FKM Rubber Watch Straps vs. Silicone Watch Straps: What’s the Difference and Which is Better?

Have you ever wondered about the differences between FKM rubber watch straps and silicone watch straps? With numerous different reasons to choose each option, it can naturally feel a little overwhelming to make this decision. Nevertheless, this shouldn’t have to be the case, and by considering the key features of each watch strap material, choosing the best type for your needs becomes far easier.

In line with this thought, today, we’re looking at FKM rubber and silicone watch straps to help you understand which is better for comfort, durability, and overall performance. Hopefully, this will help inform your own decision regarding the optimal watch strap, too.

What’s the Difference Between FKM Rubber Watch Straps and Silicone Watch Straps?

First things first, it’s crucial to consider the difference between rubber watch straps and silicone watch straps. Indeed, both options can offer a potentially valuable and beneficial option, making them excellent materials to consider for your new watch. But how do they compare with each other?

What is FKM Rubber?

First off, we should start by defining what FKM rubber is - a material that is likely less well-known than silicone. Short for fluoroelastomer rubber, FKM is a type of high-performance synthetic rubber that is widely used in a wide variety of industries and applications, particularly in the aerospace and automotive fields, thanks to its excellent resistance to both chemicals and heat. When used in watch strap consultation, FKM rubber is frequently praised for being a durable, premium material compared to many other synthetics.

What is Silicone?

By now, we’ve considered what FKM rubber is and how this applies to watch straps - but what about silicone? Well, silicone is another synthetic material, as with FKM rubber, and it is widely used in many different products, including a wide variety of fashion and fitness items. Along the same line of thought, silicone is also available as a specialist watch strap, boasting exceptional comfort, affordability, and water resistance.

Key Differences Between FKM Rubber Straps and Silicone Straps

There are numerous important differences between FKM rubber and silicone straps, and keeping these in mind is important to ensure you’re getting the most from your new choice of watch strap.

Durability and Longevity

In terms of durability and longevity, FKM rubber wins by a landslide. While silicone materials are still pretty long-lasting, FKM rubber is much more resistant to tears, cracks, and wear and tear. Furthermore, FKM rubber is also much more resistant to harsh environments and damaging chemicals and UV rays. Given this, it will often prove significantly more durable than silicone which, despite its elasticity, can often lose its elasticity over time.

Water and Sweat Resistance

Inevitably, your chosen watch strap may get a little damp and sweaty from time to time - and so, knowing it will be able to withstand such conditions is crucial. Fortunately, both silicone and FKM rubber can withstand water and sweat exposure, both being waterproof; however, silicone is more likely to absorb moisture and sweat, making it less effective overall.

Chemical and Oil Resistance

It’s not only water to consider in terms of resistance; chemical and oil resistance is also an important consideration. Fortunately, both are generally resistant to chemicals and oil, although FKM once again proves superior, being much more resistant for longer overall. Thus, while these may perform similarly when exposed to oils and chemicals initially, FKM rubber will be much better in the long term.

Comfort and Flexibility

Overall, silicone is a naturally softer and more flexible material than FKM rubber. However, while silicone will usually feel softer at first, FKM rubber tends to mould to the shape of the wrist with time, making it much less likely to stretch while providing a snug fit after an initial “wearing in” period. Read more here about which types of watch straps are the most comfortable.

Appearance and Aesthetic Style

For many of us, watches are more than just a practical tool; they’re also a fashion statement. Thus, making sure your chosen watch strap looks great is vital. Fortunately, FKM rubber watch straps and silicone straps both offer an aesthetically pleasing option, although it should be noted here that the former is generally considered a more sophisticated look with its matte finish, while the latter is often more popular for fun outfits thanks to its unique range of finishes and vibrant colours.

Price and Value for Money

Another critical factor to keep in mind is price. Indeed, the cost of FKM rubber straps will often be quite a bit higher; this makes silicone straps often cheaper, although keep in mind here that the latter may require far more regular replacement. As such, in the short term, silicone may be cheaper; however, the ongoing cost could be higher.

Which Strap is Best for Different Uses - Silicone or FKM?

By now, we’ve considered some of the different properties of FKM rubber and silicone, but you may still be wondering which strap lends itself best to different uses. Fortunately, we’ve covered a few of the most common uses you might want to think about as follows to help.

