FAQ's
What is a NATO strap?
NATO straps are a single piece of nylon webbing material that threads behind your watch like a belt.
This is different to "standard" watch straps which are usually two separate pieces which are connected to the watch face separately.
NATO straps were originally created for the military, and are traditionally made from nylon - however they are now available in a range of materials such as leather and canvas.
The benefits of using "NATO" straps include:
- You can switch between NATO straps easily - without needing any tools
- They come in a range of colours - allowing you to give the same watch multiple looks and styles
- Our nylon straps are waterproof and durable
- They are extra long - meaning you can wear them over wetsuits
- They can be shortened easily
How is a "NATO" strap different than a conventional watch strap?
Most "conventional" straps come in two parts, and are affixed to the watch face with two small pins (spring bars).
On the other hand - "NATO" slip-through straps are a single peice of fabric which threads through the watch face and between the spring bars and then around your wrist (like a belt).
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What's the difference between our seatbelt NATO straps and standard NATO straps?
Not sure if you pick up one of our original, or a "seatbelt" straps?
Rest assured - all of our NATO straps are the best quality you'll find, but the table below should help with your decision!
| Standard NATO Straps | Seatbelt NATO straps | |
|---|---|---|
| Nylon material | Ballistic weave nylon | Ballistic weave nylon |
| Buckle style |  |
 |
| Nylon texture | Standard | Smooth |
| Nylon thickness | 1.2mm | 1.4mm |
| Nylon strapping length | 280mm | 280mm |
| Buckle colours | Stainless Steel, Rose gold and PVD | Brushed silver |
Will NATO straps work with my watch?
Our watch straps work with nearly all watches, see this page for more information.
How do I know what size NATO strap I need?
Finding your watch strap size is very simple - click here to learn how to measure you watch strap size.
How do I install a "NATO" strap?
Replacing your current watch strap with one of our "NATO" slip-through straps only takes seconds.
My strap is too long - what should I do?
NATO straps are designed to be long, and the extra strap should be folded back through the buckles
By design NATO straps are intentionally quite long, and are made to be looped back through the keepers, as shown in the photo below:
You can also shorten NATO straps using a pair of scissors, two coins and a lighter
Click here for instructions on how to shorten a NATO strap by cutting off the excess length.
How long should my order take to arrive?
Covid-19 Notice
Unfortunately there are currently delays on the Australia Post network due to Covid, especially for QLD, VIC and NSW addresses.
If your order is delayed - we ask for your patience at this time, and unfortunately unless your order was sent using the 'express' option we are not able to check the status of your delivery.
If you have yet to received your package within 4 weeks of dispatch please send an email to hello@watchstraps.com.au and include your order number and I will happily have your order re-sent. Note - our packages are sent in small A5 dark satchels and can be easily misplaced in dark letterboxes or amongst other mail (especailly at business addresses), so I ask you to double check that it hasn't been misplaced or missed before reaching out.
Free 'standard' shipping times
Non "express" orders under $50 will be sent using using the Australia Post 'letter' service.
Our default option does not include tracking and we are not able to track or check the status of your delivery. unless you have paid for the 'Standard Shipping - with tracking' option.
Delivery estimates for this service are as follows:
- Perth and surrounds - 2 to 3 business days
- Regional WA - 3 - 5 business days
- Other Australian capital cities - 3 to 5 business days Note: there are delays with Australia Post due to Covid, and we have had some customers advise of delays of 3-4 weeks, especially for QLD, VIC and NSW
- Regional non-wa - 4 - 7 business days Note: there are delays with Australia Post due to Covid, and we have had some customers advise of delays of 3-4 weeks, especially for QLD, VIC and NSW
"Express" shipping times
Domestic orders over $50 will be sent via Australia Post express post service and include tracking.
We recommend you use the official Australia Post calculator to determine your estimated delivery time (our postcode is 6101).
- Perth and surrounds - 2 to 3 business days
- Regional WA - 3 - 5 business days
- Other Australian capital cities - 3 to 5 business days Note: there are delays with Australia Post due to Covid, and we have had some customers advise of delays of up 7 business days, especially for QLD, VIC and NSW
- Regional non-wa - 3 - 5 business days Note: there are delays with Australia Post due to Covid, and we have had some customers advise of delays of up to 7 business days, especially for QLD, VIC and NSW
International Shipping
Please note - due to Covid we have suspended all international orders until further notice.
