Reply With QuoteOf course, they are plain silly. I just wasn't sure if they were made in jest or they were stupid but serious.😃Originally Posted by swanbourne
That was my first thought on being given a NATOish strap, but over several years of seeing snag injuries on various bits of jewelry I never saw or heard of one involving that.
Of course, they are plain silly. I just wasn't sure if they were made in jest or they were stupid but serious.😃
Wow, many thanks for your kind offer. Honestly, I can now see why some people might like NATO straps. I might try one one day myself, who knows. Many of the people who have contributed to this thread clearly care deeply about my opinion. I am touched, thank you.
Well exactly. Millions upon millions of people wear rings on their fingers, so we hear stories of degloving relatively regularly. Only a relatively tiny number of people wear watches on nato straps.
I'm sure if nato straps were as common as rings, we'd hear lots of stories of nato related injuries up to and including arms pulled off, but i suspect more common would be broken wrists, or dislocated shoulders or elbows.
I don't give a toss to be honest. Compared to a lot of the stuff I've done, this is not a risk worth worrying about, and I like natos. I bought three of yours the other day.
I might think differently if I worked around machinery though.
What I do think is weird is that people select nato straps specifically for activities where they are not at all ideal, like climbing.
Why is it silly?
A nato strap is a complete loop around your wrist. If it snags on something it will take a very substantial amount of force before it would break. In fact, the buckle would go first, and probably not before your wrist broke.
Eddies new ones might be safer. Doesn't the buckle have a spring bar?
Of course, it's no more dangerous than wearing lots of other jewellery really, and most of us wear wedding rings and stuff. It's not a big deal, but the only thing silly is pretending there's no risk at all.
And if you work with machinery, your nato strapped watch should come off, along with all your other jewellery.
Last edited by seikokiller; 13th September 2014 at 18:56.
I placed a Panerai pear wood box on my dashboard once. I had to swerve to avoid a fluffy kitten and the box flew off the dashboard and knocked me unconscious. I hit 42 cars before coming to a standstill. Utter carnage. Thankfully, the watch was fine.
Stay at home people, stay at home.
like most things in life guys just a personal choice and if we were all the same life would be boring!
if you like them buy one if not don't!!!!! life goes on!
It is very, very difficult for it to get snagged unless worn very loose. Sure, under some circumstances it might be a theoretical concern but hardly practical. Have yet to hear a story about someone having a serious injury from wearing a nato strap.
Near heavy machinery, one just has to use common sense
Has anybody lost a torso from wearing a waist belt??
Lol!!!
Once my nato got caught in a handle bar of a cyclisist (yes,those damn cyclists) and had to run ten miles with him before he stopped and I could disentangle myself!
Im not saying don't wear a nato strap because they're dangerous. I wear them all the time.
I'm saying they're probably not a good choice if you do something that involves a lot of potential for your watch to get snagged on something that might pull your arm off.
But then if anybody here actually needs me to explain why that is, frankly, they're the reason your workplace has to have all those signs up telling people stuff only a complete moron doesn't already know, like don't drink the battery acid.
Yes you're right. Around heavy machinery, one has to use ones common sense, and take off ones jewellery, or one will lose ones bloody hand.
I am not a bracelet fan so I wear my watches on leather or nylon. In my part of the world it is hot and humid 7 months of the year and leather doesn't fare well on a sweaty wrist. Nylon is a perfect choice for hot weather, it is comfortable and getting them sweaty or wet doesn't damage them. They are easily washable, just attach the strap to a belt loop on a pair of pants when you wash them.
Just for you...
As a student, NATO straps are great for a casual look. It's great if you have a few different types as you can easily change them and match them up with your outfit. A lot of people say they're comfortable but I strongly disagree, they're too light and the watch becomes top heavy and sort of flops around all over the place unless you over-tighten the strap. Also the strap sort of loops around if you have small wrists unless you get it cut .Unless your watch has very low spring bars then the strap will stick out too far up and feel awkward. I have fairly soft skin and anyone else who does knows the straps can be very irritating and scratch your wrist a lot. Finally they tend to fold, crease and leave gaps too much for my liking. However that doesn't stop me from wearing them as they look pretty cool.
