Best Rugged Men’s Watches

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Best Rugged Men’s Watches

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How to Choose the Best Rugged Men's Watch

Do you need a watch that will hold up to all of your outdoor adventures? You’ve come to the right place! In our rugged men’s watch buying guide, we’ve researched and reviewed a selection of products that are specifically targeted to durability and masculinity. If this is your first time buying a rugged watch, we’ll take a look at some of the things you should consider before you start shopping. Then we’ll get to the reviews!

Best Rugged Men’s Watches

Band Materials: You’re going to want a band that isn’t going to snap, fray, or come apart if it gets snagged on something. There’s a bonus for a band that is waterproof. The most common are nylon and resin.

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Water Resistant Depth: Can you dive or swim with the watch on? For most rugged watches, the answer is yes! Most have a depth that they continue to work at, so check this out before you jump in the water.

How to Choose the Best Rugged Men's Watch

Case Diameter: This refers to the size of the face of the watch, most often the round part of it. A bigger case is easier to see but tends to get caught on things more often. Choose your best size!

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Multi-Functional: Can it tell the time in foreign countries? Does it have a stopwatch or a calendar? Multi-functional watches do much more than just tell time. If you’re looking for a simple timepiece, look for one that isn’t multi-functional.

Best Rugged Men’s Watches

LED Backlight: The LED backlight on a watch makes it easier to see the time or other functions on the face. Most rugged watches come with a backlight for dark places that can be activated by pressing a button.

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Warranty: A warranty protects you from errors associated with the manufacturing process. Most companies refund or replace defective units if the problem is their fault. A longer warranty means that you are protected for a longer period of time.

Top 10 Products

Now that you know what to look for, let’s get to our rugged men’s watch reviews! All of the products on this list are pretty beefy and can stand up to a lot of use and abuse. If you’re eager to get back out there, check out our top pick and budget pick first. After that, look through all the other amazing watches we recommend. We’re sure that you’ll find the rugged watch for you!

Casio GW-9400-1CR Watch

Casio GW-9400-1CR Watch
Casio is one of the favorites in the watch game, and for good reason! This watch is, amazingly enough, solar powered! You won’t have to worry about the battery going dead on you as long as you let it soak up some rays. It’s a multi-function piece with multiple displays and many features. These include a compass, altimeter, sunrise and sunset time, stopwatch, and 5 daily alarms. We were astounded at the number of features on this amazing piece! It’s one of the best rugged men’s watches for sale and manages to do it all without the help of a battery. How amazing is that? Do you want to hear the best part? It’s water resistant down to scuba diving levels, so you won’t have to worry about getting it wet in normal conditions! On top of that, the timekeeping on this watch is amazing. It’s kept to atomic time, which means that it’s always one hundred percent correct!
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Timex Ironman Rugged Watch

Timex Ironman Rugged Watch
The Timex Ironman Watch can go with you no matter what activity you’re doing! It’s water resistant in swimming and snorkeling conditions, up to a depth of 330 feet. We love that! It’s a pretty simple timepiece, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t come with a load of functions and perks. It’s got an alarm and a countdown timer for when you’re training or taking a power nap between laps. And speaking of laps? It’s got a 30 lap memory with the onboard stopwatch, so you can keep track of your best time without having to write anything down. The Ironman is one of a few cheap rugged watches that we love! It even comes in a version that has yellow accenting for when you really want to stand out. That’s bold! This watch is dependable and easy to use, and even lets you turn off the things you aren’t using. We think that’s pretty amazing!
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Citizen Eco-Drive Watch

Citizen Eco-Drive Watch
The Citizen Eco-Drive is one of the best rugged watches on our list. It’s inspired by the military and is simple but effective. The band is canvas, so it will dry out easily if it gets wet. If you want to swim or snorkel with this watch, you’re in the clear, but you might want a different watch for diving. This watch is solar powered and charges in both natural sunlight and indoor light, making it less likely to run out of juice. The dial window is made of mineral crystal, so it’s durable and clear! The hand that measures the seconds is red, making it contrast nicely – and the parts that aren’t crystal are made of durable stainless steel! If you’re looking for a watch without all the bells and whistles, this is the perfect watch for you. It even tells analog time so you can avoid the digital watch face! We think that you’ll love this eco-friendly watch.
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CampCo HUMVEE Watch

CampCo HUMVEE Watch
This CampCo watch looks amazingly masculine! It’s got a square face and cool-looking boxy numbers to give it that extra edge! It’s so incredibly beefy that it’s shock resistant, and water resistant down to 150 feet. The LED backlight lights up the entire face instead of just the numbers, which is pretty amazing for times in the dark. The display of the time is large and easy to read so you won’t have to squint or move it any closer. It can display in military, 24-hour time, and has three separate alarms. This watch has it all, and it looks really cool! The face is army green and the band is black nylon. It’ll be the perfect companion for all of your adventures, and it’s one of those really cool rugged watches you can’t help but want to own! On top of all of this, the one year warranty will protect you from any defects in the product.
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Casio G-Shock Sports Watch

Casio G-Shock Sports Watch
This product proves that Casio makes some of the best rugged men’s watches of all time! This watch keeps atomic time, so it’s always correct no matter what time it is. It’s solar powered so you don’t have to worry about a wasteful battery or a costly replacement in a few years. It’s shock resistant so it’ll stick around no matter how much you bang it into stuff on accident. What’s incredible about this watch is the water resistant depth – you can scuba dive with this watch on with no fear that it will stop working! It has four different alarms that can be activated daily, as well as a snooze option. In addition, it beeps when it hits the hour, so you always have a good idea of what time it is! It can even be adjusted to 31 different time zones! That’s pretty awesome as far as we are concerned. This watch is functional and durable!
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Diesel Men’s Machinus Watch

