Rubber Watch Straps - The Perfect Companion for Outdoor Adventures
Rubber watch straps are a firm favourite amongst those who love to wear a watch for outdoor activities or during sports. With their water resistance, flexibility, comfort and easy to maintain material, they are ideal for wearing both in the water and for physical activities on land.
Rubber watch straps originate from sometime back in the 1950s, when watchmakers in Switzerland tried using vulcanized rubber, such as FKM rubber, as watch straps. Rubber dive straps were the first type of strap made of the material, with people quickly realising the benefits and practicalities of it in the water.
Nowadays, rubber watch straps are more often made of synthetic rubber, which is strong, water resistant and able to withstand exposure to different temperatures - all excellent qualities for those looking for an active watch strap.
Why Should You Choose A Rubber Watch Strap?
As mentioned above, rubber watch straps are a great choice for those who partake in water activities, such as diving, or lead an active lifestyle on land. But aside from this, they are durable, easy to maintain and stylish looking straps that are suited to a day in the office just as much as for physical activities. Here are just a few reasons why you should consider choosing a rubber watch strap:
Waterproof: Rubber straps are resilient in both fresh and saltwater, making them excellent straps for swimming. Rubber dive straps are also very common for aquatic sports too.
Easy to Maintain: Rubber straps are easy to maintain in comparison to straps like leather, which have specific care instructions, not necessarily appropriate for water based activities. This makes them great for everyday use.
Comfortable and Versatile: Rubber watch straps have the benefit of being incredibly comfortable to wear, and also come in a wide range of colours and styles. This makes them perfect for active wear, and for other occasions too.
Scratch resistant: Rubber watch straps have the benefit of often being scratch resistant, a great feature when a watch is worn for physical activities as you don’t have to worry about it getting damaged either under the water or whilst doing more active things on land.
Can You Wear A Rubber Watch Strap Formally?
Rubber watch straps are perhaps not the first type of strap that comes to mind when you think about accessorising for a formal occasion, but as an extremely versatile and stylish strap type, you would be surprised at just how many occasions you could get away wearing one.
There are plenty of colour and style choices when it comes to buying rubber watch straps, so you are bound to find one that suits the formal style you are after. Textured rubber straps, such as the Tropical watch strap, are especially synonymous with adding a stylish touch to any outfit, elevating it from casual to smart.
If you want to read more on this, check out our article - Rubber Watch Straps - are they formal enough?
Frequently Asked Questions: Rubber Watch Straps
Are rubber straps good for watches?
Yes, rubber straps are good for watches. They are comfortable, easy to wear and maintain and have a lot of benefits like water resistance, scratch resistance and durability that make them popular choices both for active lifestyles and non active lifestyles.
They are also a very reliable strap for watches, hence being a favoured dive watch strap. This makes them ideal for wearing on the go, where you can be assured that your strap isn’t going to wear easily.
Which watch strap is better, silicone or rubber?
Rubber and silicone watch straps are both popular choices in their own rights for being comfortable and pretty durable. Rubber straps are, however, more durable than silicone, especially in saltwater and to sweat.
They are also easier to maintain - silicone is more prone to getting dirty and requires more regular cleaning. Rubber is also better than silicone for being in the water. Whilst silicone is water resistant, rubber is more so.
Ultimately, which watch strap is better comes down to your personal lifestyle and what you want to use the watch for.
Why are rubber watch straps so expensive?
Whilst rubber itself is not usually considered to be an expensive material, good quality and high-end rubber watch straps can be expensive due to how much it costs to develop and manufacture them.
Some rubber straps are also made out of specialised synthetic rubbers like fluorine elastomer, which is incredibly durable, but is expensive. It is also often the case that luxury watch brands use their own high-quality rubber straps within their collections, which also increases the price as the brand upholds its ‘luxury’ reputation.
How long do rubber watch straps last?
How long a watch strap lasts ultimately comes down to how well it is looked after and maintained, but rubber watch straps are very durable and can easily last for 3-5 years, if not more, with this proper care.
To increase the longevity of a rubber watch strap, you should make sure it is cleaned regularly and not exposed to harsh chemicals or extreme heat/coldness.
About Us
The Thrifty Gentleman was founded back in 2021 following the realisation by owner, Jonathan, that finding great quality, affordable watch straps in a variety of styles, colours and materials was not the easiest of tasks. With the intention to only manufacture and sell watch straps that he himself would wear, Jonathan set about the creation of The Thrifty Gentleman and the rest, as they say, is history!
In addition to wanting to create a business that provided the best watch straps for our customers, we also hold customer service in equally high regards and that is shown by our 4.8 out of 5 customer rating (check out our reviews here) and the number of repeat customers we service - we must be doing something right if so many customers come back!
Whether you're looking for your next replacement dive rubber watch strap for your divers watch or something more dressy for a special occasion, you'll find it, and more, right here at The Thrifty Gentleman. We'd love you to be our next 5 star repeat customer!
If You Like Our Rubber Watch Straps, You Might Also Like
The Thrifty Gentleman is your one-stop shop for any style or type of replacement strap. If you like this style, you will also likely want to check out the following ranges:
FKM rubber watch straps
Black watch straps
Tropical watch straps
Quick release replacement watch straps
