Luff is a new watch strap company that created a unique Nato strap and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post as Luff was kind enough to send me their LuxNatos to review, but if it sucks, I’m going to tell you so regardless.
-Anthony
Onto the review!
Packaging & Unboxing
The package comes wrapped in a printed ‘Wanted! Dead or Alive, Reward:$100,000″ paper. The entire theme is very One Piece-esque, for those of you who may be familiar with the anime. I was a huge fan in my teenage years, so this stylistic choice brought back a warm sense of nostalgia.
Inside the wrapping is a vintage style tin – printed with Luff branding and social media info. Now that’s how you do packaging!
I can see myself using the tins for something in the future, though I haven’t yet decided on what. Definitely worth holding onto.
Anyway, the tin slides open to reveal your straps gently wrapped in some plastic, held together by a Luff sticker, with their skull and crossbones logo in the center.
And then you’ve got your straps!
I know to some, packaging is whatever. You just want what’s inside, and I get that.
While I certainly wouldn’t want a company to go all out on packaging only to jack up the price of the product, that’s not the case here as the straps are affordable, as is.
The attention to detail is something I appreciate as many bigger companies have grown too big to provide such an unboxing experience.
LuxNato Seatbelt Nato
The LuxNato has a beautiful shimmer to them, extremely evident as soon as you open the tin.
It’s a dressier and more luxurious style of Nato, very reminiscent of the BluShark AlphaPremier UltraLuxury Nato straps I also own, but at almost half the price ($19.99 vs $36.00). A more in-depth comparison later.
They’re a slim 1.2mm and feel soft and silky smooth to the touch.
They have a seatbelt weave that feels durable, though it’s not as ‘rugged and tough’ feeling as some thicker, more robust Nato offerings, though it’s not meant to be.
LuxNato vs. Traditional Nato Straps
What makes the LuxNato unique is the keeper construction and how it wears on the wrist.
There are three keepers total.
LuxNato – Notice how there’s no extra material 
Traditional Nato – See extra material on top
One fixed keeper by the lugs of the watch, one fixed keeper by the buckle, and a keeper between that floats freely between the entire strap.
This allows you to wear the strap in either one of two ways.
How to Wear the LuxNato
1. Tucked in
Most nato straps are so long, they require you to tuck them back on the side of the watch. The LuxNato is slightly shorter, and with the fixed keeper, means you can actually tuck it back on itself UNDERNEATH your wrist. The floating keeper then slides over it, no matter where the strap sits, so it’ll suit any size wrist.
This makes the watchstrap wear less bulky on the wrist vs traditional nato as it doesn’t protrude out to the side. Because the strap is a slim 1.2mm thick, even where you fold it over, it isn’t very thick. This makes a much cleaner and sleeker appearance than traditional nato.
2. Let Loose
The slightly shorter length of the strap, along with the floating keeper, also allows you to wear the strap completely untucked if you so choose. Simply put the strap on your wrist and slide the keeper over the end of the strap. That’s it!
I think this will depend mainly on your wrist size, as the end of the strap will likely protrude out a bit for those with smaller wrists than I. But on my 7″ wrists, I think it works perfectly, if not just ever so slightly too long for this method. I’m a nitpicker…
Strap Hardware & Construction
The strap itself feels very comfortable on the wrist. Light, breathable and conforms perfectly to the wrist, but doesn’t have the added stiffness of some other nato straps.
The stitching is solid and the end of the strap seems to have been burnished to seal it off properly, so as to avoid fraying.I believe the same has been done with the adjustment holes, albeit subtly.
The hardware itself is good, not great. I love the thick and substantial buckle, every nato deserves one, to be honest. It’s not as thick as the BluShark offering, but it’s thick enough to be considered for a tool watch, in my opinion. It also has a drilled hole to easily remove/adjust it if you want to replace it to change the color, or finish.
Speaking of finish, I got brushed finishing on all of my straps and it’s done well, though not quite as well as the Blushark.
Part of this is likely because the hard ware is constructed with a 304L stainless steel, which, from what I understand, is slightly more corrosive and prone to rust than typical 316L stainless steel.
We’ll see how well the hardware holds up in the long run, a year or two from now.
Luff LuxNato vs BluShark Alpha Premier Ultra Luxury
The BluShark Alpha Premier UltraLuxury is my closest point of reference to use as comparison and was previously the nato I wore most.
The LuxNato has the same shimmer and shine and maintains the same thickness of 1.2mm as the Alpha Premier, making them both slimmer than most nato.
They both have the feel of very solid construction and thick, bulky keepers, which is a huge plus. Their hardware, aesthetically, is almost identical, though the 304L hardware used in the LuxNato’s hardware may eventually rust as 304L is said to be less tarnish resistant.
The LuxNato also has the unique sliding keeper system which allows you to wear the nato strap differently from typical natos.
The LuxNato is $19.99 while the Alpha Premier is $36.
I absolutely love me some BluShark, but I think the LuxNato is a serious competitor, if you like the cleaner aesthetic of the untucked or tucked underneath nato, especially when comparing the price.
The Final Verdict
The Luff LuxNato is a highly luxurious feeling nato strap that’s much more affordable compared to other “luxury nato” alternatives such as the BluShark AlphaPremier UltraLuxury.
The slight sheen and slim 1.2mm thickness of the strap give it a dressy and elegant appeal. You can get away with wearing this on anything from a tool watch to a dress watch, if you were so inclined.
It has a unique keeper system that allows you tuck the nato under the wrist, which wears comfortably and discreet.
For the price, it’s hard to argue the value of the strap. There’s really not many alternatives for a “luxury” or “dress” nato and this is one that’s well executed and has a nice touch of originality.
You can pick them up over at the Luff Watch Strap site.
If you want to see more of these Luff Straps in action, I made a full in-depth review on YouTube! Watch it below.
– Anthony
