It's going to be a Trident weekend. In fact, it's going to be Trident week as I put the Sealander GMT away for a few days (or more). The weather here in the UK (even here up North) is forecast to break a few records. It's going to be sweltering. With this in mind,I'm wondering what the best strap to swap in will be on the very hottest days? My options are:
Black leather
CW hybrid rubber (already installed)
Tide material (suspect this might be the answer, as it wears so loose, but open to suggestion)
Cheap silicone I picked up of eBay.
What would be the view of our assembled experts?
Beat up vintage Swatch Irony, C5 Malvern (the original), Swiss Military Swiss Soldier Quartz, Seagull 1963, Swatch Blurang Automatic, Swatch Cafe de Flore, Sealander GMT, Trident Pro 600, Fitbit Charge 5. Festina 8810, Addiesdive AD2113 knock off.
I don't own a tide strap, but there have recently been some comments on the forum about the lengthy drying time. So why not give it a rinse/wetting before wearing and let it dry on your wrist, thereby cooling you a bit?
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While I don’t have a CW hybrid, I’ve have a Hirsch watch band that is similar. It was my go to summer strap before the bracelet showed up. Like the hybrid, the rubber underside was channeled to allow for air circulation. And it holds up brilliantly to water.
Nowadays, it’s mainly a bracelet in the summer for me on my main watch. My diver gets a rubber strap, the tide, or a NATO.
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exHowfener wrote: ↑Thu Jul 14, 2022 10:32 am
I don't own a tide strap, but there have recently been some comments on the forum about the lengthy drying time. So why not give it a rinse/wetting before wearing and let it dry on your wrist, thereby cooling you a bit?
Ooh get you with your immensely practical and thoughtful advice That really is a good idea.
I speak as one who this week has been fidgetting around with sized to fit on the other 360 days of the year when one's body parts aren't swelling in the heat bracelets in steel and titanium.
My inner arms have been showing reaction to the heat, possibly as a side effect to some long term medication and have been itching like billy-o. I even took an emery cloth to the sharp edges of one non-CW titanium bracelet - that worked.
I was so concerned this morning that I considered a pocket watch just to give my wrist some respite and I did consider the Tide strap tbh but instead went for a lovely soft perlon strapon which one of my C600 Tritechs live.
Got to be the Hybrid as long as it has the rubber back, and not leather like some of the sail cloth hybrids can't comment on how good the CW hybrid would be but of its anything like the one from under the cuff it's a no brainier.
It's been on my sealander since it arrived and can't see it changing.
I've been happily wearing bracelets and a perlon. Today I put on my C600 on a Hirsch Pure rubber strap and it's smooth back is a sweat trap, so there's another one to avoid.
Kansas City Milkman wrote: ↑Sat Jul 16, 2022 11:57 am
What’s the general view on Barton Elite? I hear that silicone is a dust magnet. Is that true of the elite? Are they comfortable?
Any advice gratefully received as I might buy a couple.
I bought one for my Doxa, put it on and took it straight back off again. I can’t speak of the entire Barton range but I really didn’t like the silicon elite strap, it seemed cheap and flimsy and it’s currently sat in my strap box unworn.
I had high hopes as they seem to get pretty much universal acclaim but they aren’t for me.
Iain’s Law: Any discussion on the Christopher Ward forum, irrespective of the thread title or subject matter, will eventually lead to someone mentioning the Bel Canto if the thread continues for long enough.
StrapMeister wrote: ↑Thu Jul 14, 2022 2:23 pm
FWIW I've switched over some of my watches to CW Hybrid; Barton Elite Silicone and ZD FKM rubber straps.
EDIT: ...and as we all like pics
Straps 01.jpgStraps 02.jpg
What’s the general view on Barton Elite? I hear that silicone is a dust magnet. Is that true of the elite? Are they comfortable?
Any advice gratefully received as I might buy a couple.
I certainly don't find them to be a dust magnet (you may find this with cheaper silicone straps).
I find them very comfortable, supple and easy to adjust the fit.
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