[peterrizzo]

Hi Everybody,

I am looking for an extra-long Nato strap so that i can use a nato and still
have the caseback of the watch on my wrist, in otherwords, no Nato passing
under the watch. here's a mock-up with a Nato that is too short for the task:

Does anyone know what to call this style of Nato? It could just be a simple Nato that would
be 325mm long, that would work ok, but i can't fine any that come that length.

Erika M&N makes them for $75 or so, and i think that's too high a price for a cloth strap.

I had one elastic marine nationale strap from Cheapest Nato that worked this way, and i
traded it with the Smith's PRS-40 Chrono it worked so perfectly on, thinking i could replace
it, but i'm seeing it was an aberation in being so long.

So, what are these called, and where can we find them?

Thanks!

Peter

 

[rainy daze]

If you're going to wear it like that, you lose the security of a pass-through strap in case of spring bar failure. Why not just get a 2-piece nylon strap instead?

I also don't care for having a thick strap between my wrist and the case, but I really like the Eulit Panama perlon straps. They're quite thin, and infinitely adjustable.

 

[zeke441]

It’s called an over priced dog collar. 😁

 

[peterrizzo]

If you're going to wear it like that, you lose the security of a pass-through strap in case of spring bar failure. Why not just get a 2-piece nylon strap instead?

I also don't care for having a thick strap between my wrist and the case, but I really like the Eulit Panama perlon straps. They're quite thin, and infinitely adjustable.

well, the raf gen 1 has fixed springbars, which makes springbar failure impossible. and i
really do appreciate getting a watch to wear as close to the wrist as it can. but yeah, i do
have a collection of 2 pc. natos, mainly from cheapestnatos, and they do work just as
well as the photos above, if a watc h has sprinbars. so really, i'm asking because of the
watch above...

 

[peterrizzo]

It’s called an over priced dog collar. 😁

lol, i was trying to buy one from CheapestNatos. but now you've got me thinking,
have i ever seen a 20mm dog collar?

 

[rainy daze]

well, the raf gen 1 has fixed springbars

Totally missed that.

For real though, if you haven't tried Eulit perlon, you should give it a go. I've tried others, but the Eulit is nicer, and the buckle on the Panama, while it looks dainty, is plenty robust IRL, and super low profile. You can also adjust the strap to have just the right amount of tail showing. I get mine from Holben's. I'll shut up about perlon now.

 

[rileynp]

Perlon can be too scratchy due to the plastic-like coating on the fabric, or maybe I’ve just gotten too cheap of ones. The edges rough up my skin something fierce.

Peter, I don’t know if I’ve seen one of those made with traditional nato material, they usually are more elastic in my experience when designed to attached that way. Here is one such provider:

How it works!!

The Watch Steward

www.thewatchsteward.com

 

[Willie_B]

This site, 18/20/22/24/26mm TDM STRAPS has straps that work like that but not with a buckle. I have several of them and like them.

Videos on how it works. How it works!!

 

[peterrizzo]

Totally missed that.

For real though, if you haven't tried Eulit perlon, you should give it a go. I've tried others, but the Eulit is nicer, and the buckle on the Panama, while it looks dainty, is plenty robust IRL, and super low profile. You can also adjust the strap to have just the right amount of tail showing. I get mine from Holben's. I'll shut up about perlon now.

i loooove perlon, it's just not the thing for here, unless you know where i can get a 12.5" perlon strap,
then i'd be over the moon

 

[peterrizzo]

Perlon can be too scratchy due to the plastic-like coating on the fabric, or maybe I’ve just gotten too cheap of ones. The edges rough up my skin something fierce.

Peter, I don’t know if I’ve seen one of those made with traditional nato material, they usually are more elastic in my experience when designed to attached that way. Here is one such provider:

How it works!!

The Watch Steward

www.thewatchsteward.com

Noah, thanks so much, this looks to be the missing link, for me yes, i agree, the one i had that worked
so well was a bit elastic, it was very comfortable, loss-proof, and kept the low profile watch at a very low
profile.

i truly think that watches that get worn under "beater" conditions ought to be watches that pretty much
duck the blows instead of taking them full on, like any good warrior.

Thanks again,

peter

 

[peterrizzo]

This site, 18/20/22/24/26mm TDM STRAPS has straps that work like that but not with a buckle. I have several of them and like them.

