Looking for a cheap and cheerful watch to wear for biking, running, kayaking and general outdoor stuff. Needs to be easy to operate when cold, wet and tired – big buttons, simple sequences, large display. Something I don’t mind getting bashed about a bit.

I have a Suunto Core and a Garmin Forerunner but find them both a bit fiddly to operate and difficult to read at times.

Any suggestions?

Casio G shock, they just keep on going no matter what

When you say “Cheap and Cheerful” what is your definition? I know it varies a bit round these parts…

But I recommend the terrorists first choice in wrist wear: Casio F91, you don’t get much cheaper or functional…

I use one of these http://www.decathlon.co.uk/w200-m-digital-watch-id_8332131.html. I only just got this one as I had its predecessor (before I lost it) for a few years and it was perfect. Never lost time, easy to use/obvious, clear, looks good and waterproof. Best watch Ive ever owned because at £10 I don’t care if it gets smashed to bits… which it never did. I think I preferred the predecessor as it was a touch smaller but this one is not ‘big’ either.

Well you can’t go wrong for a tenna, bang on!

I prefer the Casio MQ24 (analogue). Usually about £10, battery lasts for 2 years, then buy a new one. I once tried to change the battery. It fell apart not long after 🙂

F91-W’s/W86’s etc have gone a bit rubbish recently.
Last couple have cracked their straps after about a years use.

Very disappointed.

Will give the cheap Timex digitals or the MQ a go next time after hearing good reports.

The decathlon one is great

What purpose does the watch need to serve?

Them Casio watch straps last longer if you don’t do them up quite so tight: leave enough slack to get a finger tip under. Plus, like the batteries, replacements seem to last much longer.

What purpose does the watch need to serve?

To tell the time, stop watch function up to 24 hours … that’s all!

When you say “Cheap and Cheerful” what is your definition? I know it varies a bit round these parts…

was think £50 max

£50!

That’s getting into posh-watch territory! 😀

In the great tradition of STW…

eBay

I’ve got one of these, had it in 2007ish I think, it’s rarely off my wrist bar a 3 month flirtation with a useless Fitbit, still on the original battery, bashed about, chewed and drowned by toddler, took a hit so big it broke my wrist, not a mark on it.

Looks a bit much I suppose, but otherwise perfect for telling the time reliably after any amount of abuse for not much money.

Would you be carrying your mobile phone with you? Pretty sure they tell the time and at no further cost!

jekkyl – Member

Would you be carrying your mobile phone with you? Pretty sure they tell the time and at no further cost!

Personally, mine is tucked away in a dry pocket of my camelbak so it’s not as handy, and if I look at the dam thing there will invariably be some notification of something, usually work related – it ruins by riding feng shui (man).

+1 for G Shock.

Timex expedition, cheap, analogue (so doesn’t look cheap), as indestructible as I’ve ever needed.

I’ve got one of these, had it in 2007ish I think, it’s rarely off my wrist bar a 3 month flirtation with a useless Fitbit, still on the original battery, bashed about, chewed and drowned by toddler, took a hit so big it broke my wrist, not a mark on it.

I don’t object to the idea of them per-se, but they look like the watch equivalent of a Nova with a dustbin for an exhaust.

Watch -> press a button – stopwatch -> press a button – timer -> press a button – alarm -> press a button – watch, it doesn’t need several pointless graphs that look like they came straight off Kitt’s dashboard and serve no purpose other than to make the actual numbers bit smaller.

I love this place.

Cheap and cheerful for a watch is £50…heh

I was thinking a Taliban special for £7 from Amazon.

Another vote for G-shock here.

You can usually find a good deal on Amazon..

£50 you say? Why not splash out and go for a green F91?

It’ll blow your budget, but I have one of these for very similar usage:

Casio

It’s solar, so won’t need a battery, it’s radio controlled so is always killer accurate (which works brilliantly), it’s 200m WR, and it’s hard to kill. Fits under a sleeve, unlike most g-shocks and you don’t look like a Japanese tourist wearing it.

The cheapest G-Shock on Amazon…

fyi lots of cheap fake f91s kicking about.

never had a strap go on any genuine f91 bought from my high street jeweler.

ive used them for about 25 years.

Mine were all bought from Argos.
Last three have lasted just over a year each.
They seem to go where the strap bends most when putting on or taking off.

The older ones seemed to last an awful lot longer than that.

that’s been my experience too sadly. F86/91 – even trying an 800 at the moment.
I used to play a lot of squash, as well, and decent watch would inevitably get trashed by a wayward racket. Since then, happy with whatever is a cheap Casio..

Having suggested the F91 earlier (6.99 from argos at the minute) I have actually been wearing this day in/day out for the last ~3 years (Casio “illuminator” – £14.99) comes in #Enduro Orange and is styled like a crappy, mini version of G-shock (which just look a bit chavvy to my untrained eye anyway)…

The strap broke after ~2 years of sweat, UV and general neglect, so it’s got a tasteful leather/velcro Animal one now, very 90s…

just go buy something Casio-ish from Argos (with £50 buy two or three different ones to try maybe)…

I bought a Casio watch with a thermometer and built in compass last month.
Similar in construction to the G – Shock range , and I would bet there are cross over parts used in both.
If you do actually ride your bike in mountains the compass could get you out of a pickle if you get geographicaly challenged. Can be used to follow a bearing too.
I think I paid £38 for mine

Casio Compass Watch

Another vote for the Casio Illuminator here. I went for white to match my sunglasses but at £15 I might get an orange one as well. I bought it for a festival so I didn’t have to carry my phone to tell the time.