I always find it a bit odd how rubber straps are suggested to be great when the temperature goes up. I don't have any watches on rubber right now so can't test it but it seems counter-intuitive to me. I get you don't want to wear leather straps as the sweat will make them stinky but surely steel/another metal is best? If someone suggested that a pair or rubber pants and a rubber shirt were the perfect clobber to wear when the sun was out you'd think they were mental... or Alexaff... how do watch straps differ?
Last edited by cmcm3; 22nd July 2016 at 10:12.
They don't IMHO. I wear a nylon NATO (easily washed, more breathable) or a bracelet (expanded to be a little looser, again easily cleaned) in hot weather.
I've tried wearing a watch loose on a rubber strap but I still end up with wrist rash and they gunk up horribly.
Comparing a rubber strap to rubber clothes is not at all sensible as the rubber clothes stop your skin from breathing over a large area and would make you sweat like crazy in any weather or temperature. A rubber strap, 20mm wide is not going to do that. Looking at the one I am wearing today it doesn't even contact my wrist for about 1/3rd of the circumference despite being done up quite tightly - I accept that if you're overweight it may well be squeezing your wrist all the way round but then you'd probably be sweating a lot with any strap! Rubber most of the time for me on sports watches
I think it depends on the strap, I find the Sinn, Isofrane and the new Seiko rubber straps fine in warm weather. Marathon 2 piece and NATOs (made by Bonnetto) are pretty uncomfortable when it gets hot IMO, Seiko's Z22 is awful in any weather.
I guess the key is how much air the watch strap allows in between the watch and skin. I wear NATOs almost exclusively as I find them the most comfortable strap out there especially in hot weather.
Last edited by Sinnlover; 22nd July 2016 at 11:20. Reason: Spelling yet again
I wore a rubber strap on a beach holiday a couple of years ago. Error.
Trapped moisture and sand underneath and was generally unpleasant. I wear all bracelets and straps loose and nothing else has been so uncomfortable in heat.
I prefer bracelets or a perlon in summer.
I've been wearing my tuna on the hirsch Ayrton and found it to be really comfortable even in the heat.
http://www.hirschag.com/wp-content/u...ormance_2015/#
This one's been fine in the hot weather.
Bracelets tend to collect gunk in their multitude of crevices whereas a rubber strap is easier to clean. I rinse mine off with soap and water, and a bit of a going over with an old toothbrush if it needs it.
I chose to wear my Isofrane on my large PO last month whilst working outdoors for 8hrs each day over a week in Mumbai.
The Temp was extremely high, 45+ but the killer was the humidity.
I followed that with another weeks work in Las Vegas, though the humidity was very low, more manageable.
The strap was completely comfortable and even though I was constantly sweating my nuts off, I think it worked because the strap has plenty of'give', stretching slightly if required and sitting correctly if worn at the right tightness.
Andy
Wearing my little Orient on a Hirsch Pure today.
The skin side of the strap and keepers are moulded in a concave profile which is supposed to minimise the area in contact with the skin.
Marketing cobblers, perhaps, but I certainly have no problems wearing this outside in the heat - it stays dry and comfortable.
I wear my GMT2C on an Everest Rubber strap fastened quite tight and have absolutely no problems with it here or on holiday. So much more comfortable than the bracelet.
It has a sort of channel cut out of the back of it which may help to not get too hot.
I agree with the OP, I find rubber to be a PITA in the really hot weather, especially the summer we have endured for the last 4 days in the UK. I have taken my divers off their Isofranes and put them back onto mesh bracelets....the sun has now disappeared though...
If you insist on leaving your appendages flapping loose you can hardly complain if you get sand trapped in your intimate bits...Originally Posted by verv
When i first got my pelagos i took it on holiday on its rubber strap, im not normally a fan of rubber, but it did look good and was comfortable. For me the downside was it was always moist or wet under the strap as it was very hot and in and out of the pool, made my skin wrinkly and unpleasant under it. Wont be using a rubber strap for holiday again.
I find rubber to be a PITA in any kind of weather, and don't get me started on NATOs.
As ever, Perlon is the answer
I like the look of perlon, but find the tang pulls up through the weave so comes loose easily and looks worn out in short order.As ever, Perlon is the answer
Ive only found this with cheap nylon lookalike straps never with genuine Eulit
I have one that is about 4 years old, has been worn extensively on many different watches and looks as good as new
I find the Omega one to be fine. Lots of holes so easy to quickly adjust as your wrist changes during the day. I've rinsed a bracelet in the sea and sand prevented the clasp doing up. Rubber is fine.
Damn near every Garmin watch has a plastic or rubber strap and runners get pretty sweaty!
I use several natural rubber straps from BIWI SA (bought via Cousins UK) and find them to be comfortable in most weather. They are relatively slender and have a pleasing satin surface texture which somehow never feels clammy, unlike the Hirsch rubber straps I own. The Osiris model is most versatile.
Textile is king in hot weather, but where a two piece strap is preferred and particularly where it is liable to become soiled, natural rubber certainly has its place.
Since I bought my Rubber B strap... I did not take it off at all! Even when is hot I still wear it, because it feels comfortable! I think this is due to its great quality!! I simply love it!!
