Tested: The Best NATO Watch Straps For Military-Inspired Style

You might be surprised to learn that something as seemingly innocuous and simple as a watch strap could actually have a long and somewhat complicated history. But that’s exactly the case with NATO watch straps. The common belief is that these straps were first issued to NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) troops so that they could wear wristwatches on the battlefield. The truth, however, is that NATO – in regards to watch straps – is short for NSN, or NATO Stocking Number, which is really just a reference to the system used to document goods by the NATO alliance. This type of strap happened to be a common enough item amongst the NATO alliance to acquire the association, but singular enough that it stands out as unique. In any case, the following are our picks for the best NATO watch straps out there today, tested by us so you know what to expect.

How We Tested

Admittedly, most people, even watch enthusiasts, aren’t experts on third-party straps. While we were previously familiar with each brand in this guide, we did go the extra mile to see what else we could find out there. The results of our findings still let us back to these favorites, but not for a lack of trying. Prior to testing, we scoured the space to create our shortlist, based on attributes such as aesthetic, size and color options, length, price, and construction methods.

From there, we sourced our units for testing and spent time with each of these straps, throwing them on a vintage Seiko 6139 –– a 39mm stainless steel case with a 19mm lug width. Since 19mm straps aren’t as common from third-party brands, most of these are 20mm, which honestly didn’t make much of a difference. When wearing each strap, we looked at comfort, ease of use, wearability, wrist presence, weight, and just the whole user experience. Our results are detailed below.

What to Look For

Materials: If you know anything about NATO straps, you might expect that it’s a requirement for them to be made from nylon. However, NATO is simply a pass-through style of strap that’s usually made from nylon. As you’ll see, there are other options as well, including leather, which may pop up on this guide.

Hardware: Along with the strap material is the hardware material, which is almost always made from stainless steel. In fact, all the options we tested were just that.

Durability: One of the most obvious benefits of NATO straps is their immense durability. Designed to stand up to the intense rigors of combat and other military use, NATO straps are heavily resistant to tearing and abrasions and are practically impervious to dirt, sand, mud, or the elements.

Comfort: As just a simple piece or woven nylon or other fabric, NATO straps are unsurprisingly very comfortable to wear. There are also more high-end takes on NATO bands such as leather-lined straps that further bolster comfort while on-wrist. NATO straps are also incredibly lightweight — another contributing factor to both their overall appeal, and immense levels of comfort.

Ease Of Swapping: The ease of swapping out NATO straps is another blatant benefit to these items. Unlike alloy bracelets that require a spring-bar tool to mount or remove, NATO straps can be installed without needing any tools — or any experience for that matter. These items simply slip through a case’s spring bars, wind back around, and then mount to the wearer’s wrist.

Color Options: Unlike the original G10 strap, modern NATO bands are produced in an enormous range of colors and patterns. From classic military colors to striped models to speckled straps to pattern-printed bands, there are literally thousands of different models on the market to pick from — making it particularly easy to personalize any watch.

Built-In Failsafe: NATO bands also have the added benefit of featuring a design that sees the band loop back around a second time. With a normal strap, bracelet, or band, if the watch loses one of its spring bars, the entire watch will fall off the wearer’s wrist. With NATO straps, however, this system ensures the timepiece remains on its wearer’s wrist even if a spring bar breaks or fails.

Ability To Remain In Place: Unlike alloy bracelets which can often cause the watch to move around on the wrist due to their weight, NATO bands do a phenomenal job of remaining in place.

Price: As if all of the above reasons weren’t enough, NATO straps are made all the more appealing by the fact that they are extremely affordable. This makes it relatively inexpensive to acquire NATO straps in a host of different colors, allowing you to easily change up the look and feel of your watch (or watches) without even coming close to breaking the bank.

Crown and Buckle Standard NATO

Best Budget Strap: Though we only have one pictured above (their “Time For A Cure” option), Crown & Buckle actually has one of the more vast collections of NATO watch straps (and just watch straps in general), both in relation to size, color-way, and material thickness. The sizes range from 16 to 24 millimeters; the offer standard, premium, or heavy-duty; and, as far as colors go, you’ll just have to see for yourself. This is probably the best place to start for anyone looking for consistent quality, but a wide range of style options for their favorite chronograph.

