That's strange - it should have been pliable right out of the box. Can you take it off the watch easily and flex it back & forth for a while?

You may try waterproofing your leather straps before you wear them, even before you put them on the watch. The same stuff you use for shoes & boots will work.

 

Taking the strap off and bending is confirms that it's not very giving at the thicker end. I will be treating my leather straps with conditioning chemicals in the future but I like my rubber too!

I've even gone as far as to close the clasp, wrap the watch in polishing cloth, and then flatten it with a pile of encyclopedias. After 48 hours it just sprang back! That's a true testament to it's quality and leaving me out of ideas.

 

I am having a hard time getting my rubber strap to be more comfortable. It's 24mm at the lug end and tapers to a thinner thickness for the 22mm buckle end.

After approximately 4 months daily wrist time the thinner end is starting to become more pliable. However, the thicker lug end is still very hard and straight which gives the strap a funny, imbalanced feeling as it shifts the watch slightly to either the top or bottom of the wrist to feel a little off-center. It does not "hug" my wrist at the lug end and I wish it did.

It's really not a big deal but if anyone has any recommendations on how "work" the strap to better encompass my wrist I'd be extremely thankful. It's a daily, trust-worthy trooper in daily escapades and adventures so improvements would be significant to my life.

I've recently began appreciating rubber straps more and more as I live in a tropical climate. Past leather straps have degraded at an alarming pace and I am shying away from them. Metal bracelets are not an option and I have considered nylons straps but I'd appreciate advice pertaining to getting more value out of my rubber straps.

I have a new rubber strap coming in this week and I'd like to get as much comfort out of it as soon as possible so any practical advice would be well received and greatly valued. Thank you.

I have a similar situation with a thick padded leather strap. Normal tightening of the strap didn't do much to change the shape. So at night I would simply take the watch off and start flexing the thicker end and after a couple of weeks it has taken on a more fitted shape.

I don't think you want to apply softening chemicals because they can be overdone.

 

What I used to do:

Boil some water, take a tin can of some sort which resembles your wrist in diameter, put the strap in (it is now bent and follows the curvature of the tin can) and dip it for 5-6 seconds in the boiled water. VOILA!

Strap is now bent and softer, follows your wrist perfectly

Trust me, I prepare every single rubber strap like this. :-!

Here's the link:

http://www.larrybiggs.net/scwf/index.php?mod=103&action=0&id=1141930599

 

That's actually quite genius! I boil water and bite into my mouth guards to mold them so why didn't I think to do it with my watch strap? Any benefit to submerging the whole watch with strap on a can over using the rubber band in the link? I know it probably won't harm my watch but it's hard to willfully subject my timepiece to theoretical abuse.

 

In my experience, there are just different types of rubber, some of which are flexible, some of which aren't. Unlike leather straps, which will form to the wrist over time even if stiff to start, stiff rubber straps will largely remain stiff. The benefit is that they're more durable than their pliable counterparts, but they'll resist fitting the shape of your wrist and they might cause discomfort. It's best to get either a pliable one or a preformed, curved strap.

 

In my experience, there are just different types of rubber, some of which are flexible, some of which aren't. Unlike leather straps, which will form to the wrist over time even if stiff to start, stiff rubber straps will largely remain stiff. The benefit is that they're more durable than their pliable counterparts, but they'll resist fitting the shape of your wrist and they might cause discomfort. It's best to get either a pliable one or a preformed, curved strap.

Agreed. For me, the key is buying natural rubber straps, which tend to be the more flexible. The Hirsch Pure is an example, but there are others out there. Natural rubber cost a lot more than their silicon counterparts, but the comfort is well worth the added price.

Only caveat in all of this is that if you have a latex allergy, a natural rubber strap isn't going to work for you.

 

I just whip a midget until the both become more pliable.

I actually won't buy a strap, bracelet, band or pair of shoes that are uncomfortable in the first place.

 

What type of rubber strap did you buy? I love rubber straps and have bought a few NBR rubber (with vanilla scent) straps that are comfortable to wear and curves a little bit after some wrist time. I also have a genuine Breitling rubber strap (not sure what type of rubber) that is very comfortable and curved a bit to conform to my wrist after a few months of wear.

 

not a fan of rubber...either ss or 4 ring nato!