Nylon: What should I buy?

[Mercutio]

I have never worn nylon straps before (other than, if I remember correctly, one on a terrible cheap quartz decades ago which I had to get quickly as substitute for a broken regular watch - I remember neither the watch nor the strap fondly - or clearly).

I am going to order a watch from Eddie and will ask him to add some straps to this order.

I know, of course, what lug widths I want them for and what colours I would like, but what types should I get to really try the wonderful world of nylon straps?

My wrist is 21 cm - which types of strap does that exclude?

Do the Rhinos, other than the first on his page, have a label sewn on?

And, you may think me stupid, but I am not sure I quite understand the difference between RAF and regular style, or between 2- and 4-ring versions.

So, what should I order to get a nice variety to try out?

[vagabond]

A Nylon expert will be along soon but in the meantime.....

I'd certainly get one of Eddie's NATOs - they are simply brilliant.

The Rhino's are also great but have bulkier hardware than the NATOs.....and, yes, the "original" Rhino is the only one with the patch sewn in. The others are plain.

The RAF/2-ring refers to the single piece straps, whereas the usual NATO/4-ring have a further piece which secures the watch head in place. Eddie's Rhino pics probably demonstrate it better than I can explain.

If it was me I'd go for ...a NATO, a 2-ring Rhino and a 4-ring Rhino.

With a 21cm wrist, you should have no issues with any of the above. :wink:

Cheers,

[Fschwep]

I'd take at least one black and one grey NATO if I were you. Any tool/military watch will look decent on a black NATO, many look good too on a grey one. They can be either 3- or 2-ring style: if you don't like the way the watch sits on a 3-ring, just cut off the extra piece of strap (note that Rhinos have 4 rings so you can either cinch the strap to make the watch ride even higher, or just for visual symmetry, and that standard NATOs have 3 retainer rings, the one of the extra piece of strap included). The extra retainer system prevents the watch sliding off the strap when it is not worn, but in reality this would require quite a bit of effort and nobody is going to swing his watch around on the strap long enough to eject it that way. The only way to lose the watch would be if one spring bar breaks off, you then take the watch off and suspend it from the buckle; a standard NATO will then still retain the watch...
3-ring NATOs and 4-ring Rhinos cause the buckle to sit excentrically (as in not under the wrist but to the side) if the watch head is well centered on top.
Rhinos have very large hardware, the rings may get in the way when you wear your watch a lot doing desk (computer) work. Any additional ¨pice of strap under te watch makes it sit higher on the wrist, potentially more prone to bang into obstacles and less stable. Thick Rhinos will not fit every type of lug, they need more space between the spring bar and the watch body than a NATO. They would stand up to being worn by real rhinos, though.
Third would be a Bond NATO; somehow they (if mine is any indication) seem to be made of a slightly more supple weave than unicoloured NATOs. Ask if they are bead blasted or not; my 18 mm Bond has polished ss hardware, apparently the 20 mm is bead blasted.
The RAF coloured NATO 2-ring seems of a less supple weave than the others. I found it somewhat lacking in comfort.

Personally I have slashed all my 3-ring NATOs to 2-ring versions by cutting off the exta hardware. They wear very comfortable that way, allowing for a closer fit of the watch head and nicely centered buckles.

I have not tried out the 'tropical' open-weave NATO as it only comes in 18 mm at the moment.

I hope this helps...

[quoll]

I'll vote for Eddie's NATOs too. I prefer the 3 ring - more secure and looks more complete somehow. I also like the 'hardware on the side' look.

I like the idea of Rhino straps (and I have two) but find that the hardware just looks too chunky on the wrist (unless you have a seriously chunky watch of course).

NATOs take a little getting used to, but they suit tool watches perfectly and are very comfortable.

[Crusader]

Rhinos require a heavy watch to sit comfortably.

1-piece NATOs (or Rhinos) permit you to place the buckle exactly where you want it (as opposed to 3/4-ring ones), a major factor in comfortability. :)

[abraxas]

Rhinos require a heavy watch to sit comfortably.

............

Personally, I don't like the rounded cutlery on the Rhinos. The flat metal rings on the Natos suit the whole arrangement (with 'the cloth') better and make it look much more tidy.

Rhinos look like satchel straps. :twisted:

... as I often say, 'things' sometimes look better in pics.

john

[magirus]

I like Eddies grey Natos, the colour will suit almost any watch. I always cut off the "extra " piece for a nice comfy fit, and I also think the strap looks better this way.

[abraxas]

Eddie's new Natos have re-written the history of the casual strap. Why have just one? Every time you change the strap is like having a new watch. The black and grey are my favourites, in that order. The black wears like a bracelet, in like, it looks as if it was made for the watch.

john

[magirus]

Eddie's new Natos have re-written the history of the casual strap. Why have just one? Every time you change the strap is like having a new watch. The black and grey are my favourites, in that order. The black wears like a bracelet, in like, it looks as if it was made for the watch.

john

I had intended to have a grey Nato sent out with my 37 but I think I may go for black. It may look rather nice. (with the "extra" piece hacked off)
:wink:

[Mercutio]

Hi folks,

I read your replies with interest and thank you for the advice. If anyone else can add his words of wisdom, please do so, my order from Eddie is still some days away.

Bernhard

[abraxas]

...........

I had intended to have a grey Nato sent out with my 37 but I think I may go for black. It may look rather nice. (with the "extra" piece hacked off)
:wink:

The grey and the black give it a completely different look ... it's worth having one of each. The green don't work ... when the dial goes 'green' makes it look silly.

john

[magirus]

abraxas wrote-

"The grey and the black give it a completely different look ... it's worth having one of each. The green don't work ... when the dial goes 'green' makes it look silly."