Diesel Men’s Machinus Watch
This Diesel Machinus watch is another simple model – no multi-functionality, but it looks really cool and has a large face. It displays analog time so you’ll always be able to see without the hassle of a digital version. There are four different time trackers within the face of this watch, and you can set each of them separate with a subdial. Keep track of four different time zones or countries if you want! The viewing window is crystal, so it’s always going to be clear and resist scratches. On top of this, the band is leather, so it won’t be affected at all by water. And speaking of water, you can swim for short periods of time with this watch, so it’s okay if you forget to take it off! The 2-year warranty keeps you protected in case something goes wrong. The closure is a buckle so you can easily adjust it to your wrist!
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Daniel Steiger Sports Watch

Daniel Steiger Sports Watch
This Daniel Steiger looks like the Cadillac of rugged men’s watches! It’s got a steel case to keep the internal parts of your watch safe from shock or jolts. The digital format windows embedded in the face of the watch can show the 24-hour time, and it’s easy to access its alarm systems. There’s an hourly chime you can turn on and off, as well as a calendar and chronograph. The face is made of clear, perfect mineral glass that resists scratches and dings, perfect for all of your rugged outdoor needs. The band is made of rubber, so it will stay where you put it without being affected by water. Don’t worry about washing your hands or splashing this watch – it’s water resistant to all of these small mishaps. And have we mentioned how cool this timepiece looks? The sleek chrome and dial designs make it look positively futuristic! It’s stylish and effective at its job!
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Casio Men’s Forester Watch

Casio Men’s Forester Watch
Casio is back again, this time breaking into the realm of rugged outdoor watches. The Forester is specifically designed for long hikes in the woods or extended hunting or fishing trips. IT won’t let you down! The outer dial features the standard 12-hour time denomination, while the inside lets you know the hour in 24-hour time. The 3-o'clock space is taken up by a date window, making this watch traditional and useful! The case is made of resin, and the band is water-resistant nylon. You can take this watch swimming with you, and you can even snorkel with it on! Instead of a buckle, this band has a hook-and-loop closure to make it easy to take off and to adjust on. And the best part? It’s got a full three-year battery life, so you can rest easy knowing it’s not going to die anytime soon. This watch is reliable and masculine, perfect for the outdoorsman in your life!
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TKO Rugged Aviator Watch

The Aviator watch by TKO looks amazing! The face is a matte black with an orange leather band and orange hands and ticks for the time. It doesn’t display any numbers, just dashes for the different hours, which makes it look sleek in our opinion. So you want a simple watch that doesn’t take much fussing to get going? This is the watch for you. The subdials on the side of the watch are just there for looks – part of the reason that this watch is such an amazingly affordable price! This watch is masculine and artsy, with minimal functions to keep it simple when you’re working! It definitely deserves a place on our list of good rugged watches. In addition to being able to stand up to anything, the colors are vivid and nice! We love the way it looks and feels, not to mention the large face and crystal-clear display window.
The Aviator watch by TKO looks amazing! The face is a matte black with an orange leather band and orange hands and ticks for the time. It doesn’t display any numbers, just dashes for the different hours, which makes it look sleek in our opinion. So you want a simple watch that doesn’t take much fussing to get going? This is the watch for you. The subdials on the side of the watch are just there for looks – part of the reason that this watch is such an amazingly affordable price! This watch is masculine and artsy, with minimal functions to keep it simple when you’re working! It definitely deserves a place on our list of good rugged watches. In addition to being able to stand up to anything, the colors are vivid and nice! We love the way it looks and feels, not to mention the large face and crystal-clear display window.
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CheersCase Special Forces Watch

We couldn’t have a list of the top rugged watches without including this one. The CheersCase Special Forces edition watch looks as sleek as it performs! The band is an army-green nylon, which pairs really well with the silver of the case and accents on the face. The band is comfortable and breathable, so you can sweat without it getting under the band. It’s resistant to scratches and the battery will last at least two years. If it doesn’t last that long, there’s a 2-year warranty to replace or refund your money. What have you got to lose? While this watch isn’t meant to be submerged in water, it’s sleek enough that you wouldn’t want to anyway! It’s got a military aesthetic that matches its name, and a classic, small-text analog face. And with a price so affordable, there’s no reason not to try it out! Be the envy of all your guy friends with this watch!
We couldn’t have a list of the top rugged watches without including this one. The CheersCase Special Forces edition watch looks as sleek as it performs! The band is an army-green nylon, which pairs really well with the silver of the case and accents on the face. The band is comfortable and breathable, so you can sweat without it getting under the band. It’s resistant to scratches and the battery will last at least two years. If it doesn’t last that long, there’s a 2-year warranty to replace or refund your money. What have you got to lose? While this watch isn’t meant to be submerged in water, it’s sleek enough that you wouldn’t want to anyway! It’s got a military aesthetic that matches its name, and a classic, small-text analog face. And with a price so affordable, there’s no reason not to try it out! Be the envy of all your guy friends with this watch!
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About the Author

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Samantha Dewitt

Expert Researcher and Writer

Samantha Dewitt is a lead researcher and writer for GeekWrapped, writing under a pen name. She gets excited about pet, baby, and science products and has over 12 years of experience.

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Article last updated on:

September 30, 2019

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TOP PICK

Casio GW-9400-1CR Watch

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