The Perfect Bush Watch!!!

[Pang]

Was talking with some friends about what the perfect bush watch would be like, and what comes close to it in the current day market.

We came up with:

Digital Compass
Thermometer
Accurate time keeping of course
GPS
Shock proof/ scratch proof
Waterproof
Robust strap
Lights up
preferablly digital (Very debatable However)

The best i've seen are the Suunto and G-Shocks


http://www.suunto.com/suunto/main/index.jsp

http://www.gshock.com/


anybody got any more ideas?

oh of course price contraints!!! is another factor, however after looking at some of the suunto watches, we kinda just began saying "well if i was rich/ had the money" etc.... lol

 

[Bogman10]

I don't have all the bells and whistles, but Solar G-shock MT-G is great for all l my fishing ,hunting, hiking, Bush whacking needs! Tough as nails ( like my wife's Steak....please don't tell her I said that! )

 

[Squidders]

My perfect watch tells the time only... I would worry about all my eggs in one basket if my watch did everything and then broke or was lost.

plus things that do one job seem to do that job better... things that do loads of things can often do them all badly... though I hear suunnto are alright.

 

[sam_acw]

I'd love a watch with a big analogue face but thin. Preferably black numbers on white with a brown leather strap.

 

[w00dsmoke]

The perfect bush watch is the intimate awareness and relationship that you have with the natural rhythms and cycles of your space in the world.

Unfortunatley this is difficult to achieve unless you spend alot of time consistently out of doors as this process is as dynamic as the earths cycles; it's something that cannot be learnt or taken away and revisited for use later and can only be achieved by doing and having an awareness while doing it.

 

[kiltedpict]

Hi all.

Until recently, the watch NEVER off my wrist was a Seiko Black Monster- absolutely amazing- totally robust, but lacks the features you mention.

http://zibet.net/black_monster.html

Recently though I got, as part of an engagement present, I became the very proud owner of a Tissot T-Touch Expert Titanium. (I also got a nice air of Bino's too!! How lucky am I!!)

I have not had a chance to use the watch's features in the wilds yet, but heading up to the Cairngorms next month so will find out how well it performs...

http://www.watchshopuk.com/index.php?target=products&product_id=99928413


atb,

KP

 

[hiraeth]

Much rather leave my watch in the house when i am out in the woods, spend enough of my time looking at it during the week for work.

 

[BushTucker]

That suunto x10 watch looks good but alas, no prices.

 

[John Fenna]

The perfect bush watch is the intimate awareness and relationship that you have with the natural rhythms and cycles of your space in the world.

Unfortunatley this is difficult to achieve unless you spend alot of time consistently out of doors as this process is as dynamic as the earths cycles; it's something that cannot be learnt or taken away and revisited for use later and can only be achieved by doing and having an awareness while doing it.

What he said - I do not let a timepiece interfere with my enjoyment of being "out there".
I eat when hungry, sleep when tired, wake when I have slept enough (or when the pressure of used alcohol tells me to wake (hopefully in time!)).
However - if I have to catch a train/bus/plane at the end of a bushy trip I find that myTimex digital £17 cheapo stands up to everything quite nicely, tells the time, has an alarm and is waterproof to beyond the depth that my body is....
It is all I have needed (that and a Casio of similar spec that I lost) in the past20 years of expeditioning, bushyness, backpacking ,canoeing etc.....
I always have been a cheapskate!

 

[HillBill]

I have a Timex E compass. Simple, accurate enough.It has time, date and compass with a backlight.

http://www.timex.co.uk/product_description.aspx?pid=226&id=65

 

[Jedadiah]

Got two Suunto's, a Vector which i use for Bushcrafting and a Core black lite which i love but only use it for casual. When the Vector dies, it'll be rotated into Bushcraft use and a replacement will be sought and i have no doubt it will be another Suunto.

 

[Peter_t]

imho if you want a GPS get a GPS not a shadow of the real thing. same goes for camera phones, if you want a good quality camera dont get a camera phone!
also a thermometer on a watch would be wildly inaccurate because of interfearance from your body heat


pete

 

[Minotaur]

Use to have a thermometer watch, it is like a lot of those things.

Played with it for a while and then used it for its purpose i.e. a watch.

I really like the look of one of the Timex experdition range. A real watch, but with a digital bit, and often a compass as well.

If you are buying these things to do these uses they are back up at most.

That said, some of the phones can do stuff surprisingly well.

 

[SkogKniv]

I have a G-Shock dress watch with solar panel face and atomic time. All this is great of course but for the life of me I can't remember a time I ever had a watch on me when I was in the forest. I don't knock anyone for bringing one of course. I just don't feel it is needed when you have a compass or some general knowledge on judging time by using nature.

 

[Squidders]

The perfect bush watch is the intimate awareness and relationship that you have with the natural rhythms and cycles of your space in the world.

Unfortunatley this is difficult to achieve unless you spend alot of time consistently out of doors as this process is as dynamic as the earths cycles; it's something that cannot be learnt or taken away and revisited for use later and can only be achieved by doing and having an awareness while doing it.

What on earth have you been smoking?!?!?!

 

[HillBill]

I have a G-Shock dress watch with solar panel face and atomic time. All this is great of course but for the life of me I can't remember a time I ever had a watch on me when I was in the forest. I don't knock anyone for bringing one of course. I just don't feel it is needed when you have a compass or some general knowledge on judging time by using nature.

People are outdoors for various reasons. I sometimes have a watch on, sometimes don't. When i'm out with the cadets i always wear one. When i'm on my own i generally have my phone with me anyway.

With regards to a compass on a watch. I use mine as a back up when i have my compass. I use it most around towns and cities where it can be difficult to judge your bearings athough i think thats more me just 'playing' than anything.

Its definately worth having a compass on a watch if it works properly. No extra space needed. Mine just has a fourth hand that points north at the push of a button.

 

[SkogKniv]

People are outdoors for various reasons. I sometimes have a watch on, sometimes don't. When i'm out with the cadets i always wear one. When i'm on my own i generally have my phone with me anyway.

With regards to a compass on a watch. I use mine as a back up when i have my compass. I use it most around towns and cities where it can be difficult to judge your bearings athough i think thats more me just 'playing' than anything.

Its definately worth having a compass on a watch if it works properly. No extra space needed. Mine just has a fourth hand that points north at the push of a button.

CELLPHONE!!! Oh my...time to unplug mate haha. haha of course its a good idea with cadets which I take to mean kids.

There is no place I hike where my cellphone works. Over the years I have just become accustomed to not having it with me.

 

[HillBill]

CELLPHONE!!! Oh my...time to unplug mate haha. haha of course its a good idea with cadets which I take to mean kids.

There is no place I hike where my cellphone works. Over the years I have just become accustomed to not having it with me.

Unfortunately i get little chance to be without a phone. It's a habit (bad one maybe) that i always have it in my pocket.

Yes cadets are kids(ish) aged 13 to 18. (Air cadets)

 

[Squidders]

you're hard pushed in the UK to find somewhere with absolutely no signal on a phone... as for "unplugging" it's all well and good until some sort of emergency then you're screaming at the sky for some sort of communication.

 

[Pict]

My Ultimate bushcraft watch hanging by a thread...

PSK to the rescue...

Good as new.

At least the knife is Swiss.

Mac