Yes, I can see that with a little imagination. A pic of the 37 on your black Nato would be appreciated.

[abraxas]

It's an old pic.

john

[magirus]

It's an old pic.

john

Now that I like! :D :D :D I think I would even leave that strap intact and not take a blade to it! TYVM for the pic John.

[derek_faker]

I must say that Eddie's new NATOs look more comfortable than the older ones.

Any comments would be greatly apreciated as I intend on trying one on a G10.

Cheers,

Ian

[magirus]

I don't find the new ones any more or less comfortable, they just look nicer IMHO.

[Mercutio]

OK, here is what I ordered from Eddie to start my journey into nylon-land:

NATO Strap 18mm Black Braided
NATO Strap 22mm Bond RAF-style
NATO Strap 18mm Bond regular style
Black Rhino 2 rings 22mm

Now I'll just have to wait...

[bettapugnax]

...........

I had intended to have a grey Nato sent out with my 37 but I think I may go for black. It may look rather nice. (with the "extra" piece hacked off)
:wink:

The grey and the black give it a completely different look ... it's worth having one of each. The green don't work ... when the dial goes 'green' makes it look silly.

john

You're right. Eddie's green is a bit too green and shiny. Perhaps a darker shade would be better, something like OD.

[Mercutio]

Having worn the straps for a while, I would like to give some feedback. I ordered and received

NATO Strap 18mm Black Braided
NATO Strap 22mm Bond RAF-style
NATO Strap 18mm Bond regular style
Black Rhino 2 rings 22mm

to be sent with my PRS-53, which itself came on a grey NATO. The 18mm straps have since been worn with the PRS-53 or a mil.-style Seiko 5, the 22mm with a Yao-modded Seiko diver.

Overall, I am very satisfied with the nylon straps.

However, with my 21 cm wrist I was unable to fold back the end of the strap on the grey NATO the way it should be - using only the first ring, and cutting off the second ring, took care of that. Having an empty second ring looked stupid, and I was always afraid it might catch somewhere. The modified strap now is my favourite on the PRS-53, and unlike some I do not mind the extra part under the watch head.

I will probably perform the same surgery on the braided NATO. This strap, too, is just a little too short to fold back properly. Otherwise, I like it very much and look forward to wearing it in summer. It does have a very nice, old-fashioned look, and I expect it to be very comfortable in heat and humidity.

The 22mm Bond RAF style does wear long enough to be properly folded, as does the Rhino. The quality of the Rhino strap is absolutely superb, being new to nylon straps, I would never have thought that "woven plastic" can give such a feeling of quality. The hardware, imo, would perhaps look even better if it was a little flatter, but the strap is extremely nice anyway.

The NATO Strap 18mm Bond regular style came very close to a disappointment for me: The space defined by the "extra piece" under the watchhead was about 2-3mm to small to accomodate the lug-to-lug-width of the PRS-53. I had to cut off the extra part. I did not heat-seal the cut, but will wait how it wears. Length is more or less the same as on the grey NATO, hence it is another candidate for "second-ring-surgery". I noticed that the hardware is shiny, as opposed to the beadblasted hardware on the grey NATO, also the textile is not quite as nice - perhaps a different, older style?

So, all things considered:

• I am glad that I ordered the straps and will probably have more[/*:m:29twqteg]
• Having a 21 cm wrist was not a real problem, but made some minor modification desirable[/*:m:29twqteg]
• Rhinos are just great straps[/*:m:29twqteg]
• If the straps were just a little shorter, they would be too short[/*:m:29twqteg]

Thank you for the advice before. I would be interested to hear more from brig-wristed wearers of NATOS.
And, Eddie, if you are looking: Please make the sand-coloured NATO in 18mm a reality soon :-)

[abraxas]

.
I often keep a watch just to wear with various Nato ... for a while the PRS-53 was that watch. I had the same prob as you regarding the Bond. I think Eddie should be telling prospective buyers that it will not fit the 53 as a two-piece.



At the time I got two braided and converted one to a proper one-piece, for official work.



I would like to take this opportunity to say that the 53 is a perfect watch in every way, including the price. It was a bit small for me but I am eagerly awaiting for the SBIII which should be a tad larger and hopefully hide my wrist tattoo.

john

[Crusader]

So, all things considered:

• I am glad that I ordered the straps and will probably have more[/*:m:3nh4vu37]
• Having a 21 cm wrist was not a real problem, but made some minor modification desirable[/*:m:3nh4vu37]
• Rhinos are just great straps[/*:m:3nh4vu37]
• If the straps were just a little shorter, they would be too short[/*:m:3nh4vu37]

Thank you for the advice before. I would be interested to hear more from brig-wristed wearers of NATOS.

My wrist is 225mm. I agree that suitable-length 18mm NATOs are hard to find (mine come from Australia, and they are of inferior quality to Eddie's new ones). I almost always modify them to a 1-piece configuration, both for comfort and because of the overall length (or lack thereof).

The Rhino is excellent stuff for hefty watches. :)

[Mercutio]

Not much to add, except that I would like to repeat two sentences which very much express my impressions:

I would like to take this opportunity to say that the 53 is a perfect watch in every way, including the price.

The Rhino is excellent stuff for hefty watches.

The PRS-53 is really a wonderful watch. It is one of the smallest I wear, but it does not bother me - the size goes perfect with its style.
My soon-for-sale(1) Stowa Flieger is my favourite watch, but I do not like to wear it every day, it is my good/dress/sunday watch. It is considerably bigger with its about 41 mm, but both have just the right size - strange.

Bernhard

(1) it will only leave me because I am on the waiting list for a Flieger Original LE :D :D :D