PSA: Tactical IT Watch

I see you’ve got the vegetable-tanned organic hemp 2-point tactical sling from Brooks. A pricey choice but at the tip of the spear etc etc.

Compliments the Patagonia recycled plastic gilet I’m also wearing. Murderous, but environmentally conscious; trying to offset my carbon footprint for all the IED’s I’ve planted.

To be fair, you aren’t getting solar powered, Bluetooth and multiband time signals for £80. It should have been £450

You’re right for £80 you only get solar power and Multiband 6, so the useful bits without the bobbins bluetooth.

I did previously get a GW B5600 for £90 that extra tenner scores the Bluetooth too (which is frankly shite when you realise how useless the G-shock app is) it also had a negative display (Nah) and they’d slightly increased the case dimensions (just a smidge) to cram the extra gubbins in, and that basically ruined it…
It should have been a great Square G, but it really wasn’t…

So you paid an extra ~£200 for a shiny case, jangly bracelet and non-awful display on that same B5600 module.

My mudmaster was circa £450 reduced from £600 and paid £750 for the MTG-B1000

Still not convinced but it’s you’re money. Assuming you’ve got some flavour of G2100 (apparently compulsory) so I’m guessing you’ve dropped what ~£1500 quid on G-shocks? You could have has Tron’s Bangle that started this thread for about that 😉

Of course I’ve got a 2100 😉

2021-09-01_11-03-13 by davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

And the very marmite AWM 500D 1AER.

2021-07-30_11-25-19 by davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

I definitely wouldn’t want the abomination that started this thread though

I like G-Shocks, granted a lot of people don’t

I see some of the expensive watches (although there are some gorgeous ones) in the N+1 thread and think they look like something creepy uncle Fred would have worn in the ’70s with his farah slacks 😉

TBH is it an original Russian or knockoff AK 🙂

Of course I’ve got a 2100

I shamefully admit I do like those GM2100 And I’d like to get one except I already own a GST 300 – https://g-shock.co.uk/gst-b300s-1aer

The ‘2100 is thinner and smaller although lacks solar, although the GST has other functions which are hardly used. Its a tough call (for me) to ditch the GST and buy a GM2100.

The ‘2100 is thinner and smaller although lacks solar

The new GA2100’s have BT and solar

I already own a GST 300

I quite fancy a GST400, now they are under £300

TBH is it an original Russian or knockoff AK

Iranian copy. All the good country boys rock them. Only the OG Muj rock the genuine AK’s.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1662/4595/products/GGB100BTN-1A_2048x.png?v=1583682113 I’ve got the Burton gshock and can confirm the app is bloody useless at anything it trys.

I really like G-Shocks (in theory…), and particularly the 5600 series – that is the original, square-ish looking case. Not least as they originate from my birth year, 1983.

But I’ve had two and I bloody hate them in use. Those tiny metal buttons are horrible from a tactile and functional perspective. Pretty ironic for a “tactical” watch!

Pretty ironic for a “tactical” watch!

I don’t think they were ever supposed to be “Tactical” originally, just more robust.
Obviously G-Shocks got adopted by the Gravy Seal types and I think the bulkier versions for Chubby wristed Macho types followed on as the range and market grew from there. The original 5600 shape/size/weight is now towards the more compact end of what they sell, and still sensible for those of us with skinnier wrists that also happen to be clumsy.

The problem the G-Shock brand faces today is that Garmin definitely have them in their sights. Casio established the market for tougher watches for outdoor types that cost a bit more, they’re even tried to get more technologies (HR/GPS/BT/etc) in them, but Garmin and the like are miles ahead in that respect.

Casio seem to be steering more towards the fashion end of the scale, TBF they’ve always liked special/limited edition versions with inflated pricing, but the rest of the world has caught up and passed them by technology wise and all they’ve really got left now are fancy cases and whacky colour schemes…

If you’re in the market for a robust sporty daily wear “beater” watch today and considering dropping a couple of hundred on a G-Shock I’d at least compare it to an Instinct or a forerunner at the same price point.

@cookeaa yes, I agree, the ‘tactical’ label has to an extent been thrust upon G-Shock, I’m not sure if Casio have ever used it in any of their marketing materials. But, they do use “military” and “utility”.

I also agree that there are multiple other companies doing ‘G-Shocks’ better than Casio now. I’d love the G-Shock H1000 GPS watch, but functionally it’s so far behind my Coros.

 If they increase the digital font size

CasioW800h. same style/feel as the FWtaliban watch, but bigger font.

dual time, stopwatch, beepy alarm.

No extra ****.

Still a rubbish strap, but easily replaced by a black stainless steel bracelet. Total cost, £20

Those tiny metal buttons are horrible from a tactile and functional perspective. Pretty ironic for a “tactical” watch!

If that’s the only sticking point, I’d recommend a GBD 200. Got nice big flat pushers and all the usual G-Shock functions. Unfortunately it’s also got the absolute horseshite Bluetooth companion app if you want more exotic activity tracking, but it’s not really needed just for watch use.