He he classic!!
Theres a refreshing honesty about this post. Im not sure how a NATO could irritate skin, or the looping round the wrist bit, but the rest of it probably sums up reason of ownership for a great many...
Comparison shot here... albeit a bad one.
I like both fabric and bracelet straps... so invested in an extra Speedie to save on strap changes......
Greg. :)
If the buckle doesn’t give way first then the pin that goes through the material will likely do so before we get to some ‘lost-limb’ scenario.
Anyhooo, in the event you do destroy one of your NATO’s it’s always wise to carry some spares...
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
Most accidents happen in the home, so be very careful.;)
Remember...you must think in Russian ...think in Russian!
Most random Firefox quote ever...
When you start taking apart a NATO strap you end up with a very long thread.
I rather liked that comment.
Hah, very good. :-)
Not to mention that it also ends up doubling back on itself
Gray
But seriously WHY are they that odd design? A simple one-piece RAF strap is fine: thread it through, buckle it up and you're done. No flaps or folds or extra furniture. I think the Def Stan requirements were done in cahoots with the makers to ensure a 50% more nylon webbing and an extra metal keeper were used (but not really needed).
NATOs are stupidly over-engineered with no benefit whatsoever -- in fact, a simple one-piece RAF strap makes the watch head sit lower on the wrist (thus fewer knocks and bangs) and has one less ring to snag or catch on anything. Better ergonomically, too -- you can always centre the buckle on the back of your wrist rather than halfway round.
Circumcise your NATOs people.
Imo it just looks and feels more secure, psychological I'm sure, some like like RAF style I'm afraid I don't :(
They're breathable, they're waterproof, they dry quickly - they're cheap as chips
and if I popped a springbar I would be oh so grateful havng this on a nato and not a conventional strap/bracelet:
Oh and I hate bracelets - can't wear them... annoys me
The extra bit is apparently to stop the head of the watch sliding along the strap (as it cant get past the extra hardware, and coming off the strap when it's NOT buckled to your wrist.
Probably not much use with modern watches, and thickish straps, but looking at some old fixed bar watches, they looked like they had a lot of space between the case and the bars, and your watch could easily have slid along the strap, potentially onto the floor.
I just think it looks cool, and much prefer them to the RAF pattern.
Also, the watches of the day - G10 and chronographs had 19mm lugs (dunno why, perhaps imperial measure - 3/4") and the straps were 18mm so the head did slide about easily. I think they were also designed to be strapped to other things - a tent pole or branch for example - hence the holes going down to a diameter smaller than any pongo or Brylcreem boy's wrist.
The RAF straps were worn with a leather backing pad, like a Bund strap, to keep nylon away from the skin in case of fire.
Surely the leather would need to go all the way round for that to be effective? And then wouldn't you just have a leather strap?
No. The extra bit is to stop the watch sliding off the strap when it's taken off and hung up on a nail, or if the watch is picked up by the buckle. You don't have to like it, but that's how it was back then, when NATO strap were quite thin, and watches were smaller with longer lugs and a larger gap between the springbar and the case.
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
They don't suit all watches, but an Everest on a NATO looks fabulous and fits me far better than on the bracelet.
Is that really true? If so I'm assuming due to grit or something getting stuck between the strap and case back rather than the actual NATO strap itself?
I don't think it's scratches as much as general abrasion marks from rubbing.
That Speedy looks fantastic - love the colour of the lume. what year is it from?
[img
Oops, sorry, I tried not to reproduce the whole post but then the pics didn't work. See post #116 below...
I'm a big NATO/G10 strap fan, and so far i've not lost any limbs using them. I like the security having had a spring bar fail in the past :)
Its definately not for every watch, between 3 very similar Rolex watches, I tried a GMT on a NATO and i thought it looked a tad silly (maybe its the colors) so that lives on a leather strap, Sub got the NATO, and SD had the bracelet re-installed (sat too high for my liking on the wrist due to the curved case back)
They can certainly do that, however a sticky protector on the case-back will stop it.
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
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