# Zulus vs. NATOS on Fortis



## safetypro79 (Feb 15, 2006)

Just received my B42 Professional pilots watch yesterday and looks like the typical Zulu whoever the dealer, might not fit too well due to the screw bar diameter (looks to be 2mm) and the distance between the case and screw bar. 

Whereas, the conventional NATO either G-10 or RAF style a thinner nylon as compared to Zulu's as shown in my photo of a Bond traditional NATO on the B42 Professional pilot. :think:

Anyone using either with photos.


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## m4r10 (Aug 19, 2009)

I did try a Nato strap on my MM, but as much as I liked how it looked, I disliked the fact that the watch kept rotating on my wrist. The watch head is too heavy for the Nato, so I reverted to the bracelet.
Here are some pics with the Nato:


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## gaopa (Dec 6, 2008)

I'm with m4r10, the B-42 head is too heavy for a NATO or ZULU for me. In addition, I just prefer the looks and feel of these watches on the factory bracelet. Here in the heat of GA summers, a bracelet is a must for me. After a hot day I can just rinse it off with water. Cheers, Bill P.


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## Mistalava (Mar 14, 2007)

gaopa said:


> I'm with m4r10, the B-42 head is too heavy for a NATO or ZULU for me. In addition, I just prefer the looks and feel of these watches on the factory bracelet. Here in the heat of GA summers, a bracelet is a must for me. After a hot day I can just rinse it off with water. Cheers, Bill P.


Co-sign. I keep coming back to the bracelets on my B-42 MM and GMT. They are about the most comfortable ones I've had.


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## vipereaper30 (Sep 12, 2009)

I like both so much I have to mix it up a bit. The flieger is on a two-piece ZULU to keep the watch from sitting too high on my wrist. I tried a blue ZULU but the one I received was more like purple which was not going to fly.


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## damo_is (Oct 13, 2011)

A zulu strap can fit. But it is very very tight. I just got my Olive drab PVD 3 ring zulu on my B-42 Black Black last night.

At first I tried forcing it through to no avail.

After reading *Melou*'s efforts here: https://www.watchuseek.com/f251/drinking-straping-kills-b-42-looking-good-zulu-349371.html, I thought I would give his approach a try. But aligning the bar proved impossible, and I didn't want to break my screw pin either.

So, I gave that up and tried to feed it through again. But, with a different temprement. SLOW and STEADY. To my surprise, it fed through (after 40 minutes of effort). But the result was worth it.

I haven't gotten round to taking any pics yet, but I can if people are interested.


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## Sean779 (Jul 23, 2007)

damo_is said:


> A zulu strap can fit. But it is very very tight. I just got my Olive drab PVD 3 ring zulu on my B-42 Black Black last night.
> 
> At first I tried forcing it through to no avail.
> 
> ...


I think I speak for all of us when I say I'm interested :-!.


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## Fortis4me (Feb 8, 2011)

Sean779 said:


> I think I speak for all of us when I say I'm interested :-!.


X2 on that too!! but the 2 piece Zulu is a good solution as the watch dose slide about on the one piece strap due its size!! it works!!!|> it stop's the watch from sliding about!! but putting the strap on gently is of importance dont't try and drag it through the spring bar/screw pin!!!

Place the watch centre of the strap and then replace the bars!! ....NO $#!^.... it works. try this strap for size on a 22mm lug: http://www.strapcode.com/store/nato...l?infoBox=0&osCsid=voqeohu2hv3quk0mqs9vtffuv6

Michael


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## damo_is (Oct 13, 2011)

Sean779 and Fortis4me,

Here are the shots of my B-42 Black Black on the Zulu. Hope you like them.
Also, with such a tight fit, it actually doesn't slide about at all. So I'm really happy with the result and not needing to buy the 2-piece Zulu.

Nice site Fortis4me. 22mm won't fit the B-42, but I do like the Nato 20mm PVD straps. They were my last resort, if the Zulu's didn't fit.

Cheers!


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## gaopa (Dec 6, 2008)

damo_is, your black/black B-42 looks good on the ZULU strap. Cheers, Bill P.


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## Sean779 (Jul 23, 2007)

not quite as stealth as yours, but a similar look with my Marathon Navigator.


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## damo_is (Oct 13, 2011)

Cheers guys for the positive feedback.

I also wanted to mention that you MUST be really careful with the PVD coating if you intend to remove the screw bars. You don't want any nasty scratches!

Occupational Hazard with the Black Black. 

Sean779 - I like the Marathon Navigator too. Did you go with the 3 ring Zulu too?


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## Sean779 (Jul 23, 2007)

damo_is said:


> Sean779 - I like the Marathon Navigator too. Did you go with the 3 ring Zulu too?


same as yours, but ss rather than low lite hardware, which I would have preferred. It's a combination (black & tan) gets a lot of looks.


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## obsidian (Feb 13, 2006)

Seems the lug design on the older Cosmonauts is easier on NATOs and ZULUs. I had no trouble.


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## offshoredriver (Jun 4, 2008)

I have used both NATO and ZULU on all my watches, and I do prefer the standard NATO for comfort and ease of use and fitting. As much as I love the bracelets, for reasons of practicality I have now fitted NATOs to all my watches. At work this time of year we have to wear thick survival suits with thick neoprene cuffs, which makes it very uncomfortable with the bracelet unless you want to adjust it every day. I have a light tan NATO on the white flieger chrono, a black with orange pinstripe on the GMT, then a dark tan, bond and a black which I can rotate around the others. The great thing about the NATOs is that you can just change them as you wish in two seconds, amd I dont find they rotate too much on my wrist at all.


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## Fortis4me (Feb 8, 2011)

PICTURES !!!!! or we don't believe you  it good to have choices like extra socks.

Michael ( er det koldt op i Norge)


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