Normal smartwatches are no good for individuals who endure harsh environments and terrains on a daily basis. This includes law enforcement officers, soldiers, paratroops, military, and other adventure sports enthusiasts. However, a smartwatch with military-grade durability or the best military smartwatch can withstand many of these work environments without breaking a sweat. So, if you are looking for a toughened piece with the latest features and sensors, then we have listed the best (top 10) military smartwatches for you.
What is a Military Smartwatch?
A military smartwatch bears slightly different characteristics when compared to a normal smartwatch. These features include:
Military Smartwatch Features
Durability
A military-grade smartwatch can endure major shock and tumbles without any damage to the internal components. The external casing is built with metals and compounds that provide rigidity to the frame. Moreover, it should be waterproof and can battle the water pressure more than a normal smartwatch. This is a basic feature that regular smart watches must have to become the best military smart watches
Design
Ruggedness is not even a question when it comes to military smartwatches. They are designed to be discrete and blend with the environment easily. The most popular designs are variations of camouflage colors, namely the green and desert-colored ones. Best military smartwatches are heavier than your normal smartwatch because of the metallic casings and toughened elements.
Military Features
The best military smartwatch possesses extra features and sensors on top of the usual vital measuring sensors. This includes GPS (making it the best gps military watch), altimeter, compass, barometer, and many more depending upon the intended use of the smartwatch. GPS is a must-have feature as it comes in handy when the person has difficulty in determining his exact location and position.
Battery life
When you’re out in uncharted territories, longer battery life can help you survive weeks without a recharge. Modern military smartwatches come with longer battery life and may be rechargeable via solar energy. Thus, they always keep refueling themselves without requiring a charger or power bank. This is another important feature that regular smart watches must have to become the best military smart watches
Top 10 Tactical Watches for Military Use Reviews
We will list out the Top 10 Tactical Watches for Military Use Review which will help you pick from a curated collection of the best smartwatches.
1) Suunto Traverse Alpha GPS Outdoor Watch
The Suunto Traverse Alpha is one of the Best Tactical Smartwatches to Buy in 2022. It is also the best military watch with GPS as it has very good GPS support. It features all the necessary sensors including GPS and altimeter and can be easily used as a navigation device. It can connect to Glonass and GPS constellation which help in pinpointing the exact location, thus making it the best GPS military watch
Suunto Traverse Alpha is built like a bull with water-resistant straps and a stainless-steel bezel that protects the display from cracking under pressure. Moreover, it supports MGRS which is used by special NATO forces while sharing exact coordinates of their location. Overall, it is the best military-grade smartwatch for 2022 that you wouldn’t regret buying at all.
Buy SUUNTO Traverse Alpha GPS on Amazon
2) Garmin Tactix Delta Premium GPS Smartwatch
The Garmin Tactix Delta is also a renowned name in the list of the best tactical smartwatches to buy in 2022. This smartwatch means business and is equipped with almost all the possible sensors that are necessary from a military smartwatch standpoint. It sports a dark color theme that seamlessly blends in with most environments.
Garmin Tactix Delta has built-in GPS and also supports the Glonass and Galileo navigation systems. On top of that, Garmin Tactix Delta is the best tactical smartwatch to buy in 2022 because it can replenish its battery using solar charging. Thus, the Garmin Tactix Delta is a perfect substitute for any obsolete tracker that you purchased a while back.
Buy Garmin Tactix Delta GPS Watch on Amazon
3) Casio Rangeman GW9400-3
Casio Rangeman GW9400-3 is among the top military smartwatches with a rather unorthodox design. Unlike most watches, this has a fairly elongated body frame. It features big cylindrical buttons that are accessible even when you are wearing gloves. Moreover, the thick rubberized coating helps it survive accidental collisions with ease.
Casio Rangeman GW9400-3 is quite heavy and weighs 93 grams but can sustain water pressure up to 200 meters. Its thick shell and the solar rechargeable battery can last up to 8 months without needing a recharge. Casio Rangeman GW9400-3 is a quite simple military smartwatch in our Top 10 tactical watches for military use review.
4) Garmin INSTINCT Solar Sunburst Smartwatch
Garmin INSTINCT Solar is one of the latest best military-grade smartwatches for 2022 that comes with upgraded all-day health monitoring. You get multiple dark color options that suit the military theme and also get a rubberized exterior that makes the watch impervious to shocks and accidents. The Garmin INSTINCT Solar is available in both 45 mm and 40 mm wrist strap options and has been tested and certified with the U.S. military standard 810.
Garmin INSTINCT Solar can survive excessive temperate and pressure and is solar-powered. It means that you won’t need to carry a charger if you are using the watch in broad daylight. Garmin INSTINCT Solar is among the best tactical smartwatches to buy in 2022 which even has an inbuilt GPS sensor for easy navigation and route mapping.
Buy Garmin Instinct Solar Sunburst on Amazon
5) Suunto 7 Matte Black Titanium Smartwatch
Suunto 7 is among the top military smartwatches of 2022 for its sheer efforts in packing it with the latest features. It runs the latest version of Wear OS by Google which is intuitive and easy to use. Moreover, it is rigorously tested against shocks, water, and dirt intensive environments, and can survive outdoors with ease.
