Who is Making NATO Style Manta Ray or Shark STRAPS?

[NotASolder]

I have a 177H incoming (first rep). While searching for traps I've found a few things are true for me:

*I need a water resistant strap.

*I prefer the look of MantaRay/StingRay, maybe Shark.

*I want the security provided by 1 or 3 piece NATO type straps.

The strap choices available (even if I limit my search to rep fora discussed makers) is huge and it's been my experience that the combo of features I'm looking for is not too common.

Since I'm sure some of you have looked into similar choices, I'd like to ask for some pointers here from some of the experienced strap buyers.

BTW, the strap can be either conected by a thin strip or those thick 'frogs' that keep the caseback away from the wrist.

Thanks :?

 

[akire]

Ohhhhhh, a stingray or shark skin strap would be nice.

 

[NotASolder]

Buller...Ferris...Buller...

Ok, I give up.

Plain vanilla leather NATO.

Where? And how do they wear?

 

[tootall]

Hey,

I am not sure who sells these but it would not be a good idea imo. If you are so set on waterproofing these two exotics are not for you. The only true waterproof strap options would be Ti bracelet or rubber/silicone. Furthermore the stingray would cause the case to slip around.

Also, NATO straps for PAM's look horrible. (this is just my opinion). A PAM case is already very thick and big and a nato style strap only adds to the height and thus makes the watch look awful, IMO.

What other than the look drew you to make the conclusions about these type straps??

 

[hooligan]

I gotta agree with tootall on this one.

As far as the "security" of a NATO strap is concerned, I've *never* heard of anyone breaking a screw-bar, even on the cheapest rep PAMs.

If you're really set on the idea, Germano makes leather NATO style straps. You would need to treat it with something to make it water resistant, though.

 

[NotASolder]

Hey,

I am not sure who sells these but it would not be a good idea imo. If you are so set on waterproofing these two exotics are not for you. The only true waterproof strap options would be Ti bracelet or rubber/silicone. Furthermore the stingray would cause the case to slip around.

Also, NATO straps for PAM's look horrible. (this is just my opinion). A PAM case is already very thick and big and a nato style strap only adds to the height and thus makes the watch look awful, IMO.

What other than the look drew you to make the conclusions about these type straps??

Hmm, where do I start? Conclusions... I only name Water Resistance, Security and Looks.

You address the looks as YHO which I counter with MHO AND Tanfoglios pics of beautifull NATO shod PAMs in his famous Tanfo's Panerai thread. (The leather under the case is single thickness.)

Water resistance. Well, I have always read about the skins, ray, shark and croc, being water resistant and only the finished straps made from these products -for the inclusion of inferior 'fillers'- being NOT water resistant.

What I've read for a long time has been consistent with that. Please do correct me if I'm wrong. I did order my 177H with rubber, so I don't plan on doing any skin diving with those straps. I should have been clearer.

As far as security, I've read more than one forumite dropping his watch, not because a screw broke, but because it simply became unscrewed. As you know NATO straps (MOD, G10) by definition, have an extra strap that limits the movement of the watch, it's not a simple loop where the watch head can go 'Linda Blair' on you, so I don't understand how is it posible that "the stingray would cause the case to slip around".

Also, every second post (slight exageration) about Radiomir wire lugs talks about stripped screw holes and loose wires, so I do see the security of a NATO as particulary relevant if I go on with my interest in more expensive rep PAMs.

I gotta agree with tootall on this one.

As far as the "security" of a NATO strap is concerned, I've *never* heard of anyone breaking a screw-bar, even on the cheapest rep PAMs.

If you're really set on the idea, Germano makes leather NATO style straps. You would need to treat it with something to make it water resistant, though.

hooligan, as I said in my response to tootall, it's not broken screws that worry me, it's all the stories I've read about going to Loctite after dropping the watch head on the floor. Whether it's from loose screws or loose wire lugs that are not fixable once the threads give out.

I'll forum-search/google this Germano strap maker. Thanks.

 

[hooligan]

Really?

Hmmm, I'm must have missed that thread. I haven't heard any stories of people dropping their watches because one of the screw bars came unscrewed.

At any rate, spring bars are always an option. That would alleviate any problems with the screw bars coming unscrewed. So would using tubes with the screw bars.

No need for Google, the URL for Germano is in the stickied straps thread right at the top of this forum. I believe it is http://www.germano.de.

 

[tootall]

Hey,

I am not sure who sells these but it would not be a good idea imo. If you are so set on waterproofing these two exotics are not for you. The only true waterproof strap options would be Ti bracelet or rubber/silicone. Furthermore the stingray would cause the case to slip around.

Also, NATO straps for PAM's look horrible. (this is just my opinion). A PAM case is already very thick and big and a nato style strap only adds to the height and thus makes the watch look awful, IMO.

What other than the look drew you to make the conclusions about these type straps??

Hmm, where do I start? Conclusions... I only name Water Resistance, Security and Looks.

You address the looks as YHO which I counter with MHO AND Tanfoglios pics of beautifull NATO shod PAMs in his famous Tanfo's Panerai thread. (The leather under the case is single thickness.)

Water resistance. Well, I have always read about the skins, ray, shark and croc, being water resistant and only the finished straps made from these products -for the inclusion of inferior 'fillers'- being NOT water resistant.

What I've read for a long time has been consistent with that. Please do correct me if I'm wrong. I did order my 177H with rubber, so I don't plan on doing any skin diving with those straps. I should have been clearer.

