Hello everyone, and welcome to another of my reviews. In this article, I’ll review a trio of rubber watch straps, as well as a travel kit from the local watch accessories label Delugs.
I’ve featured Delugs before – I recently wrote a piece on the ascendency of the brand into an industry Goliath. While Delugs started selling affordable handcrafted leather straps, its hero product today is undeniably the Rubber CTS straps, which a host of watch media, such as Fratello, Beans & Bezel, and Worn & Wound, has reviewed. So, when the brand released its latest iteration of the Rubber CTS strap in October, I reached out to Delugs and expressed my interest in reviewing some. Let’s see if they are any good.
Delugs Sailcloth FKM Rubber Strap – Review
Let’s first take a look at the new Delugs Sailcloth FKM Rubber Strap.
This isn’t Delugs’ first rodeo with rugged fabric straps – the brand first introduced them in late 2021 under its Waxed Canvas collection. I remember this collection largely due to a beautiful blue Lange 1 (which I commented about). Unfortunately, the Waxed Canvas collection was discontinued shortly afterwards as the straps were prone to rapid fraying and degradation. Apparently, fabric straps are a whole different beast as compared to leather or rubber straps.
3 years on, as the popularity of its rubber CTS straps boomed, Delugs revisited the topic and wondered if they could combine their garnered expertise in leather and rubber strapmaking to create a high-performance, fabric-like strap. Thus, the Sailcloth FKM Rubber Strap was born.
Apparently, it took Delugs a ton of R&D to create FKM rubber that possesses a sailcloth texture. The end result is quite stunning – it is indistinguishable from actual sailcloth, even when examined up close. The basket weave is distinct, and it frankly boggles my mind that this isn’t an actual fabric strap.
Like Delugs’ standard leather straps, each of these Sailcloth FKM Rubber Strap are handcrafted. Not only are the upper layers of the textured FKM rubber handstitched onto the vegetable-tanned leather padding, but the sides are painted, sanded, and buffed by hand as well.
In other words, the Sailcloth FKM Rubber Strap is a magical marriage of FKM rubber and vegetable-tanned leather, which blends together to offer a rugged, fabric-like aesthetic. As always, the strap features quick-release spring bars – arguably the trademark feature of Delugs’ straps.
It’s worth noting that the Sailcloth FKM Rubber Strap is substantially thinner than standard rubber straps, making it more appropriate for dressier watches such as the Ming 17.09. Yet, the strap – made from FKM rubber – is still resistant to water, sweat, and wear, making it significantly more durable than regular leather or fabric straps.
As the icing on the cake, the Sailcloth FKM Rubber Strap comes in 8 different colourways (mine’s the Grey variant), 3 strap lengths, and is available in lug widths of 17-22mm.
Overall, I appreciate the innovation that went into developing and crafting the Sailcloth FKM Rubber Strap. It’s a unique offering that manages to combine the rugged aesthetic of sailcloth with the elegance of handcrafted leather straps while maintaining the inherent all-weather, go-anywhere durability and versatility of FKM rubber. And at S$145, it doesn’t break the bank as well. For more information on the Sailcloth FKM Rubber Strap, Delugs actually wrote a lengthy blog post on its creation here.
Delugs Rubber CTS Straps – Review
After the success of creating the Sailcloth FKm Rubber Strap, Delugs turned to introducing new patterns for its regular range of Rubber CTS straps.
My favourite is the waffle texture, which the brand says evokes the spirit of the divers of the 80s. While waffle rubber straps aren’t uncommon, I like the combination of the pyramid-shaped groove and the triangle ridge design at the bottom – it allows the strap to stand out from its competition.
Aside from its aesthetics, the main differentiator is Delugs’ CTS (cut-to-size) design. As the name suggests, the strap has to be cut down to the size of the wearer. This concept isn’t unique to Delugs – Patek Philippe employs the same design for the rubber straps on its Aquanaut line – but is not commonly seen amongst third-party strap providers.
The main advantage of the CTS system is its ability to provide a custom fit, thus offering maximum comfort. However, the downside is that you won’t be able to share the watch with say, your spouse (unless he/she shares the exact same wrist size as you).
