Watches for canyoneering.

I just flew back from a trip to Korea and China. (Sight seeing, not canyoneering :ne_nau:). Flying back on Delta, I watched 127 Hours again. They featured Franco wearing a yellow Suunto Vector in his portrayal of Ralston (great product placement-the damn watch is like a character in the movie). It made me think of the watch I wear canyoneering, a $25 Timex Ironman that refuses to die or get lost. It has now survived about 15 years of abuse. Even the strap is still going strong. Only the battery needs servicing. But being a gear whore I think a new watch might be on the horizon. Wondering what watches others use in the brutal canyon environment?

Ken

Timex Ironman

But I only get 2-3 years out of them, before the buttons stop working or the face is so scratched up.

Tom :moses:

Timex Ironman.

Best $30 watch made.

Dang... I'm a watch whore, I feel naked without a watch on. I probably have 100 watches ranging from cheapo Timex up to Rolex and Tag Heuer. But the one time I NEVER wear a watch is canyoneering. It just destroys them. If I need to know what time it is I just look at the sun, which is good enough for canyoneering time keeping. The few times I have wanted an exact time I just look at my GPS... YMMV.

I agree with Shane. The sun's all you need. Most of us people are planning on being there all day anyway, so the most important thing is getting out before dark, which you can tell by the sun, in my opinion.

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Originally Posted by ratagonia

Timex Ironman

But I only get 2-3 years out of them, before the buttons stop working or the face is so scratched up.

Tom :moses:

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I know, despite my best efforts this watch endures.

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But the one time I NEVER wear a watch is canyoneering. It just destroys them. If I need to know what time it is I just look at the sun, which is good enough for canyoneering time keeping.

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I think of the passage of time as a significant navigation function, so I like to have a watch on my wrist.

I went into a hotel pool with my Blancpain with my daughter..I guess I did not seat the crown properly. It is a swim watch but not so much. It is still at the factory after 3 months. I wouldn't dream of wearing anything nice into a canyon-forget-a-bout it. My partner's seiko dive watch now looks like he's used it as a chockstone. I was wondering how long that big crystal face of the Suunto would actually hold up.

I have been thinking about getting a Luminox for use in canyoneering (has the radioactive vials that illuminate the dial) but I do like the alarm on the Timex and it is hard to beat the price for something that is destined to be destroyed.

Ken

FWIW: Overstock.com has some amazing deals on mid level to high end watches. I've made some killer buys on Seiko Chronographs. I also have a friend that was making extra coin by buying high end watches on Overstock and selling them elsewhere a few years back. The watches that didn't sale he would return to Overstock under their 30 day no-questions asked return policy.

I have no clue how their prices are on entry level watches as I've never price shopped them.

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Originally Posted by Iceaxe

FWIW: Overstock.com has some amazing deals on mid level to high end watches. I've made some killer buys on Seiko Chronographs. I also have a friend that was making extra coin by buying high end watches on Overstock and selling them elsewhere a few years back. The watches that didn't sale he would return to Overstock under their 30 day no-questions asked return policy.

I have no clue how their prices are on entry level watches as I've never price shopped them.

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Nice:lol8::lol8:

I usually just use the clock on my camera (panasonic ts3), and when I say usually I mean since Christmas :haha:.

Timex Ironman...still going strong, though I've scratched the face up a bit.

Hours seem like minutes when we are hiking down a canyon. If we used the sun to tell time, our forced bivy's would go up significantly. (our bivy total is currently zero)

I recommend the Casio Forester. The Forester comes in several different models; this one is $23 on eBay -

Casio FT500WV-5BV Men's Forester Analog Illuminator Sports Watch

The plastic on the face is kind of soft, but the wrist strap is tough.

Just like that, it's over for my ancient Timex Ironman watch. I went to replace the battery but this time, it didn't wake up. It was a hardy watch. Never a complaint no matter how much abuse I put it through. From cold, muddy potholes in the Squeeze to frozen snow covered passes in the High Sierras, it was unphased by insect repellant, sun screen, and the kind of abuse my pampered Rolex President would never put up with. Need to wiz at night, no problemo, the nightglo was enough light to get the job done. Alpine start at 1AM, the watch would reliably beep away to wake me. It will be fondly remembered as a strong, dependable, selfless team member that was all business and no nonsense. It clocked softly but carried a big tok. I suspect they don't make them like that any more. I hope it can be replaced with a watch that is at least half as tough as it was. Long live my Timex Ironman watch. It will be missed.

Ken
:bore:

any old watch - just keep it in your pack

Some times i like to know what time it is. Most of the time when im out in the wood (my definition of wood being anywhere out of cities having fun in wilderness) i just go on dark or not dark and the sun to see how not dark :2thumbs: