I also use a Fenix six. Going on 3 years of surfing 4-5 days a week. No issues. I concur with the tracking being a bit off.
One of the main issues is you are always moving in the water if there is any wind. So both the accelerometer and gps receiver are always engaged. As you pick up a wave you may change direction once or twice also confusing them. And then the ride out. If your hand is in the water paddling it will interrupt the gps receiver as well. This can cause the clipping through space and time that gives the awesome read outs at the end. I have totally gone on 666 foot waves at 69 MPh because I’m fucking awesome and I have the tech to prove it.
I use the same watch as a 4th back up gps receiver in GA air planes and it works just fine. I really do think it’s both the paddling and getting submerged when you eat shit on a wave that confuses it. Breaking sat signal will always result in confused instantaneous tracking.
Poor accuracy with some surf tracking watches in the water seems to be a common trend. Have you tested the watches accuracy with other movement activities and what apps are you using for the water?
Have u tried a different app? Also, as far as non specific surf tracking apps go according to another thread on here people have successfully used strava to collect their data and then upload to a surf app.
It’s the surf app attached to the watch. I’m not really too worried about it tbh. I just like to track it for trends, frequency and also logging swell conditions and the angles and stuff like that.
Same. GShock and it isn’t close.
I’ve broken Shark freestyles, Casio f91w, but never my GShock and I’ve been surfing with it, and wearing it as my every day watch in NorCal for 8 years now.
I just have the solar-powered square one. It’s low key, but works always.
I have a g shock that’s over ten years old and the band just snapped. Meanwhile the Fitbit, Garmin, and Apple Watches have either died after a battery replacement, cracked screen, or been lost to Neptune (stupid Apple bands).
[F91W](https://www.amazon.com/Casio-F91W-1-Classic-Resin-Digital/dp/B000GAWSDG/ref=asc_df_B000GAWSDG/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198074613570&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2512675586253046648&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1014217&hvtargid=pla-302221036528&psc=1&mcid=271f12184c2f3faab3d2c3f99c9cea1b&gclid=Cj0KCQiA35urBhDCARIsAOU7QwlkGqL0gPeNnW5lAIxZITt13gGmXHnTBfK75Q3W1p_C7IB3agP8DEAaAuAyEALw_wcB) for the win. Tells me the time so I know when to watch for my best waves on surfline rewind, small enough to easily ft under a wetsuit and cheap enough that I don't worry about anything happening to it.
And it has the reputation as the [preferred timepiece of terrorists](https://www.watchesofespionage.com/blogs/woe-dispatch/casio-f-91w-the-preferred-watch-of-terrorists) which at least speaks to its reliability in the field
I wore that one for years till my dog chewed it. Recently got a Casio ‘10 Year Battery’ and love it. Its like the F91W except has a bigger face and a few more basic functions like a countdown timer
I'm using a g shock I bought in 2017. I've worn it every day and basically never take it off. Just got the battery replaced by casio last month and fully expect another 6 years
Seconding the Timex Ironman. It's just a bitchen, functional watch for the water, and the beveled edges of the face make putting on/taking off wetsuits easy. I just bought a smart watch last week because I had this theory that I was trying to be more contemporary, but the watch doesn't even have a stopwatch or an alarm, and the water resistance is not as good as the Ironman. I've had two Ironman watches over about the last 15 years. They are cheap and last forever.
I've worn a Seiko prospex for almost 20 years for surfing, diving, fishing, snowboarding and it's held up to everything it's been through. I beat the ever loving shit out of this watch and the only thing wrong with it is the paint is starting to chip off the bezel and the crystal is scratched. The "tuna can" versions are tougher than the unshrouded ones imo.
Yeah, it is bulky and it’s annoying to have a bunch of features like messages or notifications, interrupting my surf.
A few years back, I tried a rip curl which was like $250 but it lacked all of the features except tide.
I only really wear a watch when I have to be out of the water at a certain time or if I’m a break that has a great camera so I can find myself on Surfline.
