Rios1931 Olive Waxed Canvas 2-piece
November 5, 2019
If you were on a beach on the most perfect island in the northern hemisphere with the most perfect breeze blowing over the bluest ocean and onto the whitest sand while you rested in the softest hammock that had ever been handmade by the the most jovial local artisans who ever existed you would know pure casual bliss. But even if you had all of that, it would still only make you half as happy as this watch strap feels.
Under no circumstances did I ever expect this strap to leave this impression on me as when I ordered it, I was expecting a strap with strong military vibes. What arrived was a splendid combination that exactly matched the brief description listed in the title and a whole lot more. I tried this strap on several likely watches with strong military and strong field-y (not a word but it should be) aesthetics, I was still not totally happy with the pairings. It was not until I abandoned genres altogether and just put it on a fun casual watch that this strap came into focus.
Worn and Wound has produced a great many favorites of mine. One of them is the Model 2 Premium in Rye I reviewed here (https://strapsense.com/2018/09/02/worn-and-wound-model-2-premium-rye/). This time I take a 180 degree turn from the Model 2’s buttery soft leather and neat and tidy construction to something could be seen on the strap of a well worn canvas sandal, or a military duffle that had seen one to many tours of duty. While not made by Worn and Wound directly, the Waxed Canvas is sold through the WindUp Shop and made by another well known strap manufacturer, RIOS1931. While I adore a strap that is very versatile, sometimes a strap is so true to form and dedicated to a single theme, that its singular look while limiting is a breath of fresh air. Before I start my review of this very cool strap, here are the words from Worn and Wound about this particular RIOS1931 strap:
Waxed canvas has an unmistakeable rugged charm that few other materials come close to. Mixing the tough texture of canvas with a water repellent wax coating, it is a perfect material for the outdoors. The waxed surface also patinas in cool and unique ways, adding to its masculine appeal. The RIOS1931 Waxed Canvas 2-piece strap, a companion to the Waxed Canvas Mil-Strap, is a thick, sporty strap that features canvas wrapped around leather, for a solid feel. The edges are hand-stitched with doubled thread for an extra sturdy appearance.
DIMENSIONS
The strap I ordered from Worn and Wound was the 20mm version but it is also available in 22m as well. It measures in at 4.3mm at the lugs and tapers down to 3mm at the free end. The description on the website says 4.5mm but the strap does taper in thickness which will make it less cumbersome on the wrist and greatly add to comfort. The free end is 115mm long and the buckle end is 81mm long which is within 1mm of advertised dimensions.
At the lugs the strap is 20.5mm wide and at the ends it is about 19.5mm which indicates a straight strap which perfectly matches the rugged and casual nature of this strap. People looking for elegance need to look elsewhere. On my 7″ wrist I am on the third to the last adjustment hole for an extremely comfortable fit.
DESIGN
The highlight of this strap is obviously its name sake. The waxed canvas is an unusual material and its differences make it noteworthy for some aesthetic and tactile qualities that meld together to form something that feels very special. Not to be overlooked is the black leather liner that rests smoothly against the skin assuring you all day comfort versus the waxed canvas which excels at toughness and durability.
According to Google, waxed canvas originated in Scotland and was originally made by rubbing linseed oil into cloth (commonly canvas) to produce very waterproof clothing. No doubt it was used by fisherman and the military giving this fabric very humble blue collar origins. Now this watch strap is takes a tiny bit of that watch strap etomology and puts it on your wrist. And I can say the results are pure win.
The feel of the canvas is difficult to characterize. It feels like a very worn demin jacket that has a tough cloth tight stitched texture. Despite being over 4mm at the lugs the straps slight thinning means it bends and flexes quite easily. In fact over the past 2 weeks with this strap, it has broken in very well into an almost supple feeling strap that rivals some all-leather straps in flexibility. The canvas will pick up marks and scratches that are somehow highlighted by the light wax coating on the cloth. They further the straps casual appearance, and wonderfully document all the adventures you dare take the strap on.
