This is a small review of the Wotancraft Compass Assault Type A strap. Why is it called the Compass Assault strap? Because the strap is a homage or looks like the strap used on compass made by Officine Panerai and issued to the Italian military.
Photograph: shamelessly borrowed from the Internet
The strap fitted on a PAM00024.
Basically the strap is made of military grade high strength nylon. It is black and it is 270mm in length. It is 25mm wide along the length of the strap.
All the hardware on the strap is made of 316L stainless steel. The buckle and the strap keeper are heavily distressed to make it look like the original. The keeper or C ring is 7.5 mm wide. The buckle is marked 'GPF - Mod Dep'. So what is GPF - Mod Dep? Well, GPF stands for "Guido Panerai e Figlio" or "Guido Panerai and Son" in English. Mod Dep is Modello Depositato or registered design.
On the other end of the strap we find the 'locking ring' that prevents the strap from coming loose should the strap come undone.
The holes on the strap are heat sealed and the finishing is pretty good.
The ends of the strap is heat sealed and heat fused together. It is further reinforced with black stitching (which is rather invisible).
Top part of the end.
So, how do you use the strap? Well, you simply put the ring into the buckle.
Pull the strap through.
Fasten it like you would a normal strap with the tang.
Insert one edge of the strap into the strap keeper.
And insert the other edge in. Then slide the keeper against the end ring.
And it is all done up. The best part about the strap is that you don't have to loop it and remove it all the time but can act like a metal bracelet. Just unfasten and leave it like a metal bracelet.
Closer view of the locking ring against the buckle.
It is a very well made strap but it does pick up dust, fibres and loose hair. So you need to clean it often. It is water resistant and dries up pretty fast. It is very comfortable on the wrist. I think it suits the Panerai Submersible very well.
