Watch Gecko Zuludiver Quick Release Sailcloth Rally Strap

Material science fascinates me. As a mechanical engineer the world of material science is the equivalent of the ACME catalog to the Coyote.  The work done in this noble field provides engineers like myself with the building blocks to create and improve the world around us.  New materials make what was once thought impossible, possible.  From the creation of Bronze and Tin to the advent of the nano-tubes today, material science has been improving the quality of life since humans have walked the earth.  I am not going to tell you that a sailcloth watch strap is the modern day equivalent of graphene, but I will tell you that it is a fascinating material or rather a fascinating material aesthetic (because only few of them are made of actual sailcloth these days) that can answer the call to a great many uses.   

From what I have observed, the watchstrap industry considers just about any nylon (or nylon-like) strap that has some thickness across the entire length with well-finished edges and is stitched along its length a sailcloth strap. I have seen polyurethane and rubber straps sold as sailcloth. Fact is that sailcloth can be a wide variety of natural materials such as canvas and cotton or synthetic materials such as nylon or carbon fibers.  What is more important is, regardless of material, a sailcloth strap should be fairly water resistant and its woven texture should wear rather durably.  The strap I am looking at today embodies this better than any other strap sold under the name sailcloth.  Watch Gecko has such an amazing user interface and they have built up a reputation for producing high quality products that span straps to watches, to tools, etc. They simply do not sell anything that I have ever handled that did not present excellent value for money.

The WatchGecko Zuludiver Quick Release Sailcloth Perforated/Rally Watch strap is yet another example of what is possible when Watch Gecko sets their mind to making an epic product. I am very excited about this one and cannot wait to start the review. But first in typical Strapsense style, here are some words from the strap gurus at Watch Gecko about this very strap:

Sailcloth material is renowned for its strong and durable properties, making it hard wearing and resilient for water based activities. This strap is made from water resistant Sailcloth print pvc rubber material and it’s a perfect choice for sports such as diving or every day wear.

For this design we have taken inspiration from racing history, and the watch strap comes in two designs, perforated or rally holes. The punched holes allowing airflow through to your skin for a more comfortable wear in warmer conditions.

DIMENSIONS

I purchased the 20mm strap so all my dimensions are based on that.  My black strap with beige stitching  came in at 19.9mm at the lugs and XX.X at the buckle.  The lengths of the free and buckle end are 115mm and 75mm respectively.  What this means is on my 7 inch wrist I am on the second to last adjustment hole for that perfect fit (on a 40mm watch).  The watch starts at the lugs at 4.3mm thick and has a very gradual taper to 3.2mm at the free and buckle end.  This is thick enough to support the bulkier sport/dive watches out there, but not so thick that it would overpower thinner vintage divers. This taper occurs gradually and the flat padding does not possess a raised padded center section like the one a leather padded strap would typically have.

DESIGN

While sailcloth is in the name this strap is made using a PVC rubber material but carries a woven pattern.  This synthetic material gives the strap creators limitless creative freedom and many knobs to turn to adjust fit, form and function.  The sailcloth pattern on both sides of the strap is well executed.  The ‘grain’ or pattern is very even and has a definite tactical feel to it in my hands.  The black color is even and does not scratch or fade when stretched or bent.   While its durability seems guaranteed , the strap also feels slightly padded and does give to the touch when squeezed or pinched.  This give also yields real benefits in terms of comfort and flexibility as well.   

The strap is available in several configurations. Solid or with rally holes and different color stitching is available to the end user. I chose the rally holes and beige stitching to complement my Oris Divers 65 vintage feel. The color of the stitches is bang on perfect for the aged lume and gold gilt on the dial.  The stitches go through the entire thickness of the strap and they are equally well sunk into the strap material on both sides.

This strap has a wonderfully done taper and bolsters the vintage feeling the beige stitches initiate.  This taper also greatly adds comfort and works with the relatively thin 3-4mm thickness to make the strap wear comfortably close to the wrist.  The rally holes in this strap allow the skin to breathe while also adding a purposeful and tool like aesthetic.  The quick release spring bars make this strap easy to try on many watches with ease without a tool in sight.    

