The Best Outdoor Watches For Every Budget

In the wild and wonderful world of watches, many brands have made pieces geared towards just about every specific sport, adventure, and niche-within-a-niche under the sun. Down below, I’ll be embarking on a journey through the best watches made to brave the great outdoors, spanning from watches that make great light-hiking companions to those that are made to face the most punishing terrain. So there’s a little something for everyone here in this humble guide. I’ll be casting a wide net in terms of price point, ranging from the accessible entry points to the more luxury-leaning end of the spectrum.

[toc-section heading="Timex Expedition"]

Because I couldn’t choose just one watch from Timex’s collection geared towards outdoorsy folk, I’m going to rapid-fire through the highlights. If I were to pick out one watch for myself, I would probably go with the Expedition Chrono-Alarm Timer. It’s small and discreet, and realistically, I live in New York City, and my adventuring moments are usually quite tame. It’s water resistant 100 meters, I like the convenience of a digital display when I’m out on a leisurely hike upstate, and I like the added alarm and countdown timer functionality. It’s also $87, which is a comfortable price for me to spend on an outdoor watch. 

Pivoting to a more classic field watch option, I think the Expedition Camper is a pretty compelling, no-nonsense option. Its monochrome colorpalette is sleek, we got a nice fabric strap in case we work up a sweat, and the quintessential 24-hour time scale at the dial’s center that’s a nice callback to 20th-century military watch design. Its 50 meters of water resistance isn’t incredible, but this thing is under $80. The Expedition Titanium continues to be my value pick in the collection. This upcoming model is a versatile 38mm, has ISO 1413 compliant shock-resistance, and is water resistant up to 200 meters, all under the $300 mark. Personally, I would probably switch out the leather strap if I were to actually take it on a camping trip.

[toc-section heading="G-SHOCK"]

The name on everyone’s lips when the subject of durable, adventure-ready watches is brought up is a no-brainer: it’s G-SHOCK, of course. Resistance is the brand’s bread and butter. No other brand can really compete, especially with its catalog’s attainability factor. In my opinion, the most classic of the classic models in the 5600 series, like the DW5600E-1V, get the job done, and I love it when someone rocks a G-SHOCK just about anywhere. There’s a certain je ne sais quoi coolness factor about it. It’s under $100, can take a beating, has 200 meters of water resistance, quartz-powered reliability and ease of use, and a whole suite of useful functions beyond regular timekeeping. 

If you need a watch that goes above and beyond the standard G-SHOCK toughness, the Master of G-LAND subcollection is where G-SHOCK goes tactical. One model particularly suited to this roundup is the GG1000-1A3 within the Mudmaster line, which features added compass functionality, is built to conquer rubble, dirt, debris, and challenging climates, and is priced at $385.

[toc-section heading="Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical"]

Case: 38mm  Material: Steel Movement: H-50 Manual Water Resistance: 50 meters Price: $675

You’ve heard it all before, so I’ll be quick: the Khaki Field collection continues to be the value leader in the field watch category. Forgive me for being redundant, but I can’t make an outdoor watch guide without dropping at least one Khaki Field into the mix. My gut instinct is to go with the Khaki Field Mechanical 38 for its versatility (on the NATO strap, duh), and I’m gravitating towards more utilitarian watches for the purposes of this guide. This watch is one that would be unobtrusive while hiking or camping, easy to throw on, and its relatively attainable price point means that I wouldn’t be panicked over scuffing it up a little bit. It’s not the most water-resistant, but 50 meters does offer a little more security than basic splash-proofing. I would also recommend going with quartz if you’re going for more rugged terrain, but maybe I’m overly cautious. 

[toc-section heading="Citizen Garrison Eco-Drive Super Titanium"]

Case: 42mm Material: Super Titanium Movement: Solar Water Resistance: 100 meters Price: $450

There’s a lot going for this take on Citizen’s Garrison line in terms of outdoorsy-oriented utility. Dial side, we have clear 20th-century military/field watch inspiration, and I particularly like how large and legible the numerals and geometric indices are. The use of solar-powered quartz here feels practical for the subject at hand, utilizing Citizen’s Eco-Drive technology that charges with both natural and artificial light sources. The 42mm, to me, doesn’t strike as discreet, exactly, but you’ve got the lightweight feel of the titanium case and bracelet to help this watch wear more comfortably. The 100 meters of water resistance is also a huge plus on the versatility front, and this watch is also reasonably priced, coming in at under the $500 mark.

[toc-section heading="Unimatic UT4 Toolwatch"]

Case: 40mm  Material: Sandblasted steel Movement: VH31 quartz Water Resistance: 300 meters Price: $515

This Milanese-based brand has plenty of automatic mechanical toolwatches in its repertoire, but today, I’m finding myself drawn to this quartz-powered, time-only watch for this guide. This is a pick that falls (again) into that no-fuss field watch take on today’s subject. Why I’m going with this model is its mix of impressive ruggedness, everyday wearing possibilities, and that it’s a piece that has all the hallmarks of the brand’s Italian minimalism for just over the $500 mark. Measuring 40mm, the UT4 toolwatch is equipped with a 360-degree protection system, meets MILSPEC (i.e., military grade) standards of durability and accuracy, and is water resistant 300 meters.

