Things I don't get about NATO

As it happens I love straps, but don't like NATO. Lets take a look at the things I don't get about NATO (and why I prefer just a plain strap) and there's a few:

1. the (fundamentally useless) keeper strap that adds two layers under the watch and
2. the direction of threading for wearing (common to all straps but made worse on a NATO). 

I prefer to have something neat and out of the way like this:

Note that its also threaded buckle down and this brings with it some other benefits (which I'll get on to in a tic). 

Compare that to this, threaded the "conventional way" with buckle up and with the NATO extra useless keeper...

... causing not just two thicknesses under the watch but a bunch of extra stuff on the side where its folded in over itself. 

This is how your watch strap looks to everyone else if you thread it like (almost) everyone else.  I suppose its for people who want to be different with their dress but don't know how to tie a bow tie themselves ...

I've already covered why the keeper is pointless over here, and explained how to get rid of it, but the focus of this post is to look at the advantages of threading your single piece strap in what some would call "Grand Seiko" style (aka buckle down).

As you may have seen above it leaves the bottom of the strap clean, but the other benefit of buckle down if you're using a computer you'll often rest you hand with it tuned slightly out: where the bunch of folded strap gets in the way.

As you can see above the wrapped up extra length of the strap (designed to allow you to wear it over clothing) is now not under your wrist but up above it and out of the way. 

I used to always find wearing a watch while working on my computer (something I do for a living) annoying, and often took it off; resulting in me leaving it at work on many occasions.

Going back a few years nobody had heard of NATO straps and we all went on quietly using single straps, two piece straps (leather, fabric or nylon) and steel bracelets. Then NATO started shipping on watches standard (and wow, weren't watch makers happy to put on a $2 piece of nylon and have people clamour for it) that we see its rise on the internet on watch forums (note: most people still haven't heard of it).

The main argument for a single piece strap is that if the spring bar fails the watch is likely to fall off. As I ride bicycles and motorcycles this is actually important to me, but you can see that even if a spring bar fails the single pass strap will hold the watch 

Indeed the keeper isn't needed to keep the watch on the strap when taking the watch off ...

So just what the keeper does is a mystery to me (well aside from add to the mystery of the name). So unless you like to have conversation starters (you know, ask a bow tie wearer about that) or fulfil some fantasy of being a military spec operative then I suggest you take the punt, remove the useless bits and thread it in buckle down.

Its actually now the most comfortable watch strap I own (well I now own a few in leather too and can thread out a strap to pick one that will better go with my shirt on the day)

Indeed the earlier RAF style is to me so much more functional as a watch strap (this one inspired me into buying the SNK805)

... becuse I couldn't find that one.

Give it a go.