Best for Everyday Wear and Style

First of all, considering the best strap for everyday wear and style is probably the most common application. There isn’t a clear winner either way in this regard, given that both have highly unique styles. However, if you’re looking for a casual style, silicone watch straps may be a better bet; contrastingly, FKM rubber straps will work better if you’re going for a more formal everyday look.

Best for Sports and Fitness

Another way you might want to use your new watch is for sports and fitness. Indeed, getting out and about is important for your health and well-being, and as such, having a watch strap that’s capable of withstanding the rigours of regular exercise is crucial. Fortunately, both options can lend themselves well to this application, being durable enough to withstand the demands of active sports use. Silicone, in particular, is excellent if you’re looking for a lightweight, comfortable design; meanwhile, FKM rubber’s durability and resistance to water and sweat make it a longer-lasting and more hygienic option.

Best for Diving and Water Activities

If you’re looking to go diving, you’ll need the right sort of strap for your watch. FKM rubber is the clear winner here thanks to its superior waterproofing, which helps keep your strap in good condition.

Best for Harsh Conditions

If you need a watch strap that can withstand harsh conditions, FKM rubber wins out. Thanks to being an industrial-grade material, FKM rubber is the ideal solution if you need a watch for use in difficult conditions.

How to Choose the Right Strap for Your Needs - Is it a Silicone Strap or an FKM Strap You Need?

By now, we’ve looked at the key properties of FKM rubber and silicone straps to ascertain how they might apply to different situations. However, you may still be wondering about how to choose the right strap for your needs. Well, the following pointers might help.

Critically, when deciding between FKM rubber and silicone straps, it’s vital to think carefully about what you need from your choice. If durability is important for your needs, FKM rubber straps will likely best meet your needs; moreover, FKM is also excellent for use in outdoor or diving scenarios, as well as for professional use. However, if a more casual strap meets your style better, or if you’re looking for a soft and affordable strap design, silicone might be the option you need most.

Inevitably, the only way to choose the right strap for your needs is to carefully consider the pros and cons of each option. And in the end, both silicone and FKM rubber straps can offer an excellent solution, depending on what you need.

Caring for FKM Rubber Straps and Silicone Straps

A final point of consideration in your decision is cleaning requirements. Indeed, knowing how to clean your new watch straps is essential to keep them in good condition for as long as possible, and we’ve outlined several crucial pointers as follows to help. Fortunately, since both are waterproof and durable, cleaning FKM rubber and silicone straps is a pretty easy process.

Cleaning FKM Rubber

FKM rubber straps are the easiest to clean thanks to their excellent resistance, which means that mild soap and water solutions can easily be used. However, try to take care not to use harsh chemicals when cleaning FKM rubber, as it is still possible to degrade the material with improper cleaning. Thoroughly drying the rubber is a must after cleaning to ensure the strap continues to look its best.

Cleaning Silicone Straps

Silicone straps are still waterproof, but they do not offer the same chemical resistance as FKM rubber. Given this, it’s incredibly important to take a more delicate approach to cleaning your silicone watch straps; a warm, damp cloth should be enough, or use a soft brush to remove any lint that might have accumulated on the straps.

Final Verdict: Which Strap Should You Choose - Silicone or FKM Rubber?

 

Overall, the choice of strap - either FKM rubber or silicone - will come down to personal preference. Indeed, your final decision will inevitably depend on what you need from your chosen strap; for example, FKM rubber will typically work best for long-lasting, high-performance applications, whereas silicone typically makes an incredible budget-friendly option that’s soft and easy to wear.

Conclusion

Overall, FKM rubber and silicone watch straps both offer excellent solutions for a range of different reasons. However, while silicone straps are generally considered a great budget-friendly or casual watch strap option, FKM rubber straps are often viewed as a more premium option, with greater durability.

Whatever you might decide, starting out with a brand of quality watch straps is essential; after all, even among FKM and silicone straps specifically, there can be a vast amount of difference in quality. Fortunately, all of our premium watch straps - including both silicone and FKM rubber options - here at The Thrifty Gentleman are designed with quality in mind, so you can count on us for watch straps that will impress.