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Hi summer! Hello great outdoors and city park scene! If the good times outside are here, all important quandary – do you have one of the best outdoor watches to strap on your wrist? If not, why not pair much-needed fresh air with a tool watch to nudge you into venturing outside populated areas?
Here are some rugged, colourful and best outdoor watches to get you in the game, from classic field watches, land logged divers and no-compromise rugged exploration tools – all for a lot less than you were expecting, so that excuse is right out of the window.
Hamilton Khaki Field 44mm
The term field watch is a common definition of a clean-cut military style watch with a rugged demeanour. This big, burly 44mm Hamilton Khaki Field has all the right chunky attributes, while emanating a strong sense of mid-century fighter pilot chic – because that's a thing. The rugged steel case is smoothly sandblasted and there's a tough 100m depth rating, making it a vintage-cool companion that laughs at the challenges of the mild excursions you have in mind. £1,690. At goldsmiths.co.uk
Citizen Promaster Diver Ecozilla
Cue a cheeky crossover into another fave category of capable wristwear. A diver in the woods? Just one look at this big boy Ecozilla with its tonal olive strap and dial and your doubts evaporate into the morning mist at your Ben Nevis base camp. Within the massive ion-plated 48mm case lies a dial with the ABC of legibility. And its 300m depth rating translates to a bullet-proof nature that is proper value at £499. At goldsmiths.co.uk
Seiko 5 Sports SKX Camouflage
The Seiko 5 Sports range is a brace of big-value watches in a comfortable 42.5mm case size with a wealth of colour choice. While you can go all-out with a Satsuma fresh or bright green wrist fit, we’re going night mission camouflage. A stealthy look comes courtesy of a black-hard coated case on a rough-and-tumble NATO strap for all your outdoor activities. If that includes something nocturnal you’ll have Seiko’s proprietary Lumibrite application on the dial to keep you on time. £310. At seikoboutique.co.uk
Timex Expedition North Field Post
The Timex Expedition is one of the contenders for best value tough guy on this list. Its value is near-unbeatable for the specs, including a sapphire crystal, lumed dial markings, and a military-vibe matte grey case. A rather good everyday watch, but you might now expect its 5-star sustainability rating with solar charging and a 100% recycled plastic NATO strap too. A quintessential field watch made future-proof for £155. At timex.co.uk
Marloe Watch Company Sceptre Aggron
Marloe Watch Company is a small watchmaker hailing from Scotland with a studied line in mechanical wristwear. The Sceptre is bereft of homage details, with a Miyota 9039 movement powering the turbine-bezelled watch. There is an instrument-like clarity in the sandblasted case framing a pure white dial with subtle details. Minimalist crisp hands with big lume to the hands underlines a precision we didn’t expect for £399. At marloewatchcompany.com
Casio G-Shock GBA-900-4AET
We don’t even need to explain a G-Shock’s forte in the wild, as they are the measure of toughness for a wristwatch. A classic case (pun intended) of wild looks, brawny body and welterweight feel, this candy-pop of a tool watch is a good nudge you need to get out of the house. Packed with features including a GPS and step counter on a Bluetooth app, and the colour? Well if you get lost just affix it to the top of the nearest tree and you’ll be seen from miles away. £119. At jurawatches.co.uk
Farer Lander Kano 36mm
Here’s one for the contrarians, which includes a fair few of us at GQ HQ. Farer’s take on classic legibility and mechanical field watches culminates in the big presence of the new 36mm Lander Kano. With a five-year guarantee and a solid Swiss movement, it’s a tough nugget with a cheery outlook on life outdoors. The Brit brand's sartorial nous makes it pop like mad with a rich pink sunburst dial accentuated by bright red and blue in the details. The piece de resistance is an outer 24-hour scale with a dedicated fuchsia-filled arrow making your travels a smile-filled joy. £1,225. At farer.com
Sinn EZM 12
Designed as standard equipment for the German emergency rescue services, the EZM12 means business. With timing functions including the “platinum 10 minutes” of emergency doctors mission-briefs, this is a 44mm tool watch with no functional compromise. Its seconds hand includes a dedicated pulse scale, while the colourful design includes a hardened steel case and an orange strap. Time to sign up for that rescue course so you can make a difference in the wild. £3,570 buys you a German über-tool. At jurawatches.co.uk
Luminox Master Series Bear Grylls Survival
Tongue firmly in cheek, this massive tool watch sets certain demands on you by its name alone. The black non-subtle Big Dog 45mm case on sizzling orange rubber sets the bar pretty high, but seriously. We’re not expecting you to get heli-dropped into the Burmese jungle armed with nothing but this and your Boy Scout knife and survive. It has got a compass on the strap though, so do it, but remember a power bank for your iPhone. Instagram story-updates, right? £899. At jurawatches.co.uk
Bamford London B80
Let the Bamford B80 Adventure do what it says on the tin, just strap it on and jump into a beat-up Land-Rover. Make it a vintage short wheelbase 90 with lifted suspension and a touch of rust to match the rich brown dial. Just pack a duffle bag and this 39mm field watch sweetheart. On its own it is simply a very capable watch with a lightweight titanium case, and there’s no denying its inspirational ability. Cocoa-cool for £1,250. At goldsmiths.co.uk
Bremont MB Viper
If your outdoor activities include a pilot’s jumpsuit, this is your choice of functionional wristwear. In monochrome black with a sassy coloured bezel, the Viper is a tool’s tool. Its no-compromise look is inspired by the Bremont test rig for its celebrated ENG300 Manufacture movement, and has the looks of undisguised intent. Designed with British aviation company Martin-Baker it’s like seeing a mad concept car come to life (a rugged all-terrain one, that is). Unexpectedly light through titanium and anodised aluminium, this 43.5mm piece of wrist-history has a battle-ready carbon coating and rubberised anti-shock system. It’s probably tougher than you, so let that inspire you. £5,495. At bremont.com
Casio MRW-200H
A rough and ready Casio calls for a different approach, and a great idea for your crew mates. At this price you’ll have unbeatable value for exploring your choice of wilderness with your best mates. Get 3-4 of these and hand them out with a set of coordinates and a time, pack light and bring rain gear. And before you ask, the coordinates cannot be the location of a pub in the Cotswolds. You’re sleeping in a tent tonight. £32.90. At jurawatches.co.uk
Schofield B3 Bronze Beater
A very British, small, and plucky brand, Schofield Watches has been steered by Giles Ellis for more than a decade. The watches are intriguingly comfortable for their size, with an unmistakeable look that sets them apart from anything else. Not an outdoors watch per se, but the pre-rugged looks of the dark patinated bronze of the tellingly-named Bronze Beater B3 says it all. Its spare design is a tailored blend of brawn and dark blue chic, all rather tempting at £3,348. At schofieldwatchcompany.com
