While there is absolutely no denying the fabric material of this strap is quite excellent and of superior quality but the hardware is not. The pin part of the buckle is made of a folded thin piece of metal that is too short. Short enough where if the strap is pulled on hard enough, it can disengage and end up behind the buckle as pictured. At this price point I'd expect a milled pin of sufficient length to prevent this particular failure point. The metal keepers also seem a bit cheapish imo for the price as well, and are very easily scratched after a few days of wear. A very nice strap that would benefit greatly from better Hardware. It gets three Stars based only on the quality of the strap material alone. Better hardware and it would be five stars all day long
Thank you for the detailed review. We are glad to hear the strap material stood out. Stainless steel is not scratch-proof, so the surface finish may show marks over time with normal wear. This is helpful context for others considering this style.
This is undoubtedly one of the highest quality NATO style straps I have ever worn. The weave isn't too tight or stiff like one might see in similar straps at a lower price point. I also really like the floating keeper in the middle. That said, I do think the price is a bit excessive and wish there were an option for brushed hardware instead of polished. No regrets, though. It's a wonderful, stylish, and comfortable strap overall, and I'm happy with it.
Strap feels good, looks great and is very comfortable. Highly recommend.
Near indistinguishable from Omega natos and totally worth the price. Other 'luxary seatbelt' natos tend have dubious holes or fraying sides that need heat treatment every other week. These straps are built to last. They're are on the thicker side and may be problematic on watches with tight springbar to case distance (i.e. seiko flightmaster).
I just got the strap today (it only took two days to arrive, talk about great shipping!) and I am impressed with the quality, comfort, and craftsmanship. I have owned a few Omega OEM NATO straps over the years, and I love them, but the price they charge is tough to swallow. This Artem strap offers nearly the same level of comfort and workmanship as the Omega, for roughly a third of the cost. I didn’t know what to expect with this strap, but it is heads and shoulders better than those cheap NATOs I have been using recently. I am impressed with this strap, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an Omega-style NATO for much less. It is worth every penny. And Holben’s kicks butt. They ship very fast and their customer service is amazing.
This strap is of excellent quality. While I did not purchase one or try one on, I did have the opportunity to examine the much vaunted Omega NATO straps locally. They're very nice and very expensive. This Artem strap is at least arguably of equal quality, and one heck of a lot cheaper. The colors will likely be an issue for some, and if one is lucky, Artem will offer a desired color scheme. I purchased the black with "orange" stripe, my wife says it is closer to coral, and I believe she is correct. It is very comfortable. This is my first NATO strap, I said I would never wear one, and I haven't taken it off since I put it on. For a traveler, an explorer, or anyone wearing a watch for long periods of time that requires additional comfort and to avoid concerns of getting it wet, these are ideal. They tend to hold the watch very stably.
I had been looking for a blue themed bond strap to pair with my Omega Aqua Terra with blue dial and very happy I found this! The material is very soft and comfortable but also makes for a nice, secure fit. The material is holding up well and doesn’t appear to have any early fraying like I’ve had with some other options. I would highly recommend this strap.
Very pleased with the Artem Commander strap. Paired with my Bulova Jet Star. All ready for the 4th of July in style.
Very nice Artem band for my Breitling Superocean. Absolutely the best service one could hope from Holbens
The strap itself is high quality and durable, but I feel like the hardware, like the buckle, is pretty flimsy compared to the strap. I think the strap is strong enough to stand up to the test of time, but I’m not so sure about the buckle.
Great quality NATO strap! Hardware is very nicely finished/polished. Strap colors matched the Omega Seamaster summer blue watch very nicely!
Thank you ! Great quality and I was looking for something with a pop of flare . A perfect accent band !
Incredibly tight weave that exudes quality. You’re paying for it for sure, but similar natos with that type of weave feel overly slick/slippery. This has a bit more texture to it. Strap comes with film protecting all hardware, and that hardware is high quality. Only downside is the thickness of each strap layer is a decent amount thicker than your average. So if you’re used to single pass throughs like I am, this is basically a double whammy. Your watch will sit significantly higher on your wrist compared to a single pass, let alone a conventional two piece strap. I do think this strap is very high quality, and hope someday Artem makes this in a single pass.
This site is the first place I look for a new watch strap. Prices are fair. Descriptions are honest. Customer service is great.
This particular NATO is among the best I've had. It sits, quality-wise between Crown & Buckle and Omega OEM straps.
I've had a few Artem sailcloth straps and they were all pretty solid, so I had to check out their NATOs once they started making them.
Like their sailcloth straps, it started out a little stiff, but, after a few wears, it softened up and kind of remembers the shape of your wrist.
I haven't had it long enough to know how it holds up to dirt and washing, but after about a week, I'm very impressed.
This is the first nato that I have tried that is truly comfortable. I have a bit of a lunker dive watch and to keep it stable and still be comfortable you need stiffer material that is still soft to the skin and these do that well. I will probably get another color and stick my cheapo nato's in the drawer.
