The G100-1BV and the DW5600E-1V are the kind of watches you want to have ready to go when you are about to mow the lawn, go with your buds to play beach volleyball or spend a Saturday at war in a paintball skirmish – when you need a watch and you need it to be bullitproof; literally.
This G-Shock model is one of earlier models in a long string of popular large diameter combination analog-digital watches that can take the tremendous beating that you’ll pour onto it, as well as be virtually waterproof. Check YouTube if you want to see how close to indestructable G-Shocks can be.
First released in 2001, the G100-1BV has been continuously top-selling and just recently it reached the number one spot on Amazon.com in the sport watch category – go figure, only took eleven years to get there. So, here it is, one of the best selling watches in the world and it’s on sale! Oh, happy, happy!
For just under $55. (shipping included) you can get one of these tough little buggers and be ready for your next sandlot softball game. Might not be a bad idea to grab some of these up for the coming holiday gift season.
Here is a video by “lovemyberetta” that does a nice job of showing the merits and details of this watch – and a bonus: he has changed the band to a NATO style strap and explains how to intall the strap adaptors.
When I was a kid, my well meaning Dad gave me a watch and a couple days later I broke it (crystal). He got me another one, a little tougher one this time, and I broke it in about a week (band). He took both watches and got them repaired, gave one to me, one to my brother with instructions to be more careful. We both broke our watches (crown & water damage), despite the warning, in no time at all. My Dad never got me another watch and I don’t think he ever forgave me. In my defense, I was just being a kid and, truth be told, the watches were shit in those days.
Now you can get a G-Shock for a kid and challange him to break it. Right now, the DW5600E-1V is on sale for $37. (including shipping) and that’s heck of a lot of watch for the money. There are a load of features (like you’d expect from G-Shock) including stopwatch,countdown timer, month, day, date, alarm, et al.
And, just one more thing.. the prices that are quoted are on amazon.com and can change in a heartbeat. While it is doubtful they will go down, it is very likely they will go back up. Often prices by dealers on eBay will competitively mirror the amazon prices so a little value (price plus shipping) shopping won’t hurt.
And, while we’re on the cheap thing..
This next watch is not a G-Shock, nor is it a ProTrek/Pathfinder, but it might as well be since it’s a Casio and it has all the specs and functions that you expect from it’s more expensive brethren. I’m familiar with this piece because a friend (occasional bike riding pal) has one that he casually straps onto his handle bars. Now, granted, most of the features are not turnkey enough to be operated while riding, it’s still handy to be able to know the temperature and be able to find north when striking into unfamiliar territory. I wouldn’t bother with all the alarm, timing, and chrono abilities, but he does find clever uses for them and occasionally reports to me things I almost want to know, “that old farmhouse we saw forty-one minutes and eleven seconds ago was facing exactly south south east, and it was seven twenty pm in Zimbabwe. Oh, and it was sixty-six degrees.” To which I would query, “that sixty-six here or in Zimbabwe?”
The watch is easy to recommend. Besides all the regular features is has a canvas strap which I prefer over the plastic that you usually get on these cheap watches. It breaths, it bends and over time it will brake-in and become even more comfortable. The dial is large and the numbers are easy to read, there is a back-light for night time use. The current time is displayed in all modes. At the discount price of around $45 USD it is a bargain.
Poll: Mitt Romney buys Paul Ryan a watch to congratulate him.. which watch?
Wrist Watch Spot 