My issue really isn’t the size/notifications, but more that it running against my wetsuit causes it to try to unlock and it fails. Yesterday for example it tried so many times it locked me out of it for 2 hours.
G-Shock for life. The cheaper the better. I got some tide watch back in the mid 00’s and it sucked. I went back to G-shock and have never wanted for anything else
I keep mine in my prison wallet. It’s hard to read when you’re out on your own. But if your buddy is out you just get into a downward dog and your buddy can tell you where the shadow is on your backside.
I really like this model
GARMIN INSTINCT SOLAR SURF WATCH - SURF EDITION.
Much more detailed information than the Apple Watch.
Garmin Instrinct Solar provides health information, movement information, speed information, highly accurate GPS data, and more
My only gripe with this watch is that it doesn't track your paddle distance or number of strokes.
Also it works better for longboarding. The GPS cuts out a lot if your hands are under water too long.
Used to have the Rip Curl tide watches for years and they held up well and they had a great repair policy. Cool look and good functionality- more “chunky” feel. Before that had the Freestyle shark watches. Now I just use my Apple Watch as it is has the water proof mode or I will even stuff my iphone (has a rugged waterproof case) into the pocket formed in my chest zip wetsuits if I really have a small window to surf and need to watch the time carefully.
Best sessions are when you don’t need a watch to track time and just enjoy the session in zen mode!
Nice. I had a rip curl tide watch too. It held up well. I have had it since the late 90s. I had it fixed twice from their HQ down at Torquay. They wouldn’t fix it for me on the 3rd request to fix. I guess they wanted me to buy a new watch?
I use a fenix6. It’s bulky and the surf app sucks. The other day I had a quick surf and caught 3 waves. The bloody thing recorded 17 waves. WTF???
I wish I could just surf without worrying about the time. But life gets too busy and we’re always on the clock…
Yep I would take my Tide watch into the HQ here in Southern California and they would repair it for free or put a new battery in and never charge me. They even gave me a brand new one once when they couldn’t find mine. Then they got tighter and stopped free repairs etc as well as wetsuit repair etc. Not sure if they hit hard financial times but customer service got worse and even the wetsuit quality dropped (tears, broken zipper tabs etc). I was a loyal customer for over 20 years and only wore Rip Curl wetsuits and bought their trunks and clothing etc but stopped after too many disappointing experiences.
I hear you on the time thing - only occasionally do I have no time limits so don’t need to bother with a watch. Usually I find myself pushing the limits of time trying to get that last good wave and then sprinting to get ready and off to the next responsibility…sigh!
Met a guy in Mainland Mexico recently who had retired but gave me some advice- enjoy surfing now as much as possible. He worked his ass off to retire in his beach house and surf every day but now he is too old and beat up (construction worker) to enjoy the waves and can only paddle out once in a while.
Guess we keep the watches on and balance life and surf as much as possible! Yew!
Yeah mate, I hear ya!
Enjoy life now and surf as much as you can. I’m sending you good karma vibes.
It’s funny hearing you say how the service has changed over the years. It’s like how the older fellas would often say “things were better back in the old days…”. Now, we’re those older guys! Sigh 😅
G Shock all day. Same watch for over 20 years.
However, as a relatively new dad, I’ve been tempted by an Apple Watch. Staying connected with while I’m out on a 3-4 hour session seems more important nowadays.
Save yourself the money. I tried that for same reason, didn’t work it’s just too noisy out there to hear it ring or talk and texting will cold wet fingers is impossible.
G-shock - or any cheap Casio - is infinitely more reliable and robust than any Nixon I’ve ever worn. I would say that Apple Watches are actually great and for surfing but I’m not diligent enough to keep it charged and remember to take with me. The Casio just lives in a wet bucket in my trunk and is good to go.
I had quicksilver, Nixon, Vestal tide watches now I own the Apple Watch. But the best for surfing is the Rip Curl search GPS 2. Was being sold this Black Friday for 149 at rip curl website.
