As usual, I was browsing my Instagram feed and noticed that there is a new nato strap brand in the market and everybody is saying that the straps are really good! And so I reached out to Armilla and they sent me their whole collection of Aero-Ballistic nato straps.

Armilla is a Britain based company which only recently started making watch straps. The guy behind company originally is from Romania and moved to Britain in 2016 with only 250 pounds in his pocket. After working a couple of jobs, he decided to start making watch straps. Right now they offer two types of straps: Aero-Ballistic which are two layer high-quality seatbelt nato straps and the Vestigo which have only one layer, they are a bit thinner and they have a tighter weave. All straps are available in 18mm, 20mm, 22mm  and 24mm sizes.

The straps they sent me to review come in 4 different colours: Military Grey, Green Moss, Khaki Field and Ice Blue. Armilla straps in many ways are upgraded from a regular nato strap. The nylon is a bit thicker than usual at 1.4mm, which makes them last longer. The edges are stitched in such a way to prevent the strap from cutting into your wrist. All the hardware is upgraded to premium one and feels a bit tougher, but sadly they come only with polished hardware. Finally, all the hardware is stitched in and not just heat sealed. Also, a big plus is that floating keeper which is super helpful.

On the straps feel great, you immediately feel the difference between this and a cheap nato strap. The straps are very smooth to touch and doesn’t cut in the wrist like some cheaper ones do. The one downside maybe is that the straps are thick and with a watch, on the wrist, it sits really high and makes it look bigger. I know some people cut off the second loop so that watch sits closer to the wrist, but these ones look and feel so good that I wouldn’t want to risk ruining them.

Overall I like these straps. The 19£ asking price, in my opinion, is fair, of course, there are some other strap options from other brands that cost less, but here the quality is guaranteed! Yes, there are some problems with the thickness, but in the future, we will take a look at their other range Armilla Vestigo which has an only 1,2mm thickness and one layer style. They also have a special clasp design that will really mark them out from the crowd. I look forward to seeing the final designs. To all that I would also like more colours. Most of these strap companies use the same colours again and again, but no one is releasing these seat belt quality straps in bright yellow, orange, red, green or any other bright colour, and I think there is a missed opportunity here as many of my watch friends ask me where they can get good colourful Nato straps, but I don’t know what to suggest in a quality like these ones.

Price: £19 @ armillawatchbands.com

• Premium polished hardware
• Soft & silk-like nylon for improved comfort
• Laser-cutting technology for the sizing holes & ends
• A flying keeper for optimal adjustment
• Ballistic weave for extreme durability
• Length: 325mm – perfect for any wrist size
• Thickness: 1.4mm
• Width: 18mm, 20mm, 22mm & 24mm