# Would A Nato Strap Look Any Good On My Watch?



## Disco You (Jun 22, 2010)

Since starting to browse forums about watches, I have seen NATO straps EVERYWHERE. So I have a couple of questions:

What's all the fuss about? What makes them so good?

And what sort of NATO would look goof on my watch? I'm quite a supporter of Help For Heroes, but sadly their NATO only comes in 18mm, I'm pretty sure that my watch is 20mm.

Other things of note are that my wrist is quite small, circa 6.5". I think that one can cut a NATO to size and simply cauterise the end with a lighter? And that I've never changed a watch strap before... I think I'll go into a friendly jewellers rather than attempting it myself!

Here's my watch, on the original bracelet at the moment:


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

You can get lots of NATOs from Roy, the owner of the forum and







, plenty of 20mm over at the shop! Just click on the top left where it says RTL watches.

NATOs are a great alternative to SS straps. Now that it's hot, SS straps get very hot and if your wrist swallows it can get tight. NATOs are washable, are very confortable and give a military and exclusive look to your watch. Lots of other reasons but others will tell.

I think yours would look very good on a NATO, black, grey or James Bond 2 colors strap.


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## Guest (Jul 2, 2010)

Disco You said:


> Since starting to browse forums about watches, I have seen NATO straps EVERYWHERE. So I have a couple of questions:
> 
> What's all the fuss about? What makes them so good?


NATOs have the following things going for them:

1. They bring some contrast (of texture and colour) to most watches, and sometimes this is enough to make a plain watch into a stylish and interesting watch. Occasionally it can work nicely the other way too ...when an otherwise garish watch is 'tamed' by a plain and practical-looking NATO strap.

2. If one of the spring bars fails on your watch, the strap will continue to stay attached to your wrist AND to the watch, giving a chance to avoid a dropped/lost watch.

3. They are lightweight and yet strong.

4. They are usually cheap as chips.

5. They can be adjusted without having to use a tool or machine, in contrast to a conventional diver bracelet.

6. They have vague associations with the military, so you feel ever so slightly tougher and manlier when you wear one. (Your higher brain functions will no doubt have you sublimate this feeling right away, although somewhere in the dark recesses of their souls, all NATO strap users have at least a little bit of :comando: in them.)

7. James Bond wore one, so they are clearly tasteful and have the power to confer infinite luck & charm on the wearer.

...To put the 'case against' though, I bought three different NATO straps for my Seiko Kinetic diver a few weeks prior to joining this forum, and after trying each one and giving them careful consideration (and then showing a few friends), I drew the conclusion that the (jubilee) metal bracelet on my Seiko actually looked best (see --> http://i45.tinypic.com/dmfuro.jpg).

Right now I do however have a NATO strap on one of my watches, but it's part of a somewhat unconventional combination (see --> http://i49.tinypic.com/3a03l.jpg). It's because of the horizontal striations on the alarm cover and the strap itself that it works nicely I think.

On balance though, I am not an enormous fan of NATO straps at this time. I know for a fact that the nylon ones can end up picking up lots of dead skin cells and becoming mouldy! My friend used to wash his in Dettol once a month to stop it smelling, till eventually he put the metal bracelet back on as a less fiddly solution.

There, I hope some of that is of help or interest to you.


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## Guest (Jul 2, 2010)

Disco You said:


> Other things of note are that my wrist is quite small, circa 6.5". I think that one can cut a NATO to size and simply cauterise the end with a lighter? And that I've never changed a watch strap before... I think I'll go into a friendly jewellers rather than attempting it myself!


If you end up going the NATO route, be aware that you don't have to cut the strap.

I took these pics for you just now while I was waiting for my battered cod to cook. 



















At first I was unsure whether the fold would keep popping out and need readjusting, but in fact it has turned out to be a good way to use the strap. Even after sleeping with my watch on, the fold still seems to be nicely secured in the retainer the next morning, so I'd say at least give it a try before cutting anything.


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## sparrow (Feb 7, 2009)

I'm not a fan of Natos :dontgetit: I'd keep the Omega on the stainless - it looks lovely on the bracelet...

...if you want a change I'd get a dark brown or black leather strap - IMO this is loads more tasteful than a fabric nato strap - I tend to like alligator or shark straps too, they are lovely to wear!


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## HappyLad (Oct 28, 2009)

Tried my PO on a Nato - looked cheap and rubbish 

Try it - but you'll be disappointed....


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## Guest (Jul 5, 2010)

Any thoughts on any of that Disco You?

:toot:


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## zed4130 (Jun 25, 2009)

I like nato's and have had lots, but if that was mine i would keep it on the bracelet as is a very nice watch and looks classy, :thumbsup:

paul


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## Disco You (Jun 22, 2010)

Om_nom_nom_Watches! said:


> Any thoughts on any of that Disco You?
> 
> :toot:


It would seem that people have fairly mixed opinions on the matter!

Later today my watch is going back to omega because last time they had it they left some marks on the inside of the crystal... I am far from impressed with their customer service, they had my watch for 10 weeks to fix a loose hand, then it came back with the bracelet on the wrong way round (I mean really?) and marks on the inside of the crystal.

I think that when it comes back (in 6-10 weeks in my experience  ) I will re consider the strap situation. At the moment I'm considering buying the kit to change a strap myself (better do some googling to find out what I need!) and then buying one/ a couple of NATOs and fitting them myself. At the moment I am thinking of the grey/black "James Bond" style, although I'd like to find one which is black/grey and has a narrow red stripe (to pick out the red GMT hand).

