THE 14 BRAND NATO STYLE SHOWDOWN AND REVIEW- TOXIC NATO ADDED!

darkoverlord

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THE 14 BRAND NATO STYLE SHOWDOWN AND REVIEW

Recently 3 new straps have found their way to my home. (One from The Watch Steward and 2 from Haveston which prompted me to look at my entire strap collection) While I’m sure many of you have more straps (NATO or otherwise) than I. I thought having 12 brands represented in the collection ranging from $4 strap to two $160 straps would make for an interesting topic. If I’m wrong shoot me.
So get ready for too many pics, too many thoughts on detail and what I hope isn’t a ton of uninteresting minutia and welcome to the 12 Brand Nato style strap showdown. (Toxic nato added for a 13th brand, Hadley Roma added as a 14th brand on 6/2/19))
The players:

L to R Top to Bottom:
24mm Vostok Europe black and orange and white and orange
22mm Vostok Europe black and yellow with black IP hardware
22mm Haveston Service Series silver/white/navy
22mm Haveston Parade series blue
24mm Gekota by Watch Gecko with bronze finish hardware
20mm Omegas (green/yellow/blue & blue/grey bond)
20mm Gnomon black/green bond with black IP hardware
22mm Gnomon navy/yellow
26mm Panatime Zulu black/green with black IP hardware
22mm Clockwork Synergy Black/Bronze bond
24mm Clockwork Synergy Pride strap
22mm H2O black
20mm Cheapest Nato multi-color
24mm Erika’s Original Marine Nationale Vintage with DLC hardware
20mm The Watch Steward Tan
22mm Bluhark Taupe/white/orange
22mm Alpha Shark by Blue shark black/orange
22mm Toxic Nato Tough Sh!znit Blackout in Crisp Khaki (added below)
22mm Hadley Roma Black and Galaxy Blue (added below)
20mm Alpha Shark Premier Silver Fox (added below)






Omega: $160
Omega is seen by many as the gold standard for nato straps especially in the luxury segment. Just as many if not more see them as over-priced. Their Polyamide fabric is soft and supple and feels of high quality. The edging is superb. The hardware is in a class of its own. And hey for the price of entry it does say Omega and have the logo engraved in high relief. One of the things about the Omega nato that no one really talks about is that the buckle is removable with a pin assembly from outside the buckle. Important? Perhaps not but you can remove the buckle and use it on another 20mm strap more easily than most and shouldn’t risk damaging the fabric. Another benefit of Omega is the variety of straps options, which don’t just include many color-ways but also tweed, fabric covered, leather. The one thing Omega does very different is the positioning of the middle keeper which has been sewn so the keeper rests inside of the fabric rather than through and on top. I’m told this is to enhance comfort. If that’s what it’s for it works.



Haveston: $28.55
Haveston is all about military inspiration. They say they sweat every small detail to try to find color options that harken to specific crafts, ships, planes etc. I love their design options though there aren’t nearly as many as Omega, or the potpourri of options from a Clockwork Synergy. Haveston offers different fabric in each of their model lines, nothing over 22mm, and 3 hardware finishes for most straps. The Parade series (Insignia blue) is an “ultra-fine polyamide weave.” The M22 Service Series Strap (silver/blue/white) is far more thick and coarse and described as “Heavy Weave polyamide.” Delivery from England is free. The straps unlike most natos are specifically designed to eliminate the need for a tuck and have sliding hardware.



H2O: Price Unknown
H2O the boutique watch micro brand run by Mr. Clemens Helberg has given many fans well-built watches with a great deal of customization. Additionally H2O is known for providing superb bracelets and excellent leather straps. For the release of the new Kalmar Chrono H2O announced a new in-house nato which came as a free gift with the Chrono in black. More colors have been seen on-line and will supposedly be open to the public for sale in February.



Clockwork Synergy: $12 (Pride) and $15 (bond)
Clockwork Synergy have literally hundreds of options available on their eponymous website ranging from nato to leather to perlon and more. Prices typically range from around $10 up to $50. They also have an Amazon presence. Clockwork Synergy is out to have something for everyone, and they’ve gotten my business a few times for offering interesting looking pieces for good prices.