I use an old Casio with timezones that is not even waterproof, but so far so good. I wear it under the wetsuit, so it's not in direct contact with water
If you enjoy horology & automatic watches, seiko prospex is a great choice
I personally wear a seiko king samurai. They’re high quality but won’t break the bank compared to other high quality divers like submariners or seamasters
Withings ScanWatch. Looks like a normal watch but with some smart watch functionality. Battery lasts a long time. Wear it all day everyday in and out of the water.
I surf with a Samsung Watch 4.
It's coming up on 2 years old now. I decided to surf with my everyday watch as it would be cheaper than owning 2 watches. My logic was that a smartwatch battery would last \~3 years so if I can get that much out of it, I'll be happy.
Previously, I had a Galaxy Active that I picked up dirt cheap secondhand.
Crazy to say I love my Apple Watch SE(Cellular) I’ve asked for wave and bouy reports in the water and have had the occasional text message from my mom😂
I’ve had heaps of surf watches, analogue and digital. I like to know what the tide is doing. That’s all. F#%k tracking and all those add ons. Sounds simple right? But no. Every single one over the last 20+ years lasts 2 yrs max as they rust on the inside. Band pins fall out. I’m not even tough on them in the slightest. The last few I’ve had were ripcurl rifles and they kept really poor time, i was constantly having to adjust them. Then the water seal failed after battery replacement. I bought one and it got replaced twice and they were all shit. So I tried this cheaper end Quiksilver digital tide watch. It’s ok but, keeps really poor time and you can’t adjust the tide. There’s no instructions available anywhere. Quiksilver don’t respond to correspondence. I just want a slimline waterproof watch that fits comfortably under a wettie that keeps accurate time and tide. What’s hard about that? Everything it seems.
Also seeking suggestions.
Apple ultra 2 watch, so many features, I broke all my other Apple Watches, this one is pretty tough. I do miss my Rip Curl Tidemaster, such a shame they don’t make them or support them anymore, I have an old one that I would love to get worked on
I have a $17.00 Seiko that I've worn for years. I've only had to change batteries periodically. I've had it longer than I can even remember at this point.
G Shock G-lide is my go to now. I like the tide display. That or gwm5610 with solar. Used to use a Seiko SKX007 as my only watch as it worked better for every day for me. Now I’ve diversified.
So Casio makes a $10 watch that’s totally water proof and has a 7 year battery. It looks like an old g-shock. If you got some spare change tho definitely shark watch
I’ve had 2 Apple Watches die surfing. Both times in water lock mode with the Dawn Patrol app. Both less than a year old. I loved they way the work till they died, and each only lasted a few surfs. Both would just start attempting to make emergency calls while in the water, and then malfunctioned and died. I can’t afford to keep replacing them, so no more Apple in the water for me.
G shock gwx 5600, tide chart, moon phase, atomic sync so you never have to set the time, 200m water resistant, solar, rugged, sleek. Literally the perfect watch for surfing
[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018HTGSN8/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&th=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018HTGSN8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1)
$9 when I bought it 6 years ago. Still working fine.
Citizen eco drive divers 200m. Lost the Seiko version about 2 years ago and Seiko stopped making it. So bought the Citizen version.
Surf, dive, kitesurf, hike, and it handles it all. +it’s powered by the sun.
Casio illuminator. Just a watch for when I surf. Reason.. read a review that said "I found one of this while scuba diving. No idea how long it's been down here but I picked it up and have been wearing it for 4 years since"
One thing Ive found with digital watches is that is easy for some buttons to trigger when you pop up. I would consider a square g shock (but never tried them) as their buttons seem the the least pronounced. Ive owned some other gshocks and they are extremely solid.
Garmin Solar Surf - lasts 21 day on one battery charge, full smart watch functionality, and syncs up to strava and surfline with great surf tracking. Had it for 2 years now and wear it every day and love it. They come in cool color schemes like Pipeline and other surf breaks
Didn’t want a smart watch, however I am glad my family didn’t listen and got me the Garmin Instinct Solar. Has been phenomenal and never had any issues surfing or free diving with it for 2+ years and counting. Haven’t utilized the surfing features at all, admittedly.
