G-Shock Mudmaster GG-1000-1A3CR – $229
The G-Shock Mudmaster may not be the first G-Shock that springs to mind when thinking about a field watch from Casio’s skunkworks. That said, it is the watch they designed specifically for FEMA’s Urban Search & Rescue teams who, guess what, find themselves out in the field working with heavy duty equipment to find and rescue those in a destroyed, catastrophe-stricken environment.
As such, the Mudmaster line is tough as hell, with a 56.2mm wide (crown guards included) exterior and features designed to work in any situation you may find yourself in out in the wild. This includes a built-in LED, a compass, and a thermometer, all accessible via massive, clicky, water- and mud-proof pushers that are easy to operate with gloves on. A while ago our Zach reviewed the high-end version of the Mudmaster here, but that’s considerably more expensive than this plucky GG-1000.
We chose to feature the GG-1000-1A3CR specifically because it has two “positive” (i.e. black-on-white) displays that are easier to read than those on the version sold on the tan strap. The ana-digi display allows you to enjoy easy reading of the time along with the usual suite of G-Shock functions like a stopwatch, second time zone, world time, perpetual calendar, and so on.
At $229, what you get for your money is a tough watch – even by G-Shock standards – with a few quirky-cool features and a bonkers cool aesthetic.
Hamilton Khaki Field HML-H70455533 – $362
It’s only fair that we include the Swiss as well and with what else, if not the Hamilton Khaki Field. Equipped with the H-10 automatic caliber, the Khaki Field offers 80 hours of power reserve, largely achieved by dropping its frequency from 4 to 3Hz. Hours, minutes, and seconds are all displayed by center-mounted hands, plus there’s a date window at 3 o’clock. The main hands and indices received green lume paint all over them.
The 38mm wide and just 11mm thick stainless steel case with its brushed lugs and polished bezel adds a bit of flair, when compared to the matte, more purposeful look of the tough guys we listed above. There is a see-through caseback that makes for a clear view of the Hamilton H-10 movement; but this didn’t keep the Khaki Field from sporting 100m of water resistance. That should perfectly suffice to survive (un-)intentional jumps in the pool and even some light snorkeling – not serious diving though, but why would you do that with this particular watch?
This is the caseback shot of the 42mm wide variant. The only notable difference is how the case of the 38mm would be filled more neatly by the H-10 movement.
A brown leather strap is factory-fitted to this Khaki, making it more office- than wilderness-friendly, but snap a NATO on it and watch it change its timid looks immediately. There is also a slightly more expensive version that comes on a stainless steel bracelet. Available at $362, the solid case, neat dial and long power reserve make this an unusually competitive entry by the Swiss. It is also available in a 42mm wide version for $370.
Marathon Jumbo Search & Rescue – $739
Our last pick is the Marathon Search & Rescue, a watch Marathon is adamant about calling a diver but that didn’t stop us from including it – if I could pull off a really evil laugh, I would (Ariel is worryingly good at it). At 46mm wide and 17mm thick, this watch did well to deserve the Jumbo name, rendering it a strong counter-balance for the 38mm pieces we have featured thus far. The case is in 316L stainless steel with an all-matte look to it – nothing to distract you from finding those massive hands.
Speaking of hands, the markers and hands have been covered with “Maraglo” photoluminescent paint and, in truth, these are some of the chunkiest hands we’ve seen in a good while. Carrying all the weight of the hands is a Swiss made ETA F06 high-torque movement with end-of-life indicator (not your life, the battery’s). Marathon is proud about making their watches in La Chaux-de-Fonds, making these Jumbo Search & Rescue pieces some of the coolest, most badass affordable watches to come out from that region of Swiss fine watchmaking.
Priced at $739, with its ISO 6425 standard compatible design and build quality, this is a full-on dive watch, no doubt about that. But, its military-style hour display, excellent legibility, and overall aesthetic couldn’t keep us from including it in this selection.
+1 Apple Watch Canvas Strap – $14.59
Okay, we know a smartwatch won’t hold a candle to the purpose-built Search & Rescue-proven watches we highlighted above, so this is more for a fun +1 choice than anything else. But hey, what if you own an Apple Watch that you enjoy wearing on hikes and other activities out in the field? Why not give it a field watch vibe with this strap? Note that it’s available for the 42mm version only, but at under $15 with end-links included, this army green canvas strap may just be a good way of saving your more costly Apple straps for later.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this selection of field watches for every budget! Please note that with whatever you buy on Amazon via any of the links above, you help support aBlogtoWatch. Now, with all this said, let us know your field watch preferences and tell us what we might have missed.