A watch isn't always just a watch. Sometimes it's a GPS, flashlight, tachymeter, or survival tool. Sometimes it's all those things in one. So whether you're just looking to tell the time or whether you want a do-it-all timepiece that can tell you when to surf, we've got a model for you.
Aulta Leeway Nylon
Newcomer was hatched by industry vets with a love of surfing. The Leeway has a Japanese quartz movement and a tough 316-L steel case, and survives plunges down to 328 feet. It makes us want to drive our woody up onto the dunes and never leave.
Price $105
Szanto Pilot 4000
No solar power or tachymeter here—just basic good looks, with a seventies-feeling brown and gold face, a bronze-colored steel case, and a supple stitched-leather band. But the is matched with high-quality quartz timekeeping. Subdials count up seconds and minutes, if you like to “run track,” as it used to be called.
Price $350
Victorinox Swiss Army I.N.O.X. Naimakka Limited Edition
That strap is a piece of paracord that can be pulled apart and deployed to, say, tie a splint—and then sent back to Victorinox to be rewoven. The housing is a superstrong steel I.N.O.X. case with removable bumper wraps.
Price $625
Casio G-Shock Gravitymaster
This contains a GPS antenna, and it’s the first watch to use hybrid radio-GPS technology to automatically set the time anywhere on earth. Extras include a solar panel on the face to recharge the battery and an LED that can help you find your way in the dark.
Price $950
Nixon Moon Raider
This jumbo-dialed (but not too heavy) is tailor-made for surfers. The screw-down crown is on the left to prevent wrist bite when paddling out, a simple high/low dial keeps you posted on tide status, and an antiglare treatment keeps it visible even in bright sun.
Price $850
Luminox Recon Team Leader 8840 chronograph
The pays homage to old-school navigation. Will you really use the compass rose, tachymetric scale, or map-reading ruler etched into the band? Probably not. But you’ll love the tough sapphire crystal and lightweight, carbon-reinforced polycarbonate construction. Out late? Illumination on the numbers and hands glows for 25 years.
Price $795