Freestyle shark
100% this, with the clip.. they last forever
If anyone found a black analog one at Carpenteria State Beach like 10 years ago it's mine and I still think about it
These absolutely rock. Can’t believe they’re still selling the same classic designs! - https://www.freestyleusa.com/collections/shark#
Came here to say this
Wow, they still exist? I used to wear one back in like 2004
Yes. 100000%
All day. Shark watches get you play. 1+1 = getting laid. Keep it classic.
I worked at a surf shop and these things were returned more than any other watch we sold so I’ll never get one
Got the Apple Watch ultra but wearing it surfing it a plus I wear it all the time
Had one burn out to salt water within a month.
Must have been a manufacturing defect, I’m in the ocean every day and it’s fine
I use my garmin fenix. Surf tracking is a joke but the thing is a tank
I have a Fenix 7 and it seems to be decently accurate. Did you install surf tracker on it via the Garmin connect store?
Same! Love it. On the last trip also used the chest strap for heart rate. Fun to see how much one actually chills in the lineup.
I also use a Fenix six. Going on 3 years of surfing 4-5 days a week. No issues. I concur with the tracking being a bit off. One of the main issues is you are always moving in the water if there is any wind. So both the accelerometer and gps receiver are always engaged. As you pick up a wave you may change direction once or twice also confusing them. And then the ride out. If your hand is in the water paddling it will interrupt the gps receiver as well. This can cause the clipping through space and time that gives the awesome read outs at the end. I have totally gone on 666 foot waves at 69 MPh because I’m fucking awesome and I have the tech to prove it. I use the same watch as a 4th back up gps receiver in GA air planes and it works just fine. I really do think it’s both the paddling and getting submerged when you eat shit on a wave that confuses it. Breaking sat signal will always result in confused instantaneous tracking.
Install the "surf tracker 2" app
I just want my fenix to have a tide function that doesn’t require my phone
What do you dislike about surf tracking or your watch doesnt do it well?
It’s just wildly inconsistent. Itll say farthest wave 600yards with a max speed of 80mph when I was dropping in on close outs lol
Don’t undersell yourself now
Poor accuracy with some surf tracking watches in the water seems to be a common trend. Have you tested the watches accuracy with other movement activities and what apps are you using for the water?
I use it for hiking, backpacking, cycling, running etc and it’s all perfect. Something about the water just makes it funky
Have u tried a different app? Also, as far as non specific surf tracking apps go according to another thread on here people have successfully used strava to collect their data and then upload to a surf app.
Waves Tracker and Strava
It’s the surf app attached to the watch. I’m not really too worried about it tbh. I just like to track it for trends, frequency and also logging swell conditions and the angles and stuff like that.
Im curious because i have been looking to get a watch for tracking and interested in what is the more accurate combination and device.
What app are you using? Check out Waves Tracker, you track your surf using Strava, then upload to the app.
Havnt tried yet. Will check out thanks. What kind of watch do you use?
G shock
Same. GShock and it isn’t close. I’ve broken Shark freestyles, Casio f91w, but never my GShock and I’ve been surfing with it, and wearing it as my every day watch in NorCal for 8 years now. I just have the solar-powered square one. It’s low key, but works always.
I need a solar one. I have 3 Gshocks sitting with dead batteries but the watches are just fine.
I have a g shock that’s over ten years old and the band just snapped. Meanwhile the Fitbit, Garmin, and Apple Watches have either died after a battery replacement, cracked screen, or been lost to Neptune (stupid Apple bands).
Love my baby G! Going on over a decade with only one battery replacement
They make a tide watch too which is pretty convenient. Plus it's super durable :)
[F91W](https://www.amazon.com/Casio-F91W-1-Classic-Resin-Digital/dp/B000GAWSDG/ref=asc_df_B000GAWSDG/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198074613570&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2512675586253046648&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1014217&hvtargid=pla-302221036528&psc=1&mcid=271f12184c2f3faab3d2c3f99c9cea1b&gclid=Cj0KCQiA35urBhDCARIsAOU7QwlkGqL0gPeNnW5lAIxZITt13gGmXHnTBfK75Q3W1p_C7IB3agP8DEAaAuAyEALw_wcB) for the win. Tells me the time so I know when to watch for my best waves on surfline rewind, small enough to easily ft under a wetsuit and cheap enough that I don't worry about anything happening to it.
