Military/Tactical Watch Recommendations?

[DeltaKilo]

I have a three-year-old 5.11 watch that has been around the block a few times with me, and I love it. Hasn't let me down...yet...

[ShadowTactics]

Here's a recommendation..... NOT THE SUUNTO CORE! It's crap and made in China to boot. I have one and it's never been stable and now out of warranty. Suunto wants 30.00 just to look at it, not including the shipping and time not in my hands. It's crap, just google and read some, most , of the issue related to the Core.

The Vector is very good. I have two and they've been stable from day one.

It's amazing how Suunto can produce two very different pieces as far as quality and reliability.

Core = PAIN IN THE ASS
Vector = Reliable

[Tungsten]

I think you'll be looking at closer to $300, but the Casio pathfinder series of watches has some incredibly rugged, solar powered atomic timepieces.

My wife gave me a Pathfinder for Christmas. Awesome watch.

[Travis B]

Here's a recommendation..... NOT THE SUUNTO CORE! It's crap and made in China to boot. I have one and it's never been stable and now out of warranty. Suunto wants 30.00 just to look at it, not including the shipping and time not in my hands. It's crap, just google and read some, most , of the issue related to the Core.

The Vector is very good. I have two and they've been stable from day one.

It's amazing how Suunto can produce two very different pieces as far as quality and reliability.

Core = PAIN IN THE ASS
Vector = Reliable

I've heard they have taken care of the software issues but I'm still hesitant. If it wasn't for the problems I've read I would have already purchased it...

[rpd07]

A watch is for telling time, not your vanity. Waste your money if you want, but I've had the same Wal-mart "POS" for 3 deployments now.

I was never late, either.

[Travis B]

A watch is for telling time, not your vanity. Waste your money if you want, but I've had the same Wal-mart "POS" for 3 deployments now.

I was never late, either.

If you don't mind, please only post if you are offering information that will help me decide on the watches in discussion. Telling me I would be wasting my money on a vanity piece doesn't help me. Thank you for your service to this country, but not to this thread.

[rpd07]

If you don't mind, please only post if you are offering information that will help me decide on the watches in discussion. Telling me I would be wasting my money on a vanity piece doesn't help me. Thank you for your service to this country, but not to this thread.

Of course, my apologies. Please excuse my brashness.

[rpd07]

I'll try again. I think I can be a productive member of society.

I wore a Suunto Vector in Ranger school. The only feature I appreciated was the large numbers and the 'tactical' back light. By 'tactical', I mean inverted.

The other notable features, the barometer, the altimeter and the thermometer were unreliable at best. The most accurate of the three was the thermometer, and that was rarely needed, even in the almost pagan environment in Ranger school, where the weather is worshiped and the gods must be appeased with proper sacrifice.

The stopwatch on the Vector was separated. The minutes at the very top and the seconds at the very bottom, making it very difficult to make out your time if you're moving out any faster than a brisk walk. I was baffled by that setup simply because it was so hard to read even in good illum.

Later, I lost that watch while fast roping overseas.

I also wore a G-shock. It lasted me much longer and it didn't have any of the unnecessary features of the Suunto. My chief complaint of the Casio G-shock was how it would manage to completely change time and date at random times with out any explainable cause. Maybe I was sleeping on my arm? I have no idea, but it at times got me in a bit of trouble and was very frustrating. A few times I ended up looking like a huge turd for oversleeping by over an hour. Whoops.

One of my friends had a Casio Pathfinder. It has the same three features as the Suunto Vector that I now see as unneeded, unless you're a climber. His complaint was the same as mine with the G-shock. He somehow managed to randomly change the time. I think he lost his as well on a mission. He also complained of the hugeness of the watch and how it restricted wrist extension.

Now I roll with the Wal-mart special. It's about $10. I'm not afraid to lose it, and I have a spare for when I do. It is tiny, so I don't notice it. I don't accidentally change it's time somehow.

Again, please excuse my previous brashness. I hope I helped.

[rob_s]

rpd07 your points, even your "brash" ones are well taken. It's the same old question that applies to pens & sunglasses too (and sometimes even knives). One argument is that you should buy cheap, and buy in bulk, and not worry about the breaking/losing of an expensive item. However, for some guys simply knowing that it's an expensive item helps keep them from abusing/losing it, and an expensive watch on the wrist is better than a spare cheap watch back at home when the one you're wearing breaks/disappears.

[Dave L.]

Casio G-Shock is the "standard". I never had the time/date change mentioned above either and I have had 3.
I currently have and been wearing a Suunto Vector for two years. They are fine for the desert but if I was still doing maritime operations, I would use the G-Shock.
The only feature I find somewhat useful on the Vector is the compass. All other "non-standard" features are somewhat useless.

My next watch, after the Vector dies, will be the cheapest Casio G-Shock; Casio Men's DW5600E-1V G-Shock Classic Digital Watch. It's light weight, flat, and I can dive with it.

I only have a little more than three years on the ground between Iraq and A-stan, so my opinion may not matter as much as others.

D