The Good

First of all, you can’t beat a $10 strap, especially if it’s this good. For testing, I went with the orange option (it’s my favorite color) and I really felt good with it on my wrist all day –– like that feeling you get when you’re proud of your new sneakers. This was a great summer pick, color-wise, and it was also thin and lightweight on the wrist.

Also, the sheer plethora of color and size options is notable here. Many of these brands don’t have 19mm options (which I needed) but Crown & Buckle goes all the way down to 16mm and up to 24mm. Likewise, the proportions sized themselves well. I was able to adjust this strap easily, even after it was threaded through the watch, and it settled at a nice spot on the other side (i.e., it wasn’t sticking out). Likewise, the polished hardware didn’t feel too tacky, which I was expecting it to be.

The Not So Good

As much as I liked the look of the stainless steel hardware, it was quite lofty and stuck out farther than I had liked it to. This was especially an issue when I placed my arm down on countertops or armrests. On the other hand, I didn’t mind the hardware in terms of aesthetic; I actually kinda loved it. It’s also important to note that this strap is flimsy, which is to be expected for the cheap price. Also, it got a bit too itchy in the heat and I had to loosen it to relieve the irritation –– not ideal.

Verdict: It’s hard to complain about a $10 strap and this nylon option from Crown & Buckle is as good of a cheap option as you’ll find, all things considered. However, it was a bit itchy in the heat and the hardware stuck out too far for our liking. Nonetheless, it provides great style and has a plethora of size and color options to choose from, which is always nice when nabbing a third-party strap.

BluShark Original Premium Nylon Strap

Best Ballistic Nylon Strap: Similarly to Crown & Buckle, BluShark offers many color options when it comes to their NATO watch strap – though their sizes are limited to 18 through 24 millimeter. Still, that tends to be a wider range than most people need for their wristwatch collection. Regardless, their nylon straps are reliable, handsome, and are easily paired to the rest of your everyday carry loadout. So whether you’re going for a hard tactical vibe or something more fun and casual, BluShark has you covered.

The Good

While this BluShark strap is twice the price of the above option, it’s still offered at an incredible price of just around $20, which is totally reasonable. After all, this is billed as a more “premium” option, and it doesn’t disappoint. Compared to the Crown & Buckle, the BluShark is noticeably softer against the skin. For a budget-friendly strap, the seams appeared to be really clean and I felt like the cosmetic integrity and quality was superb, especially for the price.

One could confuse the low weight of the strap for cheapness but I actually like how thin it felt, yet still retaining its apparent durability. Likewise, the rigidity that was present was helpful when threading the strap through the hardware. I also love all the customization choices, including the hardware (with brushed, polished, and black PVD options) and lug width sizes.

The Not So Good

For cosmetic reasons, we went with the brushed hardware, which I appreciated for its sportier, almost outdoorsy look compared to the more dressy polished hardware –– we just felt like brushed was the safest choice considering the price, but we wouldn’t blame you for picking one of the other options. Yet despite being made of stainless steel, the feel of the hardware was still a bit flimsy and thin, which is to be expected for the price. Fortunately, this didn’t affect the actual durability of such and also helped cut the weight.

Also, I didn’t love the length of the strap. At 11″, it wasn’t too long for my wrist, per se, but its hardware was positioned as such that I couldn’t get it situated without the end sticking out above my watch dial on the back end.

Verdict: Much softer than we expected against the skin, the BluShark Premium Nylon Strap is a fantastic ballistic nylon option, especially for the price. We felt the stainless steel hardware was a bit flimsy but loved the trio of customization options you get to choose from. Also, despite being a bit long on the back end, we loved the integrity behind the watch, including its consistent quality and obvious durability.

Maratac Mil-Nato Bands

Best Budget Mil-Spec Strap: What’s special about these NATO straps is that they were actually modeled after the U.K. Ministry Of Defense (the first organization to make them) specifications and then made even better. This means that these aren’t just up to military-spec, they’re superior to the standards by a long shot. And that’s a huge benefit to anyone who wants a NATO strap but has been worried about whether or not they are tough enough to take a bit of punishment. Let us assure you, the Mil-NATO Bands from Maratac pass the tests with flying colors, and even claim to be stronger than U.K. MOD Specifications, made from ultrasonically-welded and stitched nylon for extra tension resistance. Likewise, the hardware is made of non-magnetic stainless steel.

