There's nothing better than having an all-in-one gadget to make hunting more crafty and efficient.
What better way than to have all this in a watch?
Hunters can swear by a hunting watch for more than time-telling.
If you've yet to consider, you're missing out on one of the best devices to help you navigate in the wild!
To guide you in your purchase, I've reviewed the best hunting watches for its quality, features, and outdoor conditions.
Suunto Traverse Alpha: Best Overall
Suunto Traverse Alpha balances a strong quality build with neat outdoor features. Depending on your preferred activity, it's versatile for both fishing and hunting.
It boasts of the toughest quality, meeting the MIL-STD-810G military standard.
- Features a rugged, knurled stainless steel bezel, durable water repellent nylon strap, and a premium...
- Suunto's automatic shot detection technology keeps track of when and where you shoot, mapping the...
- Gps tracks your path, helping you find your way back using the automatic breadcrumb trail,Compatible...
Design-wise, you get a glass-reinforced fiber case, steel knurled bezel and pushers, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal window, and a water-resistant nylon strap.
You can easily explore the wild with its GPS/GLONASS navigation. It keeps track of your trail so you can find your way back.
It's Automatic Shot Detection, which records information on where and when you shoot. Thanks to its accelerator, you can also see your movements and gun recoil movement.
There's plenty of outdoor features that are sure to aid you in your hunt. These include the sunrise alert, weather-trend alert, and red backlight for night vision.
It also includes an altimeter, barometer, compass, flashlight mode, and a moon phase calendar.
The Suunto is sure to last you long in the wild with its extended battery life. You can choose from different modes: time or GPS for you to conserve hours of usage.
Suunto is our overall best pick. I highly recommend it if you're after a watch with many hunting-specific features.
- GPS/GLONASS navigation
- Long battery life
- Fishing and hunting specific POI types
- Automatic shot detection
- Durable and of Military Standard
- Includes an Altimeter, Barometer, and Compass
- Water-resistant up to 100 meters
- Slow to connect to GPS signal
- Manual adjusting for different time zones
- Temperature and barometric sensors are in contact with skin
- Shot detection only works for firearms
Garmin Fenix 5X Plus: Best Value Option
The Garmin Fenix 5X Plus is the perfect wrist-on companion for hunters and health enthusiasts. It has a flurry of hunting features with fitness capabilities you're sure to love.
It's constructed with stainless steel and diamond-like carbon titanium bezel. It also comes with a fiber-reinforced polymer case and metal rear, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal lens, and a silicone strap.
- Ultimate multisport GPS watch that estimates heart rate at the wrist and includes color Topo maps...
- Wrist based Pulse Ox Acclimation sensor, a non medical device that provides awareness of your...
- Fit for adventure with rugged design that features scratch resistant domed sapphire lens plus...
Garmin flaunts a premium GPS/Glonass and Galileo navigation. This equips you with reliable navigation to track your way through challenging environments.
Along with these come the altimeter, barometer, and compass sensors. It also provides information on your blood oxygen saturation levels, which is useful when you're traveling at higher altitudes [R].
An extra feature is that it stores up to 500 songs which you can play too!
With Garmin Pay contactless solution, you can make payments straight from your watch. It's especially handy for when you don't have your cards on you.
For its battery life, it lasts you up to 20 days in the smartwatch mode, making it a suitable watch for outdoorsmen who are off on a week-long hunt.
If you've got extra bucks to spare for a hunting watch coupled with fitness features, the Garmin Fenix 5X Plus watch is your best bet!
- Reliable GPS/GLASSON and Galileo Navigation
- Topo Map Display
- Pulse Ox Acclimation sensor
- Play up to 500 songs
- Fitness settings for exercising, running, and even swimming
- Durable material
- Waterproof up to 100 meters
- 13-hour battery life on GPS mode and with music
- Expensive price point
- The pulse oximeter is worn on the wrist and not as accurate
Casio Pathfinder: Best Budget Pick
Casio Pathfinder is a digital solar-powered watch packed with hunting-specific features. This stunning watch by Casio is for extreme outdoor conditions, even underwater!
The Pathfinder has a compact build and comes in stainless steel, mineral crystal window, and a titanium strap.
- 100 M Water Resistance
- Solar Powered - Solar panel features rechargable battery with approximately 7 months on rechargeable...
- Triple Sensor - Digital Compass, Altimeter, Barometer & Thermometer
With its Tough Solar power feature, it harvests energy from any source of light besides sunlight. You're guaranteed long battery life for up to 6 months without charging.
