# Watchbandit perlon straps review



## woiter

So I recently placed on order with watchbandit to deck a couple of my watches out in perlon for summer. I ordered three Eulit perlon straps, and a surprise bag of 5 perlons in the sales section.

The website worked well and the order was quickly completed. Several days later I took delivery but found that the one of the Eulit straps was missing. A quick email to watchbandit quickly remedied the issue and several days later I took delivery of the final perlon as well.

Trying them on I was shocked by the difference in quality of the Eulit perlon vs the no name perlons from the sales section. Both the buckle and nylon itself felt significantly worse compared to the Eulit straps. Now truth be told I have never really worn perlon before, so maybe the sales section perlons were especially bad, or the Eulit perlons were particularly good...

Either way I am very happy with the service from watchbandit and have been wearing the Eulit perlons with great pleasure. Swear swimming, sunblock, they seem to withstand it all without any fuss. They do not dig in to my skin and allow me to get an exact fit.

The 20mm and 22mm perlon were perfectly sized for my 7inch wrist (perhaps for some larger wristed folks they might run short, so do check the lengths). Interestingly the 18 mm strap seems to be a bit longer. Another surprising difference is that the 20mm and 22mm strap are stitched to the buckle, while the 18mm strap is only looped through. To me it doesn't make a huge difference either way but I am curious why the manufacturing process is apparently different across the Eulit range.

Photos show my Stowa marine 36 with the 18mm Eulit Kristall blue, Seiko Sarb017 with a 20mm Eulit Palma pacific red, and a Chris ward C65 with a 22mm Eulit Palma pacific blue.









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## StufflerMike

You are sure the „no name perlons“ are perlon ?

There have been a couple of pretty detailed threads here on WatchUSeek about genuine Perlon (trade mark) vs. braided nylon being sold as Perlon. With Eulit you can't go wrong, no doubt about that.

Perlon and Nylon both are Polyamide but different fibres and of course made out of different basics (Perlon = Caprolactam, Nylon = Hexamethylendiamin + Adipin) which ends up in a different fracture strain. All other properties are somehow comparable.


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## mconlonx

woiter said:


> Trying them on I was shocked by the difference in quality of the Eulit perlon vs the no name perlons from the sales section. *Both the buckle and nylon itself felt significantly worse compared to the Eulit straps.*


This was my experience as well. Now, the straps I bought from the sale section were pretty much just for novelty's sake, so I wasn't expecting much and wasn't really disappointed. Buckle feels flimsy and there were sharp edges to some of rougher portions at the springbar and buckle and of things. However, cheap enough that I didn't hesitate to take a lighter to the offending areas and smooth them out...


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## woiter

stuffler said:


> You are sure the „no name perlons" are perlon ?


Lacking any detailed chemical analysis I can only say that they were sold explicitly saying they are Perlon.

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## woiter

mconlonx said:


> This was my experience as well. Now, the straps I bought from the sale section were pretty much just for novelty's sake, so I wasn't expecting much and wasn't really disappointed. Buckle feels flimsy and there were sharp edges to some of rougher portions at the springbar and buckle and of things. However, cheap enough that I didn't hesitate to take a lighter to the offending areas and smooth them out...


Yeah for the price I can't complain to much. Just to try out some different patterns and colours it is okay. However if I'm buying more perlons it will be Eulit...

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## Nokie

Eulit is the champ if you want something in Perlon, IMHO.


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## Sasropakis

Does anyone happen to know why it seems to be very difficult to find Eulit Kristall? Has it been discontinued or is there just a lack of supply? I just bought a 20mm Kristall and would like to have the same width in blue or gray but can't find one.


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## longstride

From memory, I think the kristall is only produced in black now, the Palma seems to have replaced the kristall.


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## Sasropakis

longstride said:


> From memory, I think the kristall is only produced in black now, the Palma seems to have replaced the kristall.


That probably explains why I couldn't find Kristall in other colours than black (except in smaller sizes). I assume you meant Panama which is closer to Kristall and not Palma which is significantly thicker. I would have preferred Kristall's weave but just placed an order for 20mm grey Panama to get a lighter colour.


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## woiter

The 20mm and 22mm straps I pictured above are both palma, and I must say they aren't particularly stiff, and do work fine in warmer weather. Good stuff! I'm just wondering why they have these three different lines (pacific, palma, and Panama)

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## jalquiza

woiter said:


> Lacking any detailed chemical analysis I can only say that they were sold explicitly saying they are Perlon.
> 
> Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk


I've seen at least one vendors defense being that perlon is simply the style at this point


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## longstride

'Air Look' vintage Perlon.


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## StufflerMike

jalquiza said:


> I've seen at least one vendors defense being that perlon is simply the style at this point


Nonsense.
According to Wikipedia the difference is small but there is a difference. It is about the two, Nylon and Perlon, are made than with their properties.
Nylon is Nylon 6,6, the condensation product of 1,6-diaminohexane and 1,6-hexanedicarboxylic acid. Perlon is Polyamide 6, the ring-opening polymerization product of caprolactam. It was developed In the 1930s. 
And there is a difference in the order of the amide bonds.

I am convinced that most of what is offered as Perlon® actually is Nylon 6,6. Eulit, of course, is the real thing.


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## MrGatsby

Love Watchbandit. Cheap straps but quality products. I live in Canada and the shipping has always been quick. Looks great on multiple watches! Swear I don't work for them lol


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## fpicabia

Hello all, reviving this thread. I’m looking for a 20mm eulit air look in black or brown as longstride posted above. It appears that they aren’t available new anymore… Any tips or suggestions would be well recieved. Anyone have a used one they’d part with? Thanks in advance.


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