BluShark: Alpha Shark $32 & BluShark: $18, Alpha Shark Premier $36
BluShark spans the gap between the really affordable brands (like clockwork synergy above) and the more niche’ focused brands (like Haveston) by providing multiple lines of products at varying prices points and with a rather nice variety of styles and colors, many unique only to BluShark. The Alpha line had up -until 2018- been the top dog of their product line. Described as a “smooth seatbelt weave with a premium buckle” BluShark also stands out by providing large rectangular holes for the tang rather than small circles. The Alpha Premier line added in 2018 is intended to complete on the polyamide front for only $4 more. The Alpha line is slightly thicker than some other natos here at 1.4mm (compared to 1.2mm.) Oh and by the way BluShark provided a lifetime replacement guarantee on all their nylon straps. [UPDATED INFORMATION AS OF 6/2/19] I received two new Alpha Sharks recently and it is important to note there has been a small but nice changed to the newer generation of the Alpha Shark. The #1 keeper now floats. It does not move as much as the Haveston or Omega (or there own Premier line) but it is a nice change.


By contrast the regular BluShark nato has slightly less refined fabric and supposedly less premium hardware. I however find the hardware to still be quite nice and frankly above all others in the under $20 price range.


The Alpha Shark Premier is not exactly what I thought it would be. Frankly I expected them to take on the polyamide fabric (which is so popular now) and just thrown their hardware on it. They did a little more than that. The Premier is thinner than the alpha, but more than that the fabric is somehow just a bit more plush than anything I've used before. Its somehow softer than the polyamides presented by the H2O, Haveston and Omega. I wouldn't say the fabric is quite as nice as the Omega but it is a very nice different take and it includes a floating #1 keeper. A very nice addition.


Gnomon: $11-$16 (both of these free with purchase)
Gnomon is a Singapore based watch retailer (though they have expanded to Indonesia) whose reputation has grown as a web-based merchant. To help them along the way Gnomon has been able to often work out special limited edition or first runs of watches by certain brands drawing customers only to their doorstep of certain models (Squale, Alpina and Evant immediately come to mind.) As many retailers have; Gnomon has outsourced production of a strap line. The results aren’t the greatest as Gnomon straps placed at or near the bottom of all categories reviewed here, esp. in the case of hardware which is very flimsy. In all fairness however both of the straps I have from them were gifted with a purchase and they do offer a higher quality “seatbelt” style nato as well.


Watch Gecko: Geckota $23.50
Watch Gecko is another web-based retailer trying offer a wide variety of watch accessories. Based out of England their prices are in pounds so get ready to pay the conversion. Watch Gecko has branched out into their own line of vintage inspired timepieces but their bread and butter is still accessories. Offering many styles of bracelets, straps, tools and more at varying points of quality on their website. Personally having a few of their products I find overall that they are overpriced. The Geckota is no exception. It is however still a good product and they were the only brand I found that offered bronze finished on the vintage bond color scheme (at least at the time.) Don’t get me wrong, the Geckota is a pretty nice strap however in most ways it falls short of the BluShark while still being roughly $5 more expensive.


Cheapest Nato Straps: $9 ($4 with coupon and clearance at time of purchase)
Not to be redundant but here again we have another web only provider. And hey we’ve been to Germany, Singapore, England and the USA so far so why not travel further to Scandinavia? CNS was founded by Sofie Bjorklund a self-proclaimed watch nerd who says: “I´m not interested in having a "cool" brand like some of my competitors, I just want fair business. I rather sell a $9.95 watch strap to three customers, than selling an overpriced $40 watch strap to one customer.” Well true to her vision, CNS offers fantastic prices and a superb variety of straps whether they be NATO, leather, exotics and otherwise. The quality of this strap does not complete with the alpha shark, the Haveston, the H2O or the Omega. But it is a great looking strap with hardware that exceeds expectations and out performs the straps 2 or 3 times more expensive. And if the prices already aren’t insane enough for you there are bulk order discounts and sometimes coupons. Of note if you choose free or reduced shipping through CNS you will not receive tracking info. ADDITIONAL NOTE: DUE TO TEH WIDE VARIETY OF CHOICES AT CNS THE HARDWARE AND FABRIC FEEL VARIES DEPENDING ON PRODUCT LINE. I find the model type display here to be the best compromise of quality fabric and hardware esp at the cost. Look for the flat, wide keepers.


