The Keel rubber-lined sailcloth watch band for 18, 19, 21 and 24 mm lugs

Sailcloth on top, rubber underneath

The Keel is a two-piece band: a buckle piece and a tail piece, each with a straight end that fits on your watch's spring bars. The top layer is nylon with a sailcloth weave, the fine grid texture you know from sailing gear. Underneath is a layer of rubber that sits against your skin. On most colors the rubber shows along the edges as a second color, and stitching runs around the outline.

It looks like a fabric strap and wears like a rubber one. The rubber side doesn't soak up sweat the way leather can, and the nylon top shrugs off rain. That makes The Keel a natural match for dive watches, sports watches and field watches, and for anyone who wants one strap for the gym, the beach and the office.

The band closes with a silver pin buckle, and keepers hold the tail flat. It suits watches with standard straight lugs. It does not fit watches with an integrated bracelet or a smartwatch connector, which need a dedicated band.

The color names give the top first, then the accent:

• Black/Orange, Black/Yellow, Black/Red and Black/White: a black top with colored edges and stitching.
• Navy/Orange and Navy/Yellow: a navy top with colored edges and stitching.
• Green/Yellow: a green top with yellow edges and stitching.
• Green/White: a green top with white stitching and black edges.
• White Stitch: black with white stitching only.
• Black: all black. Navy: navy with blue stitching.

Widths: 18, 19, 21 and 24 mm

The Keel comes in four widths: 18, 19, 21 and 24 mm. We don't offer it in 20 or 22 mm. If your watch takes one of those widths, our watch bands page lists every band we carry by lug width.

21 mm is a size many shops skip, because most watches use even widths. On a watch with 21 mm lugs, a 20 mm band leaves a gap at each side and a 22 mm band won't fit between the lugs. The Keel in 21 mm fits that space exactly. 19 mm is in the same spot: an odd width you find on many dress and vintage watches. The 24 mm version suits larger sports and pilot watches.

To find your size, measure the inside distance between the lugs of your watch, where the strap meets the case. A ruler works; a caliper is more precise. The band should match that number exactly: 18 mm lugs take an 18 mm band, 21 mm lugs a 21 mm band. Our fit guide walks through measuring lug width and wrist size step by step.

The tail piece has a row of adjustment holes, so you set the fit with the buckle like on any two-piece strap.

Fitting the band

You need a spring bar tool, or a small flat tool with a fine tip. Work over a soft cloth so nothing gets scratched if a bar slips.

1. Press in the spring bar at one end with the tool and lift your old strap out. Repeat at the other end.
2. Slide a spring bar through the loop at the straight end of the buckle piece.
3. Set one tip of the bar into a lug hole on the 12 o'clock side, press in the other tip and let it click into the opposite hole.
4. Fit the tail piece the same way on the 6 o'clock side.
5. Pull gently on each piece to check that both tips of every bar are seated.

You can reuse the spring bars from your old strap, as long as they are the right length for your lug width and still spring back firmly.

Care: sweat, rain and salt water

The rubber underside and the nylon top both handle sweat and rain. After a swim in the sea or a pool, rinse the band in fresh water to wash out salt or chlorine, then let it air dry before you put it back on. Whether the watch itself can go in the water depends on its own water resistance.

For everyday dirt, wash the band with a drop of mild soap and a soft brush, rinse it and pat it dry with a towel. Let it dry away from a heater or direct sun. In hot weather, wearing it one hole looser lets the skin under the rubber breathe.

If you prefer a band that is rubber all the way through, see our silicone and rubber bands.

Delivery and returns

Delivery is $6.95, or free on orders over $49. The delivery time for your country shows on each product page and at checkout.

You can return an unworn band in its original packaging within 30 days of delivery. Return shipping is paid by you, unless the item arrived faulty or incorrect. Read the full terms on our delivery and returns page.