As far as security, I've read more than one forumite dropping his watch, not because a screw broke, but because it simply became unscrewed. As you know NATO straps (MOD, G10) by definition, have an extra strap that limits the movement of the watch, it's not a simple loop where the watch head can go 'Linda Blair' on you, so I don't understand how is it posible that "the stingray would cause the case to slip around".

Also, every second post (slight exageration) about Radiomir wire lugs talks about stripped screw holes and loose wires, so I do see the security of a NATO as particulary relevant if I go on with my interest in more expensive rep PAMs.

I gotta agree with tootall on this one.

As far as the "security" of a NATO strap is concerned, I've *never* heard of anyone breaking a screw-bar, even on the cheapest rep PAMs.

If you're really set on the idea, Germano makes leather NATO style straps. You would need to treat it with something to make it water resistant, though.

hooligan, as I said in my response to tootall, it's not broken screws that worry me, it's all the stories I've read about going to Loctite after dropping the watch head on the floor. Whether it's from loose screws or loose wire lugs that are not fixable once the threads give out.

I'll forum-search/google this Germano strap maker. Thanks.

Hey man, I was just trying to help. :|

You never mentioned radiomir's, and if you had, I would point out that a NATO style strap would not work with those as they are half lugs to begin with. I can clarify if you want.

Secondly, what I meant by sliding around, is that the stingray is a slick material to begin with. If you had the stingray underneath a steel case it would slide around due to how slick stingray is.

While the look of a NATO strap is horrible to me, I pointed out very clearly that this was my OPINION. If you think it looks good, that is just as good as my opinion. I was speaking more to the functionality of it. Tango has beautiful collections but rarely do you see him wearing any of them. That being said, I would first ask around and look at wristshots of people wearing PAM's with Nato straps.

Any decent strap is water resistant. The level of water resistance varies from one case to the other. However, note that in tanning stingray and shark skins, some of the water resistance that they naturally have is worn off. Furthermore, they are expensive hides and you wouldn't want to take a chance on ruining them anywhere near water. The only exotic that I would trust near water is frog.

I concur with hooligan and say I have never read of a thread where someone's watch fell right off their hand. If so, the strap was not the culprit, but stripped lugs. Thus they would need PAM spring bars anyways.

 

[NotASolder]

I hope this is officially my last post in 'Acting like an Azzhat' mode.

Sorry if my posts came across as harsh, I thank you for your input.

@hooligan, I did check Germano out via google. I must update my forum search skills, only result I found was this very thread. They seem to have nice products.

@tootall, thanks for the info on the tanning process, I did not know that. As far as you not liking the look of NATO leather on PAMS, I meant to say that my liking it, as well as your not liking it, were both posted Humble Opinions, nothing mean spirited there. I just wanted to match those two and 'raise' you a Tanfo post, so to speak.

 

[NotASolder]

...
I concur with hooligan and say I have never read of a thread where someone's watch fell right off their hand. If so, the strap was not the culprit, but stripped lugs. Thus they would need PAM spring bars anyways.

I hate to nitpick, but I can't shake the feeling we are talking about two different things. Would you not agree that if someone was wearing a NATO strap and his spring bar/screw/wire lug malfunctioned, the watch would simply hang from the other spring bar/screw/wire lug and be saved from a fall, is this not the purpose of a NATO strap.

Also I don't see how NATO would not work with Radiomir cases, of course the strap would have to be the type with loops (just like a regular strap at the conecting point) at both ends or any type of NATO with the addition of a conecting tube between the two wire lugs.

Right?

Thanks again for your contributions.

 

[hooligan]

I hate to nitpick, but I can't shake the feeling we are talking about two different things. Would you not agree that if someone was wearing a NATO strap and his spring bar/screw/wire lug malfunctioned, the watch would simply hang from the other spring bar/screw/wire lug and be saved from a fall, is this not the purpose of a NATO strap. ...

I think we agree on the fact that the NATO is designed to do exactly what you describe above. I think where we disagree is the likelyhood that something like this will happen.

...it's not broken screws that worry me, it's all the stories I've read about going to Loctite after dropping the watch head on the floor. Whether it's from loose screws or loose wire lugs that are not fixable once the threads give out.

I don't mean to argue, but I haven't heard a single story about this happening here on RWI. I don't get to the other boards much, so I'm not sure about threads from other fora. I'm not disagreeing that it COULD happen, I just don't think it's very likely.

That's neither here nor there, really. If you like the NATO look, give it a try. The worse thing that could happen is that you hate how the strap wears after you get it. *shrug*

 

[turbogt]

I would like to see Tootall making a shark strap for the 201/A just like what the gen came with!

 

[NotASolder]

I did not find what I was looking for.


I now wait for my standard type BOB Waterproof Shark strap, which should be incoming shortly Via Aeropostale. At least it will fit my 22mm Pre-V buckle.

@Hooligan,

After playing, I mean working, a few strap changes, I see how unlikely it would be for a non defective, well screwed strap to come loose.

I guess some people either did not screw the strap in correctly or have stripped threads or maybe they are not using 'the tubes'. Still everything seems so precise about my current strap fit that the 'extra security' part of my post is now a mute point to me.

 

[hooligan]

Excellent, I'm glad that your fears have been assuaged on that front! Seriously, if you swap straps as often as I do, get some springbars, you won't be sorry. It takes me about 30 secs to change a strap on my 010. They are the cats' pajamas, I tell ya.

Be sure to post up pics of the BOB sharkie when you get it!