Barton Bands Khaki Crafted Canvas
March 9, 2018
Their was a time when watch straps were either metal or leather. Choices were slim and options were practically non existent. Today we are awash in choices and options to fit our lifestyle, needs, and even fashion sense. The watch strap has gone from a purely functional piece of equipment to something that can express as much character as a nice pair of shoes. A Barton Bands strap was the first aftermarket strap I ever purchased. It was for my humble little Seiko 5 and immediately I was thrilled with the look. What was not lost on me though was the nice bit of packaging and personal service given me during the purchase. Even as a neophyte watch enthusiast I could see and feel the quality of the strap. It was also the first time I had ever seen a quick release watch strap. At Barton Bands they decided early on that people are not stagnant beings. They have moods that ebb and flow over time. The quick change watch strap was not invented by Barton but they embrace it to a degree that every single strap they sell comes standard with it. Once you get use to it, you can change straps with your fingers in less than 12 seconds. That gives you freedom to express yourself, and refresh your watch over and over again. In this review I am going to be reviewing a recent purchase from Barton Bands, the Khaki Crafted Canvas strap. Enjoy.
A few words from the fine folks from Austin at Barton Bands about their Canvas strap:
Our Canvas Quick Release watch bands are meticulously crafted from highly durable canvas and embroidered for style and strength. This durable watch band adds character to any timepiece and can be swapped in and out without any tools! Pair the khaki watch band with our Silicone or Leather Quick Release to take full advantage of the opportunity to ‘Switch it Up’.
DIMENSION
For this review I will be reviewing a 20mm version of the Khaki Crafted Canvas strap. The strap comes in at a true 20mm from lug to tip on both sides of the strap. Their is no taper to speak of, it is an even length the whole way from beginning to end. This squared off look gives it a very durable and rugged, if not an adventurous vibe. The strap is an exact 2mm thick the whole way through. Their is not any detectable padding from side to side or front to back. It is really quite even the whole way through. The free end measured 118mm long, and the buckle end was 75mm in length. On my 6.75″ wrist, I am exactly half way through the adjustment holes, which to me is about perfect.
DESIGN
A canvas strap is going to see a different life than a leather or metal strap. An owner would chose a canvas strap for durability, comfort, and resistance to any kind of moisture. It also adds a nice bit of texture to the watch package as a whole. Like leather, though, their are many different types of canvas of different degrees of quality. I am happy to report that the Khaki Crafted Canvas strap by Barton Bands canvas meets or exceeds my expectations in all ways, especially for what they are asking for it (more on that in a bit).
The color saturation of the threads is dead even. No discoloration is noted along its length on either side of the strap. The strap has two layers of canvas sewn together by a matching stitching that does not just vanish into obscurity, but has a bit of a nice sheen, so it is visible without being overpowering. This stitching is functional to keep the layers of canvas together while adding visual interest. As you can imagine the flexibility of a cloth strap is without question. The strap has just enough structure to support its own weight if held horizontally, but not much else. The strength of the woven canvas is apparent to the touch but in no way uncomfortable or stiff. The holes on the free end of the strap are reinforced by more stitching to give the strap years of daily wear durability. This is not often done on cloth or other canvas straps I have seen (looking at you NATO straps). The underside is basically a mirror of the top. Canvas will be touching your skin which ensures good breathability and comfort. Think of it as a pair of nice flip flops for your watch. Barton proudly displays its name with a sewn on tag on the back surface of the buckle side. I like it when a company is proud enough of its product to spend the extra money to display its brand.
Lastly lets talk about the quick release function. This does not need much detail as it speaks for itself. The ability to change your strap out at a whim is liberating. People who shop for watch straps, change watch straps. It is not uncommon to have more straps than watches for these kinds of folks ( ask me how I know ). Being able to change straps faster than you can put on a pair of shoes allows freedom of expression and the ability to dress up or dress down a watch to match the mood or need of the owner. If I were some kind of Omnipotent Watch Ruler, I would deem all watch straps be quick release or risk being flogged.
KEEPER AND BUCKLE
The keepers on the Khaki Crafted Canvas strap are what you would expect in most situations. One fixed and one floating keeper. This ensures that the free end is held nicely. A quick note about the canvas here. Since the keepers and strap are made of the same textured canvas, the floating keeper always stays put. It never moves from its set position as some leather keepers tend to do over time. Lets hear it for Canvas. The buckle is really shockingly good at this price range. It is nicely brushed 316L stainless and its design is very low profile and slim. It perfectly matches the slim nature of the canvas. The tang on the buckle is also wider than most on leather straps. This is worth noting as it helps spread the load out on the threading meaning the stress on the fibers are distributed evenly and stretching or distortion will not occur ( sorry had to let a tad of mechanical engineering in their ). Very well thought out piece. I also want to give Barton Bands credit here as some watches costing 2 to 3 times more have less quality buckles.
HOW DOES IT WEAR
The Barton Bands Khaki Crafted Canvas conforms to your wrist like your favorite pair of shoes. Its wide, non tapering nature holds the watch very well and resists rotating on the wrist. It is also a very breathable fabric and allows your skin to stay dry. If dipped in water it dries very quickly as one may imagine canvas to do. When one thinks of canvas you may not imagine it being silk like in feel, and you would be right. This canvas comes across like well worn denim in softness. Since it is a fabric not a hide form an animal, the canvas strap is supremely light and vanishes on the wrist.
WHAT IS THIS STRAP GOOD FOR
Canvas to me is all about casual durability. It would be at home on the beach on a tropical vacation as it would be camping out in the national forest or fishing the Florida Keys. The variety of colors Barton offers in this watch means it can compliment nearly any watch made, and its resistance to water and moisture means it is ready for darn near anything as long it is not a formal occasion. I think this watch was made for field watches, casual daily wear watches and yes, even some divers (dress watches I would look elsewhere).
Word of advice. Aesthetically, I think this strap suits a thinner style watch. At 2mm thick it can be overpowered visually by large watches say around 15mm thick. Also its light weight nature may struggle with large heavy watches as well (even though the added width of the non tapering strap would certainly help here to counteract that ). I tend to keep my canvas strap for watches that are in the sub 12mm thickness, and they look on point!
Final comment about price. This canvas strap comes in at about 20 bucks. For the level of detail here and total well thought out design and quality implantation of that design, I cannot fathom not owning several of these. Play with the color and enjoy your watches all over again.
WHERE CAN I GET ONE
You can contact the fine folks at Barton Bands in Austin directly through their website:
You an also get them through Amazon
http://amzn.to/2Fv4DLU
Final thoughts. Barton Bands was the first aftermarket strap I ever bought, and even though I have purchased countless others, I still keep coming back to them from time to time, as the quality for dollar ratio is very hard to beat. Combine that with an easy to use website, incredibly fast shipping, and friendly people with that Texas charm, they should be around for a very long time. They are always adding new options and packages to choose from. I have purchased 5 straps from them, and I will no doubt be adding more.