Erika’s Originals: Marine Nationale Vintage $85est
Ok so our travels aren’t done as we now go to Sweden via Spain for Erika’s Originals. Started as handmade straps for family inspired by the original military watch strap adaptation more information on the history of MN straps can be found here: https://erikasoriginals.com/mn-straps/original.php [follow the embedded History link on this page.] EO has grown to be the theoretical gold standard in this part of the market making hand measured, hand stitched straps on order with high quality hardware. MN straps are remarkably comfortable. They are sized for your wrist but still adjustable. There are typically at least 6 main fabric choices often with different colored center lines to choose from (even a lumed line is offered) and 5 different types of hardware including solid bronze. Every option you add does raise the price. The only foible to the EO MN strap is probably buckling it on your wrist, which take some getting used to. Also due to the fixed hardware design the strap must be applied then the pin bars set in place, rather than slipping through like a typical nato.


Panatime: $19 w/PVD
Panatime probably needs no introduction. Similar to others noted here they are an on-line purveyor of watch straps and accessories boosting a wide collection. Besides their own in-house supplied straps they feature straps from Hirsch, RIOS, Hadley Roma, and others. One of the best features of Panatime is that they are almost always running a sale, offering a code or have a wide selection on clearance. So there is something for every budget. On the strap here let’s get this out of the way. While sold as a nato this is actually a Zulu (3 ring single pass.) That is fine however I prefer nato style straps over Zulu so it was a little disappointing when this strap arrived. The pros of this strap is a nice thick feeling fabric, pretty decent hardware in the price range and that it is offered in 26mm, a rare commodity in the nato strap world.


Toxic Nato: Shi!znit Blackout $34
I recently added Toxic nato to the fold and I'm glad I did as they are a bigger player in the nato game, garnering a great deal of accolades. They are a Veteran Owned business right here in the gold o'l U S of A that sells a variety of watch related products on their site from spring bars, to tools, rubber straps and other items. However Toxic is mostly know for its Tough Sh!znit nato style straps. They describe their nato fabric as a "rigid and stiff woven structure" and yeah they are right. The Toxic fabric is easily the stiffest I've encountered. The hardware is angled and well-made. They tend to not have quite as many color choices as some other brands. I grabbed the black out in Crisp Khaki as it is described to be brown and I thought it would look good with my Breitling Avenger Blackbird and/or H2O Hydra. It is however really a khaki a brown with green hues to it. The color overall is fantastic and more interesting perhaps than straight brown. I actually like it on the VE Radio Room shown here.



The Watch Steward: $25
I only recently became aware of The Watch Steward when someone posted a pic online of a brown strap on an H2O Hydra. I was immediately intrigued by this marine national style strap with a unique keeper system. Then I saw the price and had to give one a try. After all for the accolades they have received on line and the promise of a nice soft stretchable fabric for less than half the price of an Erika’s Original how could one not give it a try? The TWS system attaches under the pins similar to a marine nationale and adjusts the same way however you create a loop between the watch and your wrist when putting it on so unlike natos or MNs there is no fabric between you and the watch. The fabric is as soft and comfy as advertised but the hardware isn’t as well made as some others. Many colors in sizes 19mm, 20mm and 22mm are available however the 22mm have been out of stock for a while. An extra bonus? The Watch Steward is made in the USA.


Vostok Europe: $15 (all three were included as part of watch purchases)
So VE is the last stop on our horological strap journey taking us all the way to Lithuania. Though I very seriously doubt many if any of the materials for any of the straps in question were made in their retailer’s country of original with the exception of The Watch Steward. Of course I don’t know for sure where all the fabric is source… but I digress. These VE straps all came with purchases and as such they were made to look great with the watches they came with…makes sense right? The buckle hardware is better than average and certainly in the price point. A nice touch that it’s signed. The fabric is stiff but they have proven to be durable. What I like best about the VE straps is the length. I like to tuck my natos in and really only the VEs are as long as I like them for that purpose.


