Does the CW tide strap soften after time?

It does. I initially didn’t like mine. After a solid week of wearing however, it will conform to your wrist and become quite comfortable. It’s not so much that it becomes soft though. It’s about molding to the curve of your wrist.

Do a search, and you’ll find plenty of commentary on the #tide straps.

widge34 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 14, 2023 11:18 am Does the CW tide strap soften after time?

They get "easier" by moulding to the shape of your wrist as @jkbarnes has written. I found that before this happens it can spring open when removing the watch from your wrist so take care that the watch doesn't fall onto the floor.

To make it easier more quickly curl up each part of the strap tightly into a spring shape maybe while sitting watching TV.

I prefer the hybrid. The #tide is never quite as comfortable. I also made the mistake of swimming with it once and it took hours to dry out, even in the Greek sunshine.

widge34 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 14, 2023 11:18 am Does the CW tide strap soften after time?

How long have you got?

The advice I received here was to take it off the watch and spend an evening simply rolling it up and unrolling it. Twist it, roll it, repeat.

I'm prepared to believe that if you actually immerse the strap in water a lot it will soften and mellow.

Shame on CW for providing us with a tough fabric strap which might outlive us!

I seem to have a contrary opinion on the tide strap; I find it quite soft from the get go. Certainly compared to my usual choice of nylon nato straps. I am concerned about water absorption. Though I have yet to go swimming with it. I am looking for alternative straps and will probably use the tide strap during the winter and stick with a rubber strap during the summer. Any recommendations?

Cheers,

M

rc51owner wrote: ↑Sat Jan 14, 2023 1:59 pm I seem to have a contrary opinion on the tide strap; I find it quite soft from the get go. Certainly compared to my usual choice of nylon nato straps. I am concerned about water absorption. Though I have yet to go swimming with it. I am looking for alternative straps and will probably use the tide strap during the winter and stick with a rubber strap during the summer. Any recommendations?

Cheers,

M

I think the CW hybrid straps are great, personally. I do have some Tide straps, but tend not not use them -- which maybe says something about what I think of them. If I'm not using a bracelet or leather -- which tend to be my go-tos -- hybrid would be my choice, especially during the summer months.

I've found the tide straps to practically be the only non-leather/non-bracelet strap that I find to both accompany the design of my watches well, but also doesn't, in my humble opinion, diminish them on the wrist. I've bought dozens of nato straps over the years and haven't been able to settle on any of them on anything but my knock-around uber-casual watches. I've tried cheap, budget-oriented rubber straps, and fancy oh-my-god-that's-a-lot-of-money-for-rubber straps, and an array of other fabrics (canvas, sailcloth, woven) and I just can't reconcile most of them on most of my Wards and other nicer-than-entry-level watches.

That said, I'm giving the tide straps more of a chance in my rotation - I'm trying to make them work from a comfort perspective because I think they look pretty darn good. I agree that they do conform to the wrist fairly well after a few wears, but I don't feel that they've softened up for me - but for now, that doesn't mean I'm going to stop trying to make them work.

I think £60 or so is a lot to spend on a strap to find out whether you like it.

I know i like leather, so that's no problem.

I bought CW watches that came on hybrid straps, and liked them, and as a result I will buy hybrid straps, sailcloth straps, and so on. I also tried fkm rubber straps, and got on well with them.

NATO straps aren't my favourite because of the fold over. I have a few that don't have the fold over, and I wear them now and again.

So I haven't tried a tide strap, and I would need to get a watch that came with one, or pick one up at a cheap price to try, and then I might like it, but negative comments like these don't fill me with enthusiasm.

I have a couple of hybrid and one #tide. Generally I prefer leather. The tide does soften/conform with wear. I only kinda like the look after my earlier enthusiasm for it. I definitely prefer the tide look to a nato. So once it breaks in some, and it will, you should find it a more comfortable experience.

widge34 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 14, 2023 11:18 am Does the CW tide strap soften after time?

If you have a watch that the new black/grey striped tide strap would suit then that strap is softer and more pliable than the other tide straps. Apparently possibly due to the width and number of stripes.

Mikkei4 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15, 2023 12:38 pm

widge34 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 14, 2023 11:18 am Does the CW tide strap soften after time?

If you have a watch that the new black/grey striped tide strap would suit then that strap is softer and more pliable than the other tide straps. Apparently possibly due to the width and number of stripes.

This might explain it as I have only had this type of tide strap.

Cheers,

M

jkbarnes wrote:It’s not so much that it becomes soft though. It’s about molding to the curve of your wrist.

This has been my experience as well. It doesn't really ever feel soft, but it gets to the point where it is very comfortable to the point that you forget you are wearing a watch.

As another poster stated to me on me when I posted a similar question, watch a TV show or two and massage the strap, roll it, work on it while sitting there and it goes a long way towards breaking it in in a pretty short time.

Sent from my Galaxy S20 using Tapatalk

widge34 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 14, 2023 11:18 am Does the CW tide strap soften after time?

Not for me, I actually gave up on it and ordered the vintage oak leather. Tide back in the box where it belongs.

May I ask about CW canvas straps? Are they good?