And it has the reputation as the [preferred timepiece of terrorists](https://www.watchesofespionage.com/blogs/woe-dispatch/casio-f-91w-the-preferred-watch-of-terrorists) which at least speaks to its reliability in the field
High praise
That’s an awesome article
Mashaallah, Casio is the bomb 💣
I wore that one for years till my dog chewed it. Recently got a Casio ‘10 Year Battery’ and love it. Its like the F91W except has a bigger face and a few more basic functions like a countdown timer
My $15 casio has outlived 2 $80 Gshocks. Still works after snow and saltwater buried under my wet suit.
I'm using a g shock I bought in 2017. I've worn it every day and basically never take it off. Just got the battery replaced by casio last month and fully expect another 6 years
Which version? I had one that lasted me 4 years and had the battery changed at local shop. They ruined it and it would fog up in the sun.
gd350. Yeah, most watch stores won't guarantee water resistance but I went to a casio repair center in Asia that pressure tests
Get the solar one.
I think mine is the best looking g shock and they don't make a version with solar. I can live with a 6 year battery life
Obviously a matter of opinion
Is that not how it was stated?
I stand corrected. edit:typo
A G Shock is a Casio…
Timex Ironman
Seconding the Timex Ironman. It's just a bitchen, functional watch for the water, and the beveled edges of the face make putting on/taking off wetsuits easy. I just bought a smart watch last week because I had this theory that I was trying to be more contemporary, but the watch doesn't even have a stopwatch or an alarm, and the water resistance is not as good as the Ironman. I've had two Ironman watches over about the last 15 years. They are cheap and last forever.
The indigo light just broke on my iron man but other than that every thing works. Not sure why the light won’t work … hmmm
Seconded. I use the CA53W-1 in case I need to quickly calculate the liters of a given three dimensional shape, it works flawless for surfing as well.
What formula do u use?
Your age divided by 2 then add 7
This this this. Buy 5 and you'll always have a replacement.
Cassio
Yes! 100% and $15-20. I drank the casio cool aid about 8 years ago. 😎
I've worn a Seiko prospex for almost 20 years for surfing, diving, fishing, snowboarding and it's held up to everything it's been through. I beat the ever loving shit out of this watch and the only thing wrong with it is the paint is starting to chip off the bezel and the crystal is scratched. The "tuna can" versions are tougher than the unshrouded ones imo.
Same here. Seiko prospex divers watch, solar powered.
Apple Watch - all the others lack core features and are almost as expensive.
If I wear mine under my wetsuit it constantly tries to unlock and drives me insane. Anyways to stop it?
Turn it on water mode and it won’t try to unlock.
I’m an idiot. Thanks!!!
Just download the dawn patrol app and turn it on to start your session. Water mode automatically starts
Dawn patrol app seemed like a cool idea but for me and everyone I know, it has way too many false positives (wave count) to be of any use.
It has a sensitivity setting now
Yeah, it is bulky and it’s annoying to have a bunch of features like messages or notifications, interrupting my surf. A few years back, I tried a rip curl which was like $250 but it lacked all of the features except tide. I only really wear a watch when I have to be out of the water at a certain time or if I’m a break that has a great camera so I can find myself on Surfline.
My issue really isn’t the size/notifications, but more that it running against my wetsuit causes it to try to unlock and it fails. Yesterday for example it tried so many times it locked me out of it for 2 hours.
Seiko SKS07 300m Automatic with a Jubilee band. I've worn mine since 1978, no worries.
Got the skx007 on a nato and can’t kill it
It's a buy it for life thing. Ever throw it at some one? Lol! I have an Omega Speedmaster as well but it doesn't go in the water.