Hadley Roma: $16+
Everyone knows Hadley Roma right? Certainly one of if not thee most famous leather strap maker in the business. Not however known for their natos. I was first exposed to their natos by Robert (Timecat) actually. He had a few of them. Hadley are taking a different approach than the others. The fabric is a thick weave. It almost looks like it could be made on a loom. There are no edges per say. But a nice thick threading which is wear the contrasting color comes from rather than it being part of the print. The fabric is nice but rougher to the touch. Even so this strap is very comfortable. And Hadley Roma reinforces their perforations with additional stitching. On the downside, the hardware is not as well made as the rest of the strap. The tang is very thin.


So let’s take a look at the main defining features that I look for in a nato style strap.
1. Fabric quality
2. Hardware Quality
3. Wrist position
4. Stitching/edging
5. Quality of perforations (aka the holes)
Fabric Quality:
In the pic below I have arranged the straps from top to bottom indicated the quality of fabric. Tops being the Erika’s Original and bottom going to Vostok Europe for its stiff weave. Some notes: I expected Omega to take the category here before putting them all next to each other or to at least be top dog of the pure nato comparison but also no. The material used on the H2O, the Omega and the Haveston Parade are all very similar polyamide fabrics however the H2O is just a bit more supple. On the other end of things the Gnomon and Clockwork Synergy straps are so close they might be made by the same factory. ADDED 4/13/19: I would place Toxic Nato's fabric quality somewhere in the middle of this pack. Probably right between the BluShark and the Haveston Service Series. It is stiff making it less comfortable than others, but is a great looking fabric with a unique color quality. It is less comfortable than others. The BluShark Alpha Premier is a very nice comfortable weave, like a polyamide with pillows sewn in. I'd place it just below the Omega. The Hadley Roma wears more comfortable than it feels and more comfortable than you'd think. I'd place it above the Haveston Service Series.



Hardware Quality:
Let’s get a closer look at the hardware



Once again I have arranged the straps in order from top to bottom/best to worst. I’m looking for the weight of the hardware esp. with there is a tang. The finishing, the details, the usability. The Erika’s takes it again with great etching, heavy hardware and DLC black coating instead of IP. But the Omega is nearly as good, in fact if we’re talking pure nato it is just as good. However another surprise entry here for the H2O strap whose buckle is just as good if not better than the Omega’s. Where the H2O falls short is the rings which may still be nicer than 10 other brands here but not in the same class as the $160 strap. The Watch Stewards hardware while nicely designed is surprisingly thin. On the low end the Clockwork Synergy and Gnomon hardware could probably be crushed between my thumb and forefinger. The Cheapest Nato strap way out performs its price. ADDED 4/13/19 The toxic nato hardware is of high quality overall and I will place it just below the Alpha Shark. On the pro side the buckle and keepers are angled and well-forged. The keepers do not however float. The only negative is that the tang is super thin. ADDED 6/2/19 The Alpha Premier Hardware is the same on the Alpha Shark but with a more useful floating keeper, so it ranks above the Alpha Shark in this list. The Hadley Roma's hardware doesn't match the quality elsewhere in the strap. But it is still as good or better than the Watch Gecko.



Wrist position:
To me wrist position makes a big deal when it comes to comfort, however I have not ranked the straps based on wrist position because comfort is a matter of opinion for each person especially as we all have different shaped wrists. I prefer the straps have the buckle land dead-center in the middle of my wrist if possible. So here do, some are close, some aren’t close at all. Of note: The watch Steward’s hardware falls on the side of the wrist on purpose and it’s all fabric on the underside. Blushark products fall way to the right side of the wrist. Haveston’s single pass design is very comfortable. The Omega lands best for my wrist.