Personally, I don’t share my watches with anyone, so that’s a moot concern. Additionally, I found the fitting process to be relatively straightforward, especially since Delugs has already written a detailed product guide here. The main worry is the irreversibility of the cutting process, so just be sure to always err on the side of caution and not cut off too much in one go. That being said, Delugs does provide an extra strap should you make a mistake.
The process is pretty much a series of trial and error – you cut off a bit, try it on, and see if it’s still too loose. If so, cut off a bit more, rinse and repeat. I would say that the entire CTS process took me about 10 minutes, which can seem like a hassle. Still, it’s worth noting that this is a one-time process.
Delugs has also reworked its deployant clasp after taking previous community feedback into consideration. The new clasp feels sturdier and more premium, and comes with two micro-adjustment slots. I won’t expound too much about the clasp here – those interested in learning more can read this in-depth review by Fratello here.
I paired the white waffle CTS rubber strap with my Moonswatch Snoopy, and it’s like a match made in heaven. Being fashioned out of FKM rubber, the strap is comfortable on the wrist, waterproof, and robust. I also don’t think that it’s overly thick – it has just the right amount of heft for chronographs (like the Moonswatch) and dive watches.
Under the right lighting conditions, the Waffle Rubber CTS Strap really shines. It’s striking, but in a subtle manner. The strap manages to stand out without outshining the timepiece itself – a delicate balancing act.
Lastly, the design of the deployant clasp results in a clean, seamless look. Interestingly, the clasp can be personalised – an interesting touch that isn’t commonly available at other third-party strap providers.
Aside from the waffle texture, the Rubber CTS straps also come in other patterns, such as Mosaic (seen above). Overall, I can see why Delugs’ Rubber CTS straps have become so popular – they really are a cut (pun intended) above the rest. The straps are detailed, elegantly striking, and comfortable on the wrist. The only snag is its S$185 price tag, which makes the Rubber CTS straps more expensive than the brand’s handcrafted leather options or even the aforementioned Sailcloth FKM Rubber Strap. I suppose a key reason is the spare strap that is included in every package. That being said, it’s worth noting that Delugs’ rubber straps are still priced lower than those of competitors such as Everest and Rubber B.
Delugs Travel Kit – Review
Last but not least, Delugs also sent me its new Travel Kit.
I’ve previously reviewed the Delugs Essential Kit – the Travel Kit is essentially a travel-friendly version of that. It consists of a multi-tool strap remover, a microfibre cloth, and a custom-designed Delugs loupe and lug measurement tool. If you’re a watch enthusiast who frequently travels with your watches, then the Travel Kit is meant for you. The S$120 price tag is a tad pricey, but I also believe this is an instance where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. For example, the case is custom-molded to fit all the tools, so you won’t be able to find another one like it on Taobao. The loupe and lug measurement tool is also designed in-house by the brand – the cost of these adds up.
Conclusion – so Delugs’ Rubber Watch Straps “shiok” or not?
I appreciate Delugs’ innovations, and it’s clear that the brand doesn’t rest on its laurels. Delugs could have simply opted to continue offering handcrafted leather straps, but the brand decided to go outside of the box and came up with a new product category. I can certainly see why its rubber straps are some of the most popular on the market – the new Sailcloth FKM Rubber Strap offers both style and substance, while the Rubber CTS straps are comfortable and sleek. Delugs constantly pushes the limits of what’s possible for the brand – leading to new offerings such as the Travel Kit, as well as Personalisation options – and demonstrates why they are considered a titan of the industry.
Delugs is a brand that grows from strength to strength, and it’s no surprise that the brand already has big plans for 2025 – it recently announced that it’s opening its first boutique in Raffles Hotel early next year. Delugs currently has a showroom in Ubi but wants a more convenient location in which to interact with its customers. If cutting the CTS straps yourself is too much of a hassle, you can head down to the new boutique, where I’m sure the staff will be more than happy to help. I’ll definitely be paying them a visit once the boutique opens!
View the Delugs Sailcloth FKM Rubber Strap here.
View the Delugs Rubber CTS Straps here.
View the Delugs Travel Kit here.
View the rest of Delugs’ offerings here.
P.S: Check out The Shiok Store here – it serves as a curation of my favourite products from my favourite brands.
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P.P.P.P.S Shiok is a common word Singaporeans use to express admiration or approval. As of 2016, you can find the definition of the word in the Oxford English Dictionary.