Suunto 7 is among the top five best military-grade smartwatch for 2022 because of its free offline maps feature that makes it easier to navigate difficult terrains. It weighs 70 grams only and offers health and fitness tracking features as well. The battery cannot keep up with all these features and falls short. You can expect a single-day battery life(even lower if you use GPS) and cannot charge it using solar power.
6) Amazfit T-Rex Smartwatch
Amazfit T-Rex still gives stiff competition to many best military-grade smartwatch for 2022. It has passed 12-military grade certifications which makes it capable enough for military and tactical operations. These best smartwatches for the military by Amazfit are rugged enough to withstand shocks and tumbles and can survive even if submerged in water.
Amazfit T-Rex is bay far among the best economical military smartwatch with an AMOLED display that is bright in outdoor environments. It supports two navigation systems; GPS and GLONASS and is useful for navigation using maps if you struggle to find your way back. It can survive up to 20 hours on continuous GPS usage, which is very good considering the budget price at which this smartwatch retails online.
7) Rugged military style EX16 waterproof smartwatch
The Rugged military style EX16 waterproof smartwatch is hundred percent waterproof up to 5 ATMs and is one the cheapest rugged smartwatches for military professionals. It is a Bluetooth-enabled smartwatch that can collect data and transfer it to your phone app to visualize it. This feature increases the battery life of the smartwatch because it only does the data logging.
This best smartwatch comes with a companion app that lets you track steps and other basic exercise routines. Since it only displays time and a few salient watch features, it can last up to 12 months on a single charge. The battery is non-rechargeable so you have to manually replace it once it runs out. Opening the watch can be slightly difficult but if you can manage it, it is one of the super simple yet rugged smartwatches out there. A major disadvantage is that you don’t get any sensors to measure body vitals or track your location.
Buy EX16 Sports Watch on Amazon
8) Casio Men’s G-Shock Move
The Casio Men’s G-Shock Move is the first G-SHOCK smartwatch powered with Wear OS. Casio makes rugged tactical watches which are preferred by the people employed in military and law enforcement. But it has now launched the first-ever smartwatch that can compete with the likes of Garmin and Suunto. This best military smartwatch packs all the modern sensors that can help you keep track of global time and navigate through the route easily.
It has GPS, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi and can connect to your router in order to sync data to the Casio App for iOS and Android. It can show the current location and trajectory of the compass bearing. This smartwatch can also measure barometric pressure and altitude measurements with the built-in Altimeter. The watch also provides shock resistance and can withstand 20-bar water resistance. All these features make the Casio Men’s G-Shock Move one of the best military smartwatches of this year.
Buy Casio Men’s G-Shock Move on Amazon
9) Garmin D2 Delta PX GPS Pilot Smartwatch
The Garmin D2 Delta PX GPS Pilot Smartwatch is best suited for individuals involved in the aviation segment of military or commercial flying. It is certainly an overkill option if you are looking for a normal smartwatch, as it has almost every sensor and feature that you could ever need. Garmin D2 Delta PX GPS Pilot Smartwatch has a reliable GPS sensor that uses the built-in worldwide airport database to facilitate easy airport navigation.
On top of that, the Garmin D2 Delta PX GPS Pilot Smartwatch offers connectivity with select avionics equipment and can even display flight data and much more. It is available in leather, silicone, and titanium band options which offer more sophistication and durability to this smartwatch. Garmin D2 Delta PX GPS Pilot Smartwatch can last up to 18 hours on full-fledged GPS use and is among the very few aviation-focused smartwatches suitable for air force pilots.
10) Coros Vertix 2
The Coros Vertix 2 is a mammoth in fitness and health tracking which is built like a tank. It’s tough, durable, and designed for military people and adventure sports enthusiasts specifically. It is not lightweight like the best military smartwatches mentioned above but you have to compromise sleek aesthetics for ruggedness. There’s a new and improved display that is larger and navigable using the crown and the touch input. You can even interchange the digital crown, and wear it on the wrist of your preference.
You have to shell out upwards of 700 USD for this smartwatch to buy a military smartwatch online. It is certainly not cheap but when you consider the benefits of a good GPS sensor and exceptional battery life, you will understand its worth in military camps and missions.
Conclusion
These were the best military-style smartwatches that are worth recommending in 2022. Casio Men’s G-Shock Move and Coros Vertix 2 are absolute beasts when it comes to surviving the harsh military surroundings. You can even go for Garmin and Suunto smartwatches which offer similar ruggedness and stellar navigation options. Lastly, there are a few analog watches as well that come with altimeters and barometers and can automatically synchronize time.
FAQ
What watches do the military use?
Casio and Seiko are the oldest preferred brands of military personnel. But now newer players like Garmin and Suunto are becoming equally popular among the military personnel.
What is the best military watch on the market?
Garmin Tactics Bravo is the best military watch on the market and is brimming with smart features and GPS technology that is present in very few other brands.
What is the best military watch for men?
We have listed the top ten military watches which are preferred by military people. Casio makes a few men’s smartwatches but most of the watches on the list are unisex and can be worn by other genders too.