NATO straps are simple strips of nylon with some hardware that are easy to attach to your watch and give it a new feel. Prices have crept up the last several years for something so simple (don’t get me started on $160 straps from the luxury companies like Omega). Thankfully there is Cheap NATO straps, which sells exactly what it sounds like.
I got two straps for my new Bulova Lunar Pilot, shipped from Sweden, for $14. One is a fancier “Zulu” style, which just means it has rounded hardware, so it was $7 instead of $5. Sticker shock!
Check out all their straps here. Besides the standard style, they have multiple options taking inspiration from many military field applications.
Cheap NATO straps are like cheap suits, cheap shirts or cheap shoes. Price and cost are not the same thing. You will PAY in the end. The Omega NATO strap costs $160 because guys who pay $5000 for a Seamaster will buy it. I don’t wear a Seamaster. I wear a Seiko kinetic diver which is an “homage” (French translation: Le Ripoff) of the Omega. My BluShark Alpha NATO strap looks terrific on the Seiko – for under $40.