Delugs Sailcloth Straps

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Disclaimer: B&B is part of the Delugs Ambassador program.

Delugs Sailcloth Straps: https://delugs.com/collections/sailcloth-straps

Delugs Rubberized Leather Straps: https://delugs.com/collections/regular-straps-rubberised-leather?filter.v.availability=1

Crafting the Delugs Sailcloth FKM Rubber Strap: https://delugs.com/blogs/news/crafting-the-delugs-sailcloth-fkm-rubber-strap

Watches Featured: MING 20.11 Mosaic, Kollokium P01, Sinn U50 T SL, Christopher Ward C60 Trident Lumiere, Grand Seiko SBGA231, Omega Speedmaster Professional, Tudor Black Bay 41 Monochrome

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Video

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Review

I’m a bit late to the party with this review, as Delugs’ sailcloth straps were announced late last year and have been on the market for 3-4 months now. However, the silver lining is that I’ve had these straps on my wrist for those same 3-4 months, and I feel much more equipped to offer a thoughtful, long-term evaluation. Prior to this, I was already a huge fan of Delugs’ rubberized leather straps, having bought 5-6 of them over the past couple of years, including a couple of custom orders. Those straps, made of textured rubber with a hand-sewn construction and a traditional style of inner padding material, became my go-to for almost every watch I own, even the more dressy pieces. The new sailcloth range follows a similar approach, featuring a rubber outer layer designed to mimic sailcloth, while maintaining the same fit, feel, and finish as their rubberized leather counterparts.

If you’re under the impression that all sailcloth straps are actually made from sailcloth, you may be surprised to learn that many comfortable versions, including those from Artem, use a rubberized material to achieve the same aesthetic. Speaking of Artem, I am a big fan of that brand but its their HydroFlex hybrid rubber strap I like the most, and that one is a tad pricey. But in terms of their regular sailcloth straps, I believe Delugs’ offering is comparable in quality with a lot more variety and options.

At the time of writing, the Delugs sailcloth straps come in 8 color options, 6 lug widths, and 3 lengths, priced at $110 USD, making the variety an impressive aspect of their launch. Additionally, if none of these options suit your needs, Delugs offers a custom order service where you can create a strap to your exact specifications for $180 USD.

Let’s check them out!

Comfort

Let’s start by discussing some of the characteristics of traditional sailcloth straps. They’re often quite stiff when you first purchase them and typically require a few weeks of continuous wear to become more supple and conform to your wrist shape. Some people enjoy this break-in process, and honestly, I don’t mind it either, as long as the end result is a comfortable and durable strap.

However, when comparing to other brands, such as Artem, I’ve found that their straps require very little break-in time, and they tend to fit your wrist in just a day or two of continuous wear. You can even speed up the process by gently massaging or bending the straps.

The Delugs sailcloth straps, however, stand out in that they require no break-in period at all. These straps are noticeably more supple right out of the box than both the standard Artem sailcloth and traditional sailcloth straps. If you’re looking for comfort from the moment you unpack your strap, Delugs easily wins this round.

Materials & Water Exposure

The next important aspect to consider is the durability and weather resistance of sailcloth straps. Traditional sailcloth straps can be made in various ways – pure sailcloth with no padding, sailcloth with inner padding, or sailcloth with leather linings – but if they don’t have leather components, they are typically waterproof. If you get them wet, they dry quickly and are ready to wear again without any issues. In comparison, my experience with Artem’s sailcloth straps has been positive, as they are also entirely water-resistant. I’ve worn them while swimming in both pools and saltwater without noticing any degradation or wear.

While I haven’t had the opportunity to swim with the Delugs straps, their inner leather padding/lining and traditional stitching suggest that these straps are not intended for full submersion in water or extended exposure to sea water. However, I have worn them in the rain multiple times without any issues, and the straps have held up perfectly. So, while these Delugs straps are great for light water exposure and rain, they’re not fully waterproof. If you’re looking for a strap to take swimming or dive into the ocean with, something like the CTS Rubber Straps would be a better choice.

Construction

One of the aspects I’ve always disliked about traditional sailcloth and textile straps, such as canvas and nylon, is how quickly and easily they start to fray at the buckle holes. Some brands attempt to address this by adding leather reinforcements around the holes, but this compromises water resistance and doesn’t fully solve the issue. Artem, for instance, adds a rubber layer around the holes of their newer sailcloth straps to prevent fraying, and while this has helped, I’ve still experienced some fraying after extended use. That said, their rubber material mitigates the issue to some extent, making the fraying less pronounced compared to traditional textile straps.

