lg g watch android wear nato strap

Watch straps for the LG G Watch

lg g watch android wear nato strapThe LG G Watch is far from beautiful. The watch is a sea of cheap feeling plastic and paired with a generic looking square face, it doesn’t really stand out. Thankfully, it’s possible to change out the stock gray rubber strap. I had a bunch of 22mm watch straps laying around and decided to experiment with them to see what works.

I started off with nylon NATO straps. These straps are quite popular today and work well with summer attire. It definitely dresses the watch down for casual, semi-sporty wear.

While thin nylon NATO straps fit just fine, thicker NATOs won’t work. I tried a premium nylon NATO from Crown & Buckle but it wouldn’t fit because there’s not much room between the lugs and the body of the watch. I also tried a leather NATO, which is even thicker. Not a chance.

Editor’s note: As Luca pointed out in the comments, NATO straps will block the G Watch from charging. You’ll either have to undo the bottom of the strap to unblock the back of the watch or just remove it entirely. NATO straps are easy to take on and off so it wouldn’t be too much of a hassle.

Next up, I tried a leather strap with a crocodile pattern. I was pleasantly surprised at how much this classed up the G Watch. I don’t think you should wear a smartwatch to a formal event, but it does makes it look a lot less cheap than with the stock rubber strap. This is a good semi-casual look for the office.

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Finally, I threw on a marine-inspired strap. The strap is quite thick (4mm), which works well with the large body of the G Watch. It just barely fit since the strap is so thick. There’s just not that much room between the body of the watch and the lugs.

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However, this is by far my favorite combination. The distressed leather, off-white stitching, and brushed stainless steel buckle really make the G Watch look more expensive. It just goes to show how materials matter with watches. I’m especially curious about how the Moto 360 will wear and feel.

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If you’re looking for a better strap for your LG G Watch, I would stay away from NATO straps. I know they’re cheap and come in fun colors but they just look cheap on an already cheap looking watch. Pick up a leather strap and call it a day.

For more photos of the LG G Watch on different straps, check out the gallery below.


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4 responses to “Watch straps for the LG G Watch”

  1. brian Avatar

    Nice write up and pics, thank you. I just ordered the G Watch myself and was trying to figure out what kind of strap was going to quickly replace the stock one.

    I agree with you, the distressed leather does look the best. But, I will probably keep a few natos around too just to mix it up.

    Can I ask what brand (or who made) leather strap that is?

    Thanks again.

    Brian

  2. Luca Avatar
    Luca

    Hi!

    how do you charge the watch with the nato strap?

  3. Lewis Avatar

    Hi, Brian.

    The leather strap is from Crown & Buckle. You can find it here: http://www.crownandbuckle.com/straps-by-size/22mm-straps/marina-22mm-brown-vintage.html

    Just a warning, the strap just BARELY fits. It’s so snug against the body of the watch that there’s a bit of resistance moving the strap around. It’s not ideal but it works!

  4. Lewis Avatar

    Hi, Luca.

    That’s the problem with NATO straps with this watch. The straps block the charging port but it’s simple enough to undo the bottom of the strap to get it to sit on the dock.

    You can even remove the whole strap if you wanted and it wouldn’t take more than 5 seconds.