Wonderfully Out of the Ordinary

NATO straps are, either by necessity or design, are not long on imagination.  But thanks to the good folks at Vario, NATO strap and imaginative design are no longer mutually exclusive ideas.

The folks at Vario were kind enough to let me test drive one of their new NATO straps, and Hager were kind enough to lend out a watch I had previously reviewed to be the "co-pilot" in this review.

The strap that Vario sent for review is the Ocean Chevron Nato Strap.

So let's start out with the basics.  The vital statistics are pretty straight forward -

stainless steel buckles 
dacron fabric

measuring 11"/280mm long and 1.2mm thick

machine-washable strap

Available in 18, 20 and 22 mm widths.

And the price is most assuredly right at $26.00 US.

Ivan Chua and his team have created something that a lot of people have been waiting for. A NATO style strap that breaks out of the mainstream.  Which when you really think about  it is quite overdue as many watch enthusiasts prefer NATO straps because they allow for a different look from leather or rubber with the opportunity to add some color.  Moreover, NATO strap enthusiasts love the ease of changing looks without the hassle of busting out a pocket knife or strap removal tool.

So let's talk about comfort.  This is an incredibly comfortable strap.  My personal experience with NATO straps is that they can slip and slide around the wrist and provide some less than ideal fit.  Not so with the Vario.

The strap is strong and secure without being stiff and, well, painful.  I might be growing more "sensitive" in my old age, but just as I don't like "sandpaper" toilet paper, I also don't like a strap that literally hurts me.  This one was a joy to wear.

The accents are what Vario describes as polished silver, but I am informed that you can also request a polished gold, polished rose gold, or matte black finish.

And Vario offers several other options to help you be your sartorial best -

A few of my favorites include these:

Courtesy of Vario 

The Escher Crates.

The Orange Tangy.

So in a world full of regimental stripes, camouflage, and monotone, it is great to see that for those of us a little more daring, looking to break out, we finally have an option!

I wholeheartedly recommend Vario straps.  Wholeheartedly, and unreservedly.

And the Hager watch is as good as I remember ; )