If it doesn’t absolutely have to be a G-shock I have an underused SGW 100 1VEF:

Bigger Characters, pushy buttons, decent backlight, WT, multiple alarms, 200m WR, superfluous compass and thermometer, etc lots of stuff a G-shock would have on the spec sheet… Has the Gravy seal (who’s lost his reading glasses) aesthetic down I reckon.

Cost me £35 new…

I probably need to move it on because:
A) I have an M5610 and
B) I have an Instinct Solar
C) I have far too may other watches I don’t really need either…

@cookeaa that’s rad, it reminds me of the Pro Trek I used to covet when I was a lowly potboy at an outdoor activity centre about 20 years ago.

@tthew the GBD200 does look like a more useable watch (albeit not quite got the 80s vibe).

However I don’t need any more watches either!

The OG, if you’ll forgive the pun, original Navy Seals G Shock:

https://www.g-central.com/navy-seals-g-shock-dw-6600-military-watch/

If you want a big tough square with big buttons, it’s got to be the ‘king’ for not stupid money. It is big though

I have a g-shock (metal 2100 as above) and a garmin instinct. Garmin has more functionality no doubt, but as a watch and something I like wearing the g-shock wins hands down.

TBF in terms of aesthetics/ jewellery the garmin is pretty much bottom of my choices. I have quite a few modest watches (divers and chronos) mostly and I enjoy wearing them all more than my garmin.

I quite like the g-shock in the original post. I am not sure it was meant to be. Tacticool though and I wouldn’t pay that much for any watch.

I think the issue I have is it’s a childhood thing,that as a kid playground thing you wanted the casios with as many functions , display indicators and gauges numbers pulsating but now I just want something to tell the time.

(oddly I don’t wear a watch that often as working it’s on the pc and out and about the car has one or you have the phone.)

Tip of the spear

You need the 30TH ANNIVERSARY POISON DART FROG FROGMAN

https://g-shock.co.uk/gwf-a1000apf-1aer

If it doesn’t absolutely have to be a G-shock I have an underused SGW 100 1VEF:

I wear one of these as my every day watch, when I don’t wear my smarter ‘office day’ Seiko.

It works. But it’s uncomfortable, over complex and needs calibration overly regularly.

It was bought as a replacement for a (lost) classic 5-button Timex Ironman which is a much, much better ‘outdoorsy’ watch and much more comfortable.

I find all of the GShock watches a bit gopping. Massive bezels. Garish colours.

What features do they have that make them so cult?

Bought a Fenix 6s solar last year. Went for the S as the bezel was smaller. It has loads of features I don’t use. It does tell me I’m continually stressed and have poor sleep, though.

I find all of the GShock watches a bit gopping. Massive bezels. Garish colours.

What features do they have that make them so cult?

Bought a Fenix 6s solar last year. Went for the S as the bezel was smaller. It has loads of features I don’t use. It does tell me I’m continually stressed and have poor sleep, though.

I find all of the GShock watches a bit gopping. Massive bezels. Garish colours.

What features do they have that make them so cult?

I find all of the GShock watches a bit gopping. Massive bezels. Garish colours.

What features do they have that make them so cult?

Massive Bezels and gopping colours of course 😉

Their original appeal was their Rufty Tufftyness, subsequently they became a bit of a Yoof sub-brand for Casio; Functional, robust watches for active people. If you’re wearing one it implies you do Gnarly stuff, or you are quite clumsy and need an oaf-proofed timepiece.

In more recent years, as G-shock is now an established recognised ‘brand’ and previous fans have probably gotten older and (some) acquired a bit of wealth, they’ve tried to play up the luxury angle. They’ve always been relatively expensive digital watches, but they’ve gone a bit further on the bling: special editions in shiny steel or with bit of Carbon and Ti stuck on, this was in no small way led by some of the ultra-fans getting further into modding G-shocks, not unlike Seiko dive watches I suppose. But mostly it was people swapping the moulded PU outer casings for machined Stainless and then Casio twigged and started selling their own shiny cased versions…

So yeah they fill a similar space to other “Macho” watches: overpriced, intended to infer a measure of ruggedness, but it is at least based on a history of having offered that since day 1.

The amount of pregnancies this thread is responsible for.

I mean G-Shock sales.

The amount of pregnancies this thread is responsible for.

Only because they snagged the condom on their horrific iso container looking watches.

And the complimentary Viagra.

And the complimentary Viagra.

Right up the EDC crowds street. Either that or their pocket knife is the only way they’re feeling a stiff three inches.

I found one of these in the woods close enough to Sennybridge to make me call the guardhouse as well as the local police to report it missing. No interest from either, so now it sits on my wrist for tactical missions in sensitive areas.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0252/7019/0129/products/luminox-original-navy-seal-43-mm-dive-watch-3001-f_2048x2048.jpg?v=1627989376