Stitching/Edging:
Stitching and Edging to me is indicative of long term quality. How well was the hardware applied to the strap? How will the strap hold up to rubbing against jackets and other surface in the day-to-day that we don’t usually think about? Natos are notorious for fraying at the holes and at the edges. The Watch Stewards stitching is perhaps the most disappointing in the bunch. It is uneven, it is crooked. I still rank it above some others was on the thickness and placement plus the edges on the Watch Steward seem relatively well made. I was expecting more though. Erika Originals, Omega and H2O are all nearly perfect. The EO ranks just above the others because the French linen used is special and customizable. The Omega only ranks above the H2O because the design of the strap means Omega’s stitching requires more work. The edging is equal. ADDED 4/13/19: the Toxic Nato edging seems to be very well executed however that said, day one there was a pull. Before even wearing it. ADDED 6/2/19 The Hadley Roma as noted above doesn't have traditional edging but has excellent stitching while the Alpha Premier seems to have very similar edging to its brethren.




Perforations:
It’s probably most likely that if you wear your nato straps often (nylon/fabric nato that is) that the holes will be the first thing to fray. With that in mind there not a lot of differences in the group here and I didn’t think it was fair rate them against each other on a whole since two of the straps will never have that issue. The Erika Original and the Watch Steward don’t use perforations. Omega, H2O Toxic Nato and Haveston reinforce their perforations with a sealant. Blushark goes in a different direction by using large rectangular holes on all 3 lines.. There isn’t a lot of difference otherwise in the group. I will say the only straps that look a little ragged in this department are the Vostoks however I have had them the longest and it’s not like I was thinking of doing this review when I first got them. So maybe it’s actually a testament to their durability? ADDED 6/2/19 to Hadley Roma I say thank you for reinforcing you perforations. The better straps here use a sealant, some use nothing. The Hadley is nicely reinforced with more threading. Of course there is still a greater chance of loose threads than the Erika's or the Watch Steward but otherwise I'd say Hadley got it right over the others here.

Before we get to the final word, here are a few additional thoughts and experiences.

  1. It is a little surprising that none of these brands offer reinforced straps. Hamilton for example reinforces their perforations with leather for longer durability. (note Hadley Roma is the exceptions)
  2. It is impossible to do a totally comprehensive comparison without contributions from Moose Straps, Toxic Nato(ADDED 4/13/19) and Phenomnato. Not that others aren’t around but these 3 are major players.
  3. I’ve had some experience with other brands as well. Invicta sadly usually use very poor materials that few as mass produced as anything I’ve ever seen. Hamilton has a nice fabric, not as sweet as some here (Omega for one) but they do reinforce their perforations. Oris provides a superb diver’s style buckle. The fabric itself is only adequate being less sturdy feeling than others. Adpt straps look great and have nice fabric. The hardware is poor seeing that they put themselves in the same range as Alphashark, Toxic Nato Shiznitz, and similar.

The final word:
So which one is best is the obvious question. And I’m going to disappoint you with the obvious answer that most of them are great in their own way and are worth your time and effort depending on the price range you want to be in, what kind of style you’re looking for, etc. I would without hesitation buy from Cheapest Nato again. Not only are they the most affordable (as the name would suggest) but their quality- while not up to par with the high end stuff –far exceeds the price of entry. On quality for the price there is a little variation from strap to strap. BluShark offers a great combination price, quality and variety. If you look at their website they have a wide variety of colors that no one else offers. For only a few dollars more the Premier line is even better. Havestons are great if you like the designs as well though there is much less choice. The designs of their service series are completely unique. The Hadley Roma is cool, there aren't many color choices out there, and the hardware is only mediocre but the strap is a good one. Omegas are built to the highest level and probably are the best traditional nato strap here. Is the price justifiable? Honestly probably not but if you’re already ok with paying $5k+ for a watch you might be inclined to say its ok to pay a little more to stay OEM and get the best. It doesn’t hurt that their variety is high too including leather, tweed, nylon weave over leather and other choices. The big surprise for me is the new comer, the H2O. It is the second best traditional nato strap in this comparison review. (The fabric and perforations are every bit as good as the Omega.) The buckle is nearly as good as well.

