Best Military Watches (Top 5)
This article will go over the best military watches that I recommend for a deployment.
During my Premobilization for my current deployment, my unit was getting issued a ton of gear. One item that the Army didn’t give us was a wristwatch (or a basic combat knife, but that is a different topic).
I believe having a watch and being able to keep track of time is crucial in a tactical environment. Military watches have developed into a breed of their own and can do a lot more than just tell time.
Best military deployment watch requirements
When selecting the best watches for deployment we took looked at a lot of different factors.
- Durability. This was probably the most important trait that a good military watch needs. It must be rugged and be able to withstand both battlefield and regular work environments.
- Waterproof. Conditions often can be very extreme while in the field. Water can damage a lot of equipment and being waterproof or a minimum water-resistant is required for a good deployment watch. A good watch not only needs to protect from water but also sweat or even exposure to harsh chemicals.
- Battery life. Having a watch that runs on batteries means that you will eventually have to replace them. Having a watch that doesn’t need batteries is great in our opinion. However, if it does run on batteries, having a long-lasting one is required.
- Comfort. Having a comfortable watch also had to be in our criteria for choosing our top 5. It has to have a nylon/canvas or rubber wristband to make our list. Watches with metal links tend to create pinch points and also snap-on arm hairs leading to an uncomfortable and unpleasant experience.
- Style. So some people might disagree with us on this point, but if you have a wristwatch that is stupid looking and your battle buddies or your NCOs will make fun of you for it, let’s be real your not going to wear it. That’s why we took style and design into consideration. It has to look cool because everyone knows in the military that’s the most important thing. Also, all of these watches are AR-670-1 compliant.
These are the top 5 military watches for deployment that we came up with. All of these have been used personally by either myself or soldiers in my unit.
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5. Citizen Chandler
The Citizen Chandler is a watch that is simple and has a very clean design. Its design was inspired by the military watches issued to American soldiers in the 1940s during the Second World War.
It has a classic look with the dark green canvas strap and the black watch face, and it is timeless and great for someone who loves nostalgia.
To start this watch is powered by light. It uses Eco-Drive which means you will never need batteries which is a huge factor. The face of the watch is very streamlined. The numbers on the dial are large and it has luminous hands and markers making it very easy to see.
There is an analog day/date and there is also a 12/24 hour time feature. The watch is comfortable to wear and is very rugged.
It is water-resistant and also has a calendar built into it. It’s simple and lightweight and that’s the main reason it makes a good military deployment watch.
- Pros: Price, Lightweight, Style, Simplicity
- Cons: Limited features, Not designed for extreme use
Click here to check the current prices of the Citizen Chandler
4. Suunto Core
The Suunto Core is a great watch for any soldier and is also very affordable. An altimeter tracks your vertical movement, a barometer tells the Trend in air pressure, and a compass points the way.
It has weather tracking built-in and also has sunrise and sunset times for over 400 locations. One of my favorite features is that it measures pressure drop and will alert you when possible storms may occur which is awesome.
This watch is great for predicting weather changes and letting you know ahead of time. The digital display is very clean and simple making this watch user-friendly.
The simple design is incognito and the rubber wrist strap is also comfortable. This watch is a favorite among law enforcement officers and will also make a great military deployment watch.
- Pros: A Lot of Features For the Price, Weather Features
- Cons: Expensive Replacement Straps
Click here to check the current prices of the Suunto Core
3. G-Shock Mudmaster
G-Shock is known for making super rugged and “shock resistant” watches, we only wanted to choose one and we thought the Mudmaster was the best overall military deployment watch.
This one is the most durable on our list if you want a watch that is completely bombproof this one is the best choice.
The G-Shock Mudmaster is loaded with usable features and has an outstanding track record with soldiers in combat. The twin sensor allows you to monitor temperature and direction readings.
The enlarged buttons keep it user-friendly while wearing gloves. The watch housing is sealed to prevent dirt and other foreign debris from entering the watch.
It is water-resistant, extreme temperature resistant and also comes with a digital compass making land navigation a breeze. I wish I had this watch when I was going through basic training.
It also comes with a thermometer, time recorder, calendar, and analog and digital displays. The wrist strap is rubber and very comfortable to wear and every environment. If you want a watch with countless features and has a proven track record in the field the G-Shock Mudmaster is the way to go.
G-shock is the go-to watch when it comes to military service members. They are well known in the military community because of their extreme durability. This is why it makes an excellent military deployment watch.
- Pros: Feature-Rich, Extremely Durable, Proven Track Record
- Cons: Bulky, Tactical Looking, Price
Click here to check the current prices of the G-Shock Mudmaster
2. Citizen Navihawk
The Citizen Navihawk has always been a personal favorite of mine. It is a high-quality watch that looks amazing and will definitely impress you.
This watch was originally designed for aviators because of its unique features. Even if your not a pilot it will still be a great military watch.
This watch uses radiofrequency atomic clock synchronization (that was a mouthful) for superior accuracy to set the time and it is the most accurate when it comes to timekeeping of all of the watches on this list.
It is very durable and made with high-quality parts and construction.
It also uses Eco-Drive so you will never need to replace the battery which is a huge plus for soldiers deployed.
The wrist strap is a rubber material and very comfortable to wear in all types of extreme environments (One thing to note about the wrist strap is that the metal buckle can pinch your skin when putting on and taking off the watch).
The protective coating is anti-reflective and this watch has 2 alarms, a luminous display with a backlight, a calendar, a countdown timer, a stopwatch, and a pilot’s wheel.
This watch is very unique and I love the old school design with modern tech built into it. The amount of information this watch provides and the eco-drive is why it is a great choice for a military deployment watch.
- Pros: Water Resistant, Digital and Analog Displays, Very unique
- Cons: Complex Display, Price
Click here to check the current prices of the Citizen Navihawk
1. Garmin Tactix
The Garmin Tactix watch really caught my attention when a friend first showed it to me. He loved it so much and was always talking about it a couple of guys in my unit bought it right away.
This watch is a GPS watch with an automatic calibrating altimeter, barometer, and a 3-axis compass. The features included with this model are insane when it comes to land navigation.
It is able to load local maps of your current area, set waypoints with pinpoint accuracy, and navigate to different coordinates. This is definitely a next-level watch when it comes to navigation.
I was amazed by the distance, pace count, and cadence tracking. It also measured your calories burned by moving from point to point. The Tactix is very durable and scratch-resistant. It has a large LCD display with a green LED backlight.
It’s water-resistant and has a battery life of up to 50 hours on the GPS mode and on the regular mode up to 5 weeks. The rubberized wrist strap is very comfortable and rugged as well.
This watch was very well thought out and the design was implemented greatly and the final product turned out great! The watch is also very incognito looking and doesn’t scream tactical.
It resembles any other of the popular smartwatches on the market today. This is probably the best watch for all of the “high-speed operators” out there but also will serve regular soldiers just as well.
This is by far the best military watch for a deployment. This feature-rich watch and the technology it brings will give the user a tactical advantage.
- Pros: Very functional, Lots of Features, Navigation Modes, Modern
- Cons: Price
Click here to check the current prices of the Garmin Tactix
Those are the top 5 military watches for deployment
There were a few other watches that we liked very much and believe they are great, but didn’t make the list. These were watches that I have had lots of first-hand experience with and that is why I recommend them.
What do you think of our top 5 military watches that made the list? Let us know in the comments below.
Complete List of Watches Mentioned
(Click the links for the most up to date prices)
