As mentioned in one of other threads, I am getting back into hunting/fishing trips again. For everyday wear I have pretty much given in and wear my Apple Watch almost exclusively.

Obviously the Apple Watch is not going to be a viable option in the field - Here are some things I am looking for:

- Larger digital numbers I can see without having to put reading glasses on
- GPS/Compass built in
- Battery life over 48 hours (the #1 deal breaker on trying to use my Apple Watch)
- SunRise/SunSet Option
- Stopwatch/Countdown timer

I’ve got an older Suunto that I’ve used for well over a decade - Just thinking it might be time to upgrade this piece of equipment as well.

ETA -

I’ve been looking at:

the Suunto Traverse Alpha
The Garmin Fenix 5

I had a Garmin Fenix 3 since 2015 and replaced it a couple months ago with the Fenix 6.

It's not exactly a smartwatch, but that's why it's such a good fitness/outdoors watch.

Good GPS, ~25 hours of active GPS time (~50 if you put it in low power, less frequent data point mode), if you turn the pulse oximeter off, ~30 days of battery life (but every hour of active GPS time kills about a day of overall battery life).

Ticks the other boxes, altimeter/barometer/compass, sunrise/sunset display, stopwatch and timer, faces with big digital numbers, etc.

One thing I really like about the Fenix line is you can get them with a sapphire crystal. I'm rough on watches and scratched crystals are a pet peeve. Sapphire crystals are damn near immune to scratches.

The Fenix 6 even has a decent nationwide road and topo map built in.

No experience with Suunto, but I've been delighted with my Garmins.

Garmin Instinct. Just bought one and it checks all your boxes. The base model is way less expensive that the solar powered models. Very good battery life and easy to see display that you can customize to your needs.

I have the Suunto traverse alpha and very pleased with it. Bought specifically for a hunting watch. Use it for sunrise sunset, marking new location of stands that I haven't got accustomed to finding in the dark yet or tracking in the dark to get back to none spot/stand. Battery life has been good for me. also Use it when I ride my cross country MTB to record my traveling. It's a good watch. Note if you get one find a rubber strap for it. The nylon gets stinky with that type of activity.

Make sure the timers and beeps are shut off when hunting. I had an Ironman I wore deer hunting. Get up early, hike out in the dark, climb into stand and wait. Legal shooting time was 705a. I heard something close eating apples. I was ready. At 700a the beeps told me what time it is. It also told the deer as I heard it go crashing away. Lesson learned.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
Garmin Instinct. Just bought one and it checks all your boxes. The base model is way less expensive that the solar powered models. Very good battery life and easy to see display that you can customize to your needs.

This! Checks all your boxes, plus some, and at a great price point.

I bought a Suunto Spartan a few years back for off-roading.
I started on the lower end as it was my first “smart” watch and was not sure how well it would actually do or how much I would use it.
I’ll likely upgrade to another Suunto soon.

Appreciate the feedback everyone!

I went with the Garmin Instinct Solar. Syncs up well with my iPhone so far - in fact I may end up selling a my extra Apple Watch...we’ll just have to see.

Thanks again!

— UPDATE —

After 2 weeks I returned the Garmin Instinct.

The primary reason being that the screen is just too small for me to read the smaller functions...even HR or outside temperature without wearing my reading glasses.

In addition, text messages that showed up on the screen were in very small font and the whole text was not always available to see.

In trade I picked up a Garmin 6x Sapphire. Maybe some overkill? Sure. But the screen is significantly larger and I can at least read the screen without having to put glasses on ever time.

quote:

Obviously the Apple Watch is not going to be a viable option in the field

Why? If it works everywhere else, why not while hunting? I have hunted foul and fur from boats, in the mountains and the brush and never done anything that would break an Apple Watch.

quote:

Why? If it works everywhere else, why not while hunting? I have hunted foul and fur from boats, in the mountains and the brush and never done anything that would break an Apple Watch.

As someone who has, and still does wear an Apple Watch (since Generation 3) I do not like using the touch screen with cold/wet hands and the battery life will always be a deal breaker for me.

Not going to work if I cannot go on a weekend hike or hunting trip without having to recharge every night.

Makes sense, I typically have a charging block in my pack so wouldn’t be an issue for the recharge. Can see where the touchscreen might be hassle.

Battery life will be the limiting factor on any watch with a built in GPS. If you can make do with a built in compass, a number of Casio G-Shock or Pro Trek watches will meet your criteria except sunrise/sunset which I suspect needs a GPS fix to calculate. You could always write the sunrise and sunset times on a piece of paper before you go.

Sinn 3006

https://www.sinn.de/en/Modell/HUNTING_WATCH_3006.htm

quote:

Originally posted by Snapping Twig:
Sinn 3006

https://www.sinn.de/en/Modell/HUNTING_WATCH_3006.htm

Wow.

And priced right around where I would expect! LOL

I run a Garmin Fenix 6 and it’s pretty good. Has gps maps sunrise-sunset etc.

Ronin1069, You’re probably not going to find any automatic watches with Valjoux 7750 movements that one would consider to be affordable. Think of it as buying something that has one of the most popular, somewhat expensive and beloved engine ever to be put in a watch. The design has been around 48 years and is still going strong.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
Ronin1069, You’re probably not going to find any automatic watches with Valjoux 7750 movements that one would consider to be affordable. Think of it as buying something that has one of the most popular, somewhat expensive and beloved engine ever to be put in a watch. The design has been around 48 years and is still going strong.

Yeah, I’ve pretty much accepted that. I’m so far really liking this Garmin 6.

I’ve a number of analog watches that I am going to try to sell in classifieds and the pick up something classically and aesthetically pleasing from Dave T to wear for dress.

Garmin Fenix 5 xl sapphire.

Picked up a refurbished model and have worn it now for over a year.

I love it.