On the downside: The Clockwork Synergy and Gnomons are made cheaply. To Clockwork Synergy’s credit they have added a new line (Chevron series) to their line-up that looks great and they do offer a wide variety. Panatime doesn’t advertise their straps correctly and I feel they are overpriced. The one thing they do have is that they offer larger sizes than almost anyone. Watchgecko makes a nice strap. They are the most overpriced in the line-up compared to quality though (well Omega aside.) Toxic Natos seem well-made and I believe they will hold up but their stiff fabric makes them the most uncomfortable strap in the review.

The out-and-out winner for me is the Erika’s Original Marine Nationale. If you like the designs they for my money are the best strap here. The hand sewn French linen (you choose the colors) is top of the class. There are no perforations to eventually fray. It is comfortable on another level. They now come in sizes ranging from 19mm to 26mm. The buckle engraving is perfect. You can get them with a lumed stripe down the middle. They have bronze, DLC and multiple stainless finish choices for the hardware. Essentially everything is done right. It is the second most expensive strap here. But to me it is worth and in this reviewer’s opinion it is the best strap of the 12. Thanks for reading.
 
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Mr. DO,
Thank you for the very exhaustive and highly comprehensive review.
It, hands down, is the best NATO strap review I've ever seen !!!

:bravo:
:bravo:
:bravo:
 
Absolutely a fantastic review with Pics Gavin, thank you for your time and posting.
I totally agree with your observations and rankings, as I have many of the same manufactured Natos. The only one I would add to your mix is Crown and Buckle, they offer some excellent value straps with buckle hardware choices, one of may favs is their perlons.
By the way, The watches you have mated with your Natos look fantastic also, enjoy all your combos in good health.
 
Mr. DO,
Thank you for the very exhaustive and highly comprehensive review.
It, hands down, is the best NATO strap review I've ever seen !!!

:bravo::bravo::bravo:

Absolutely a fantastic review with Pics Gavin, thank you for your time and posting.
I totally agree with your observations and rankings, as I have many of the same manufactured Natos. The only one I would add to your mix is Crown and Buckle, they offer some excellent value straps with buckle hardware choices, one of may favs is their perlons.
By the way, The watches you have mated with your Natos look fantastic also, enjoy all your combos in good health.

thank you Gents... Mark I do have some experience with Crown and Buckle. I feel like they're similar to Panatime in that they try to have a broad spectrum for everyone. They have a lot of choice, some larger size options (not that many but some). Some of their straps feel very similar to Clockwork Synergy. Some are clearly better made. I wouldn't hesitate to use them if they had the color combo and size I needed.
 
That's one helluva review, Gavin. Thank you for the time and effort that went into it. :outstand:
 
Well written, well thought out and just cool IMO. I myself are just getting into the nato strap market. You have definitely given me a lot to think about and a lot to choose from just by your own experience/expertise. It’s a review like this that gets me more excited to get into this part of our hobby much quicker. :up:
 
I enjoyed reading this Gavin. It was a fair, open-minded review. To tell the truth I've purchased straps from Clemens, so I know the quality of his stuff. Even if I owned an Omega, I couldn't see myself paying $160.00 for one of their nylon straps. There's only so much that can be done to justify the price. Nicer hardware, premium nylon material, which has been done before and at a much lower price. IMO adding the Omega luxury badge is what really allows them to charge such a price. I feel the same way when buying a Ball NATO or one of their other straps, the prices are over the top. If the opportunity is there for a bracelet option being offered, I'll use those premium dollars towards the bracelet. There will always be aftermarket options for straps unless the case uses proprietary lugs. Even then, that's even more of a reason for buying the bracelet. The price will never be better buying the OEM bracelet at the same time buying the timepiece. The cost will be much higher if you decide after the fact.
 
strap it on dead man...luv nato long tyme...after being an addict for 10 years then losing weight purging collection going horo celibate...nato is all i want to wear if I am not wearing nothing...i can no longer pump the weight

-definitive collection well done
 
Well detailed and informative with great pics. Well worth yours and our time for posting and for us reading. Thanks!
 
:outstand::good::cool: A truly marvelous review indeed, Gavin! Great photos!:applaud:
 
I appreciate everyone's positive input. Hopefully its helpful...

