With the summer temps reaching record high's in Buffalo, it's essential to have the right watch strap for your timepiece. One of the most common types of straps during the summer months are nylon or NATO straps. These lightweight straps not only make wearing a watch more comfortable when it's hot out, it also helps reduce sweat and can easily transfer in and out of water if you're hitting the pool or enjoying a day out on the boat. NATO straps, as they have come to be known, were originally called G10's and were issued by the British Ministry of Defense and made famous by James Bond in the movie "Goldfinger" The straps come in various color and thickness options and are extremely affordable averaging anywhere from $15-$20 each. There are countless companies, both brand-name and generic, which carry these types of straps, but a current favorite of mine I've been wearing is the one featured in the above photo by Paul Hewitt ($20). With subtle branding and nice weight to it, the strap easily handles my bulky Seiko Chronograph. 

Another company that scores very high on the watch strap list is Crown and Buckle. They too have similar NATO straps, but they also offer a unique take with their Braided Nylon Straps ($10). They are commonly referred to as "perlon straps" in the watch world, since the material is a prominently woven pattern of wide nylon strands similar to Perlon® fibers. They look great on modern and vintage watches alike, and are a stellar summer strap due to their light and airy nature. Available in a variety of pop colors, these are a great alternative to the traditional nylon watch strap.

Lastly, a brand that shows up in many an Instagram watch feed is Daniel Wellington. Offering a slightly higher-end take on watch straps with this Grace Collection ($65) which combines a cotton strap with high-quality Italian leather buckle. While this isn't a NATO strap, and I would be hesitant to wear it in the water, it's still a very handsome looking watch strap and is sure to be comfortable on hot summer day.