The stitching is a nice olive green and it is perfectly imperfect. They strap continues its march proudly down the rugged path with its stitching which is neither perfectly straight nor perfectly sized. But the presentation all works together to give the strap hand made if not organic feel and the color is just enough of a shade off the canvas that it adds contrast without looking dressy.
The black inner liner is made of a very durable and smooth feeling leather. Embossed on both sides is 20mm and on the buckle side RIOS1931. The olive stitching goes all the way through to hold the layers of the strap firmly together. In a surprise touch, the sides of the strap are sealed in black that perfectly matches the underside leather. This black stitching looks amazing but more than ever its main job is to secure the threads of the cut canvas material. The overall appearance is of solidity and a strap that feels practically indestructible.
KEERER AND BUCKLE
The waxed canvas two piece strap has a two keeper system that keeps one fixed near the buckle and the other floating to accommodate any extra strap you may have. The keepers have a nice black leather liner like the strap but lack any side sealant which allow the keepers to slightly fray at the edges. While this may sacrifice a tiny bit of durability what it gains in aesthetics is priceless. These tiny frays of materials on the keepers remind me of a vintage green canvas backpack I had in school The kind with metal buckles and soft green canvas fabric. It laughed at years of getting wet, cut, dropped, overstuffed, and it never failed. That ruggedness is embodied in the finished strap and exemplified in the every so lightly frayed edges of the keepers.
The buckle on the strap could have been an oversized nightmare. But RIOS1931 resisted the urge and instead opted for a perfectly sized polished buckle that is just big enough to do the job. It is free of any markings or branding which I normally complain about, but here it seems right and fits the non dressy, mil-spec nature of the strap.
HOW DOES IT WEAR
When you first hold the strap in your hand you may think it will be too stiff and too hard to use. Stiff leg syndrome looks like it may be a possibility. That is the annoying way a strap that does not bend or flex enough holds a watch at weird angles off the wrist. On the contrary almost from the first time you put this strap around your wrist, it bends easily and the rugged aesthetic gives way to comfortable and worry free wearability.
The lose end easily slides through the keepers and the tang of the buckle is perfectly sized to fit into the reinforced stitched adjustment holes. Due to the straps every so slight taper in thickness (not width) along its length you never have to worry about an excess of thick strap on the bottom of your wrist. Now do not get me wrong, it will NOT wear like a Shell Cordovan strap, but it was surprisingly comfortable. I found the colors and stitching and durable materials just makes this a worry free strap to have on the wrist for any activity.
WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR
Take all your dressy watches, and dressy chronos, and put them in a drawer and never let them see this strap. Instead get out your most casual or most militaristic watch you own in the 38-42mm size, preferably in a bead blasted and or matte finish and have a go. I had this on a White Sinn 104, but the glossy dial and highly polished case just did not go with this. A black dial Sinn or a silver dial Sinn would be ideal. A Hamilton Khaki in 40mm would work and as the picture on Worn and Wound website indicates, a Damasko with its submarine steel may be just ideal.
This watch strap is purpose made to be a casual strap or a field watch strap. It is not a do everything strap, and I would even say for most 9-5 work attire it may be too casual as well. It is an unapologetically casual and laid back strap. I love it. It gets better with every scuff, bend, wrinkle, crease, and bump you can give it. It is as worry free as a strap with leather can get. I still would probably avoid swimming with it too much, but honestly, taking this strap on a motorcycle ride or a camping trip would be a match made in heaven.
WHERE CAN I GET IT
I would look for the Worn and Wound Waxed Canvas 2 piece strap at the Worn and Wound Shop:
SUMMARY
Like an old worn in but not worn out pair of canvas sandals or your favorite pair of jeans, this strap is welcomes you to take it anywhere. I really enjoy straps that can be used on a wide variety of watches but there is something about a watch strap that embodies one singular theme. While I had little success extracting the military vibes this strap obviously packs in spades, I still enjoyed it tremendously just because it was a strap not trying to be anything other than rugged. I enjoyed it wearing it on my Snoopy Timex, which is far from a military watch, but it is a fun watch, and this strap makes me smile. I hope it can do the same for you.