Casio Mudman!
Google for pictures of it boiling, freezing and being kicked around.
I had one and tested it with throwing it of a 10 meter high building. No problems at all.
Cheers
John
Hi all,
I need to buy a watch that can stand up to very harsh environments.
I run outdoor courses in very cold climates during the winter -30c , often getting wet, and knocked about.
I dont want to spend too much money on a watch that may get damaged (I currently have a Damasko DA66 which I never wear because im worried about damaging it!)
Also it is an essential tool for me, so must be reliable
Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance
Oz
Casio Mudman!
Google for pictures of it boiling, freezing and being kicked around.
I had one and tested it with throwing it of a 10 meter high building. No problems at all.
Cheers
John
No brainer really...
:D
Mudman for sure. No need to keep searching. Move along :?
You say the temps get to -30 but is your watch exposed to those temperatures or is it under layers of clothing so in fact a lot warmer?
Quartz watches have been known to fade out with battery problems at very low temperatures so it would be worth checking out.
Cheers,
Neil.
I use a Casio G-shock GX56 for a beater and also my daily wearer, I haven't had cause to go down to -30, but it has stood up to all the abuse I have given it so far, both in the office and also outside with my part time job on firework displays and also mountain biking and scouting, I keep meaning to take a photo of it whilst rock climbing but keep forgetting to take the camera.
Here's my all steel G-Shock
Its survived 5 years of abuse, still can't damage it.
I reckon any quartz in a solid case will do a good job for you. G shocks are probably the toughest watches around and the various functions might be useful for your job, but most of them are digital . Personally I find that in tough conditons I prefer something analogue so that I can read the time at a glance, so I traded in my G shock for a Citizen Orca. Divers let you time stuff for up to an hour, if you need more functionality then you could also look at a PRS 17C.
Sorted.
G-Shock
Solar
Atomic
200m WR
Surpisingly inexpensive
Ian.
Another vote for a Mudman - I love mine, it's scratched and bashed to oblivion, and still going strong.
I always run in a suunto T3c - its never let me down wind rain winter conditions thought never down to -30 ! where on earth are you running ?
Forgot to swap watches the other day and went out with a Seadweller on - my arm nearly fell off - you really notice the weight over 13 or so miles !
-30 :shock:
Where the hell do you live ?
It got down to -18 here in N.Ireland last year.Originally Posted by gasgasbones
So maybe with the windchill factor it could here or Scotland :lol:
At -30 the last thing on my mind would be going out for a run, I ain't tough
CWC G10
Going for a run at -30?
My freezer's not that big!
Mudman sounds like it would to the trick.
Casio G-5600E-1V, NASA approved for walking on the moon.
50 GBP, on Amazon.
Amazing price for a real time tool. And looks good.
Regards / Pedro
Any G-Shock will do. I'm a big fan of the GW6900.
Citizen Tough perhaps?
Thanks for all the replies, sometimes it would be exposed, would this be a problem with a quartz watch?
I have a few Richard Mille pieces to use as beaters. My friend Rafa swears by them. So that is what I suggest. But make sure you buy an extra one in case the first fails.
two is just greedyOriginally Posted by dowsing
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
Anybody who calls their "tough" must bat for Australia...
It has to be a G shock simple as that.
Batteries drain quicker in the cold and some LCD screens start acting funny. If you want a G shock then check its one of the ones with low temperature resistant LCD. If you got a solar, kinetic or ecodrive I guess there would be no battery worries. TBH, I've never heard of watch problems when I am up in Lapland and temps are frequently below -30.Originally Posted by ozparker72
That sounds to me like a bit of an odd reason for not wearing a Damasko. Anyway, other than a g-shock, I'll add my vote for a Citizen Tough. They are an ideal beater watch, and mine still looks almost like new.Originally Posted by ozparker72
nothing tougher than a g shock, many of our soldiers wear them.
Sinn EZM3 or Arktis 203 if you need a chronograph. Designed to work in -45degrees. A g-shock will be cheaper but it won't look as good!
I think the EZM3 is a good bet. Low profile, legible, sturdy and well conceived timepiece.
Edit- I should add- in your shoes I would just wear the Damasko
G-Shock is the obvious solution !!!Originally Posted by ozparker72
There are some even tougher specific models of G-Shock (for instance Frogman or Mudman), and there are now also some good analog and ana-digi models.
A good low-cost option might be GWM5600 - all-digital watches are very tough, and while the display will be easy to read I believe as low as -20C it means -20C for the actual watch - which could ONLY happen if you wear the watch on the outside of your clothes for 8 hours at -20C - which I REALLY doubt !!!
Another vote for the mudman very happy with mine & gets a lot of wear, takes any abuse you can throw at it & its cheap to replace if it all goes wrong. No brainer really.
Youre pretty much looking for a gshock.
Er, Isn't the Damasko harder than a granite erection?
They have hardened crowns, backs and bezels - designed to be worn.
