Andrew White
I'll be honest: For 12.99 USD, I half-way expected to give this BMT Silicone strap a three-star review at best. I'm pleased to report, however, this strap exceeds my expectation in every way.In my experience, there seems to be a 'sweet spot' with silicone straps. Too thin, and they'll eventually tear or split at the spring bars or buckle holes. Too thick, and they feel like a rubber hose on wrist. I'm pleased to report this BMT is smack-dab in the middle of the Goldilocks zone: Thick and beefy, yet supple and comfortable. Truly, it rivals almost any 'tropical' strap at a fifth of the price.The buckle, often the Achilles heel on straps at this price point, is as good as the strap itself. Unlike most budget straps, the tang on this BMT feels solid and substantive enough that I'd trust it on any of my 'grail' watches. While buckle does appear to be stamped and not milled, it is well-polished and looks great. Another deal-killer on some non-organic straps is their horrible smell. Thankfully, this BMT is not one you'll have to let off gas in another room for two weeks before you use it.Downsides? None, really, but here are a couple things to be aware of: Strap does not include quick-release spring bars. To compensate, BMT includes four regular spring bars plus a handy tool to make installing the strap as easy as possible. Unlike their competitor, the outer keeper does not have a locking mechanism. I don't see this as a liability, though, because silicone is naturally 'grippy' and the keepers pretty much stays in place once you've got it on and adjusted.In sum, I'm sort-of blown away by this strap. At the price, I don't know how you can go wrong by giving it a try.