I enjoyed reading this Gavin. It was a fair, open-minded review. To tell the truth I've purchased straps from Clemens, so I know the quality of his stuff. Even if I owned an Omega, I couldn't see myself paying $160.00 for one of their nylon straps. There's only so much that can be done to justify the price. Nicer hardware, premium nylon material, which has been done before and at a much lower price. IMO adding the Omega luxury badge is what really allows them to charge such a price. I feel the same way when buying a Ball NATO or one of their other straps, the prices are over the top. If the opportunity is there for a bracelet option being offered, I'll use those premium dollars towards the bracelet. There will always be aftermarket options for straps unless the case uses proprietary lugs. Even then, that's even more of a reason for buying the bracelet. The price will never be better buying the OEM bracelet at the same time buying the timepiece. The cost will be much higher if you decide after the fact.

Yeah Mike we've had the Omega discussion on the forum before and it is hard to justify the price. As I've noted before I made them throw one in with my Aqua Terra purchase because I never planned to ever spend that kinda of money on a nato strap. The second one I got was a gift. As you point out, if the option exists the smart money is to get the bracelet unless you'll never wear it and even then, for resale purposes it is still a wise move.

For everyone's information our very own DannyT believes (as an H2O rep) that the H2O nato should be in the $27-32 range. It will as such compete very nicely with AlphaSharks, Haveston, Toxic Nato shiznitz and other premium straps.
 
Wow. All I can say is Wow. I've never seen a review like this before. You and I have had some interesting discussions about Natos, so I know how much you know about them. This is over the top and to the best of my knowledge far and away the best such review on the internet. Thank you Gavin! This is the kinda stuff that make WatchInTyme so great!

I actually just sold my Erika's Original--shipped it yesterday in fact. Not because I didn't like it, but more because I couldn't find a good match for it with my current watch collection. I had the lumed stripe Black Ops, which was 50 Euros shipped, and I sold it for $48 used, so I was happy. The resale value on these is quite good. They are amazingly comfortable, and the quality is definitely there. I will say that I felt the lume on my lumed stripe could have been brighter.

I feel compelled to toss in my Amazon best value idea--made by Randon, which I assume is a Chinese manufacturer. It's a set of 2 seat belt Natos, one black and one Bond. $15.99 for the pair or $8 bucks per, shipped. Very high quality material.....The quality belies the price, IMHO....

https://www.amazon.com/Randon-Strap...702570&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=random+nato&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/Randon-Strap...02570&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=random+nato&psc=1
 
This is a must read reference for us Watch addicted folks. Anyone venturing into that nether world for Nato's or their Zulu cousin then this is best place to start. I did just order a leather belt from Sophie so can't wait to put on my Almirante.
I have spent so many hours perusing the WWW and your work helps narrow down my buying options to a manageable list, just Great Work Gavin!
 
I've only just come across Marine Nationale straps as opposed to a Nato, and I have to say they're brilliant.

Erikas Originals start around £45, but custom buckles and strap printing can take them nearer £90.
Elasticated material is comfortable and allows easy removal of the watch (you don't undo the buckle).

Since Natos were specified in 1973, any vintage diver or modern homage would look authentic on an MN.

Apart from NdCstraps and Erikas Originals, who else are the reputable suppliers? It does seem a limited market that, with a bit more general awareness, could grow substantially.
 
I've only just come across Marine Nationale straps as opposed to a Nato, and I have to say they're brilliant.

Erikas Originals start around £45, but custom buckles and strap printing can take them nearer £90.
Elasticated material is comfortable and allows easy removal of the watch (you don't undo the buckle).

Since Natos were specified in 1973, any vintage diver or modern homage would look authentic on an MN.

Apart from NdCstraps and Erikas Originals, who else are the reputable suppliers? It does seem a limited market that, with a bit more general awareness, could grow substantially.

Seems as though NDC are only sold through Jackostraps right? I think they're one in the same. I never really got too deeply into them because the fabric and customization choices aren't nearly as varied as Erika Originals. From pics the hardware doesn't look as good either but I can't speak for that at all. It would seem there is an open door for a market here with the style of strap with some variation perhaps to the single stripe look of typical MNs. As noted in my review, the Watch Steward is certainly aiming for the same crowd.

