The best outdoors watch is a pocket watch

[Hassilov]

I haven’t worn a watch since I started using cellphones many years ago. In fact, I don't even own a wristwatch anymore. But on solo canoe trips, I’ve found many instances where it’s pretty important to know what time it was. For everything from cooking, to sterilizing water, to planning the day's route or chores. But my cellphone is always turned off to save the battery and is packed away in a watertight box. Not very convenient. And a wristwatch would absolutely get destroyed by me – banged up, covered in deet, etc.

Enter the waterproof Wenger Standard Issue pocket watch. In the spring I bought this from an online retailer called Midwest Watches for $119.00. Over the year I have used it on my solo canoe trips, for a total of 4 weeks wilderness use. it's probably one of the best purchases I've made and is now an object that conjures up fond memories.

The watch is built with the quality and durability you’d expect. Extremely legible… in camp I just leave it on the ground facing up… easy to find, easy to read. Only a little time in the daylight will charge the luminous hands and numbers. The watch stayed readable for me all night. The alarm is noticeably quieter than a travel clock but it got me up no problem. It will stop beeping after 8 seconds to save the battery.

The fitted leather case has a porthole to allow you to still see the time when it’s snapped closed. This case also unfolds and snaps upright so the watch can sit like a desk clock. It comes with a braided leather strap if you want to fasten it to your belt loop. I don’t use that though. I just pop it in my front pocket or in the side pocket of my day pack.

Wenger Pocket Watch

A few pics of mine...

 

[SpookyPistolero]

That's a very smart looking watch, good purchase. Seems like a great woods companion. If I didn't look like a weirdo, I'd carry a pocket watch day-to-day.

 

[myright]

That's a great looking time piece you've got there. I could see how it would come in VERY handy having it stand up like that.

My dad swears by his pocket watch, I'm not sure I've ever seen him wear a regular watch, ever.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[razcob]

To each his own, but I think a pocketwatch without being attached to something, like a watch to a wrist, could become lost or left behind at your campsite and particularly at night. The crystal is probably not hardened like sapphire, so one drop on a rocky trail in the exposed center could damage it. Also, while using two hands for cooking, you would have to free one hand to pull it out of your pocket and that would be inconvenient. If you use it like in the picture (on the ground), it could be easily stepped on and damaged. I'll stick to my G-shock.

 

[Nimick]

I agree the pocket watch definetly has some merits when camping. I've lost three wristwatches camping/canoeing because the buckle got hit just right and they fell to oblivion. In fact, there is a really nice seiko divers watch lying somewhere along the bank of the penobscott if anybody wants to look.

 

[el dub]

Nice watch Hassilov. I carry one too. Its a cutdown Marlboro miles watch I got some years ago. Fits in my watch pocket on my levis. Haven't stepped on it or dropped it yet. Nor lost it as you can see. I'm kind of coodinated. You gotta be to go hiken out in the woods.

 

[Hassilov]

Nice watch Hassilov. I carry one too. Its a cutdown Marlboro miles watch I got some years ago. Fits in my watch pocket on my levis. Haven't stepped on it or dropped it yet. Nor lost it as you can see. I'm kind of coodinated. You gotta be to go hiken out in the woods.

I also like that version you have. There are leather belt loop holders you can get for those that look pretty sweet. The watch hangs upside down so you can read it at a glance.

 

[knarfeng]

I carry a pocket watch on a daily basis.