Hi all, hope you guys have had a good weekend. I have a burning question about NATO straps since it became a thing these days. Are the straps really worth the pennies especially for the SMP 300s?
All sorts of options to match your watch to your mood, your clothes, your team, a rainbow ... anything! Have a look on Aliexpress, where you can buy 50 or more for the price of one Omega. Not the same quality where the nylon type are concerned but I've picked up a couple of leather ones that seem to be very high quality. Time will tell.
don't get the official omega ones - way overpriced (although i'm sure great quality), just go online and find a good quality stitched (not glued) piece, and buy 5+ at a time!
Omegas NATOs are indeed very expensive, at least 50% too expensive in my opinion, but they are significantly better quality than many of the cheapies that I have tried. I compared a few on my Globemaster here some time ago:- https://omegaforums.net/threads/an-...mega-globemaster-or-“the-idiot-button”.62685/ Price aside, you will at least get an Omega branded buckle on their NATOs as well as a wide choice of colors, thicknesses and materials. Some of the higher quality NATOs from Omega will have a combination/layers of materials that make them feel very luxurious but also quite thick and less flexible. This thread needs more images.... The first image is in fact a Zulu and not even an Omega but hey
Omega's nylon NATOs are the best I've found so far. There are cheaper bands with similar feel, but not quite right - for instance, try on a BluShark band and a PhenomeNATO - the BluShark is too thick and the PhenomeNATO while very very nice is way too flimsy. Then go try on an Omega NATO and you'll find it's just right. Problem is, the Omega NATO is $160 and 100% not worth it IMO unless you have money to burn. Other premium "seatbelt" NATOs like the two described above sell for $40 at the very high end
Brown leather is my choice. A previous OF poster made what I thought is a valid point, that if a spring bar fails, the watch will remain attached by the other.
Do the Omega NATOs somehow do less damage to casebacks because of more expensive materials perhaps? Because that’s always been my major issue with cheap(er) NATO straps so far.
Omega NATOs are absolutely worth it. They are durable and comfortable. I think its okay to spend a $200 on a nice strap for your $5k watch. You can compliment with a few cheapies for special and one-off occasions. But for everyday wear, I'd get the Omega NATO 100%. You won't regret it.
Very much my opinion as well. I have not been able to find another brand NATO which equals the comfort and build of Omega's.
I really like the Omega NATO straps...especially the Omega replica NASA strap [not sure if it’s actually a NATO]...it’s my favorite/most comfortable strap...and it looks pretty cool on the wall.
@Archer think they are! https://omegaforums.net/threads/ome...ap-vs-bond-nato-discussion.74498/#post-944438
I am not a big fan of nato straps personally. I think they make a really good high quality watch look cheap and they are definitely not for smaller wrists as they tend to look bulky. Just my opinion though.