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NATO straps are gloriously simple. Compared to a traditional two-piece watch band, the military-theme strap is a single piece of fabric that slips through both spring bars of the watch. It’s easy to add or remove and doesn’t require any tools. For many, the simple nylon strap is appealing because it’s comfortable, inexpensive, and offers a very casual look.
And, yes, NATO watch straps have a legitimate military heritage dating back to the 1970s. Originally, the design was popularized by British troops who preferred it because it was cheap, easy to clean, and held up well against water. Across the pond, they called it a “G10” strap, but it was also given a National Stock Number, which is standardized for member countries in the North Atlantic Trade Organization. Thus, in common parlance, it is called a NATO strap.
However, not all NATO straps are created equal. The best NATO straps stand out because they use better construction materials, design features, and more appealing aesthetics. With that in mind, here are some of the best NATO straps to fit any need and which look as at home on a G-Shock as they do on a Rolex.
- Best Overall: Barton G-Shock NATO Strap Conversion Kit
- Best Value: Barton Ballistic Nylon NATO Strap
- Editor’s Choice: Strap Tailor Premium Ribbed NATO Strap
- Best Military: Crown and Buckle Matte Supreme Coyote
How we tested
NATO straps are probably my favorite style of strap for wear with utility watches. I’ve worn NATO straps of all types, probably totaling around 10 to 12 purchases by this point, a lot of which I’ve given away as gifts to various friends, along with some watches. Because of this affinity, I’ve also developed an eye for what makes a good NATO strap, and I’ve spent countless hours researching who makes the best NATO strap.
Using NATO straps, I’ve worn an Islander Field watch, an Orient Star Outdoor, an Orient M-Force, Islander ISL-22 Dive watch, Hamilton Khaki, Casio G-Shock, Sea-Gull Ocean Star, Nixon Regulus Mk1, and Seiko SNJ-025 “Arnie” among several others. These various styles, sizes, and shapes of these watches have informed my choices here today, and were tested based on their comfort, cost, variety of colors, and variety of sizes. All of these are watch straps that I have personally owned and would recommend in a heartbeat.
Best Overall
Barton G-Shock NATO Strap Conversion Kit
Pros
- The perfect fix for a G-Shock
- Comfort improvement
- Allows you to swap other types of straps on as well
Cons
- Only works with certain G-Shocks
- Makes the watch much larger
- Adapter isn’t a perfect fit
Product Specs
- Colors available: Black or silver hardware; no limit on strap colors
- Sizes: 22mm
- Material: Seatbelt weave nylon
Best Value
Barton Ballistic Nylon NATO Strap
Pros
- A simple but effective watch strap
- Available in a wide array of colors and sizes
- Affordable
Cons
- Edges aren’t finished as well as some others
- Not as comfortable as more premium options
- Makes watch fit taller
Product Specs
- Colors available: Black or silver hardware; no limit on strap colors
- Sizes: 22mm
- Material: Seatbelt weave nylon
Editor’s Choice
Strap Tailor Premium Ribbed NATO Strap
Pros
- Extremely comfortable
- Durable
- A cut above other options
Cons
- Costly to ship from the U.K.
- Limited hardware colors
- Limited colors
Product Specs
- Colors available: Silver hardware; black, gray, green, tan, red, yellow, blue, and striped straps
- Sizes: 20 and 22mm
- Material: Ribbed nylon
Best Military
Crown and Buckle Matte Supreme Coyote
Pros
- Immaculate finishing
- Matte black PVD coated hardware option
- Unusual lug width options
Cons
- Long strap doesn’t fit small wrists well
- Pricey for simple nylon weave
- Stiff from the factory
Product Specs
- Colors available: Coyote brown, black, green, gray, blue, blonde, and various stripes with silver, PVD gold, or PVD black hardware
- Sizes: 19, 20, 21, and 22mm
- Material: Ribbed nylon
Our verdict on NATO straps
Not all NATO straps are created equal, and our picks today are the best in their class for a variety of reasons. The Barton G-Shock adapter kit is probably the best for our readers since we assume at least most of you own a Casio G-Shock, and this is the perfect way to prevent the wrist rash that comes with most of them. Barton also comes in clutch with their simple ballistic nylon NATO strap, no matter your tastes, for a great price. The Strap Tailor was the company that best achieved the “luxury NATO strap” that we could find, barring ridiculously expensive limited edition brands, and so we picked its ribbed nylon strap as something that takes the concept of the NATO watch strap and elevates it successfully.
