Barton Watch Bands Oak Brown Leather and Rubber Hybrid Watch Strap

Let me get this out of the way immediately. I think Barton Bands has just released one of the best bang for your buck daily wearable watch straps on the market today. How did they do it? They brought their version (versions actually) of the legendary Hirsch Performance Line to the market, thats how. The Hirsch Performance Line, besides being one of my favorites, is renowned for its toughness and wearability just about anywhere. They are always composed of a caoutchouc (very environmentally resistant rubber) base and a decorative treated leather top layer. They give the user the looks of a nice leather strap but with the capabilities of a strap you would find on a dive watch. It is an incredibly useful package with lots of innovations and technology.

However, like in all industries, technology often trickles down from one manufacturer to another as it is evolved and adapted to more needs. Barton has taken this recipe of rubber base and leather upper and made it decidedly their own. While the Hirsch line is very modern if not high tech (See the Tiger Performance Line) the Barton is very earthy and casual. More on that in the design portion of the review. Probably the most shocking though is the price. Barton Watch Bands is known for producing some very approachable and fun watch straps that are as easy to change as they are to afford. This new Hybrid keeps that formula with a only a few small concessions. Here is what Barton Says about their new Hybrid strap:

This Oak Brown Leather and Rubber Hybrid Watch Band combines the best of both worlds, offering comfort, style, and flexibility. Featuring a treaded 80D rubber base, 316L stainless steel or black PVD hardware, and top-grain leather, this Watch Band is ready for anything your day might throw your way. 

Our top-grain leather has been waxed, polished, and softened. This unique treatment allows the natural characteristics of the leather to shine through. Be aware that a natural patina will develop over time, giving this watch band a worn-in, timeless, and rustic feel.  These simple imperfections add a rich texture to your timepiece!

DIMENSIONS

I ordered the 20mm version of this strap but it is also available in 18mm and 22mm. My strap was 19.7mm at the lugs and 17.6mm at the free end. The strap is 120mm/75mm at the free end and buckle end respectively. This means that on my slightly under 7″ wrist I am on the second to last adjustment hole (on a watch with a 47mm lug to lug). This means that if you have a smaller wrist than 6.75″ you will need to stick to watches with a short lug to lug distance.

The Barton Hybrid is designed to resemble a padded strap. At the lugs it is just a hair over 5mm and very gradually tapers all the way down to 2.4mm at the free end. While 5mm sounds like a thick strap the strap manages hides its girth well due to the smooth construction and lack of stitching to give the strap depth.

DESIGN

When this strap was first announced I was very excited. The Hybrid design is so versatile and useful to the kind of watches I love the most, sporty field watches. The Barton Strap shares a similar construction methodology with the Hirsch. There is a rubber base that is heavily grooved that sets against your skin. These grooves allow your skin to breath by letting air in, and more importantly allows moisture out. Moist damp skin is a guaranteed source of irritation as anybody who has sat for long periods of time in an aluminum fishing boat will tell you. The rubber used for this strap is described as D80 rubber. That is most likely a durometer reading. Upon research for anything under the name 80D rubber I found several articles on the product. After reading those what you, the strap owner needs to know, is that this a very hard wearing, tear resistant, and highly durable rubber base. Extremely resilient to shock and vibration and has extremely good insulation properties. Even in this extremely thin application, you can feel the rubber backbone of the strap giving confidence.

On the top side of the strap is the lovely leather Barton denotes as Oak in color. That seems to be as good a name as any. The color has a real depth and reach in tone that only continues to improve over time as the leather ages. This is one of the greatest differences between the very waterproof leather Hirsch uses and the Barton Hybrid. Barton leather feels organic and natural to the touch. The leather distresses when bent and folded and even gives a nice pull up effect when worn over time. This vintage distressed aesthetic really appeals to me and I found myself admiring it time and time again. However, this also means this strap is decidedly not as waterproof as the Hirsch. I found nothing on the Barton Website that denotes any guarantee stating such. I would treat this hybrid construction as a thoughtful protection bestowed to the leather against the moisture from your skin, rather than any summer pool-ready strap.

