# Zuludiver Sailcloth - Affordable Artem Alternative



## sopapillas

TLDR: WatchGecko is very good for the money but not quite as good as Artem. Artem is fantastic value for money, WatchGecko is as well at a lower price point.

Long version:

I am a huge fan of Artem. They are easily the best aftermarket sailcloths I’ve come across, but at $100 for the original (with quick release), they are a little too expensive for me to equip on all my sports watches. Well I recently came across this Zuludiver (WatchGecko?) sailcloth, and I’m very impressed with the quality.









ZULUDIVER Mayday Sailcloth Padded Divers Watch Strap - Black / Beige


The ZULUDIVER Mayday Padded Sailcloth strap is one of the most versatile straps we have produced. It’s got the smarter looks of a leather strap, but the functionality of a rubber strap. Despite its name, the Padded Sailcloth strap is actually made from PVC rubber, printed with a sailcloth...




www.watchgecko.com





I went with the black/grey to match my SPB143. I think it looks very good.








One of my favorite parts of the Artem strap is that it seemed to conform to my wrist after very little wear. I found the ZuluDiver pretty much did the same. On the other hand, I also picked up a $10 strap off AliX (on the right), and while it is very good for the money, it was a lot thinner and didn’t retain its shape nearly as well. The thinness did help with comfort, but it also felt flimsy and started fraying quickly around the buckle. 








The Artem strap really shines in the macro shots. The ZuluDiver is actually stamped rubber, and while it is a very realistic pattern to the naked eye, the Artem is actually some sort of tightly woven fiber. Stamped rubber tends to lose its pattern after use, so the Artem strap definitely wins here. That being said, the pattern is very deep on the ZuluDiver so I expect it will hold up well enough. It also looks considerably better than the AliX strap, where you can tell it’s rubber without any magnification.

The holes on the Artem are also much, _much_ cleaner, and have barely even warped after several months of (somewhat) regular use. The hole furthest on the right is the one I was using.

























In addition to the holes, the edges around the spring bars and buckle on the Artem are better sealed and better finished, and I expect will last longer than the WatchGecko. 








The bottom lining of the WatchGecko is one of the standout features for me. Most sailcloth’s are leather lined, which sort of defeats the entire purpose of a waterproof strap, but the watchgecko actually uses the same sailcloth textured rubber as the top. The Artem is leather lined and coated in caoutchouc rubber (waterproof) which is perhaps nicer on the skin, but I rather like what ZuluDiver did here. It’s different.








I actually prefer how the watchgecko’s stitch is closer to the edge. I know the new loopless Artem’s straps also have stitching closer to the perimeter, but those are $200 with the deployant. I also prefer the 20/16 taper of the watchgecko, vs 22/20 or 20/18 from Artem. I’ll probably still end up buying a loopless, but for now I am perfectly content with this watchgecko.








All in all, the watchgecko is certainly not the same quality as Artem, but it still holds its own and feels very much like a premium product, especially compared to other cheaper sailcloth’s I’ve owned. I wouldn’t hesitate to put it on a Speedmaster or other luxury watches, and I think it perfectly fills in the gap between low and high end sailcloth straps. Artem set the standard very high, but watchgecko has managed to match the value for money in this space, albeit at a lower price point.

Highly recommend!


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## Melissakis

I bought two of the (probably) last Zuludiver Helford Sailcloth straps for $12 each. They also support 2.5mm spring bars, which make them feel even sturdier. It was a steal!


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## sopapillas

Melissakis said:


> I bought two of the (probably) last Zuludiver Helford Sailcloth straps for $12 each. They also support 2.5mm spring bars, which make them feel even sturdier. It was a steal!


Sounds like a steal. Would’ve picked up 10 of these if they were $12. I think I paid around $50.


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## Nokie

Good review and accompanying pictures as well. 

Very informative. Nice job.


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## Pachanga

Really nice review. I have been going back and forth between these two options. I really liked how your pictures showed the difference between the tapers of the Artem v. Zuludiver. I like the larger taper of the Zuludiver and have been holding off on purchasing because I wanted to see the taper in real life pictures. This is exactly what I was waiting for.