What to consider when buying NATO straps
When buying NATO straps, it can be quite complicated in spite of the fact that these are relatively simple watch straps. There are multiple types of straps, different features, and factors that affect things like cost and wearability. In addition, there’s a right and wrong way to wear a NATO strap, further complicating matters.
Types of NATO straps
Single-pass
A single-pass NATO strap is a much older style of strap. It’s a simple single strip of cloth with a buckle on one side and eyelets on the other. The advantage is that they’re incredibly slim, so they won’t make your watch feel bulky, but the disadvantage is that because it’s a single strap, the watch will slide along the band.
Dual-pass
A dual-pass strap fits like a single-pass version except the watch fits on a second strap attached to the main strap, so it won’t slide around the band. The inherent advantage is stability, but the disadvantage is the two layers of cloth make the watch noticeably taller.
Two-piece
A two-piece NATO strap isn’t a NATO strap at all. While they have similar characteristics to NATO straps like nylon fabric, they’re just traditional watch straps, so each piece attaches to one end of the watch, which means you’ll probably need spring bar tools.
Zulu
A Zulu strap functions like a NATO strap but uses different hardware. Instead of thinner, rectangular hardware, a Zulu strap uses hardware that’s thicker and rounder. It’s a more durable and interesting-looking NATO strap. The only downside to these is that the large hardware can be an annoyance for some, and they often cost more.
Pricing for NATO straps
Because of their simplicity, NATO straps are fairly inexpensive. The price of the strap is usually determined by the material, so a NATO strap made from low-quality materials will cost less than one made from premium materials. On average, you can find a good-quality NATO strap like the ones listed in this article priced at around $25. However, they rarely cost more than $35.
Tips and tricks
As with something you do for years, you pick up a few tips and tricks along the way in terms of selecting the right product, and/or using it. That’s the case with us and NATO Straps. To help you bridge the information gap, here’s a selection of what we’ve learned along the way.
- The strap will almost always have excess length left at the end. Tuck this back into the keepers on the side of the strap.
- The long part of the NATO strap goes through the lugs, and then it’s woven through the keeper of the secondary strap on the other side, not before.
- Make sure you match the lug width of your straps to your watch, otherwise you can have issues with stability or be unable to fit the straps through.
FAQs about NATO straps
You’ve got questions, Task & Purpose has answers.
Q: How do I install a NATO strap on my Rolex?
A: To install a NATO strap on a Rolex (or any watch with spring bars) you use a spring bar tool to remove the existing strap or bracelet, reinstall the spring bars without a strap, and then weave the NATO strap through those spring bars.
Q: Who makes the best Bond NATO strap?
A: My favorite Bond-style NATO strap comes from WatchGecko, given that it offers a wide variety of sizes and hardware finishes. Fun fact: James Bond didn’t wear a true NATO strap in ‘Dr. No’ like many people think he did. NATOs hadn’t been invented yet.
Q: How good are Omega NATO straps?
A: You can be sure the finishing and comfort on these will be immaculate, but I personally think $300-plus is a bit steep for steel and nylon in any combination.
Q: Are leather NATO straps good?
A: To me, leather NATO straps ruin the point of a NATO strap, given that one of my favorite characteristics of them is that I can just take them off and throw them in the wash. Additionally, leather needs to be thicker to stand up to hard use, so some watches may have fitment issues. However, they’re a neat way to shake things up and look somewhat dressier without having to break out the spring bar tool again to swap to traditional two-piece leather straps.