Timekeeping can be essential in survival situations. Knowing what time it is can help you establish travel pace, meet others at specific intervals, and determine how long food has been cooking for.
Durability should also be taken into account when shopping for a survival watch. Look for one with a durable waterproof rating to withstand submersion or extreme weather conditions.
Compass
Locating your position quickly is one of the key capabilities a survival watch provides. Whether you’re lost or simply trying to avoid travelling into unsafe areas, this feature can help you navigate back home or towards safety quickly and without needing access to a smartphone. A high-quality compass can read your location and display it on an onboard map so you can locate yourself easily and quickly.
Many survival watches feature GPS sensors to add additional navigational abilities. This technology can track your route and share that data as a GPX file that can be imported into any mapping app on your phone, while certain models even show your current elevation on either a breadcrumb trail or topographical map – an especially helpful feature when mountain climbing or exploring outdoors!
Other survival watches are tailored specifically for sports enthusiasts and athletes, including advanced training features like heart rate monitors and fitness tracking. Additionally, these types of survival watches can also be used to monitor environmental conditions; many models can even read barometric pressure and temperature. One such survival watch is the Garmin Fenix 7 Solar which boasts all essential and extra features you’d need in a wilderness situation while remaining powered by sunlight for six weeks of usage – ideal!
Durability is also an essential element when selecting a survival watch. These devices are intended to withstand considerable abuse, so they’re typically constructed from tough materials such as polymer or stainless steel and equipped with hardwearing straps or bracelets that have also been built from these resilient materials. In some cases they also come equipped with military standards shock and temperature ratings while their cases are designed so replacement straps or bracelets with similar lug width can easily be swapped out as needed.
GPS
As their name implies, survival watches are designed to withstand rugged use while offering useful survival-oriented features like digital compasses, calendars, two-way messaging capabilities and emergency SPOT beacons as well as health and fitness tracking features.
Some survival-style GPS watches also boast full smartwatch functionality and other modern conveniences such as smartphone compatibility. For example, the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar is a 43mm piece that includes both GPS functionality and smartwatch features; connecting with both Android and iOS smartphones via Bluetooth to download activity data and music while showing notifications on its watch face; additionally it boasts power saving mode and solar charging for off-grid use.
The Instinct 2 features both a compass and altimeter, both essential elements in survival situations. These pieces allow you to stay aware of changing weather conditions by showing an icon that displays when barometric pressure has drastically fluctuated; additionally, its compass feature can track progress while aiding you when lost in the woods or at camp or home.
Survival-style GPS watches boast one great advantage over smartwatches: their ability to track your location even when your phone is off or in airplane mode, making them an invaluable addition for an extended hike, camping trip, or wilderness survival adventure. Keep in mind, however, that they still consume more power when in GPS mode; be wary when selecting one if this feature is important to you; many models boast impressive battery life reserves though so this shouldn’t be an issue!
Battery Life
Survival watches must keep track of time, but their primary function should be helping you navigate back to safety. Therefore, battery life should last as long as possible when GPS is active – most models include an indicator to show when power runs low so you can plan accordingly.
Survival watches stand out from regular timepieces with their rugged cases and various unique features that set them apart, such as digital compasses and barometers, smartphone app connectivity, emergency SPOT beacons, two-way messaging capabilities and health and fitness tracking features.
Survival watches typically boast a reliable waterproof rating to offer protection in harsh environments and weather. Some models can withstand depths up to 100 meters, while less-than-rugged options will still provide plenty of water resistance protection.
Some models feature solar charging technology to enable them to function without external batteries or electricity, using only sunlight as their power source and up to eight months worth of charge from a small solar panel for recharge.
No matter if you are hiking through the mountains or camping on the beach, knowing where you are is of paramount importance. A survival watch with built-in GPS can assist in this regard by using information provided by its ABC sensor and compass to navigate around. Some models even feature topographical maps which can be downloaded onto its 1.4″ color touchscreen display for easier tracking on route without ever becoming lost!
Water Resistance
In an emergency situation like torrential downpour or jumping into a body of water, your survival watch must be up to the challenge. Look for one with an extremely durable case made of polymer or stainless steel and strap pins that won’t disengage under pressure – like the Garmin Tactix 7 Pro’s large 1.4″ touchscreen and comprehensive navigation features including aviation-specific ones for direct routing to waypoints in its worldwide aeronautical database.
Some survival watches include GPS functions like altimeters and barometers that are essential for outdoor adventures, like tracking elevation gains and losses to improve hiking or climbing performance, providing weather data such as wind speed and direction, as well as monitoring health while on the go. Some models even come equipped with gyroscopes or optical heart rate sensors so you can monitor yourself while on the go.
Apart from GPS capabilities, an intuitive survival watch should also be easy to use and understand. Look for sleek interfaces that clearly explain each button’s function while clearly displaying relevant information on screen. Dedicated buttons for each function as well as quick-access menus featuring the most essential ones can make user experiences smoother. Furthermore, quality survival watches should feature batteries with extended battery life; options exist with mechanical spring mechanisms, battery and solar charging technology as well as solar models which charge directly through sunlight; each offers advantages so choose one which suits both your needs and budget best.
Design
Many survival watches feature rugged designs. Some come equipped with stealth modes, night vision modes and kill switch modes; others provide built-in air pressure sensors which can alert users to sudden weather changes; still others include emergency SPOT beacons in their toolkits; some even come equipped with built-in speakers for two-way communications; some models even boast GPS functionality that stores your location and route back home or vehicle in case you become separated in the wilderness.
Compasses are essential survival watches, and ABC sensors (altimeter, barometric pressure and compass) make an even stronger statement about one’s preparedness. ABC sensors help determine your location on topographic maps; some models even feature navigation features like breadcrumb screens or OS grid reference displays to navigate routes stored via breadcrumbs or GPS grid references. You can set waypoints at home, camp or vehicle for emergency purposes if need be.
Survival GPS watches tend to be larger than standard smartwatches, yet often feature power-saving modes to extend battery life without external charging. This feature can be especially important for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts who will wear their watch for extended periods. Some models even come equipped with an “action button” that allows users to launch specific apps or functions without using touchscreen controls if gloves are worn.
The Suunto Core GPS is a basic survival GPS designed for users who want to track their fitness and health but don’t require all of the advanced features of smartwatches. Featuring a rugged composite case and aluminum bezel to protect its mineral crystal display, as well as water resistance of 30 meters, built-in thermometer, ABC sensors and large digital display, its simple user experience makes data analysis accessible and straightforward.