Carty Silicone Rubber Straps

Here we are taking a look at Carty silicone rubber straps. I really like rubber straps on dive watches. The watches in this post are a pair of Christopher Ward Trident Pro 600s, but we will focus on the straps.

https://youtu.be/2qOoWh8pxXA

Like the Maikes straps I previously reviewed, Carty is another low-cost strap distributor with an AliExpress store, but I purchased these on Amazon.

Initially, I wanted a blue strap to match nicely with the blue bezel on my CWE Trident, but then also found a black one that would match my CW Ombré Trident. Like many watch companies, CW has rubber straps to go with their watches (for the price of $65 or $85 depending on buckle), but I wanted a more affordable alternative and a different design. Enter Carty silicone rubber straps for the affordable price of $13.99 and free shipping.

The straps come in four different sizes: 18, 20, 22, and 24mm. Not all colors are available in all sizes at all times, but a variety are typically available from what I have seen. Mine are the 22mm straps.

The silicone is smooth and comfortable. The recess on the interior provides nice breathability. The buckle and prong are easy to use since the widths and holes are appropriate sized, not being too big or small.

The strap feels quite robust thanks to the thickness (~3.7mm), which thickens toward the case (~5.5mm) similar to padded leather straps, so that the part that curves around the bone has some added comfort. It does well at supporting what is a relatively hefty 43mm dive watch.

An important feature more and more common on straps are the quick-release pins, which makes swapping straps a cinch (see video). And I really like the stitching. I thought I might be able to fins a strap that had a simple look about it, but having stitching that matches the dial (CWE Trident) and bezel markers (Ombré Trident) is a wonderful look.

The buckles are slightly brushed, and have a look of being between polished and matte. That means they look alright with polished or brushed cases. Maybe not an extremely high polished case, but for most cases a visual conflict is unlikely.

One key concern with silicone and rubber straps is the extent to which they attract lint and fibers. No strap is going to attract none, and these do attract some lint, but not much. The straps maintain a fairly clean look, things easily wipe away. Visually and functionally, they handle the elements well.

I have been wearing these quite a bit and so far they have held up. I expect they will be quite durable, but if not I will be sure to inform my readers and watchers. These Carty silicon rubber straps certainly are very comfortable and even if I were to have to replace one at some point, I would have to purchase about six of them to be at the same cost as other alternatives. Sure that is a materials and branding combination, but I am ok with this decision.