Get the best fit out of your NATO straps

NATO straps were designed as tools for the military with two objectives: to be functional and fail-safe.

The result is strap that is not only the safest way to attach your timepiece to your wrist but also the most convenient way (thanks to ease of change), with killer looks to boot. 

Let's take a look at how a traditional NATO strap looks on the wrist: 

While it's perfect for some, others would appreciate to get rid of the bulk caused by the extra length designed to accommodate a wetsuit and the "under keeper" strip that prevents the watch from sliding off when the strap is removed from your wrist. Most of us don't wear wetsuits regularly, and even when I do I prefer to keep the watch under the cuff of the wetsuit. The under keeper was once useful for vintage watches with a large clearance between the bars and the case but all the watches I own wouldn't slip from the strap.

In short very little functionality is lost should you decide to remove the "extra" on your NATO strap. For this reason we also sell "single pass" strap where we've done that work for you! But you have an old strap laying around please read on.

There are many ways to cut off that under keeper. You can use a pair of sharp scissors and then melt the edge with a lighter to prevent fraying, or I myself prefer to heat up a sharp blade and directly cut the under keeper while perfectly melting the edge at the same time. 

Regarding the extra length, simply measure your ideal length and use the same technique to cut it off. In order to keep the rounded edge, I've found that using nickels and a vise-grip locking pliers works best. 

The end result is a watch that sit lower and nicely hugs your wrist, resulting a much more comfortable wearing experience!