Nato Strap Modification Tutorial - It's Better This Way

Nato straps are a cool and inexpensive way to try out a new vibe for your favorite watch, but when they arrive they just aren't quite right. They have this extra strap piece that adds to the height of your watch on the wrist, and makes the strap a little less comfortable too. Marshall walks you through how he fixes this for his nato straps in this video!

[oriolcanovas]

This is probably the first uploaded video with an Omega Speedmaster without mentioning any word about how beautiful this watch is.
Good video

[djlot]

The quality that allows it to stay on your wrist if a spring bar breaks is the fact that it's a single piece strap. Only two piece straps will fully fail if one spring bar fails. The other strap (bottom) is so you can hang the watch without fear that it will come off the strap and fall to the floor. It adds a little bit of utility... if you never intend to hang the watch you can take that bottom one off. I kinda like the extra metal loops that the bottom strap provides to the other side of the watch, it makes it feel more symmetrical and looks a little bit more hardcore, but that's just me.

[Adesrael]

I find that you don't have to cut it off. Place the strap in as usual, but when you put on the watch, put your hand in between the hole that's created and double back the extra band that's left. In other words, put your hand in between the two layers that would usually lie between the watch and wrist.

[julzmax]

If you move watch towards the middle of the strap, the "excess" will move to the bottom middle of your wrist like a regular watch band.

[newgunguy]

That's not why the second strap is for. People assume that and it becomes a myth. Back in the day, straps weren't easily matched by size to the watches. Often times, an 18mm strap was the only option for a 20mm lug width watch. The second strap would prevent the watch from flying off the strap when handling.

[robertrishel]

Another great benefit to the NATO is that even if one pin breaks or fails, the watch is still retained. I love NATO straps. Cheap, strong, secure, simple and easy. 99% of the time my watches are hanging from a NATO.

[lifeslikedat]

Marshall, I am a long time MtG player who is only just recently getting into watches after deciding to move on from my Apple Watch. After a bunch of watch videos online, the YT algorithm recommended your channel. And it was so pleasantly surreal to hear a voice that I know so well from years of PT coverage talking about disassembling and restoring a vintage watch! Nice Library art! And keep up the wonderful work on this channel!

[watch_principal]

I just tried this on a 210 euro Omega Nato for my Speedmaster. I was never a fan of NATO's for this exact reason - it used to sit too high. This is amazing, thank you!

[chozar]

Suggest buying "single pass nato" or even better IMO - RAF straps. Agree that single pass is better. Less height, less bulk. RAF straps use nylon as a keeper, less visible but also less likely to catch and grind your desk.

[archerpiperii]

2 things:
1. The watch can move on the strap when you take it SCUBA diving. So that small strap really does serve a purpose.
2. If you don't like the keepers on the side of your wrist, lace the strap so that you create a loop with the two straps. This will move the keepers so that they are on the bottom of your wrist and the watch will not sit as high on your wrist. The following video, starting @2:23 explains the process:

[SaG]

On thinner NATOs I own, the watch will move around and slide off - if you're not wearing it that is. It happened to me while I was standing in the bathroom (of course it had to be a room with a hard floor)... the watch slipped off the strap and dropped about a meter onto the floor-tiles. Ouch! I own another NATO for that same watch and that one is made from seat-belt fabric and is much thicker. I'd never worry about slippage with that one.
However: There's no real need to go around cutting those straps off. What I do with the thicker one is I simply wear it differently. You don't secure the 2nd strap as you're meant to, but instead you let it flop about and with the watch on your wrist, insert the loose end of the strap into the hoop at the end of the 2nd strap and *then* insert the loose end into the buckle and fasten the strap. It's kinda hard to describe, but it's super easy when you do it. It removes the 2nd strap from under the watch and basically turns the NATO into a Zulu without having to cut off anything.
Seeing how you seem to be a fellow lefty: You might want to try putting the NATO on upside-down, so that the buckle is on the 6oc side of the watch, not the 12. I find it easier to wear it that way, it moves the buckle to the center of my wrist's underside and it puts all the "excess strap" on the inside of your wrist. That, IMO, makes it less noticeable and somewhat more comfortable on your arm.

[samysnes]

Wait what?! I was just watching limited resources and started searching for watch videos and here you are again! Had no clue you had this channel or this hobby.

[vd]

Let me introduce you to 3 ring Zulu straps. You're welcome!

[jsytac]

Absolutely right. I’ve been doing this for years, too. There is a fun use for the spare tab. If you trim the corners off the end (so it’s not so blunt), take a lighter to it to stop it fraying, then melt a small hole through it using a nail, then you can thread a key ring onto it, to make a fun key fob.

[omegagavin]

Genius! I've been wearing my 5512 sub on a "Bond" nato on and off for years and this mod never occurred to me! I've even tried the natos that are actually 2 pieces that mount to springbars like a traditional strap but something was lost in that iteration and it just didn't suit. I did this mod on my strap and love it! That extra millimeter of watch closer to wrist makes a huge difference of the look and feel. And the good news is, if you hate it you're only out $20, tops. Thank you Marshall! Love your channel!

[matthewpaull]

With out the hardware on both sides the strap looks unbalanced and wrong imo, and you’re using the keeper wrong that’s why it looks so bulky, don’t go over the top keeper go under it. If the double pass bothers you that much just buy single pass nato straps ?!?

[AmIsraelChai]

Set the short stub to lay at the middle of the case back. Dont thread the main portion through that stub, but rather put the watch on, and allow the stub to come under your wrist and then loop the long part into the stub, then through the buckle. Takes all the loops to the underside of your wrist, and lowers the height of the watch. This was the directions provided to the British Forces during the issuance of the first NATO straps. Much better

[Snicker]

I just got my "Bond" NATO strap yesterday and while it was comfortable to wear, it was just too bulky for my liking. And this is wearing it on a G Shock GM2100C. I tried other ways, they were all nice, but I ended up cutting, and it's GLORIOUS! All of the comfort and none of the bulk! I also just realized that I watched this video months before subscribing to the channel Marshall and now I see the face to go along with the tweezers and finger gloves😂 Thanks for sharing Marshall!

[microchrist]

Literally just put my first nato strap on and immediately was like, yeah this is too much bulk, sits too high etc… this is exactly the video I was looking for!

[rayvenj]

I am going to take a shot at making my own Nato strap. Just ordered the Nylon and some triglides. Going to see how well a cinch style one would work