The rugged features and durable design of these tactical watches make them a worthy, long-lasting companion for your wrist.
Tactical watches are timepieces designed to be especially durable and functional in harsh environments. Their robustness makes them popular with outdoor enthusiasts or people who want their watch to have a long lifespan.
To characterise a tactical watch, they’re typically made using hardy materials like steel, carbon fibre or high-strength polymers. They’ll also be designed to withstand water submersion to varying degrees, with well-sealed components.
While traditional tactical watches commonly have timeless features like a compass, altitude measurement and timer, modern watches often include smart specs such as high-tech GPS, health monitoring and a range of other digital features.
If you’re looking to get hold of a tactical watch, we’ve listed our top picks with key specifications below.
Best all rounder
Garmin Instinct Solar Tactical
!["Garmin]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/4/2023/06/Untitled-3--2in-2023-06-29T154405.588-16d313c.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Garmin")
Garmin’s Instinct Solar GPS watch features a fibre-reinforced polymer case with a gorilla glass screen, which is said to deliver military standard toughness.
The battery can deliver up to 54 days of charge when working in smartwatch mode, which is supplemented by a solar battery. It draws in solar energy to keep ticking along, with a graph that can show you the active solar intensity.
There’s access to all of Garmin’s latest apps and technology, including performance apps like heart rate, sleep tracking and sports-specific fitness apps.
There’s also more tactical-specific features, such as night vision compatibility, projected waypoints so you know your way back, and even “Jumpmaster Mode”, if for some reason, you’re planning on doing some parachuting.
Water Resistance: 100 metres
Battery Life: 54 days
Weight: 168g
Notable Features: Garmin sports apps, health tracking, GPS
Best advanced GPS
Coros Vertix 2 GPS Adventure Watch
!["COROS]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/4/2023/06/Untitled-3--2in-2023-06-29T154450.023-1ebfe50.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"COROS")
Coros’ Vertix 2 features the ability to dial into all five major satellite systems, which aims to feed back the sharpest GPS possible. This is called Dual Frequency satellite communication, which was previously only a feature of aviation products.
Coros say this allows for accurate GPS plotting in areas that would have previously been challenging, such as alongside rock walls or in deep forest.
It also features Coros’ health applications, measuring your body’s ability to recover from stress through metric like your heart rate.
There’s 32GB of storage for music, workouts and routes, which should be plenty. It can also connect to an Insta360 camera for remotely controlled photos.
Water Resistance: 100 metres
Battery Life: 60 days of regular use/140 hours of full GPS
Weight: 91g
Notable Features: Dual frequency satellite communication, health apps, camera connectivity
Best affordable option
Casio G-Shock Octagon
!["Casio]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/4/2023/06/Untitled-3--2in-2023-06-29T154619.623-035e247.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Casio")
G-Shock watches became part of pop culture in the 90s. They’ve done collaborations with fashion brands and famous musicians, but they’re also a viable, affordable option if you’re looking for a tactical watch.
The GA-210 Octagon doesn’t have the smartwatch apps and modern tech of some of the other picks on this list, but it features a battery life of up to three years and a water resistance of 200 metres.
It can set up to five daily alarms, display two different time zones simultaneously and features a luminous coating for illumination in the dark.
Water Resistance: 200 metres
Battery Life: 3 years
Weight: 52g
Notable Features: Dual illuminator, hollow core guard structure
Best old-school design
Bertucci A-2s Ballista
!["Bertucci]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/4/2023/06/Untitled-3--2in-2023-06-29T154704.187-cc7cc40.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Bertucci")
If you’re more attracted to traditional tactical watch aesthetics, Bertucci’s A-2s Ballista features an old-school military-esque design, from the nylon webbing band to the 40mm stainless steel case.
Its analogue watch face does away with all digital elements, with just a 12/24 hour display and a date sub dial, but this aims to provide some added durability.
The screen is a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and all components from the crown to the band hardware are the same stainless steel as the case, painted a matte black.
Water Resistance: 200 metres
Battery Life: 3 years
Weight: 77g
Notable Features: 12 and 24-hour dial, stainless steel components, date sub-dial
Best mid-priced
Suunto Core
- Buy now from Suunto (£129.00)
!["Suunto]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/4/2023/06/Untitled-3--2in-2023-06-29T155010.582-7d40f76.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Suunto")
For a mid-range tactical watch, the Suunto Core Classic features a wide range of features and uses available.
It features an altimeter, barometer and compass, while also providing a weather forecast with a storm alarm. There’s also times fed back to let you know when the sun rises and sets.
The strap is made from an elastic material which is designed to be durable and long lasting. The composite case and aluminium bezels help ensure water resistance for up to 30 metres, plus there’s a depth meter for snorkelling or shallow diving for up to 10 metres.
Water Resistance: 30 m
Battery Life: 1 year
Weight: 64 g
Notable Features: Depth meter, storm alarm, replaceable battery
Best for new tech with an old-school look
Garmin Tactix Bravo
- Buy now from Garmin (£539.99)
!["garmin]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/4/2023/06/Untitled-3--2in-2023-06-29T155121.450-d434d75.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"garmin")
Garmin’s Tactix Bravo aims to combine Garmin’s latest tech with an understated, traditional tactical watch design. The case is a fibre reinforced polymer, but the stainless-steel bezel and the ballistic nylon strap reminiscent of more classic watches.
It houses Garmin’s steel antenna with dual satellite reception, which the brand says has the ability to track in challenging environments. To check your location, there’s a range of preloaded applications and grid coordinates.
In terms of tactical-specific features, the Tactix Bravo also features Jumpaster, projected waypoints and a dedicated tactical activity profile. There are other advanced Garmin statistics too, such as their VO2 max estimator, recovery timer and lactate threshold measurement.
The watch face is customisable and you can also access notifications for emails, texts and alerts. To do this, there are two Garmin applications you can connect to using your smartphone.
Water Resistance: 100 metres
Battery Life: 50 hours (battery saver), 2 weeks (smartwatch), 20 hours (GPS)
Weight: 80.5g
Notable Features: Tactical activity profile, Garmin health and performance data
What should you look for in a tactical watch?
- Durability and Construction: Tactical watches are designed to withstand demanding conditions. Look for watches made from durable materials such as stainless steel, carbon fibre, or high-strength polymers.
- Water Resistance: Consider the water resistance rating of the watch, especially if you engage in water-related activities. Look for a watch with an appropriate water resistance level for your needs, such as swimming, diving, or other water sports. Water resistance can also be a good measurement of build quality.
- Timekeeping Functions: Ensure the watch provides accurate timekeeping with clear and legible displays. Look for features like hours, minutes, seconds and a date display. Additional functions like multiple time zones can be beneficial.
- Display and Readability: The watch should have a clear and easy-to-read display, even in different lighting conditions. Look for high contrast markings, large numbers and backlighting or illumination systems for low-light or night-time visibility.
- Tactical Features: Consider any specific tactical features you may need. These can include a built-in compass, GPS functionality, weather/storm alarms, countdown timers, or compatibility with other tactical equipment you use.
- Altimeter and Barometer: If you engage in activities that involve changes in altitude or require weather information, consider watches with altimeter and barometer functions. These can provide elevation data, atmospheric pressure, and weather trend indicators.
- Battery Life: Check the estimated battery life of the watch, particularly if you’ll be in situations without access to power.
- Other Features: Look for other features the watch may include, from fitness and sleep tracking to internet, music and social media access, there’s a lot out there.
- Top image credit: Csaba Bakos/Unsplash