I was almost in, then I considered this: It doesn't look to securely fasten. Buckles have keepers to prevent the strap from backing out of the buckle accidentally. This strap's fastener appears too easy to come undone from a casual rub the wrong way. That's not something I'd use with a watch valued over $100, much less something more valuable. Also makes it super easy for someone to steal it off your wrist without you noticing until it is too late.
I'd consider this a badly flawed design unless someone could convince me otherwise.
To be honest, I'd never buy clothes, accessories, gaming mice, and mousepads in an online site. I prefer knowing the feel of something before I buy it. It has to make me feel confident about. I have to identify if the materials used are appropriate before even considering buying something when it comes down to it. Feel and durability are on the top of my list. I wouldn't know anything about this though...I've never broken a watch strap before.
SilverstrikeYes, I agree with you. I would actually purchase a strap from Massdrop if they could offer something classy, but inexpensive. The weekender in the pictures even cost less than the strap. Your strap should never cost more than your watch.
The watch community is an oddity. Bands range in price from 5 bucks to 500 bucks, sometimes nearly made of the same materials and quality. I get that this site is full of cheapskates, but at the same time I've watched Rolex people fawn over 300 dollar bands similar to this. As far as being a copy of something else, I doubt there's much patent protection on a leather band with a ball screw stud attached to it. As someone who dinks around making things of leather, yes this is kinda spendy, but at least it's Horween leather. Being that it is Horween chromexcel (presumably) I'd question the security of the ball stud. Wouldn't want to lose a spendy timepiece if the leather got rubbery and stretchy. But I obviously am not holding this item in my hand to give an honest review. Not everyone has the tools to sit down and knock one of these out and have it end up looking 'right' so there's value in that. I remember how ratty my college watch band looked when I used an awl to make a new hole in it...
gormanWalnut and black are $55.
Look around other places if you don't want to spend that much. You aren't always getting the best product for you on massdrop.
boooooooooAh so the others are $10 cheaper I guess than. Massdrop doesn't do a good job of showing pricing for multiple models in drops like this...
I'm looking at other places already, this isn't exactly what I was looking for.