G-Shock of some kind. Lots of cool looking models to choose from. Inexpensive and almost impossible to break.
Still get a pang when I see these, I miss mine. Very tough cases but the battery/capacitor thing went on mine and Citizen Japan wanted more than the cost of the watch to repair it ( so I gave it to someone on here ! )Originally Posted by GlennO
To the OP, almost any watch I would think. A Smiths went up Everest ... how about one of those ? Light and easy to read.
Paul
For use inside the Shuttle / ISS more likely. EVA much less moon use is a more demanding environment altogether.Originally Posted by NORVAL
+1Originally Posted by WingTsun
This is what damasko is for, just this kind of useage. Why own it if your not going to wear it????
^ if it is that cold, a plastic cased watch such as a g shock could be comfier
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
I've got one of these as a daily wearer/beater;
http://www.oneclickpharmacy.co.uk/elect ... 52578.html
I would highly recommend it.
thanks again for all the replies!
To give some context to my odd sounding watch requirements,,,
I teach outdoor survival courses, often in winter in various countries. This involves cold temperatures, repetitive hard impacts, (using axes) etc, exposure to fires etc, cold water, ice and snow, I do generally wear my watch on the "outside" of my clothing when outdoors in cold climates, so i dont have to keep fumbling with glove and cuffs!
The main reason I dont want to wear my Damasko isnt that i dont think its tough enough, its just that i will end up scratching it, also I do a lot of activities that involve high impacts, (flint knapping) so i would be worried about damaging the movement, is this a possibility?
I do like the sound of the mud-master and the citizen tough eco-drive,
my worry with a battery watch is the longevity of a battery in the cold.
Thanks again
Oz
I would not baby your Damasko. I haves used my Sinn103 for mountaineering, which is similar to what you do, save for a different kind of axe. It performs just fine, despite its soft titanium case. Yes you'll pick up the odd scratch, but so what? Buy a new watch by all means, but your current one is specced for the job.
I have a G Shock, but for outdoor activities, I always wear this with a Time Factors strap on the outside of clothing, in (sometimes very) cold and harsh conditions for extended periods. Same reasons as you - I don't want to faff about with gloves and cuffs, nor worry about batteries. Plus it is a lot easier to read at any angle than a G Shock, and in my opinion, nicer to wear too.Originally Posted by ozparker72
4.30am, 12390ft at the summit of Mt Fuji. The watch has just spent several freezing hours on the outside of my jacket in the rain and snow being bashed against volcanic rock in the dark. I didn't need to think about it for a moment.
Cheap, reliable, tough, legible at a glance day or night. I'd use it anywhere.
Paul
Hi Paul
I love the look of your seiko, thats my fave so far!
Which model is it?
How much are they? and where can i get one?
Thanks again to everyone for help
Cheers Oz
hi oz. monster, 123 quid, creation watchesOriginally Posted by ozparker72
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
If money is no object ($4000) and if you are John McClane or Aquaman, the CX Swiss Military 20000feet is the watch for you!
Unfortunately money is an object!
I would like to find something quite cheap, otherwise I would have to sell my DA66 or speedbird to pay for something more expensive.
I am quite excited about the seiko, Ive had a couple of seiko quartz, with 10 year batteries, they were both great watches but the braclets have broken on both of them, so im a little concerned about getting another one.
The Seiko Monster can be bought with either a rubber dive strap or a metal bracelet. The bracelet is, I think, unique to the monster. Here is the same watch pictured earlier on it's bracelet :
All the links are solid. The springbars are the fattest I have seen. It is unlikely to break. Highly recommended. However, for active duty, buy a NATO or Rhino strap from Time Factors. Easy to fit over clothing. No worries about scratches, and if a springbar does come loose, you don't lose the watch. It's simple to fit the bracelet back on when you want to.
Paul
G
Go get a G shock. If you are leaning towards the monster you may like to consider a G equipped with a dial and hands.
Not beating on the G ( I have one, the only "Design Award" winning model, with dial ) but some things to consider are that the lume is abysmal, the light requires a button push and is poor anyway, lighting only half the dial, the classic G hour hand shape is very easy to read wrongly, due to the arrow pointing "backwards", the strap is short and less easy to use over bulky clothing, and the dial is hard to read at an angle even in daylight due to being so recessed. Well, I suppose I am beating on the G a bit. The Monster replaced my dial-and-hands G Shock for active pursuits due to these reasons, found from actual usage.
Paul
Wot? My G (GW5600) lights up evenly and is very legible. Glows like a neon ad when the button is pushed.
Monster is very nice too though.
I probably bought the wrong G, even though it wasn't cheap. A couple of quick shots, showing the illumination of half the dial and the "backwards" minute ( not hour, sorry, I said it's confusing ! ) hand.
10 to 4 ?
Not ragging on the G as a range, just pointing out how for me, in my usage, the Monster is better than my G.
Paul