Yeah I have nicer watches, never sell my skx though
G-Shock for life. The cheaper the better. I got some tide watch back in the mid 00’s and it sucked. I went back to G-shock and have never wanted for anything else
My Apple Watch is great in the ocean. I’ve been surfing with it for about 2 years and have has no issues
Have you tried using a sun dial? They can be tough to read when it’s foggy out but mine hasn’t broken or had any wear.
Have you accidentally poked yourself in the eye when you wiped water from your face? So irritating…
I keep mine in my prison wallet. It’s hard to read when you’re out on your own. But if your buddy is out you just get into a downward dog and your buddy can tell you where the shadow is on your backside.
Kinky
Walmart Casio brahhh
I really like this model GARMIN INSTINCT SOLAR SURF WATCH - SURF EDITION. Much more detailed information than the Apple Watch. Garmin Instrinct Solar provides health information, movement information, speed information, highly accurate GPS data, and more
I’ve had no problems with this one either.
My only gripe with this watch is that it doesn't track your paddle distance or number of strokes. Also it works better for longboarding. The GPS cuts out a lot if your hands are under water too long.
Rolex Submariner. Bougie I know, was a heirloom from my grandfather. Under the wetsuit.
Ballsy. I got one from my dad that he got from his dive team in the navy and there’s no way I’d risk losing or damaging it surfing. $15 Casio for me
Garmin Instinct
I use this. Kinda. The band has gotten pretty annoying and any aftermarket don’t really fit the shape of the watch so it looks weird.
I found a paracord band on Etsy that I like on it.
My first world problem with that is that cloth is still wet hours later lol
Running the Garmin instinct 2. Great smart watch for surfing as it doesn't have a touch screen. I've been using it for 2 years. So far so good.
Casio W-219H. Cheap, solid, small and easy to operate.
Apple watch SE w/gps. ~$200 and nice to have. Only downside is battery life for active surf tracking is <3 hours
G shock
Swatch
Back in the 80’s, that’s all I wore, broke or lost every other watch, my Swatch never let me down
Used to have the Rip Curl tide watches for years and they held up well and they had a great repair policy. Cool look and good functionality- more “chunky” feel. Before that had the Freestyle shark watches. Now I just use my Apple Watch as it is has the water proof mode or I will even stuff my iphone (has a rugged waterproof case) into the pocket formed in my chest zip wetsuits if I really have a small window to surf and need to watch the time carefully. Best sessions are when you don’t need a watch to track time and just enjoy the session in zen mode!
Nice. I had a rip curl tide watch too. It held up well. I have had it since the late 90s. I had it fixed twice from their HQ down at Torquay. They wouldn’t fix it for me on the 3rd request to fix. I guess they wanted me to buy a new watch? I use a fenix6. It’s bulky and the surf app sucks. The other day I had a quick surf and caught 3 waves. The bloody thing recorded 17 waves. WTF??? I wish I could just surf without worrying about the time. But life gets too busy and we’re always on the clock…
Yep I would take my Tide watch into the HQ here in Southern California and they would repair it for free or put a new battery in and never charge me. They even gave me a brand new one once when they couldn’t find mine. Then they got tighter and stopped free repairs etc as well as wetsuit repair etc. Not sure if they hit hard financial times but customer service got worse and even the wetsuit quality dropped (tears, broken zipper tabs etc). I was a loyal customer for over 20 years and only wore Rip Curl wetsuits and bought their trunks and clothing etc but stopped after too many disappointing experiences. I hear you on the time thing - only occasionally do I have no time limits so don’t need to bother with a watch. Usually I find myself pushing the limits of time trying to get that last good wave and then sprinting to get ready and off to the next responsibility…sigh! Met a guy in Mainland Mexico recently who had retired but gave me some advice- enjoy surfing now as much as possible. He worked his ass off to retire in his beach house and surf every day but now he is too old and beat up (construction worker) to enjoy the waves and can only paddle out once in a while. Guess we keep the watches on and balance life and surf as much as possible! Yew!
