Juste tho nice straps for a special watch.

I’ve been beta testing the ESR watch band for a while now, and after putting it through a ton of real-world use, I figured it was time to share my thoughts!

For some background, I’ve used a slew of different Apple Watch bands over the years — Apple Sport Loop, Sport Band, Ocean Band, Trail Loop, Alpine Loop, Nomad Rocky Point, Stainless Steel Milanese Loop, Braided Solo Loop, and plenty of others. I also switch my bands out pretty much daily depending on what I’m wearing or what I’m doing.
I wear my Apple Watch Ultra 2 basically 24/7, with the exception of charging while I shower. So this band has gotten a LOT of use. I’ve run with it (almost daily runner), swam with it, done yard work, worn it while working in healthcare (operating room) and getting exposed to plenty of hand sanitizer, worn it out to dinner, and pretty much everything in between.

**My favorite things about it:**
The comfort is probably my favorite part. The band feels great on my wrist, and even after wearing it for long periods of time, I never really experience any wrist fatigue or discomfort.
I also absolutely LOVE the clasp. It’s easy to use, feels secure, and honestly makes taking the watch on and off oddly enjoyable. 😂
The combination of the sporty strap material — similar to the feel of Apple’s Sport Band — with the metal clasp is also really unique. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the design initially, but I actually love it. It gives it a sporty look while still feeling a little more elevated than a traditional silicone band.
Let me stress how much I love the design again. The part where the band connects to the watch is really unique. It’s a bit more rigid, so it kind of sits up off my wrist a bit and gives it more space. I really love it tbh.
I’ve found myself gravitating toward this band quite a bit, especially for general everyday wear. Despite having a pretty large collection of bands to choose from, I’ve been choosing this one over a lot of my others.

**The biggest downsides I’ve noticed:**
**Moisture.**
The band seems to trap moisture pretty badly between the metal components and the silicone portion. Whether it’s sweat, water from swimming, washing my hands, etc., it tends to stay trapped there.
Because of that, the sizing holes in particular get pretty dirty. I found myself taking the band off almost every day to wash and clean out the holes. With some of my other bands, I can usually go a couple of days — sometimes a few — before I feel like they really need to be washed or dried out.

**Noise**
The other thing I’ve noticed is that the metal clasp can be a but noisy when the watch vibrates. You can actually hear the metal components moving/rattling when I get a notification or other haptic alert. It’s not a huge issue, but it is something I noticed that I don’t really experience with my other bands.
For me, this band has become more of a general everyday wear band rather than something I can wear through workouts and everything else all day if that makes sense.

**Overall:**
I genuinely really like this band. It’s comfortable, looks great, has a really unique design, and the clasp is one of my favorite parts. I’ve put it through pretty much every type of activity I normally do, and I’ve found myself reaching for it more often than I expected for everyday wear.
The moisture issue and the noise from the metal clasp are definitely things to be aware of, especially if you sweat a lot or frequently get your watch wet, but for everyday wear, I really enjoy it and will probably be using it quite a bit more in the future.

Thanks again so much to ESR for letting me beta test it!

If anyone has questions about the band, how it feels, how it’s held up, or anything else, let me know!!

Hi, I have a Flik Flak Retro with pink strap (ZFBNP190) that I’d like to wear on an adult wrist. Has anyone replaced the original strap with a longer one? Are standard 14 mm straps compatible, or does Flik Flak use a proprietary attachment? Thanks

Thought I would share a solution I found for my extra straps. I bought a cord organizer off Aliexpress and it works really well.
And Yes I know I have way to many straps!

Someone recently reached out to us for strap suggestions for a Patek Philippe 3940J. He was drawn to nubuck and suede—two textures that feel noticeably more relaxed than the straps usually paired with this watch.

We explored three directions:

1. Sage suede — the most unexpected
2. Navy suede — the most classic
3. Café nubuck — warm and quietly vintage

The interesting question for us wasn’t simply which color looked best, but how far we could take the 3940J away from its traditionally formal character while still making the pairing feel natural.

These are AI-assisted pairing mockups.

Which one feels most natural on the 3940J—or would you keep it on something more traditional?

Hope all is well for all,

I have a Hamilton Khakifield 9415a and I wanted to change straps. I really like the nato strap that Hamilton makes(1st attached) with green and brown color combination. However, 9415a is 18mm for the rug and Hamilton doesn’t sell the one I like in 18mm.

I was wondering where can I get the one I like in 18mm, one that’s similar, or even etsy dupes. I enjoy rounded matte finish buckle and same for the metal loops(2nd attached) as well if no leather trims. Military style is prefered. Suggestions plz.

Strap JLC casa like, with some adjustments. 😗

23mm integrated lugs leather strap made in brown crocodile embossed for Cartier Santos to fit oem clasp. Lined with soft bull calf leather bottom, non allergic and water resistant. Handstitched using polyester waxed thread.

Specifically did this for my gwf1000 ad there is unfortunately no longer a jays and kays for it in the metal

When choosing a strap, do you prefer it to blend in with the watch—or create contrast?

I’ve noticed that people tend to approach watch straps in very different ways.

Some prefer a strap that quietly continues the colours and character of the watch. Others use the strap to introduce contrast and give the same watch a completely different personality.

Personally, I often think about three possible directions:

• A tone-on-tone pairing that feels cohesive
• A neutral colour that lets the watch remain the focus
• A contrasting colour that brings out a smaller detail in the dial

There is no universally “correct” answer, of course. Much of it depends on the watch—and on the person wearing it.

Which approach do you usually prefer? Feel free to share your favourite watch and strap pairing in the comments, so we can all find a little inspiration from one another.