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## sopapillas

Pachanga said:


> Really nice review. I have been going back and forth between these two options. I really liked how your pictures showed the difference between the tapers of the Artem v. Zuludiver. I like the larger taper of the Zuludiver and have been holding off on purchasing because I wanted to see the taper in real life pictures. This is exactly what I was waiting for.


I’m glad it helped. Artem is 22mm btw, but you get the idea! Here’s another side by side, along with the AliX which is 20/18.


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## jlow28

Great job on the review. Love sail cloth straps that are not stamped. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## LosAngelesTimer

Thanks for the review, especially the macro shots! They do a great job of showing the differences and speak to why one is more expensive than the other.


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## sopapillas

jlow28 said:


> Great job on the review. Love sail cloth straps that are not stamped.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


Unfortunately somewhat rare to find high quality sailcloth’s that aren’t stamped. Only 2 worth buying are Barton’s cordura and Artem IMO.


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## sopapillas

LosAngelesTimer said:


> Thanks for the review, especially the macro shots! They do a great job of showing the differences and speak to why one is more expensive than the other.


Yes, the attention to detail by Artem is pretty incredible. Not to mention the innovative material they use.


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## SimpleWatchGuy

Great review and love the micro comparison. The watchgecko is a great value prop. How does the inner sailcloth handle on wrist? Do you find it uncomfortable or irritating?


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## Melissakis

SimpleWatchGuy said:


> Great review and love the micro comparison. The watchgecko is a great value prop. How does the inner sailcloth handle on wrist? Do you find it uncomfortable or irritating?


At first glance it might seem a little rough, but it''s perfectly comfortable when in use. No scratches, no irritation for me.


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## sopapillas

SimpleWatchGuy said:


> Great review and love the micro comparison. The watchgecko is a great value prop. How does the inner sailcloth handle on wrist? Do you find it uncomfortable or irritating?





Melissakis said:


> At first glance it might seem a little rough, but it''s perfectly comfortable when in use. No scratches, no irritation for me.


Yep it’s quite comfortable


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## SimpleWatchGuy

Melissakis said:


> At first glance it might seem a little rough, but it''s perfectly comfortable when in use. No scratches, no irritation for me.


That's awesome feedback thank you!


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## SimpleWatchGuy

sopapillas said:


> Yep it’s quite comfortable


Thank you for the feedback. It'll be my next bracelet purchase!


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## bth1234

Watchgecko had a sale recently of the zulu diver straps, but in black with green stitching for only £4 each. They don't do that colour any more. No problem it goes nicely with all my watches. I wish I'd bought more.


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## JaseRicco

sopapillas said:


> Unfortunately somewhat rare to find high quality sailcloth’s that aren’t stamped. Only 2 worth buying are Barton’s Cordura and Artem IMO.


Love Barton, but their quality has started to slip some as of late, hence some unflattering reviews. I would love to give their Cordura a try, but I'm a fan of Artem & Zulu'z colored stitching, which Barton's do not have...miss if you ask me, but just IMO. 

Regarding Artem and Zulu, not sure if I'm trying to get into some of their straps at a bad time, but nothing in stock. Every size & color combination that I choose, seems to be out of stock.


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## sathomasga

One advantage that Artem offers is different lengths. For those of us with 150mm wrists, WatchGecko (and most other brands) simply aren't an option.


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## JaseRicco

This is true. I always have a problem with straps being too long. Zulu does offer one that seems to be on the shorter size that comes in three different stitch colors…









Vintage Style ZULUDIVER QR Sailcloth Perforated Watch Strap - Beige


Our vintage ZULUDIVER perforated sailcloth watch strap is made from premium PVC rubber and outperforms many cheaper alternative sailcloth materials. The punched holes allowing airflow through to your skin for a more comfortable wear in warmer conditions. This strap also makes a great alternative...




www.zuludiver.com


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## Atebit

Having a hard time telling the difference between the Mayday & Maverick MKII straps, can someone enlighten me?


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## Melissakis

Atebit said:


> Having a hard time telling the difference between the Mayday & Maverick MKII straps, can someone enlighten me?


It looks to me that the maverick is more flat and the Mayday a little thicker.


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