KEEPER AND BUCKLE

The Zuludiver Sailcloth strap uses the standard dual keeper system with one being fixed and one floating along the buckle end.  They are sized perfectly and seem to be made of the same material as the strap with that same indestructible feel to them.  What this means to you is effortless fastening and buckling with little to no drag or friction. 

The buckle is an extremely well done linearly brushed piece. It has well rounded edges with all corners and intersections being blessed with generous chamfers and comfortable radiuses. The linear brushing is done ever so lightly and the ZULUDIVER logo appears to be laser etched into the material for an added touch of class that gives quiet affirmation that this watch strap can get wet, and wants to go on a dive.

HOW DOES IT WEAR

Material aside and design aside, what it always comes down to is how does a strap wear.  I have tried a handful of straps that carry the sailcloth name. Some of these were made of a different material than the Watch Gecko strap I am holding now and that choice often directly affected stiffness of the delivered product.  I am very pleased to report that unlike a woven fabric with laminated construction, this PVC rubber liner in this strap is an absolute pleasure to wear.

This strap is immediately wearable on day one. It possesses the light give of a silicone strap but with the texture of tough ballistic fabric.  A very peculiar combo that works better than you can imagine.  It has survived all my durability tests without so much as a scuff or frayed stitch. It wears light and gives with the curves of your wrist.  This strap requires absolutely no break in and has no hint of stiff leg syndrome (that annoying tendency for a stiff strap to hold the watch at weird angles off your wrist).  From the moment you first strap it to the wrist it fits like a custom fit jacket.  Moisture or rain is not an issue as the strap breathes very well and water just rolls off the strap.

WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR

This strap has fully embraced its durable sporty aesthetic with both arms.  When purchased with the beige thread it walks in the middle of the street between old world and tacticool.  I paired it immediately with my Oris Divers 65 as the bronze bezel and gilt dial so perfectly blend with the beige stitching it may never come off.  Pair this strap with any diver you have in your watch box immediately with the utmost of confidence.  If those divers are of the vintage variety, all the better.  It would also look right at home on a field watch as it can take all the scuffs and bumps exploring may throw at it. 

This strap is not about fashion, rather think of it as rugged gear that just happens to look spectacular. The watch gecko sailcloth strap combines all the elements that ideally suit watches that see any kind of outdoor adventure.  Do not be afraid to use it.

WHERE CAN  GET IT

The only place to get the Watch Gecko Sailcloth Strap is from Watch Gecko themselves:

https://www.watchgecko.com/zuludiver-quick-release-sailcloth-perforated-divers-watch-strap

UPDATE: Watch Gecko reached out to me to let me know that there are other places to purchase Genuine Watch Gecko straps. At the time time of this article the Sailcloth is still only at the link above, however in the future it may be sold at other official outlets listed below:

https://www.geckota.com/watch-straps/zuludiver-watch-strapshttps://www.zuludiver.com/

They also have a number of international retailers who also sell their straps….

https://www.geckota.com/authorised-retailers

They sell on Amazon and have an eBay store too

https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/watchgecko

SUMMARY

For any job there is an ideal material that has the proper attributes you need to be successful. Scotty ‘invented’ transparent aluminum in Star Trek IV to save the whales as that was the material he needed to accomplish the mission.  Sailcloth watch straps very greatly, but if they are done well should allow the user to enjoy carefree water/outdoor activities without degradation or harm to the strap.  The Watch Gecko strap is one of the best examples I have found on the market so far.  It design is unapologetic in its mission to give you a sporty strap that can take anything that can be dished out. From the material it was constructed to the physical shape it was given, it feels as all design choices are focused and calculated. I will naturally keep trying new straps marketed as sailcloth, but for now this particular strap has set the sailcloth bar high for any that will follow.