Victorinox Swiss Army INOX Carbon
For a lot of us, a small Swiss Army folder was probably the first pocket knife we ever laid our hands on. So, after seeing this evolution of Victorinox’s INOX model with a carbon case and paracord strap, I just had to know more. Now, I don’t exactly fall into the “tacticool” crowd that can build a two-story tent out of a paracord bracelet, but I can respect some of the basic outdoor utility one can find in a spare bit of paracord. Pair that with a super-lightweight carbon composite case and you’ve got something a little different than the average $15 Casio you might find at REI. Because of this, I just had to suggest the INOX Carbon and personally, I might even be adding it to my personal collection sometime soon.
Marathon Diver’s Automatic GSAR
The Marathon GSAR might be the last dive watch you’ll ever have to buy. I know those are fighting words, but I don’t think I’m alone here. Marathon supplies military-grade timekeeping instruments to both discerning collectors and professional agencies all over the world and the GSAR is at the very top of the great ziggurat. Equally at home on the trails as it is under water, the GSAR is everything you need and nothing you don’t (don’t worry, it’s also the last “true” dive watch on my list). If there’s one thing that really stands out, it’s definitely the tritium gas tubes, which require no external light source for “charging” and can even rival Seiko’s proprietary LumiBrite material. For this reason, I feel it would be perfect for overnight camping trips and long hikes that stretch well into twilight.
Casio G-Shock GWX5600C-7
This was inevitable, really. But who can argue against a good G-shock if you’re hitting the beach, trails, or slopes? You might find that one of the hardest things you ever go through as a watch collector, is picking a good G-Shock. Most of the time, you can’t go wrong. This Casio G-Shock GWX5600C-7, however, supports a great deal of functionality and packs it in the most traditional of G-Shock cases. It also has a cool G-LIDE tide graph, Multi-Band Atomic Timekeeping, and of course, a Tough Solar rechargeable battery. In other words, I’d consider this a more “stylish” alternative to a chunky Garmin or Suunto and the World Time display, 1/100th second chronograph, moon data, and a full auto perpetual calendar pre-programmed until 2099 make for pretty much everything you’ll ever need in a G-Shock.
Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon AeroGMT
Ball Watch Company is famous for producing some of the most shock-resistant watches out there and they get better at it every year with their SpringLOCK technology. The key features to consider when looking at the Hydrocarbon AeroGMT however, are legibility and the kind of case construction that makes you feel like you can fistfight a Falcon 9 rocket with the watch strapped to your wrist. Sometimes, I still cringe at the thought of knocking around a fully mechanical watch but with Ball’s Hydrocarbon family of watches, it just isn’t an issue. This is also a great traveler’s choice if you’re looking for an automatic GMT and find that you’ll be using it in low-light situations. That’s because the Hydrocarbon AeroGMT is the first watch ever to incorporate a fully lumed bezel with Tritium (h-3) gas tubes.
Apple Watch Series 3
Love it or hate it, the latest Apple Watch Series 3 almost seems as if it has been totally re-worked with active individuals in mind. The ability to physically disconnect from a phone, get outside, and start your workout is already appealing enough as it is. But, pair that with features like GymKit, Apple’s Heart Sensor, and streaming access to over 40 million songs, and you’ve got something that even the most devout Apple Watch skeptics will find themselves interested in. Sure, it might not get you the kind of Instagram cred the #watchfam obsesses over, but it works and I’m excited to see how Apple continues to improve upon the fitness-specific features in current and future models.
In this list, we’ve looked at what I think are some of the best contenders for a great watch you can knock around. Some of them were no-brainers, some were a little unconventional, and others might have even rubbed you the wrong way. What’s important to remember, however, is to simply love the watch that you wear and own it even if you’re at the gym, on the boat, or running a marathon. This list is by no means definitive, so be sure to share what watches you wear when you’re actually working up a sweat with aBlogtoWatch and the rest of the audience. Please note that with whatever you buy on Amazon via any of the links above, you help support aBlogtoWatch.