NATO straps have always been one of those things that just did not appeal to me. The fact that they are generally made from nylon and other similar materials made these straps seem cheap and somewhat childish. NATO straps look like something that you would put on a child because you’re afraid that they’ll ruin the more expensive stuff.
You know how your taste buds change as you age? How something you hated as a child suddenly becomes enjoyable as an adult? Well, that’s how I currently feel about NATO straps. I’ve suddenly become obsessed with the NATO look and have actively been on the lookout for some that will match with my watches.
Luckily, I was able to communicate with one of the Wrist Candy Watch Club (WCWC) founders and he was kind enough to send me some of their products for review. I received a total of 6 NATO straps in the care package from WCWC. Even so, that is not going to sway me or make what I write about biased. My opinions are my own and I will still honestly tell you how I feel about these products.
The WCWC NATO straps are made from premium nylon. The nylon material is 11.5" long and 1.25mm thick. This material is softer than typical nylon and helps to keep things comfortable. One thing that I noticed right away with these straps is how pliable and flexible they are right out of packaging. There was absolutely no break in time needed for the straps that I received. This transfers to when actually using the straps on the wrist. Everything just feels right. The materials of the WCWC straps are also smoother than the NATO straps that I already own. This makes them move more easily against my skin and adds to the comfort.
Holding everything together is 316L stainless steel used for the buckle and leash keepers. If I had to complain about the WCWC NATO straps, it would have to be with the hardware. Nothing against the materials or build quality but just how they look. All of the hardware is polished but to my eye, it seems like the buckle and tongue is polished to a higher degree than the keepers. There is some shine to the keepers but they are definitely not a mirror polish like the buckle. This is just a little thing but the devil is in the details and this is a minor annoyance to me. Another minor annoyance with the hardware is that the keepers are circular. I prefer NATO straps with more squared off keepers because they stand up on their own. The circular keepers of the WCWC straps tend to fall over and you have to lift them up to get the straps through more easily.
When buying fabric straps in general, there are a few key things to look for. First, it’s important to have quality stitching. The stitching holds key components together, so you need it to last. If you look at the stitching on the WCWC straps, they don’t extend all the way to the edges. I can’t say if this is better or worse than the straps with stitching that wraps around the edges but it can be argued that those straps are more prone to having damaged stitching. As the edge of the strap constantly comes in contact with other things, the stitching towards the edge may be the first to break. This is just speculation so we’ll have to see how the WCWC strap’s stitching lasts in the long run.
The second thing to look out for in fabric straps is reinforcements along the edges of the strap. One issue that many low quality NATO straps have is with fraying. With normal use, the holes and edges of a strap will come apart if it doesn’t have some form of reinforcement. I’m glad to say that the WCWC straps do feature these reinforcements. However, it should be noted that the reinforcement does not extend along the entire edge of the strap, but only on the tail end corner. I don’t know why this is, maybe it’s just not necessary, but I don’t mind it because if the strap was reinforced along the entire side, the stiffer, reinforced surface may cause some discomfort. Either way, the reinforcements available on the WCWC straps should help to make the them last some time.
In talking to one of the WCWC creators, it was mentioned that each of the straps that they sell are handmade. I have to give props for that. In a field like this, where there is a large turnover of products, I thought that production would be allocated to a machine. I’m sure some companies do this but the fact that the people at WCWC hand make their straps, it just adds to the value of the product, in my opinion.
At $15 per strap, I think that the WCWC NATO straps are a good option. The pricing is competitive with other brands and the quality is top notch. I have some no name cheap NATO straps that although are much cheaper, the WCWC NATO straps provide much higher quality and better feel.
If you’re interested in these straps, head over to the official WCWC website and check them out for yourself. The straps come in a variety of color and there is something to match every watch.
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