I just realized that while my watch’s stock metal bracelet is nice and all, I guess I find them (metal bracelets) too much of a hassle. This realization came when I learned how to adjust the links myself – which obviously made me try different “fits.”

When you factor in stuff like wrist expansion due to heat, metal bracelets can be very impractical in a tropical country. Since they’re metal, you can’t really “adjust them” depending on the “weather” that day. That’s why they have different “guides” for straps and bracelet fitting. If you’re on a strap, it’s always better for it to be snug. If it’s metal, you put an allowance as thick as your index finger – so you don’t end up choking your wrist with a super tight strap during a hot and humid day. While some watches look fine loose, given the size of mine, it always looked better snug rather than having a little play during the cold.

So I started looking for a replacement strap and immediately thought of the Nato strap popularized by Sean Connery (as James Bond) in the movie Goldfinger

The straps are actually pretty cheap all things considered. Over $20 here in the Philippines, I wouldn’t say they’re dirt cheap (you can get a decent quality leather strap for $5), but they have very good practical value. It’s made of the same material like a bag’s nylon strap, or those military belts. Sufficed to say, it’s popular for “industrial-grade” usage. It’s ultimately classified as fabric, so it’s softer than a regular strap, and it can get wet (Divers use it as well)

While looking for it, I also came across another type of strap called a Zulu – which is said to be thicker than Natos. There were also Zulu 4-ring versions which are basically Zulus that borrow from the Nato G10 design.

Anyways, I was surprised how hard it was to find these kinds of straps. No mall seemed to have them. Not even the hobby or weapon stores (since its ultimately military spec). Not to mention my watch is classified as oversized with 24mm lugs. (22 is the common large size) and most if not all Natos only go up to 22mm.

I was able to score from a diving shop by pure coincidence. I was just picking up my girlfriend and the traffic I had anticipated was non-existent. So I ended up visiting that diving shop near Home Depot. I asked if they had watch straps and she pointed me by the counter and there were a bunch of 24mm 4-ring Zulus!

This was just perfect since if it weren’t for that, I would never have known that a Nato strap’s look doesn’t go well with my watch as it made it look too “messy.” I also would never had known that Nato seems too thin for my taste as the Zulu strap I got was ideal in thickness… anything thinner would’ve probably felt weird. I ended up cutting the extra parts and turned it essentially to a regular Zulu.

On a personal note, I found that the “holes” are in places that are alanganin – meaning if it’s on one hole, it’s too tight, if it’s on the next one it’s already a bit loose. So I decided to just take out the pin-lock altogether and just rely on the principle of adjusting bag strap lengths:

I still ordered Maratac Zulu straps from MWR since people swear by the quality of Maratac straps. I just hope the order makes it in time for one of my friends to take it home after their concert tour. But for now, the new strap seems to be serving me well… and looking mighty fine at that.

UPDATE

I just got another strap as a “backup” and I noticed that the holes in it are better placed in relation to my wrist size – as well as “softer.” So I’m now using the “new” strap normally. I guess the lesson here is that if you’re getting these sorts of straps, and you can choose from more than one, better bring your watch and size each one to be safe 🙂