BluSharkOriginal Collection Military-Style Waterproof Watch Strap, Fits All Timepiece Brands, Durable Nylon Wristwatch Accessories with Stainless Steel Buckle

I bought this (BluShark Original) and some other brands and styles of NATO watch bands to replace the OEM band for a new automatic watch. It was my first NATO style band.The other bands (from other vendors) were a very inexpensive 6-pack for $15 and a single seatbelt material style NATO from another competitor for a comparable price to the Blue Shark ($18 + shipping - it's sold and shipped by BluShark, not Amazon)This band (BluShark Original) has great initial quality. The buckle and the strap keepers have a high quality fit and finish. They also have nice lines and smooth finished edges compared to cheaper bands whose hardware seems to be more stamped out of a machine. The stitching likewise seems to be high quality and the melted/fused edges of the nylon where it's cut at the holes and the end of the band had no issues. The band is thin but feels strong and durable. The thin material is nice because with a NATO band it threads easily through the watch and around the back, and the watch sits low on your wrist. I don't have a huge wrist (7 1/2" regular band is usually ideal) - this band had enough left to loop the extra back through the keeper that's further from the buckle (and the thinner material makes this easy to double it back on itself). I've only had it for a few weeks, so I can't speak to the longterm durability, but I expect it to be good. I liked the first one (black) so much and felt comfortable enough with the quality that I ordered a second (Bond Blue). The second one actually looks better than it does in the photos on Amazon. The 'Original" BluShark has 'premium' nylon which seems plenty strong, but it is slightly more scratchy than a 'seatbelt' nylon. That's the only reason I gave comfort 4 stars. It's not uncomfortable - just not as smooth and comfortable as a seatbelt nylon band. However (see comments below) the seatbelt style seems like it may be more susceptible to fraying over time, so the seatbelt-material bands may have a tradeoff of comfort for durability.For comparison, the $15 6 pack of bands (another vendor) seemed to have decent quality too, especially for the price. The buckle hardware seems a bit flimsier, so I'm not sure I'd use those bands for a good or heavy mechanical or automatic watch. They're probably fine for lighter or inexpensive watches. Those bands also have round holes, and it will be interesting to see how the holes hold up over time compared to the rectangular holes in the BluShark. What's good about inexpensive 'sampler packs' like this are that you can order them and see if you like NATO-style bands if you've never tried them before, and also check out how a variety of colors and patterns (generally stripes) go with your watches. Once you find out if you like the style and pick some colors that you like, you can trade up for a more costly higher quality band.Also for comparison, the seatbelt nylon NATO band from another vendor is high quality and has similar quality hardware to the BluShark. As mentioned earlier, the material is silky smooth and very comfortable. However, the band material is thicker, so the watch sits a bit higher off the wrist, is a bit tighter to thread through the watch, and doesn't bend as sharp where it comes out of the watch and curves around the wrist...at least not initially. That band seemed to have a few minor frayed threads at some of the holes and on the rounded strap end - that's not a knock on the quality, they were minor frays and can be melted down and sealed quickly and easily with a lighter or a lit match. Most people wouldn't have noticed them. I suspect that fraying over the long term may be more of an issue with the softer seatbelt material, but time will tell.The BluShark Original seems to hit a perfect balance between price and quality and durability. Not as cheap as the sampler pack, but not as costly as the $30+ premium bands offered by BluShark and others. The initial quality is very good - nice fit and finish of the hardware and the band itself. I would buy again.August 2022 update: 1 year + later and the band has held up well. It's not one I wear every day, though, for what it's worth. Would buy again. No fraying at the band tip or around the holes. The extra fit and finish compared to bargain bands really shows.

Super nice watch strap. Durable, simple to install. For all who don't like a rubber or steel strap. Nylon strap is water resistant and easy to wear.

As a “watch guy” this is the best nato strap for the price. Feels very durable and not cheap at all.

There's a huge variety of NATO straps available and most are nearly identical in construction and can be had for around $8-10. The BluShark is a bit more expensive, but for that you get nicer hardware and a well-finished nylon strap material. The buckle is a bit larger and more robust than most NATO straps and has a subtle etched logo. As far as materials and construction go, I'm quite happy with this product, though the strap is slightly thinner than other nylon NATO straps I have. I do have two small criticisms, though, due to the fact that I'm a person with smaller-than-average wrists.First, this strap is roughly .25" longer than typical NATO straps, which leads to more excess material I need to thread back through the keepers. If you have big wrists this may be a benefit but I'd appreciate being able to choose a shorter length if desired. Second, the holes for sizing the strap are fairly widely spaced, which limits my sizing options. Since people's wrist size can vary over the course of a day, it would be nice to have closer holes for a more finely graduated sizing choice, as now it will either be slightly too loose or too snug.But these are quite small criticisms. Overall, it's a very high-quality strap that looks great.

I wear a Citizen Eco-Drive dive watch that I've owned around 5 years. Fantastic watch that charges itself from ambient light, so you never need to change batteries, which breaks the waterproof seal on most watches so that they leak afterwards.However, the bulky silicon strap that came with the watch wasn't very comfortable, and it broke after I'd worn it three and a half years, by which time it was already looking a bit rough and nasty, with dirt deposits in the molded folds.A friend who wears the same watch recommended getting a NATO strap. After shopping around, I felt that BluShark offered the best value/quality, so I got a black one. I wish I'd replaced the original Citizen strap a lot sooner. The BluShark is way more comfortable and looks better, esp for business meetings. It still looks pretty new even though I wear it 24/7.It does take time to figure out how to install a NATO strap. I watched a few tutorials online, and finally got it. I don't think a person new to NATO straps would figure it out intuitively.

I own many NATOs, other cheap options here on Amazon (which are ok), more expensive ones, and some not so great ones. BluShark has become my go to. From materials used, to fit, quality, and price. I don’t think you can do any better. Most NATOs in this price range have subpar retainers and clasps. BluShark uses quality parts so you don’t have to worry about them bending out breaking in the long run. Great product 10/10 from me.