Review: Survival Straps Apple Watch Strap

Every manufacturer on the planet with any ties to fashion or electronics these days has jumped on the Apple Watch bandwagon. They are a dime a dozen; literally, on Amazon, there are some that are close to a dime. Not every watch band is tough, and certainly very few can combine good lucks with true rugged design. Enter Survival Straps and their newly released custom Apple Watch Strap. It features a completely unique design, and true durability that set it apart from a crowded field.

The Apple Watch is self isn’t as big and chunky as most of the men’s fashion watches are today, and while they have multiple spectacular bands, none of them are tough, tactical or rugged. I have the Series 2 Stainless watch in space black with the space black link bracelet. The bracelet is expensive, and I usually only wear it when I’m going to formal dinner or event. Normally, I stick with the black sport band, as it is water proof and tough enough to wear hiking or for my daily gym visit. I wanted a band that was tough enough to wear to the gym or hiking, waterproof for swimming, but also maintained a stylish look for everyday wear.

I found the Survival Straps website by Tough Gear, and immediately fell in love with these bands tough design and unique feel. I ordered my band after going through their half-dozen plus customization options, and the wait began. Even though the site says most bands ship within 5-7 business days, it actually took closer to three weeks or so for my strap to arrive. It arrived in a branded Survival Strap ziplock type bag, and I could see the quality of this hand-made piece instantly.

When ordering the strap, you must first measure your wrist as closely and specifically as you can since these are custom. The strap closure does have three settings, so if you gain or lose a little wait, the band should still fit. Each band is made from approximately 12’ of genuine military grade paracord, and the closure is marine grade steel. Very chunky and feels extremely sturdy. When customizing your paracord, you can choose from different colors on every aspect of the band except the closure. The closure option has two choices: a Clevis pin or a screw pin. I chose the clevis pin because a screw pin sounded too complicated to take it on and off. This has a little learning curve putting it on the first few times especially by yourself, but once you get the hang of the push pin closure, it is cake and very sturdy once closed.

The entire strap is magnificent, and you get a real sense of its durability the moment you put it on. It is a true work of art, and you can immediately see the amount of work that goes into making each handmade, custom band. Simply beautiful. The strap, as expected, is very taught and rigid when you first put it on, but after a day or two of wear, starts relaxing and is extremely comfortable to wear. The size fits as expected, with me using the middle size of the three offered. So I have room to go up or down which I like.

I cannot say enough about this product. Beautiful and truly custom. To get your Survival Straps Apple Watch strap, check out www.survivalstraps.com.