My wife is in stitches having caught this out the corner of her eye
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it's hot and warm the whole year round where i'm at and the only thing comfortable for me is the metal bracelets. i've had a lot of experience with sinn rubber having collected a lot of sinns previously and they're always wet and warm on the wrist. after a month or two, the outer side becomes shiny which surprised me since they are not in contact with the skin
Ha I didn't even notice that. Oops.My wife is in stitches having caught this out the corner of her eye
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Another vote for proper Eulit perlons btw. They are superb and very durable.
I am normally a bracelet person but I have had my PO8500 on a Hirsch Performance Rubber/Leather combo since about March. I bought this one:
https://www.watchobsession.co.uk/col...iant=669983633
I haven't experienced any unpleasant side effects and the Hirsch is very comfortable. It leaves a tyre tread mark on my wrist for 10 mins or so after I take it off but no problems. The holes in the strap and the material means it stays dry and if you get it wet it dries very quickly.
Two weeks ago my non-adjustable oyster bracelet on my GMT master started feeling a bit uncomfortable. So I put it on a Perlon and it was much much better. Coincidently, I bought a Eulit perlon from WatchGecko last week and it is FAR better than the generic perlons out there. Shame there isn't as much colour choice as the cheapo ones though. I bought this one: https://www.watchgecko.com/eulit-kri...atch-strap.php
Some pics:
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Oops just checked the WatchGecko website and the *do* offer a reasonable range of colours. I went in via a Google search and didn't see the full range. Now wondering what the difference is between the Kristall and Panama versions.
https://www.watchgecko.com/catalogse...esult/?q=Eulit
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I wore a rubber strap for a while and agree that it isn't the best solution, particularly if you wear your watches on the tighter side. Nato may be a better solution for hot conditions, especially if sand and sea water are involved!
I am thinking about buying an Everest strap for use with the deployment clasp so need to get the correct fit.
I am currently on the tightest micro adjustment in the clasp with the ez link in the close position. If I were to remove a link (<10mm) and move the micro adjustment to the outer most loose side of the clasp which I believe are 3mm between each micro hole then the bracelet would end up roughly 4mm tighter overall as I would have only gained +6mm in the micro adjustment while loosing <10mm from the removed link. I do have the option of keeping the ez link permanently in the open position if I do down size one the Everest although it kinda defeats the point of having on the fly adjustment.
My question is do rubber straps generally wear tighter or looser on the wrist, or should they be worn tighter or looser than the bracelet?
I’ve literally just started to wear my Panerai on rubber. In the heat you sweat, the thing totally glues itself to your wrist. It kind of feels strange at first, but it’s okay. The watch is sized to be ever so slightly loose when first putting on.
How they wear from my experience depends more on what they are made of. Some cheaper silicone can be very hard and they go where they want, so I have to wear a little loose or they cut into me. A genuine/vulcanised rubber is very soft and shapes over time so I can wear more fitted.
If I take off my g shock the strap tails still point almost straight whereas my scurfa rubber comes off in a tight curl.
I think the Everest is quality so going to be more like the latter but I would bear in mind how it will shape to your wrist.
A nice, well-ventilated rubber design works well in hot weather - not least because it's easy to wash any sweat/grit/grime off and dry it quickly with a towel: not an option with fabrics which absorb more and take longer to dry.
Of course, like any right-thinking person, I keep my watch-straps in the fridge with my socks...
I have worn my Seiko SPD151J1 Willard on a Uncle Seiko rubber strap (chocolate bar) whilst on holiday last year and it was hot, no issues, the strap seemed to breath ok with no skin irritation so didn't have any problems.
Wore my Pelagos 39 on its rubber strap throughout the day doing beach and sea activities last week in Thailand in 35C heat and humidity. Absolutely no problems at all.
In the evening I wore my Patek on a rubber backed leather strap. Again no problems whatsoever with the rubber.
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Zuludiver rubber on a clasp works well with the usual adjustment available. Very wearable.
https://www.watchgecko.com/products/...ch-strap-black
I’m pleased with my Seiko Samurai on a Crafter Blue rubber strap. It’s a pretty solid band with its own curved form so doesn’t stick to the wrist.
I was at two sweaty track days this week wearing a cheap silicone g shock. Clammy after a few hours.
With heat like this weekend i have to agree for me vented tropic is the most comfortable by a mile. Ive tried loads of differing caoutachouc variations .Simple is best. Hirsch carbon sport is the only other contender for me.A nice, well-ventilated rubber design works well in hot weather - not least because it's easy to wash any sweat/grit/grime off and dry it quickly with a towel: not an option with fabrics which absorb more and take longer to dry.
Of course, like any right-thinking person, I keep my watch-straps in the fridge with my socks...
If you are sweaty (I am) there is no comfortable option in very hot weather. The only option is not to wear a watch.
Natos get sweaty and wet and not pleasant. Leather eventually gets ruined. Bracelets of all metals stick to your skin and as said above get filled with dirt. Rubber is my preference as it is easy to clean, flexible, allows air to flow under it if not worn too tight etc.
Love that Farer!
With heat like this weekend i have to agree for me vented tropic is the most comfortable by a mile. Ive tried loads of differing caoutachouc variations .Simple is best. Hirsch carbon sport is the only other contender for me.
Been wearing this & only this over the last couple of weeks or so since I got it & the rubber strap is brilliant. Given what the watch was made for I suppose it shouldn’t be a surprise & it’s certainly the best rubber strap ever experienced by a long long way.
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