Leather vs nylon guitar straps, honestly compared
The strap that came with your guitar is nylon, and it is not bad. It is light, it packs flat, and it will outlive several sets of strings. It also slides on a cotton shirt, which is why the guitar keeps drifting toward your neck, and it does nothing to spread the weight.
Where nylon wins
- Price. A decent nylon strap is under 15 pounds.
- Weight and packability, for a gig bag that is already heavy.
- Washability. Sweat does not bother it.
- Kids' guitars and travel guitars, where a leather strap is overkill.
The straps this guide is about: full-grain leather, suede back, 2.5, 3 and 3.5 inch widths, Regular and Long. From £74.00 with free tracked UK delivery and a free length exchange.
Where leather wins
- Grip. A suede or rough-out back stays put on your shoulder.
- Load. Leather holds its shape under a heavy guitar; nylon narrows and bunches.
- Life. A full-grain strap is a 20-year object. It darkens, softens and takes on a shine where you wear it.
- Look. Subjective, but nobody has ever asked where you got your nylon strap.
The grades of leather, in plain words
| Label | What it is | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Full-grain | The top layer of the hide with the grain left intact | Strongest, ages best, shows natural marks |
| Top-grain | The same layer, sanded to remove marks | Uniform look, slightly less strong, ages well |
| "Genuine leather" | Lower split layers, often with a printed grain | Looks fine new, creases and peels within a couple of years |
| Bonded | Leather scraps glued to a backing | Not leather in any useful sense; avoid |
The phrase "genuine leather" is a grade, not a promise. On a strap it usually means split leather with a pattern stamped on top, and it is the reason so many "leather" straps at 20 pounds look tired after a year.
How to tell full-grain from the rest
- Look for pores and small imperfections. A perfectly even surface is printed.
- Press a thumbnail into it. Full-grain shows a faint mark that fades; a coated split does not mark at all.
- Check the edge. Full-grain shows one dense layer; bonded shows a fibrous sandwich.
Our take
If you play standing up for more than a few minutes at a time and own a guitar you intend to keep, a full-grain strap with a suede back is the accessory you will notice most; our leather guitar straps come in three widths and two lengths. If you play sitting down with an acoustic on a Sunday, keep the nylon. Both are fine answers.