How to choose a dive watch strap
A dive watch strap has three jobs: cope with water, stay on your wrist, and suit the watch. Here is how the straps in this collection differ from one another.
Materials
- Silicone (£12.99 to £16.99): soft and flexible from day one. Best for swimming, holidays and everyday wear.
- FKM rubber (£29.99 to £32.99): firmer, denser and harder wearing. Best for regular swimmers and anyone hard on straps.
- Zulu nylon (£14.99): thick woven fabric that dries quickly. A one-piece strap, so it holds the watch even if a spring bar fails.
Silicone is the affordable all-rounder. FKM costs about twice as much but lasts longer, particularly with regular salt water and sun. If you're choosing between the two, our FKM vs silicone guide goes through the differences.
Sizes and fit
Most dive-style watches take a 20mm or 22mm strap, and almost every strap here comes in both. The Honeycomb and Crosshatch FKM straps also come in 18mm, and several silicone/rubber styles go up to 24mm for larger watches.
To find your size, measure the gap between the lugs (the two arms the strap sits between) in millimetres, or look for the number on the underside of your current strap. If you already know your width, you can also browse all 20mm watch straps or 22mm watch straps.
Styles
Tropical: the perforated, basket-weave look from 1960s dive watches. Ours come in silicone and in FKM.
Waffle: a raised square pattern that suits vintage-style divers.
Heavy duty and plain: thicker, simpler straps for bigger watches. The Divers Heavy Duty Silicone is our best seller in this collection.
Two-tone: black with a coloured underside, for a flash of orange, blue, red or yellow.
Zulu: a heavy one-piece nylon strap with rounded steel hardware.
Several straps here are quick release, so you can swap them by hand in seconds. The rest fit with standard spring bars, and we include free spring bars with those.
Dive watch strap questions
What is the best strap for a dive watch?
For most people, a silicone or FKM rubber strap is the best choice for a dive watch, because both are waterproof, easy to rinse clean and comfortable when wet. Choose FKM if you swim often, and silicone if you want a good strap at a lower price. Our dive watch strap guide compares rubber, NATO, metal and perlon in more depth.
Are these straps suitable for actual diving?
The silicone, FKM and nylon straps in this collection are all made to be worn in water, including the sea. They are aftermarket straps for dive-style watches, not certified diving equipment, so if you dive seriously, check the strap and spring bars before every dive as you would the rest of your kit.
Will a dive strap fit my Seiko, Casio or Citizen?
A dive strap fits any watch with standard lugs and the same lug width, whatever the brand. Many popular dive watches take 20mm or 22mm, but models vary, so measure yours first. If you tell us the model by email, we'll be happy to tell you which width to order.
Is FKM rubber better than silicone for a dive watch?
FKM is more durable than silicone and holds up better to salt water, sun and heavy use. Silicone is softer and costs about half as much. For holidays and the occasional swim, silicone is plenty. For regular swimming, FKM is worth the extra.
Can I use a NATO or Zulu strap on a dive watch?
Yes. A one-piece nylon strap is a classic choice for a dive watch, because it passes behind the case and keeps the watch on your wrist even if one spring bar fails. Nylon dries more slowly than rubber, so rinse it in fresh water after the sea.
How do I look after a dive watch strap?
Rinse it in fresh water after salt water or a chlorinated pool, and wash it now and then with mild soap. Let it dry before you put the watch away. That is all silicone, FKM and nylon need.
More than one strap
A dive watch is one of the easiest watches to dress up or down. Rubber for the beach, nylon for the weekend, and the multi-buy discount (10% off two straps, 15% off three, 20% off four or more) makes a small rotation affordable. Browse all our rubber watch straps, or see the full range of NATO watch straps.