[toc-section heading="Garmin Enduro 3"]

Case: 51mm Material: Fiber-reinforced polymer; titanium bezel Movement: Solar Water Resistance: 100 meters Price: $899.99

It feels necessary to include a smartwatch on this list geared towards real, intense adventurers, and Garmin’s Enduro 3 strikes me as one of the most capable watches on the market. It’s packed with all the bells and whistles you could possibly need if you’re planning to spend some time off the grid. Solar-powered charging;  multiband GPS and Bluetooth connectivity; heart rate, V02 max monitors, step counters, and heat and altitude acclimation tracking; recovery time trackers and performance metrics; topographic maps; and even a dedicated LED flashlight. It’s made with ultraperformance in mind. I will note that the main catch with this watch is its size: 51mm in diameter is big for any wrist. But it does make up for some of its large stature with its lightweight feel, weighing just 63 grams thanks to its titanium bezel. This is my pick for those who value high performance above everything else.

[toc-section heading="Certina DS Action Diver “New DS Concept Extreme”"]

Case: 40.5mm Material: Steel Movement: Powermatic 80 automatic mechanical Water Resistance: 300 meters Price: $920

I typically associate the “Outdoor Watches” subject predominantly with field watches, but hey, let’s add a diver into the mix to shake things up. This dive watch from Certina has won me over with its robust shock resistance, which the brand has dubbed “New DS Concept Extreme,” in which the movement and crystal have been fully reinforced, and there’s an added layer of security between the dial and movement to reinforce protection against impact. This watch also packs 300 meters of water resistance into pretty versatile dimensions, measuring 40.5mm in diameter with a 48.1mm lug-to-lug. The 14.1mm case height is a little bit more dramatic than I would gravitate towards for a watch to wear on a hike, but if your version of the great outdoors includes jumping into bodies of water of any kind, this is a great option.

[toc-section heading="Victorinox INOX"]

Case: 41mm Material: Steel Movement: Sellita SW200-1 automatic Water Resistance: 200 meters Price: $1,150

Victorinox has put its INOX collection through a myriad of truly punishing stress tests. Resilience is the core principle of the collection’s ethos, and the brand has (in its myriad of “Torture Test” videos) run over its watches with trucks, dropped them from 10-meter heights, and, oddly, frozen them in a block of ice that was then blasted with fire. An act of flashy marketing, sure, but a certain level of ruggedness should be expected from a watch positioned to be a companion for any adventure. I’m going with the mechanical model here, but the entire collection is pretty varied, so feel free to explore its quartz options and models with more experimental case materials before making any rash decisions. 

[toc-section heading="Oris Divers Date"]

Case: 39mm  Material: Steel  Movement: 733-1 Automatic Water Resistance: 200 meters Price: $2,800

This pick is my more elevated, GADA choice on this roundup. Personally, if I’m investing over a few hundred bucks on a watch, versatility is top of mind. But I’ve already admitted that I’m not exactly the outdoorsy type, so you can take that with a grain of salt. Still, with the Divers Date, you have streamlined minimalism that isn’t lacking in personality. Calling to classic mid-century dive watches, we’ve got 200 meters of water resistance, a ceramic bezel insert, and a Swiss-made automatic mechanical movement with the Caliber 733-1, all dressed up in a versatile, 39mm, everyday-carry-friendly package. Not my pick if you need something supremely rugged, but I think this watch works in most casual outdoor environments, especially if you switch out the bracelet for a strap.

[toc-section heading="Tudor Ranger"]

Case: 36mm; 39mm Material: Steel Movement: Manufacture Calibre MT5400; Manufacture Calibre MT5402 Water Resistance: 100 meters Price: Starts at $3,425

Tudor recently expanded upon its staple field watch collection, adding new sizing and dial color options to a line that had (in my opinion) largely been overshadowed by the brand’s other, more flashy collections. It will come as no surprise that the 36mm sizing is what I’m drawn to the most, but I don’t think I’m alone in this. The demand for watches in the more classic, smaller sizing realm is only on the rise. Thankfully, the smaller-scale Ranger models still have that mid-century field watch charm, streamlined dial language, 100-meter water resistance, and a COSC-certified Manufacture movement of their own. My pick for this purpose would be the 36mm Dune model paired with the olive green strap, but the good news is that you now have more Rangers than ever to choose from.

[toc-section heading="IWC Pilot’s Watch TOP GUN Mojave Desert"]

Case: 41mm Material: Ceramic Movement: IWC Manufacture 32112 automatic Water Resistance: 100 meters Price: $8,900

I can feel the eyebrows raising through my screen at this pick. I get it – this is the most expensive watch in this guide, ceramic is not as resilient as steel, blah blah blah. Let’s just call this my glamping choice. Or, the pick for those who connect to the great outdoors by flying a small plane. IWC’s colored ceramic options are what I personally find to be some of the most compelling in its catalog, and this take on the brand’s iconic Pilot’s watch is among its most wearable to date at 41mm. The monochrome color palette feels fresh, but the classic Pilot’s watch dial layout also makes the overall design feel grounded in the collection’s history. We might not be able to see it in action, given the closed caseback (decorated with Top Gun references, no less), but we’re working with the IWC manufacture caliber 32112 automatic, which has a 120-hour power reserve and 4 Hz frequency. Though it might not be able to take a beating like a G-SHOCK, this is still a tool watch at its core, made with aviation in mind, and also packs in 100 meters of water resistance to boot.