This is a must read reference for us Watch addicted folks. Anyone venturing into that nether world for Nato's or their Zulu cousin then this is best place to start. I did just order a leather belt from Sophie so can't wait to put on my Almirante.
I have spent so many hours perusing the WWW and your work helps narrow down my buying options to a manageable list, just Great Work Gavin!

Wow. All I can say is Wow. I've never seen a review like this before. You and I have had some interesting discussions about Natos, so I know how much you know about them. This is over the top and to the best of my knowledge far and away the best such review on the internet. Thank you Gavin! This is the kinda stuff that make WatchInTyme so great!

I actually just sold my Erika's Original--shipped it yesterday in fact. Not because I didn't like it, but more because I couldn't find a good match for it with my current watch collection. I had the lumed stripe Black Ops, which was 50 Euros shipped, and I sold it for $48 used, so I was happy. The resale value on these is quite good. They are amazingly comfortable, and the quality is definitely there. I will say that I felt the lume on my lumed stripe could have been brighter.

I feel compelled to toss in my Amazon best value idea--made by Randon, which I assume is a Chinese manufacturer. It's a set of 2 seat belt Natos, one black and one Bond. $15.99 for the pair or $8 bucks per, shipped. Very high quality material.....The quality belies the price, IMHO....

https://www.amazon.com/Randon-Strap...702570&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=random+nato&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/Randon-Strap...02570&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=random+nato&psc=1

Gregg and Robert thanks so much for the kudos. As I mentioned I was a little hesitant to provide a review like this withouth Toxic, Phenom and Moose straps represented because of their positions in the market but I also didn't want to spend another $100 to buy 3 straps that I didn't need/want at the time.

That is a great deal Robert and I think that's quite indicative of the nato strap game right now. There are soooooo many websites out there selling their own versions. I think the Gnomon in my review are examples of some of the standard Chinese factory work that's out there to be branded and sold. There are too many out there to mention let alone review but it is always helpful when a fellow enthusiast can find you a deal.

I also hear you RObert on "finding the right watch". I can't tell you how many color combos are out there that I love but I just don't have the watch to match and it would be foolish to buy a watch just to match a strap.... right? lol
 
Wow...That is some review. I can tell that you not only like these straps, but that you are fairly well informed about them. Thank you for great presentation. :outstand:
 
So I went a little nuts for "strap week" and added 14 new straps from Cheapest Nato. Not a big deal I know, the prices were insane.


HOWEVER! For the purposes of this thread I was also able to add a Toxic Nato Shiznit strap the the fold. After living with it for a little over a week I felt comfortable adding information on it to the thread. So some pics a small write-up and additional information has been added to include the Toxc.

Hope you find it helpful
 
I have to tell you, Gavin, that it is presentations like this one that I love to just curl up with and enjoy reading, which, by the way I DID X2! I love colorful NATO straps, and it seems I'm always looking for a new one to complement some watch or another that I may have picked up on a whim, and so perhaps don't feel that I've too much invested to give a few different ones a try. Well, I've come full circle from that sense of "how it's done with NATO's," and I have to credit that to, I think, the Happy Band of Happy Horologists at Happy Hamilton, or just 'Happy Hammy,' for short.







When they provided the above strap with the above watch, it sent me to a place I'd never been to before, vis-a-vis expensive dressy/sporty watches with colorful NATO straps. (Unfortunately, the metal tip they -- Hamilton -- put on the thing almost backfired, but it was just a simple matter of bending it a bit, and -- voila! -- there it t'was!!) Suddenly, a NATO actually looked BETTER than the OEM strap, and no one seemed to get too upset -- excepting old Mrs. Seamas, and she has 38 cats, so no one listens to her...

In the end, it was that one Hammy NATO that really got me going, and suddenly, no combination was too outlandish, and NO design was too weird...





My weird old "Zody"...





NOS Seagulls...and so on.













V V V V V V Even THIS one! V V V V V V













And before it gets any MORE goofy, I better quit while I'm ahead...

Uh-OH! Too LATE!!







So much for THAT idea...
 
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