The Good

You might not visibly notice the difference in this Maratac strap right away, but side-by-side with the two budget straps above, you can notice the difference. I personally loved the seared pointed edge on the end of the strap, which aided threading and also lets me know that this won’t fray down the line. Against my skin, the strap was also incredibly soft –– even more so than the BluShark above.

While the steel hardware is still rather flimsy here, it looks solid in its brushed aesthetic. There also seems to be some level of discernment as to where the buckles are placed. Other straps feel like they place their hardware at random. For the strap itself, we went with the military-style OD green colorway, but you can choose from 5 different options.

The Not So Good

Both good and bad, the strap was limited when fitting onto my watch’s case, meaning there wasn’t any wiggle room. I liked this in terms of eliminating any obfuscation as to how to fit the strap but I didn’t love the end result, which is that the strap was too long on the back side of the case. Luckily, it was SO long that I could reverse-tuck it back the other side and it still looked solid.

Another issue that can make a difference in your purchasing is the lack of size options: only 20mm and 22mm. However, those two choices cover a majority of ~40mm watches.

Verdict: Perhaps not as many size options as you’d hope for, the Maratac Mil-NATO Bands are still impressive regardless of the price. Utilizing exceptional construction techniques, these bands are also incredibly soft against the skin and have a very deliberate configuration. We highly recommend this one.

ADPT Strap US-Made Mil-Strap

Best American-Made Strap: Currently the only American-made nylon strap of its kind, the ADPT Strap US-Made Mil-Strap is a high-end take on a NATO strap that’s carefully crafted from a premium material selection. Produced in a dozen colors, the US-Made Mil-Strap sports a rugged 420-denier nylon construction that’s been complemented via a buckle and hardware composed of 316L stainless steel — a popular case construction on luxury watches. The attention to detail on this strap is also second to none, with an overall fit and finish that’s on par with a great many of the luxury watches it can be paired with.

The Good

With something so simple as a NATO strap, it might be difficult to find ways to stand out. For the ADPT Strap, it succeeds in small ways such as the highlight stitching which adds just a touch of style, along with the subtle gloss, or the seared triangular tip to prevent fraying. I also love how easy it was to thread the strap through. It features a natural curve which allowed me to put it through both of the metal loops simultaneously.

I also noticed a difference in hardware quality here, slightly. Still rather lightweight, there was less of a need for me to double-check the website to confirm its stainless steel material. And even though the loops stick out, similar to the Crown & Buckle strap, they fold down when pushed, preventing discomfort. Also, despite just having three size options, there are a ton of color choices (pending availability).

The Not So Good

The biggest downside of the ADPT Strap is pretty obvious: the price. Where very similar options are literally a third of the price, this one stands at nearly $50. However, since it does come from the U.S., shipping is more likely to be reasonable compared to overseas options, so the total amount that you pay might not be all that different after all. Use your own discretion here.

Verdict: With lots of colors to choose from, the ADPT Strap is a solid USA-made choice with mil-spec boasting superb construction and material choices. We loved the subtle flairs of style that didn’t compromise the simplicity of the strap, as well as the hardware quality. This might be a bit more expensive than others on this list but when it’s all said and done, you’re getting a superb strap.

David Lane Design Mil Spec Strap

Best Leather Strap: Chicago-based Horween makes some of the finest USA-made leather products available just about anywhere. So, you shouldn’t be shocked to find that this David Lane NATO strap, which is made from their calf suede or Horween shell cordovan leather, is one of the best in the world. Hand-cut, hand-sewn, and hand-finished, these straps come in a handful of different colors, all of which are mated to polished stainless steel hardware, and it’s sure to step up the style of any chronograph, aviator, or minimalist watch you own.

The Good

You may not have been expecting a leather-based strap option on a guide about NATO straps but this pass-through option from David Lane was just too good to leave off. Extremely soft and supple against the skin, this was the most comfortable of any we tested. As someone who doesn’t necessarily prefer leather straps for their rigidity, this option was certainly against type, even to a fault (more on that below). Perhaps the best part of this leather band, however, is how well it stretches. My main issue with leather is that its restrictive but this one feels almost cotton-like.

Like the Maratac, there are five size options here and quite a few color options if you peruse the brand’s website. And just like the ADPT above, the stainless steel hardware just felt a step above the rest.

