-style I have ever owned and the weaving has a texture, which I think leans more towards the casual side rather than the dressier side. This strap is according to me the perfect allrounder Military-style strap, it could possibly even be the ultimate watch strap, period. It looks great, is quick-drying and the thinness makes it feel light on the wrist. It even photographs really, really well. The hardware on the Sennen is sturdy and well made which adds a premium look and feel to the strap. I don’t really have a single bad thing to say about this strap and for the price, it’s a summer must-have for sure!

Click here to find out more about the Sennen .

Explore more about these Military-style straps and our whole range here.

Latest News

Christopher Perry

About the Author: Christopher Perry

I’m a 30’ish-year-old half Swede, half English currently living in northern Sweden. I have a masters degree in art history but work as a creative director at a small print/advertising company. My passion for watches started in 1997 with a Casio DW-290 and reignited in 2014 with a vintage Omega Seamaster DeVille. You can find me at @fadedbezel on Instagram.

More Articles from Christopher Perry