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
Click here to see our range of NATO straps
Our range of two-piece straps are suitable for watches with heart-rate sensors - check them out here.
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).
.jpg)
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 | Polished 304L stainless steel, Rose gold and PVD coated 304L stainless steel | Brushed 304L stainless steel |
Will NATO straps work with my watch?
Our NATO 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.
Alternatively, to find the lug width of your watch you can use our StrapFinder tool.
How do I install a "NATO" strap?
Replacing your current watch strap with one of our "NATO" slip-through straps only takes seconds.
My NATO 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?
Please refer to this page for all information regarding our shipping options and delivery times.
If you have yet to received your package within 2 weeks of dispatch, or you have a tracking or delivery issue:
- Please submit a ticket to Australia Post support
- Email us at hello@watchstraps.com.au, and confirm your order number and we will also follow up with Australia Post to help move things along
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 follow the instructions here.
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 can round up to the next even number (note - this applies to NATO straps only).
Our NATO 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?
We recommend Jays and Kays G-Shock after-market adapters - you can purchase Jays and Kays G-Shock adapters from Ebay.
Please note that we are not affiliated with Jays and Kays, but we do get a cut if you click on the link and buy an adapter :)
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.
If your order had tracking - please check the tracking page, and submit a ticket to Australia Post.
If you did not have tracking - unfortunatey we cannot account for non-tracked orders and we recommend you use Australia Post parcel lockers (rather than your home address) to reduce the risk of packages going missing or being stolen from your letterbox.
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 - please email me at hello@watchstraps.com.au and I will do my best to help!
Alternatively, if you are looking for sizing you can use our StrapFinder tool.
How can I see my order status?
We will send an email when your order has been sent from our warehouse.
If you placed your order before 11am (Perth time) on a weekday, expect to recieve this email by 5pm (Perth time) that day, otherwise it will be dispatched the following day and you will recieve notification by 5pm the following day.
Do you have a store? Can I buy in-person?
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.
How to Install a NATO strap
Replacing your current watch strap with one of our "NATO" slip-through straps only takes seconds.
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.
Our range of two-piece straps are suitable for watches with heart-rate sensors - check them out here.
Also note - if your strap has 'quick release' spring bars that cannot be removed from the existing strap, you will need to purchase a new set of spring bars to use with your new strap.t
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.
Comments (1)