Videos on how it works. How it works!!

Thanks willy b,

this looks really promising too, i wish i weren't working, but this all looks like great info.

Thanks!

peter

 

[peterrizzo]

This site, 18/20/22/24/26mm TDM STRAPS has straps that work like that but not with a buckle. I have several of them and like them.

Videos on how it works. How it works!!

oh, wow, the watch steward is the guy you both recommended, that's a strong recommendation.
i wrote to him to ask about if it works with fixed springbar watches, it's the Seiko RAF Gen 1 i really
want to fit, here.

thanks willie,

peter

 

[peterrizzo]

well, guys, i ordered three of them, for the price of one erika m&n, and erika, which
is where i saw this type of watch band to befgin with, responded by saying that it
was not possible to configure this way! sheesh! i beg to differ....and i sent her the
same photos that you see, above. maybe a language problem?

kevin at watch steward is responsive and articulate and tells you exactly what to
order ( i needed the "g" series.) so, thanks willie, and noah, you were both right,
this is the way to go if you want this kind of strap. and mark, i agree, the perlons
are great straps, i especially like them in the summertime, and they do lie so flat
on the wrist so as not to really elevate the watch much. but i'll tell ya, the gen 1 raf
is about as expensive a watch as i care to wear, and i really do want it as flush to
the wrist as i can get it, not just for aesthetic reasons, but to duck those blows,
i work with my hands a lot, and i don't want to add any scars if i can help it.

i hope this thread is useful to people with this concern. but, i still don't know what
to call this style of nato wear

 

[WaNGARAI]

Peter - the MN straps are very good, but as far as I know they don't work with fixed springbars (as the Gen 1 has), you can't fit the hardware through the space between the case and springbar. Normally to fit you remove the springbar, insert the strap into position, then refit the springbar.



If I'm wrong, I'd be very happy to know as I have the Gen 1 and 2 and I don't like Nato straps - with the fold back and double metal retainer.



 

[peterrizzo]

Peter - the MN straps are very good, but as far as I know they don't work with fixed springbars (as the Gen 1 has), you can't fit the hardware through the space between the case and springbar. Normally to fit you remove the springbar, insert the strap into position, then refit the springbar.



If I'm wrong, I'd be very happy to know as I have the Gen 1 and 2 and I don't like Nato straps - with the fold back and double metal retainer.



hi ian,

nope, i think you're right. that's probably why erika said it could not be done,
that seemed weird as i learned of this nato technique from the erika m&n website,
albeit some time ago. today she wrote that it would put too much stress on the
springbars, which just doesn't ring true for me, especially with fixed springbars.

the watch steward hardware unhooks on one end at least, and then rehooks once
you've sent the strap through. that's my underdstanding, i will update this thread
once these straps arrive.

 

[Evolutionary Reject]

Look fwd to seeing the results. I have looked at those straps more than once and should be a great fit for your RAF (awesome watch btw, one of my favorites).

Edited...this is the minimalist series below. I don't think I would love that amount of bunched up material at the one end...

 

[peterrizzo]

Look fwd to seeing the results. I have looked at those straps more than once and should be a great fit for your RAF (awesome watch btw, one of my favorites).

Edited...this is the minimalist series below. I don't think I would love that amount of bunched up material at the one end...

View attachment 508843

that is one nice looking strap, these straps have me thinking about summer already.
is that a watch steward strap, or from somewhere else?

 

[Evolutionary Reject]

Watch steward

 

[peterrizzo]

well, 3 out of 3 say watch steward, soon to be 4 out of 4, i'd figure, mine are on the way...

 

[peterrizzo]

They're here, and they're fabulous. Very, very comfortable, very low profile,
great colors ( the orange is a bit bright, it might keep you safe during hunting
season, but it will mellow with age, i'm sure...) I find the easiest way to put
it on is to keep the hardware engaged and just slip the hand through. It's also
really easy to re-size, All-in-all, i am very happy with these.

So i'm still wondering, what to call this configuration? A Zero-Pass Elastic
Nato? It's hard to buy something when you need a side view photo of it,
and a few sentences, to explain it

Maybe Kevin at Watch Steward will have a name for it, i'm going to send him
a link to this thread.

Thanks for your help, all,

Peter