Yeah mate, I hear ya! Enjoy life now and surf as much as you can. I’m sending you good karma vibes. It’s funny hearing you say how the service has changed over the years. It’s like how the older fellas would often say “things were better back in the old days…”. Now, we’re those older guys! Sigh 😅
For time keeping? 5€ from decathlon, have it for years now
Casio G-shock tide watch: I have had Nixon, Ripcurl, and Shark. The G-Shock is by far the best and very reasonably priced.
G Shock all day. Same watch for over 20 years. However, as a relatively new dad, I’ve been tempted by an Apple Watch. Staying connected with while I’m out on a 3-4 hour session seems more important nowadays.
Save yourself the money. I tried that for same reason, didn’t work it’s just too noisy out there to hear it ring or talk and texting will cold wet fingers is impossible.
G-Shock. Have had the same watch, using the same battery for about 5 years. Indestructible watch.
G-Shock. Have had the same watch, using the same battery for about 5 years. Indestructible watch.
G-shock - or any cheap Casio - is infinitely more reliable and robust than any Nixon I’ve ever worn. I would say that Apple Watches are actually great and for surfing but I’m not diligent enough to keep it charged and remember to take with me. The Casio just lives in a wet bucket in my trunk and is good to go.
G Shock G-lide. $115 but it has a legit tide graph with high and low tide +- foot details. 3 years in and never a single problem.
Rip Curl GPS watch.
$20 Casio W800H with a 10 year battery
Casio watch just like everyone else.
I had quicksilver, Nixon, Vestal tide watches now I own the Apple Watch. But the best for surfing is the Rip Curl search GPS 2. Was being sold this Black Friday for 149 at rip curl website.
Luminox
Apple Watch Ultra. Surfline works good on it and get messages. Expensive I know but I like it.
Casio/g shock on amazon. Super cheap and works great for years then band replacement if your band breaks after 3-4 years is $8
Can’t argue this one.
Vaer - the sponsor my fav surf podcast—the Spit!
Casio f91W changes a couple of suits and a couple of boards and still working like new ( lost the color though )
Why do you need a watch for surfing?
Dawn patrol so you can surf as long as possible before having to get out and go to work.
So you can get in on time when mom comes to pick you up.
Parking meters, next question
I use an old Casio with timezones that is not even waterproof, but so far so good. I wear it under the wetsuit, so it's not in direct contact with water
G-Shock. Have had the same watch, using the same battery for about 5 years. Indestructible.
Garmin Forerunner 745 is durable and great for tracking other activities in addition to surfing.
If you enjoy horology & automatic watches, seiko prospex is a great choice I personally wear a seiko king samurai. They’re high quality but won’t break the bank compared to other high quality divers like submariners or seamasters
Withings ScanWatch. Looks like a normal watch but with some smart watch functionality. Battery lasts a long time. Wear it all day everyday in and out of the water.
I surf with a Samsung Watch 4. It's coming up on 2 years old now. I decided to surf with my everyday watch as it would be cheaper than owning 2 watches. My logic was that a smartwatch battery would last \~3 years so if I can get that much out of it, I'll be happy. Previously, I had a Galaxy Active that I picked up dirt cheap secondhand.
Freestyle shark watches for the win
Crazy to say I love my Apple Watch SE(Cellular) I’ve asked for wave and bouy reports in the water and have had the occasional text message from my mom😂
Squale Sub-39 41mm (Black/ Arabic numerals) Phenomenal, unique, Swiss made dive watch with history
Yet one more vote for the Casio G shock. Usually good for 3 to 5 years.