Interestingly, I’ve yet to encounter any fraying issues with Delugs’ rubberized leather or sailcloth straps. I’m not exactly sure what they’re doing differently, but whatever it is, it works. These straps continue to look great even after months of regular use, with no signs of fraying around the buckle holes, which is definitely a standout feature for me.

Design

In terms of design, I really love how the Delugs rubberized sailcloth straps manage to combine the classic look and feel of a leather strap with the durability and sporty aesthetic of a more robust material. These straps are surprisingly versatile, and with the right color choice, they could easily complement a dress watch, adding an unexpected but refined touch. I’ve tried these straps on all of my watches, and I can’t find a single piece where they look completely out of place.

My collection leans heavily towards sportier watches, especially dive watches, and the Delugs straps look fantastic on most of them. I say “most” because I do think a chunkier version of the strap would be a welcome addition for taller, bulkier dive watches with more substantial lugs, which is fairly common among this category. For instance, while the strap looks great on my Tudor Black Bay Monochrome, a beefier lug end would help the transition between the case, lugs, and strap feel more cohesive. This same need applies to many Seiko and Grand Seiko models.

On the other hand, the sleek design of the default strap construction is a perfect fit for slimmer watches like my Christopher Ward C60 Lumiere and Sinn U50 SL, where the streamlined aesthetic works beautifully.

Hardware

One of the things I love most about Delugs straps is the exceptional quality of their spring bars and buckles. Don’t tell Delugs this, but I’ve actually swapped out the buckles and spring bars on all my non-Delugs straps with their hardware. It’s clear they work with better suppliers, and their buckle design is just superior to about 90% of what’s out there. To be fair, Artem does have a pretty good buckle too, but Delugs really stands out.

The design of their buckle is fantastic; the strap tucks neatly into it, and the new buckle design ensures that the strap doesn’t make contact or create a bending point. It slides smoothly under the buckle and into the loop, contributing to a more streamlined and comfortable fit on the wrist. This thoughtful attention to detail in the hardware definitely enhances the overall wearing experience.

Options & Further Customization

As I mentioned earlier, the Delugs sailcloth strap series offers an impressive range of 8 colors, 3 lengths, and 6 different lug widths, which is a rarity in the world of sailcloth and rubber straps. This level of choice is one of the key reasons why Delugs has gained such a strong following – they truly offer options to suit nearly every wrist and preference. Another feature of Delugs’ straps is their consistent use of a greater taper compared to most other brands. For example, a 20mm strap typically tapers down to 16mm, whereas many competitors, like Artem, usually go with just a 2mm taper. This 4mm taper provides great comfort on the wrist, especially for dressier or sleeker watches, helping them sit more naturally and comfortably.

That said, I’m in the minority who prefers less taper on some of my watches, particularly the bulkier, thicker dive watches I mentioned earlier. For these pieces, I find that a thicker padding at the lugs and a slightly narrower taper to the buckle offers better balance on the wrist. While I wish Delugs would offer this as a default option, I appreciate that they allow for customization through their Custom Order program.

I’ve ordered a pair of sailcloth straps tailored to my exact specifications – thicker padding, a wider taper, and custom stitching and keeper loops. While it’s easy to argue that certain straps can be pricey, it’s hard to overlook the value of Delugs’ customizable options, especially when you can design the strap exactly how you want without breaking the bank.

Although I love their default sailcloth lineup, and I think that the stock straps should cover the requirements of most of my collection, it’s the Custom Order program that I find most exciting, as it allows me to craft the perfect strap with the materials I want. And I did just that with these custom straps for my MING 20.11 Mosaic, which added the extra hurdle of requiring curved ends and curved spring bars, which no other sailcloth strap on the market currently offers.

Wrapping Up

I’ll wrap up this long and unnecessarily detailed review by saying that these are some of the nicest straps I’ve had the pleasure of testing and owning. As a Delugs Ambassador, I fully expect you to be skeptical of my review, given the potential conflict of interest. However, I’m happy to admit that not every product Delugs has released has been a home run, and there are a few straps in their catalog that I’m not a huge fan of – such as the Delcro series.

But this sailcloth series? It’s an absolute winner. The combination of an excellent variety of in-stock straps at a reasonable price, along with the option for full customization, sets this collection up to be one of their most successful yet. The quality is top-notch, the design is solid, and the options are plentiful – what more could you ask for?

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