It has all the necessary features to aid you in hunting. This includes an altimeter, barometer, compass, thermometer, and EL backlight.
Other functions you might like are the sunrise and sunset data, world time function, and city code display. It even lets you display many things at the same time.
Casio has been a reputable watch brand over the years. It's durable enough, and it contains all the functions a hunter can use for thriving in the wild.
The device is water-resistant up to 330 feet, so you can wear it on your wrist even for swimming or snorkeling.
Complete with the basic hunting necessities, this digital outdoorsman watch is very cost-effective. If you're on a budget, Casio Pathfinder is our best budget watch!
- Solar-powered with long battery life.
- Water-resistant up to 100 meters
- Backlit for easy reading in the dark
- Displays multiple information at once
- Includes a manual
- Low price point
- The band could get uncomfortable
Casio Pro Trek
Another notable hunting watch from Casio is the Pro Trek. It offers more than the basic hunting necessities for you to navigate outdoors.
It gets even fancier with its Triple Sensor Multifunction, which you can wear as a sports watch.
- Tough Solar power, Silicon band, Direction Bezel, Mineral Glass, Black IP, 200-meter water...
- Low-temperature resistant (-10 degree celsius), Calibration Signals, Digital Compass, Altimeter,...
- Quartz Movement
It's an all-in-one package with an altimeter, barometer, digital compass, and thermometer. Apart from these, it's got five daily alarms and an auto backlight with afterglow for reading in the dark.
Other enjoyable extra features are the stopwatch, countdown timer, and world time zones.
It displays up to 31 time zones, and it also has a sunrise/sunset feature to aid you in hunting [R].
You'll also never have to worry about running out of battery outdoors thanks to its tough solar power feature.
You can wear the Pro Trek for up to 5 months without charging it. It also charges from any light exposure, which is a very power-efficient feature for hunting conditions.
What makes the Pro Trek unique is its multiple information display, making it convenient to read than Casio's other watches.
The Pro Trek has a well-thought design, with three buttons on the side to indicate different functions. It's easy to switch functions with one press of a button.
If you're looking for a fancy digital hunting watch to surpass the basics, Casio Pro Trek is a good watch to choose from.
- Efficient screen layout
- Tough solar power and power-efficient
- Complete set of tools for hunting
- Durable Titanium material
- Altimeter and barometer
- Temperature and digital compass
- No GPS
Casio G-Shock Rangeman
The Casio G-Shock Rangeman boasts of its accuracy for timekeeping and hunting. It's far more durable because of its resin material. Additionally, it's a G-shock watch.
It features a multi-band 6 atomic keeping to gather on-point information. The watch also comes with triple sensors (ABC), a thermometer, and sunrise and sunset data.
- fishhook
- Designed with a black digital dial displaying the date, day, and time features, grey accents, and a...
- These pipes not only act to protect buttons from impact, but they also enhance button operation
The G-Shock Rangeman is almost like the Casio Pro Trek in function. The only difference being the amount of information that you can display at once.
Among other Casio watches, it's solid, tough, and built for shock resistance. Both its case and buttons are resistant to mud or dirt.
It's also water-resistant up to 200 meters in case you'd want to go for a dive or a swim.
Like the other Casio watches listed, it's solar-powered and has extended usability. It can last you up to 7 months without any light exposure.
To navigate through the dark, you've got an LED backlight with afterglow. If reading in low-light is a problem, you can switch its negative display to the black one instead.
Other features include 5 daily alarms, a stopwatch, and a timer — all of which are useful companions for hunting.
For a durable digital watch for hunting with complete features, the G-Shock Rangeman is a good option to consider!
- Durable against mud, dirt, and shocks
- Water-resistant
- Comfortable fit
- Easy-to-read display layout
- Tough solar power and power-efficient
- Full auto backlight
- The negative display isn't so readable
- No GPS
SKMEI Digital Outdoor Sports Watch
The SKMEI Digital Outdoor Sports is for starter hunters. It's got primary ABC functions coupled with some add-ons to help you test your hunting skills.
Among other watches in the list, this one takes you back to the basics. Besides the staple ABC sensors, it has an alarm, stopwatch, countdown timer, and a pedometer.
- Mens Sports Watch: Triple Timezone, Stopwatch, Countdown, Calendar Day and Date, Alarm, Water...