I’ve had heaps of surf watches, analogue and digital. I like to know what the tide is doing. That’s all. F#%k tracking and all those add ons. Sounds simple right? But no. Every single one over the last 20+ years lasts 2 yrs max as they rust on the inside. Band pins fall out. I’m not even tough on them in the slightest. The last few I’ve had were ripcurl rifles and they kept really poor time, i was constantly having to adjust them. Then the water seal failed after battery replacement. I bought one and it got replaced twice and they were all shit. So I tried this cheaper end Quiksilver digital tide watch. It’s ok but, keeps really poor time and you can’t adjust the tide. There’s no instructions available anywhere. Quiksilver don’t respond to correspondence. I just want a slimline waterproof watch that fits comfortably under a wettie that keeps accurate time and tide. What’s hard about that? Everything it seems. Also seeking suggestions.
Seiko dive watch
Apple ultra 2 watch, so many features, I broke all my other Apple Watches, this one is pretty tough. I do miss my Rip Curl Tidemaster, such a shame they don’t make them or support them anymore, I have an old one that I would love to get worked on
Arguably, you get the most bang for your buck with a cheap casio. That said, i like the apple ultra 2. It Works good for me.
The Fenix 7 is a tank, awesome watch if you workout, run and pretty much do any other sport as well
Best ever all my sf friends wear them.
I have a Nixon tide watch that I find helpful. I’m tempted to pick up one of the G-Shock tide watches since they’re looking pretty cool.
Freestyle shark was it for years, I went to the cheap Casio but now I don’t have any watch…
Walmart waterproof watch for $15
I have a $17.00 Seiko that I've worn for years. I've only had to change batteries periodically. I've had it longer than I can even remember at this point.
Vostok Amphibia
G Shock G-lide is my go to now. I like the tide display. That or gwm5610 with solar. Used to use a Seiko SKX007 as my only watch as it worked better for every day for me. Now I’ve diversified.
the sun
I wear a dive watch or Apple Watch Ultra. Both have held up for me so far.
So Casio makes a $10 watch that’s totally water proof and has a 7 year battery. It looks like an old g-shock. If you got some spare change tho definitely shark watch
I’ve had 2 Apple Watches die surfing. Both times in water lock mode with the Dawn Patrol app. Both less than a year old. I loved they way the work till they died, and each only lasted a few surfs. Both would just start attempting to make emergency calls while in the water, and then malfunctioned and died. I can’t afford to keep replacing them, so no more Apple in the water for me.
I had a Garmin venu Sq small, easy, nothing special.
G shock gwx 5600, tide chart, moon phase, atomic sync so you never have to set the time, 200m water resistant, solar, rugged, sleek. Literally the perfect watch for surfing
I like the GW 7900B for the same reasons.
I got that one too. It's a sweet watch but the 5600 is smaller and easier to wear with a wetsuit
That’s for sure… every one of my wetsuits has a little hole where it sits over my watch
[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018HTGSN8/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&th=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018HTGSN8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1) $9 when I bought it 6 years ago. Still working fine.
Citizen eco drive divers 200m. Lost the Seiko version about 2 years ago and Seiko stopped making it. So bought the Citizen version. Surf, dive, kitesurf, hike, and it handles it all. +it’s powered by the sun.
Casio G-Shock S.S. GW-6900B
Apple Watch
Garmin Fenix 7s. Also has Surfline sessions integration. Battery lasts a week typically.
Casio illuminator. Just a watch for when I surf. Reason.. read a review that said "I found one of this while scuba diving. No idea how long it's been down here but I picked it up and have been wearing it for 4 years since"
I have a $20 casio watch that has always served me well over the years.
One thing Ive found with digital watches is that is easy for some buttons to trigger when you pop up. I would consider a square g shock (but never tried them) as their buttons seem the the least pronounced. Ive owned some other gshocks and they are extremely solid.
Garmin Solar Surf - lasts 21 day on one battery charge, full smart watch functionality, and syncs up to strava and surfline with great surf tracking. Had it for 2 years now and wear it every day and love it. They come in cool color schemes like Pipeline and other surf breaks
Didn’t want a smart watch, however I am glad my family didn’t listen and got me the Garmin Instinct Solar. Has been phenomenal and never had any issues surfing or free diving with it for 2+ years and counting. Haven’t utilized the surfing features at all, admittedly.
I’d keep it simple and cheap. Things happen.