And thanks for the compliments about the watch everyone


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## Chromejob (Jul 28, 2006)

The actual Bond strap was assuredly hunter green stripes, edged in maroon, on a field of black or midnight blue. Roy has one at a great price, made I believe by the same British mill that does the more expensive "real Bond" strap, with gray vice green -- I just within the hour modded the NATO version to RAF style with fabric keeper made of the cutoff "short strap," and it looks quite grand on a 5513 lookalike. Actually like it a bit better than the green.

Since I use "fatboy," 2.5mm spring bars, there's no chance of the watch sliding off the strap. That's apparently the purpose of the NATO's shorter end with keeper, to keep the watch from sliding off the strap when removing or donning it.

There are many color combos available, some of them based on regimental, school, club, or stable belt stripes. A unverse of color choices. Cheap as chips, as someone said. Since they're nylon, you can cut them to size, and cauterize the end (I'm writing a detailed tutorial on converting a NATO to RAF with fabric keeper, so I'm learning a lot of tricks and techniques.


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## DavidB (Feb 16, 2008)

NATOs aren't quite as safe as they seem. They can cause spring bar failure by pulling a bar out of its hole. The watch stays attached, of course, at the other side but you could lose the springbar. The answer is shoulderless spring bars, though you then have to cut them off if you go back to a leather strap or bracelet.


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## Chromejob (Jul 28, 2006)

Again, *"fat boy" 2.5mm spring bars*. Someone recommended these to me as they would "wiggle" less, which over time might open up the lug holes. All those I've seen don't have the little ridges on the tips for ease in removing -- I've read that a NATO band could catch and loosen the spring bar catching on those little ridges.

These are the ones I bought for my watches, they work quite well:










Easy to find, our host sells some, as well as most other dive watch sites.

You could of course use 22mm bars in a 20mm bracelet space ... you can get them in, but as you said, have to snip them out. Seems like overkill to me ... a dive watch should have lugs made of strong material, resistant to opening up by forces exerted by any kind of strap (nylon or OEM rubber or OEM SS).



> I think that when it comes back (in 6-10 weeks in my experience  ) I will re consider the strap situation. At the moment I'm considering buying the kit to change a strap myself (better do some googling to find out what I need!) and then buying one/ a couple of NATOs and fitting them myself. At the moment I am thinking of the grey/black "James Bond" style, although I'd like to find one which is black/grey and has a narrow red stripe (to pick out the red GMT hand).


*Roy has a superb grey Bond NATO* ... here's a pic. Note the tight weave and straight lines. Comes with a better buckle than others, too.


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## shadowninja (Apr 14, 2009)

HappyLad said:


> Tried my PO on a Nato - looked cheap and rubbish


What he said. It won't look better than a bracelet but it will be more practical and feel nicer on a sweaty wrist in summer which is why all my watches are on Natos.


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## vamos666 (May 20, 2009)

I got called a 'Chav' today for wearing my Seiko on a Bond Nato...

...i put it down to their lack of taste rather than the Nato itself.


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## shadowninja (Apr 14, 2009)

vamos666 said:


> I got called a 'Chav' today for wearing my Seiko on a Bond Nato...
> 
> ...i put it down to their lack of taste rather than the Nato itself.


If it was a chrome bracelet, then yes, chav. On a Nato, it's as opposite to chav as you can get.


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## Chromejob (Jul 28, 2006)

vamos666 said:


> I got called a 'Chav' today....


Translation for us know-nothing Yanks?

Never mind, I looked it up.


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## Guest (Jul 11, 2010)

vamos666 said:


> I got called a 'Chav' today for wearing my Seiko on a Bond Nato...
> 
> ...i put it down to their lack of taste rather than the Nato itself.


I'd say more like their lack of intelligibility and sense. The idea that a Seiko with a Bond Nato could make someone look like a chav is simply senseless. Chav culture is renowned for celebrating bling. Anything less than a huge chunky gold bracelet is going to leave a chav cold. Nato straps to chavs are like garlic to vampires.


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## shadowninja (Apr 14, 2009)

Om_nom_nom_Watches! said:


> vamos666 said:
> 
> 
> > I got called a 'Chav' today for wearing my Seiko on a Bond Nato...
> ...


 Are you saying that if I wear Nato straps, I can keep chavs at bay?


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## Guest (Jul 11, 2010)

shadowninja said:


> Are you saying that if I wear Nato straps, I can keep chavs at bay?


Normally yes.

However, if there should come a day when they start making Burberry Natos, we will none of us be safe and should all head for the hills.


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## shadowninja (Apr 14, 2009)

Fortunately, I don't think you can get patterns across the strap!


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## JKMcC (Aug 19, 2010)

This is my first post. I have a very tightly woven,nylon, stripped 22mm watch band that I bought 3 years ago from someone in the UK. Paper work lost! It has worn like iron and remains very stiff, not floppy like so many woven bands. I have taken a digital picture of the band on my Sea-Dweller and would like to post the picture but can not figure out how to add a picture on this site.I would like to purchase more bands like it for myself and my sons. I am located in Wilmington, Delaware USA. Thanks for any help in adding a picture to this email. Best, Jerry McCammon


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## Chromejob (Jul 28, 2006)

JKMcC said:


> This is my first post. I have a very tightly woven,nylon, stripped 22mm watch band that I bought 3 years ago from someone in the UK. Paper work lost! It has worn like iron and remains very stiff, not floppy like so many woven bands. I have taken a digital picture of the band on my Sea-Dweller and would like to post the picture but can not figure out how to add a picture on this site.I would like to purchase more bands like it for myself and my sons. I am located in Wilmington, Delaware USA. Thanks for any help in adding a picture to this email. Best, Jerry McCammon


Welcome to the forum, Jerry.

Take a look at these two threads, they should help.

*How to upload pics http://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=13637*

*
*

*
Photo tips and hints http://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=4626 *

*
*

Next, post a NEW thread in this section -- with pics -- asking for help, and we'll do our best.


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