The Uber-Comfortable And Extremely Durable Stripa Strap, Tested on the Wrist

It’s not often we venture into the world of watch accessories, so when we do, you can be assured it’s a product we stand by. A couple of months ago we were approached by a man called Péter Bálint Sinka, who started a company called Stripa Strap. With the clue being somewhat hidden in plain sight given the name, we are looking at yet another watch strap company. But in all honesty, I was very intrigued when I dug a little deeper and saw what was on offer. So, talking to Sinka for a bit, I ordered one, strapped it to my trusty Tudor Black Bay 79220N, and took it for a little spin! And without getting ahead of myself too much, I can honestly say this is the most comfortable strap I have ever experienced!

Péter Bálint Sinka and his wife, Klaudia Tisza, founded Stripa Strap in 2023 after spending a couple of years developing an idea into an actual product. Developing and designing something from the ground up is no easy thing and takes time, money and determination. The whole idea behind Stripa Strap, both product and company, is to keep things simple. Minimalist even, as Péter tends to prefer simplification over complexity in all aspects.

The idea was to produce a new type of innovative watch strap that would be good enough to wear in any situation. From swimming to bike riding to skydiving or rock climbing, this strap is designed to combat it all and survive. Being a watch enthusiast himself, Péter field tested it on both sports- and smartwatches as well as a Seiko SKX007, so lovers of analogue and digital can both enjoy and experience the brilliance of the Stripa Strap.

So what is it exactly? Essentially, it’s a continuous flexible textile strap with a double-loop system that is free of hardware. The way it’s designed is quite clever, yet very simple. As it’s a looping band of elastic material, there’s no natural weak point in the strap anywhere. There’s no break in the material that can cause issues; there’s no traditional buckle that damages your strap or can come undone when put under high tension. It’s really a strap unlike any I have come across before. I’ve taken it swimming, hiking, and cycling, and it performed as Stripa says it should: perfectly!

Step 1; extend the full strap and put the watch on.

Step 2; Pull through the loop so the watch tightens on the wrist.

Step 3: Fix the strap in place by pulling the loop back under your wrist.

The way it works is very easy (see the pattern here?). The preformed section has a rigid core and provides stability while also following the curvature of your wrist. This is bonded to a continuous elastic strip of textile that loops in between your watch’s push pins. On the inside of the strap, where it touches your wrist, it’s lined with a velvety-soft comfort liner. The outside section and the section that folds over it have a non-slip surface to give it grip and stability to secure the watch on your wrist. And as there’s no hardware involved, you don’t bang it annoyingly on your desk or get it caught on pants pockets or anything. Images do the process of putting on the watch and strap the best justice, so here goes…

One thing that is a touch more complicated with this strap is ordering the right size. As it has a fixed strap length, determining the right size can be a bit tricky. It starts with the lug width, which for now is the easy bit as it’s only available in a 22mm size. Then comes the lug-to-lug size of your watch. And finally, the third factor in sizing it correctly is the circumference of your wrist.

The Stripa Strap website explains this in detail, so if you follow the instructions to the letter, you can’t really go wrong. The strap also has about 8mm of play to accommodate changing wrist sizes between hot and cold days. And if you do end up with a strap that’s a touch too long or too short, you’re granted one exchange, free of charge!

Currently, the Stripa Strap comes in one width and black only. Talking to Péter about this, he already mentioned more sizes and colours are on the way, but they take time. A product like this is not simply cut down to size and “Hey Presto! We have a new size available!”. To put the 22mm wide strap into production took 1,5 years, Péter explained. Nevertheless, the 20mm width should arrive quite soon as development is already underway. The price for this brilliantly simple yet very durable and comfortable strap is EUR 39,- plus shipping and handling, depending on where you live. It’s delivered with a pair of 22mm push pins plus a travel pouch and measuring tape. To me, that sounds like an extremely reasonable deal, as it lands you a strap that is good in any life situation, is built using high-quality materials, will last forever, and is free of any harmful substances!

For more information and to order your very own Stripa Strap, please visit StripaStrap.com.