When wearing a watch in summer, the real enemy is often not the high temperature, but rather the "humidity". Sweat, sea breeze, and afternoon thunderstorms can quickly turn a comfortable wearing experience into stickiness and stuffiness.
In such situations, choosing the right watch strap becomes particularly important. NATO and Perlon are both common choices for "fabric" straps in summer. They are all lightweight, durable, and relatively water-resistant. However, the differences between the two are quite clear in hot and humid environments.
Let's first lay out the key points in a table (easy to read and convenient for you to make a quick decision).
If you are considering choosing a new summer watch strap, take a look at the Eulit Racing Smart Black Red. It combines comfort and functionality, making it perfect for hot and humid summer days. Not only that, but there is also the Zuludiver Lunar Watch Strap Pluto, made of Perlon woven material, which is an ideal choice for summer wear due to its breathability and quick-drying properties.
In addition, if you are interested in the differences between different types of watch straps, you can refer to this article: Quick Release vs Standard Straps: What's the Difference
Understand the difference between materials and structures
NATO: Stability, durability, and easy maintenance of nylon straps
NATO straps are usually made of nylon webbing (commonly with a tighter weave). They are known for their resistance to pulling, abrasion, and water damage. They have a more "solid" feel and provide a sense of reliability like that of a tool watch.
However, in high humidity environments, tightly woven nylon can easily trap sweat between the fibers. Additionally, NATO straps often have a "double layer" structure that goes through the back of the watch (or has a folded layer), resulting in a larger surface area in contact with the skin and a more noticeable feeling of stuffiness.
Perlon: The Airy Feel of Woven Structure
The key to Perlon is not its name, but its "woven pores". It resembles a fine mesh, allowing air to pass through more easily and moisture to dissipate more quickly. You will feel that it does not "absorb sweat", but rather allows sweat to be quickly discharged and evaporated (similar to the design concept of quick-drying clothing).
In terms of classic specifications like EULIT Perlon, watch straps are usually thinner, softer, and lighter in weight. When worn for long periods in summer, they put much less strain on the wrist (especially on days of commuting and outdoor activities). EULIT Perlon straps are known for their unique weaving technique, which is a result of Perlon perfection.
EULIT Strap Series
Not limited to Perlon watch straps, EULIT products also include other materials such as soft calfskin and high-quality domestic leather. For example, you can find EULIT soft calfskin watch straps like the EULIT soft nappa leather strap and EULIT domestic leather watch straps.
Three most important things in summer: Breathable, Quick-drying, Non-sticky
1) Breathable: Perlon has the advantage
In humid and hot cities (like Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore), sweat doesn't just "flow a little", it "constantly comes out".
The pores of Perlon allow the skin to breathe more easily, resulting in significantly lower discomfort.
NATO straps are also breathable, but it usually depends on the density and thickness of the weave. For example, some thicker and stiffer NATO watch straps can feel more noticeable with sweat in the afternoon.
2) Drying Speed: Both dry quickly, but Perlon is more efficient
Nylon itself is almost water-resistant, and NATO straps can indeed dry quickly. However, when encountering a large amount of sweat or splashes, NATO straps tend to retain moisture temporarily between the fibers and the skin due to their thicker "band body" and often "double-layer structure", resulting in a slower drying speed compared to Perlon.
At this time, a NATO watch strap like this one may make you feel the retention of moisture.
Perlon, being thin and porous, dries much faster as if "a gust of wind takes it away". This difference will be amplified when commuting by the beach or during the rainy season.
3) Stickiness: The "skin contact area" of NATO is key
It's not that NATO is bad, but it sticks to you very "seriously". When there is an extra layer of fabric under the watch case, sweat can easily form a damp layer.
If you care about the freshness of your wrist, Perlon is often closer to the ideal summer wear. However, if you still want to use a NATO watch strap, you can refer to some methods for installing NATO watch straps.
Comfort: Do you prefer "stable" or "light"?
The comfort of NATO comes from stability. It won't slip even if you wear it tightly, and you can feel secure during sports. It has a stronger presence and pairs well with dive watches or larger watch cases. For example, this ZULUDIVER 1973 British military watch strap is a great choice.
The comfort of Perlon is more "unnoticeable". It is light, soft, and fits well, making it less likely to feel constricting during long periods of typing or driving. That feeling is closer to Quiet Luxury: understated but very understanding of everyday life.
Adjustability: Perlon is almost "infinitely adjustable"
NATO strap adjustments are based on hole positions. The fixed hole spacing is usually sufficient, but in summer, the wrist may slightly swell due to temperature and moisture, and sometimes you may want to be "a little looser" or "a little tighter". In this case, you can consider using the summer series watch straps from ZULUDIVER, which offer more options to accommodate different needs.
The advantage of Perlon is that it is not based on holes, but rather on "needle positioning". You can fix it at any point in the woven gaps for more precise micro-adjustments. This is a plus for those who care about wearing balance (especially when going in and out of air-conditioned rooms repeatedly in humid weather).
Everyday Versatility: NATO for casual use, Perlon for more detailed versatility
- Strengths of NATO: Outdoor activities, travel, sports, and beach use. It pairs naturally with diving watches, pilot watches, and military watches.
- Strengths of Perlon: Summer commuting, shirts and polos, linen items. It can make the overall style of a watch cleaner, fresher, and less noisy.
If you want to use a watch strap from the weekend to Monday, Perlon is usually less picky about clothing (and occasions).
Cleanliness and Durability: Both are easy to maintain but pay attention to 'Odor Management'
The most common problem with moisture is unpleasant odors. It is recommended to develop simple habits for both:
- Rinse with clean water after sweating (or wipe with a damp cloth).
- Try to air dry it flat, avoiding keeping it in a drawer.
- Wash it simply with soap once a week (especially if you have a habit of exercising).
NATO is thicker in fabric, and if it doesn't dry completely, it can accumulate odours more easily. Perlon usually dries better, but that doesn't mean you can completely neglect cleaning.
How to choose: Use "your summer" to decide
You are more suitable for NATO if you are
- Someone who often goes to the beach, camping, or travelling (needs durability and a sense of security).
- Someone who wears large watches or sports watches and wants a more stable fit.
- Someone who likes the vocabulary of tool watches (sleek, direct, functional).
You are more suitable for Perlon (especially EULIT Perlon) if you are
- Living in a hot and humid city, seeking dryness and breathability.
- Your wrists tend to feel stuffy, get red easily, or you dislike a sticky feeling.
- You want more precise adjustment of tightness and a quieter style presentation.
Choose based on "wearing feel" rather than just appearance
The ideal state of summer watch straps is that you focus on life itself, rather than constantly paying attention to the stuffiness of your wrist. You can find more insights on this topic in this article from Pingwest.
NATO is very reliable (and has character). Perlon is cooler (and more delicate).
If you want to find a more comfortable balance between heat and humidity, you can start with the breathable EULIT Perlon; if you need a more rugged and durable option, you can choose the NATO style nylon watch strap. TAGSTHX also offers a selection of breathable watch straps suitable for summer, such as the EULIT Perlon Baltic, EULIT Perlon Atlantic, and EULIT Palma Pacific, allowing you to quickly find the right match based on your watch model, size, and daily scenarios (saving you time from repeated trial and error).
Finally, a Simple Conclusion
- If you want a more breathable and quicker-drying strap that provides a finer daily feel: choose Perlon, known for its cooling material.
- If you want something more durable, tool-like, and suitable for outdoor water activities: choose NATO.
Summer is long. Choosing a strap that truly makes you "forget it exists" is the best upgrade.