The strap over time will develop creases in the outer leather which will garner lighter contrasting color against the warm brown the leather. This rustic appearance is extremely charming and connects the watch to an earlier time. The sides of the strap where you would normally find a leather edge with or without sealant applied displays more of the black rubber that forms the channel for the leather to sit in. On a watch with a black dial or black bezel this look really pops.

Like all Barton Bands, this strap comes with outstanding quick release spring bars and I love them as much today as I did when I reviewed my first Barton Strap.

KEEPER AND BUCKLE

The hybrid strap uses a two keeper system. However on this particular model the are both floating. In practice this may sound like it could cause issues, but I can assure you that the first keeper near the buckle stays put nicely. Having the option to move it anywhere on the strap though is a feature I really like. On watch straps that have a long free end to manage, having two keepers is ideal as it keeps the strap tight against the wrist.

The Keepers are finished in the same warm oak leather as the top surface of the strap and have a very soft and textural feel to them. The buckle on the Hybrid strap is standard Barton kit. Lightly linearly brushed and slim it sits very flat against the strap.

HOW DOES IT WEAR

Barton has done an admirable job of balancing the thickness and flexibility of this strap. A 5mm strap at the lugs can be stiff and uncomfortable to wrap around your wrist. Stiffness at the lugs is the worst place for a strap to resist bending as it tends to hold the watch up off the skin (stiff leg syndrome as I call it). Thankfully however, this strap mostly welcomes the curves on your wrist and is comfortable right out of the box, but I suggest you wear it one notch tighter than you would an all leather or fabric strap. The rubber grooves in the strap keeps it comfortable all day even when worn a tiny bit snug.

The Rubber bottom has a feeling of permanence and durability while it is doing a great job of protecting the leather. I have worn this strap well over a month, which is longer than a typical review. This has allowed me to witness the leather gain character as I go about my daily routine. The grain in the hide is coming through more and more and the repeated cycles through the buckle have given the leather a nice texture both visually and tactically. Despite this, no cracks or tears have developed and the strap seems to improve with use.

During my time with the strap it has picked up a scuff here and there, but I found that I could remove every one of them just by rubbing the leather and allowing the oils from my finger to make them blend away. The holes on the strap show very little wear as the harder rubber takes all the load from the pin buckle. The quick spring bars were amazing to use and I tried this on a great many watches.

WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR

This strap has taken a totally different design ethos than the Hirsch. It completely embraces its rustic and casual vibe with as much dedication as the Hirsch straps resist it. The lack of any stitching on the exterior gives a simple clean look that lends itself to a vintage style watch. Unlike the Hirsch straps, this is NOT a waterproof strap. The Leather is not treated to resist pools or the ocean at all, so be warned. If you choose to use this strap I would find a field watch and just go all in. It will also work amazingly well on an vintage sports watch and event few daily wear casual watches.

I have tried this on a Hamilton Khaki Field watch and it looked quite handsome. However, it was not until I put in on the Seiko Vintage Sport Crown SPB127J1 that I knew it found its home. This watch blurs the boundaries and defies you to put it in a box. Not a dedicated sport watch, and not entirely a dive watch, its design cues come from all genres of watch categories. However, it is the do everything nature of this watch that makes this strap so perfect for it. It channels a bit sport, while bolstering the vintage vibes. The black rubber sides of the strap highlight the black bezel on the watch. Stay away from divers that get used, but find your vintage themed watch and give this strap a go.

WHERE CAN I GET IT

Barton does sell some of their products on Amazon. I have had ordered from both places, so I will put up both links.

Amazon Link below:

https://amzn.to/3uFTXnM

Direct Link to Barton Watch Bands below:

Oak Brown Leather and Rubber Hybrid

SUMMARY

The trickle down effect of technology can be very beneficial. The Hybrid strap configuration, I believe, will appeal to a great many customers. Barton has gone their own way and picked up the Hybrid strap baton and completely changed the aesthetics and design of the strap. Their inventiveness does not stop here. They also have a Hybrid strap that is backed by ultra soft silicone with Cordura on top which I cannot wait to try. Barton has been a value leader giving you more than you pay for for as long as I recall. This is always welcome to this strap addicted shopper. You can spend a great deal of time their well sorted website, and I encourage you to do so.