Sofie Björklund founded Cheapest NATO Straps in 2012 and the Stockholm, Sweden based company sold precisely what you think they would. By 2015, the business expanded to include conventional two-piece leather straps. Then, in early 2016, Sofie teamed up with a Swedish tannery to found Kvarnsjo Leather, producing watch straps of her own design. As a result, the increasingly inaccurately named Cheapest NATO Straps now offers a healthy variety of leather two-piece straps in addition to their NATO, Zulu, and Perlon lines.
I’ve been a customer of Sofie’s for quite a while now (indeed, Time Bum regulars may recall seeing some of her products in my articles), but this is the first time I have reviewed their products on these pages. Sofie sent me two identical packages of leather watch straps from her new Rally line. One to wear and review, the other to give away.
They are made from calfskin, soft with a fine grain, the stitching is tight and neet, and the colors rich and even. End tabs are skived and glued flush. Really, these straps don’t seem like anything that might come from a company named “Cheapest.” Rather, they appear to be very carefully made from quality materials.
As the name suggests, the line is a traditional rally style, lightly padded (about 2.7mm) with three large holes in each piece, and tapering 2mm at the buckle. The straps measure a standard 115/77mm they should fit most wrists with ease. They feature one fixed and one floating keeper, and polished pin buckles. Generally, they are available in sizes 18mm, 20mm, 21mm, 22mm, and with and quick release springbars. There are some exceptions, for example, the Tanned and Brown color straps use conventional springbars and are unavailable in the odd 21mm size.
A rally strap demands a race timer, so I grabbed some chronographs from my collection for a little strap dress up. My package included 20mm Black, Red, Oak, and Tanned straps with contrasting white stitching, as well as one 18mm Dark Brown with matching stitching. The classic Black was a natural on the Collinsville I had just received for review. A hot lipstick Red popped against the otherwise mellow tone of the Undone Urban Killy. The warm tan of the Oak strap paired nicely with the blue and orange of my Straton. The lighter tone of the Tanned strap complemented a gray and dark brown Vratislavia Heritage Chronograf. Finally, that small Dark Brown found its home on a SeaGull 1963, lending some sporting flair to the old warhorse.
Without exception, the straps were properly cut, easy to install, comfortable to wear, and of course, they looked fantastic. Best of all, they are inexpensive, just $15.95 individually and 20% off if you buy five so this whole set would run you just $63.80 and shipping is free.
Cheapest NATO Straps just keeps upping their strap game and keeps doing it for an outstanding price. To check put more straps or to order some Rallys of your own visit CheapestNATOStraps.com. ⬩