Please also note
You should count from the day you received the dispatch notification (not when you placed the order), and the times above do not account for public holidays or weekends.
If you have yet to received your package within 4 weeks of dispatch please send an email to hello@watchstraps.com.au and we will investigate.
I made a mistake with my order, what should I do?
Did you order the wrong size or simply want to return your strap, no worries!
To ensure we can offer the most efficient and effective service please:
- Refer to our returns policy
- Send an email to hello@watchstraps.com.au, be sure to include your order number
- Return the straps to Watch Straps Australia - PO Box 8306 Subiaco East WA 6008 - please be sure to include your name or order number on this package
- If you are looking to exchange your strap please be sure to include a $5 note to cover the return postage
My NATO strap is dirty, can I wash or clean it?
Our NATO straps are made from nylon which means they can be washed in a washing machine.
Do I need a special tool to install a NATO strap?
Interchanging between different NATO straps will require no special tools.
You may need a spring bar tool when removing the original strap from your watch, but some watches actually come with a tool to help you do this (such as Daniel Wellington), or you could also use a small screwdriver
Once you have removed the original strap, interchanging between NATO 'slip-though' straps only takes seconds.
What if my watch is an odd width, such as 16mm,19mm, 21mm, 23mm or 25mm?
If your watch is an odd width, you should round up to the next even number.
Our straps are made from nylon and will flex to fill the 0.5mm difference on each side and the overlap will be barely noticable.
For example:
- If your watch is 15mm, use a 16mm strap
- If your watch is 17mm, use a 18mm strap
- If your watch is 19mm, use a 20mm strap
- If your watch is 21mm, use a 22mm strap
- If your watch is 23mm, use a 24mm strap
- If your watch is 25mm, use a 26mm strap
Do we sell Casio G-shock watch adapters for NATO straps?
Unfortunately we do not sell the Casio G-Shock adapters for after-market straps.
We recommend Jays and Kays G-Shock after-market adapters - you can purchase Jays and Kays G-Shock adapters from Etsy.
My order hasn't arrived yet - what should I do?
We recommend you use the official Australia Post calculator to determine your estimated delivery time (our postcode is 6101).
Please find a rough guide of our delivery times below:
- Perth and surrounds - 2 to 3 business days
- Regional WA - 3 - 5 business days
- Other Australian capital cities - 3 to 5 business days
- Regional non-wa - 4 - 7 business days
- International - 2 - 4 weeks (including New Zealand)
Please count from the day you received the dispatch notification (not when you placed the order).
The estimates above do not account for public holidays or weekends.
I don't like my strap - can I return it?
We stand by our straps and pride ourselves on our customer service.
In the case that our straps don't meet your expectations - we're more than happy for you to send back your strap for a refund (see our returns policy here).
We would love to hear more about how we can improve our products - please feel free to send any feedback to Brad at hello@watchstraps.com.au
Are you still not sure if your watch will work with NATO straps, or don't know what size to use?
If you are still unsure if your watch will work with my NATO straps, or if you have a query about the size to use, please email me at hello@watchstraps.com.au and I will do my best to help!
How can I see my order status?
We will send an email when your order has been sent from our warehouse.
Note: if you have unsubscribed from our email marketing lists - then you will not receive this email.
You can also log in to your account dashboard and see if the order has been sent, and view the order details.
Customers who have selected Express Shiping will also be able to see the tracking information for there order in the account dashboard.
Do you have a store?
We do not have a physical store, but we have partnered with retailers who are stockists of our products - click here to see our stockists information.
Do NATO straps work with smart watches?
Our NATO straps can be installed on Smart Watches and Fitness trackers, however NATO straps cover the back of the watch face.
The heart rate sensor is usually at the back of the watch face, therefore will be disabled if you do choose to install a "NATO" style watch strap.
This includes but is not limited to:
- Ticwatch E* - 20mm strap
- Garmin*
- LG G*
- Pebble*
- Samsung Gear*
My order was wrong - what should I do?
Did you receive someting different to what you ordered?
Please contact us at hello@watchstraps.com.au and we will send out the correct product.
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