The Best Outdoor Watches Are Built for Everyday Adventures

Your parents were onto something when they told you to go play outside—and strapping one of the best outdoor watches on your wrist before you head out the door is equally smart advice. Not only is taking a stroll among the trees and critters good for your body, but studies have shown that it’s one of the best ways to improve your mental health, too. Also a good way to improve your mental health? Looking at those trees and critters instead of your phone. A properly rugged timepiece means you can keep an eye on the time (and maybe more) without getting sucked into your notifications. And even if the most intense thing you do all day is fish the last beer out of an ice-filled cooler, an outdoor-ready watch teams up nicely with a sturdy pair of boots, some stylish-yet-weatherproof outerwear, and a flannel or sweater.

We should say: we've left smartwatches and fitness watches out of this round-up for a reason (and we've got a whole separate guide to the best dive watches). Outdoor watches can handle a whole lot without needing to sync over Bluetooth. Essential features to look for include shock-resistant cases, water-resistance ratings of at least 100m (enough to handle rainy hikes and impromptu lake swims), and dials with a backlight or bright lume (a.k.a., the glowing stuff on the hands, face, and bezel). You can always your inner Bear Grylls with more advanced integrations like compasses, barometers, altimeters and tide trackers.

To help you narrow the field, we’ve selected our favorites, from feature-packed G-Shocks to classic field watches, all of which will be right at home in the forest primeval.

Bertucci

A-2T Original Classics Watch