The Not So Good

It may seem like a total nitpick but I didn’t love how the strap lacked the classic leather smell, which I love and was looking forward to. For those who like the highlight stitching, there’s a subtle brown thread here that complements the leather’s brown, although I probably would’ve preferred either an exact match or a contrasting shade like white or gray.

However, in terms of wearing the strap, my biggest complaint is how easily it comes out of the metal loops when rolled back over. In fact, there was one time when I found it all the way undone. Not ideal. This is simply due to the supple nature of the strap material, which is also a benefit. Another downside is that these take up to two months to receive after ordering. But that’s because they’re made-to-order, which should speak volumes about their quality.

Verdict: As the only leather option on this list, the David Lane strap is understandably pricey. However, it does have its upsides, including the premium materials, all the way down to the stainless steel hardware, and the supple feel. We found issues with its softness in terms of staying put inside the loops but it also results in the most comfortable strap on this list.

NATO Straps Comparison Chart

What Exactly Is a NATO Strap?

Today, what makes a NATO strap a NATO strap is its format. Yes, format, not materials. Most commonly and historically, NATO straps were/are made from nylon, but this is not a requirement to fit into the category. In fact, what makes it a NATO is this: it must be a single piece (rather than two, as with common leather buckled straps or metal bands) and it must have thin metal hardware (namely a buckle and loops/keepers through which the strap is slipped). The thinness is actually important in this case because thicker hardware would actually designate the strap as a Zulu rather than a NATO, but that’s a tale for another time.

History of NATO Straps

What we today know as the NATO strap first appeared in 1973, courtesy of the British Ministry of Defence (or “MoD”). Initially, these straps were only available to active-duty military personnel serving in the ranks of the MoD. In order for soldiers to acquire one, they were required to fill out what was called a G1098 form — or “the G10” for short. So, despite officially being dubbed the “Strap, Wrist Watch,” this style of band was often referred to as the “G-10.” Though it was originally only offered in “Admiralty Grey,” it wasn’t long before the MoD started offering the G10 strap in a variety of different regimental colors from different units. Regardless of the color, these 20mm straps were constructed from woven nylon and features chrome-plated brass buckles and keepers.

As the years marched on, NATO bands were adopted by an enormous number of different military forces from all over the globe. This unsurprisingly led to updated and evolved takes on these straps, though at their core they all remain lightweight, rugged, and largely utilitarian in nature. These straps were also loved by soldiers for their ability to be worn on top of their uniform, plus the strap setup featured a clever built-in fail-safe to ensure users wouldn’t lose their watch if a spring bar broke. And while they were once lately utilized by military personnel, NATO straps have more recently become an incredibly popular fashion accessory that’s now paired with everything from budget Timex models to top-shelf Swiss-made timepieces.

Honorable Mentions

An homage to the original G10 strap from 1973, this Zuludiver 1973 British Military HydraRib NATO strap is a beautiful example that can be added to either vintage watches or vintage-style watches. Completely waterproof, this strap features a core-spun HydraRib nylon construction paired with a buckle and hardware crafted from 304 stainless steel. The strap also benefits from the use of high-temperature color dying, ensuring the straps hue won’t fade over time. We weren’t able to get hands-on with this strap but felt like mentioning

If you’re not familiar, Omega is legendary in the watch world. After all, they are one of the brands that James Bond likes to wear. As such, you can bet that their NATO offering is one of the best on the market. And it’s not just the greater item, but there are subtleties you won’t see elsewhere – like in the boxy shape of the polished loops/keepers or the tiny Omega icon set into the buckle. Keep in mind, however, that you’ll pay a premium price if you want the best out there.

Though we really like these Phenome Straps, they’re notably not as unique as similar-priced options. We ultimately opted out of including them since they are very boutique and make each strap to order with a 30-day waiting period. However, they deserve mention here.

Similar to the Zuludiver in terms of feel, The Sambolo from UTE is highly comfortable but the 2-piece design makes it a bit less faithful to the traditional NATO style.

B&R Bands’ XTREME Nylon Military Watch Strap is another notable option, albeit pretty generic compared to the others we tested.

Similar to the B&R XTREME, the Bark & Jack Nylon Straps are pretty generic but nevertheless have their own fans out in the watch world.

The Best Rubber Watch Straps

Want to check out another selection of great aftermarket bands? Then be sure to head over to our guide to the best rubber watch straps for our favorite warm-weather picks.