Do you want to know what is the best survival watch for the outdoors? Well, it depends on certain features. Outdoor trips are exciting including camping. However, it is also good to choose your travel essentials wisely for a better outdoor experience.
A watch is one of the most useful things anyone could have on them per time as it helps to keep track of time. It is a portable device that is mostly worn on the wrist and can be carried about without any obstruction to movement. They are typically designed to withstand pressure and to retain a consistent position despite the wearer’s activities.
The most common are wristwatches while there are also pocket watches and they can be designed in different ways and for specific purposes. You may be interested in reading about this here.
For people who like adventure and love to go into the wild or into the woods for hiking, climbing mountains, and so on, asides from your other survival gear, you need what is called a survival watch. These are tools that not only tell you what the time is, but they are also useful in giving coordinates and directions so that you do not get lost.
Modern survival watches are versatile, smart, and come with different features like GPS/GLONASS/BEIDOU, barometers, thermometer as well as altimeters. Some may also come with topographical maps. They are designed to be durable so that they can withstand any kind of situation or weather condition and they typically come with long battery life.
The Best Survival Watches
Much like any survival tool, there are a lot of survival watches and this can make it quite difficult to choose one. Instead of just selecting any one, this guide brings you some of the best available out there in no order of importance or significance.
Sunnto Transverse
This is a GPS watch but it can access the GLONASS navigation system to aid you in getting through a route. It has an easy to understand interface and comes with a way-point feature as well as a breadcrumb trail that can be of help in retracing one’s steps.
The Suunto has a trip summary and data log feature that helps to keep track of progress and it can measure both barometric and altitude pressure. It also features tools such as a stopwatch, countdown timer, daylight savings, and a daily alarm. It can be used to monitor your health with features like calories burned, daily steps taken and so on.
Its physical appearance makes it able to withstand any condition no matter the activity. It has a crystal glass made with sapphire that is scratch-resistant, a stainless steel bezel, and comes with a water-resistant strap made of nylon textile. The only downside to it is the battery which may not last a very long time.
Casio Pro Trek Pathfinder PAG240-1
The Casio Pro Trek is a versatile 51mm stainless steel watch that comes with onboard sensors and a compass. Also, it features a thermometer, altimeter, barometer and a world timer that gives you time from at least 31 time zones. It is solar-powered and resistant even to the most extreme weather conditions while featuring a titanium bracelet.
Asides the common features of a survival watch, some of its other features include a countdown timer, an auto calendar, a stopwatch and five daily alarms. It has daylight saving, a power-saving function as well as an indicator that shows the battery level.
Its digital display means that it cannot be used for navigation via the sun but the attached onboard sensors help overcome this deficit.
Garmin MARQ Adventurer
The MARQ Adventurer is a timepiece that comes with a titanium bezel and case, has a compass, an altimeter and barometer which are immediately obvious with the accompanying leather strap. The dial changes based on the feature that you need and it also comes with topographical maps.
This watch can be paired with your other devices and when this is done, you will be able to receive notifications as well as reminders. You can also store and play your music on it and like other Garmin products, you can use Garmin Pay.
It comes loaded with other features such as live tracking, navigation, alarm, timer, stopwatch and health monitoring to name a few.
Timex Expedition Gallatin
This is a watch that is part of the Timex Expedition Gallatin Solar Series and thus it combines the features of both the Timex expedition and Gallatin Solar.
Though it is designed to be used outdoors, it is aesthetically pleasing. One interesting thing about it is that it is possible to recharge it with any source of light and it comes with a two-month reserve of power.
The dials of the watch are luminous, it is water-resistant and looks rugged but at the same time comfortable to wear. The strap is made up of 22mm slip thru double-layer fabric that makes for easy wearing.
Casio G-Shock GW9400 Rangeman
The G-shock is a tough, reliable, military-grade watch. Physically, it looks bulky but this is to protect its internal features and buttons but despite this, it is lightweight.
The G-Shock is solar-powered and comes with features such as a compass, thermometer, barometer and altimeter. It is water-resistant for up to 200 meters as well as shock-resistant for up to 10 meters with a resin body and stainless steel detail that makes it quite rugged to withstand anything that is thrown its way.
A not so common feature that it has it the Multiband Atomic Radio which is useful when there is no signal on your other devices.
You can check available designs to learn more and see other options.
Conclusion
When going on an adventure, a survival watch is a must-have any time, any day. Asides from the basic feature of telling time, you can enjoy other features that make your journey easier and more enjoyable with the most important of these being the navigation system.