Much better than a rubber watchband. I am a big guy and I am tough on watches and watch bands, and though I have only owned this for a few days, the watchband has the hallmarks of being a winner. My one object to this is there is no sizing adjustment other than by adding links. As I said, I am a big guy and I put both the spare links that came with the band (Nice touch by the way) into the band and it was barely long enough. Good thing I had ordered a second band, because I was able to get a spare link from that and add it into the one I am wearing.