- Mens Digital Watch: Fashionable sporty dial design, military style outlook. Senior PU rubber band,...
- Waterproof Watches for Men: 164FT WATERPROOF (50 M), resistant to washing, splashing, raining and...
It also has a temperature sensor that you can switch from Fahrenheit to celsius.
Another appreciated key feature is how you can switch from two different time zones. It's a great function, should you hunt faraway.
The watch is also water-resistant, but only up to 50 meters. You can have it on for a shower or a quick swim, but not when snorkeling or diving.
When you're not out hunting, the watch doubles as a simple workout device. It comes in handy when you're out for a walk or a quick run.
For health-conscious types, you can check your daily step count and calories burned.
If you're looking for basics, the SKMEI Digital Outdoor Sports is a great hunting watch for beginners!
- Altimeter comes with 24 hours history and altitude graph
- Military-style digital compass
- Includes sports functions
- Durable ABS case with Hardlex crystal
- Water-resistant up to 50 meters
- Confusing to operate
- No GPS
Lad Weather Altimeter
The Lad Weather Altimeter is one of the hunting watches that make a great companion for reaching heights.
Many users were pleased by its usability for both mountaineering and hunting. It's sleek and lightweight in build. The watch is also durable, protected by acrylic glass, and a Polyurethane strap.
- Color: Black / Negative display
- Function: Altimeter, Barometer, Compass, Thermometer, Weather forecast, Stopwatch, Timer, Alarm,...
- Case: Plastic (Diameter 45mm, Thickness 13mm), Caseback: Stainless steel, Strap: Polyurethane (Width...
The watch comes with a Swiss sensor and basic ABC and timekeeping modes.
You'll have an alarm and a stopwatch. It also has a reliable compass to help keep you on track.
As the name suggests, it provides spot-on weather information with a 300-1,100 hPa barometer. You can also track temperature through its built-in thermometer.
The watch is safe and functional even when doused by rain or submerged underwater. It's water-resistant up to 3 ATM, so I'd suggest you not wear it when snorkeling.
In low light areas, you can opt to switch to the negative display. You also have a backlight to get a better look in the dark.
If you're keen on taking hikes and extended adventures, the Lad Weather Altimeter is a great hunting watch for this.
- Affordable for great features
- ABC and Swiss Sensor
- Reliable weather information
- Easy to use Altimeter calibration
- Lightweight
- The positive display isn't as readable
- No GPS
Hunting Watch Qualities to Shoot For
Excited to get the best hunting watch of your choice? Watches for the outdoorsman usually include GPS, ABC features, and many others.
Against other watches, they compete well in these areas. When deciding, make sure your hunting watch is capable of keeping you safe during extreme situations in the wild.
Battery Life
If you're looking to go on an extended trip or a week-long hike, you'll need your watch to last you long.
GPS-reliant watches use up more batteries than digital watches. Also, watches that have a lot of features running will speed up battery consumption.
If this concerns you, solar operated watches can last you longer as opposed to GPS types.
Usable Features
Features like the GPS and a compass are useful to have when you set for the outdoors.
It's useful in tracking your path and location so you don't lose your trail — most especially during sundown.
Other watch features that are highly important for a hunt are the altimeter, barometer, and thermometer.
In low-light hunting hours, you'd want to stay camouflaged by concealing light. Readability also becomes a factor, which makes backlight or negative displays handy.
Durability
Hunting watches take a beating when you take them outdoors a couple of times. They're exposed to heat, rain, dirt, and even mud.
Sometimes, they're accidentally grazed against rocks or hard surfaces. Make sure your hunting watch is one you can rely on to last long.
Durable hunting watches usually come in stainless steel material and other high-quality materials. Military-grade types make up the highest-grade of watches [R].
Water-resistance
When outdoors, it's best to come prepared for the worst storms. Your watch features should include water-resistance if you wish to brave through these.
You can even fully submerge some hunting watches underwater. When looking into this, depth is a major factor.
Some watches can survive a short depth of 10 to 50 meters. High-end watches that are suitable for diving can sustain 100 to 200 meters or more.
Conclusion
Hunting watches make a man's best companion in the wild. I hope this article sheds more clarity on why you should get one!
Our top pick is Suunto's Traverse Alpha, which is the best GPS watch for the outdoorsman. For budget hunters, the Casio Pathfinder makes a great device for navigation in your hunt.
Links, prices, and images were pulled from the Amazon API. Last updated on 2023-03-20.