The best watch for firefighters isn’t hard to find. All you need is a timepiece that can withstand a beating. To help narrow your search, we have reviewed 6 such watches.
You probably know them as people who put out fires, but firefighters save lives in all sorts of settings. To do this, they wear a range of protective gear. As you know, their timepieces need to be able to handle a beating. They also need to be water-resistant and comfortable.
If they’re made from a thick type of plastic, they’ll be able to handle the heat to a large degree. With this description in mind, you might have a couple of watches in mind that would make great firefighter pieces – let’s get to work.
Our Pick
G-Shock is legendary for its durable timepieces. The brand is Navy SEAL approved, so firefighters can easily use their pieces. The Mud-Master is especially renowned as a great watch for firefighters. This is as it comes with an ultra-thick resin body; scratches will never be an issue. Although thick, the resin is soft. This results in it being very comfortable.
There is sapphire crystal on the G shock firefighter. It is the toughest out there, so good luck trying to dent it. Truly, the combination of resin and sapphire makes the GWG-1000 indestructible.
As a part of your job, you’ll be in very hot settings. The Mud-Master can record a range of temperatures. It can read up to 60 C which is impressive. The device can read up to -10 C too. Not only does it come with a temperature sensor, but it also has an altimeter. If you don’t know what an altimeter is, it reads how high you are off the ground.
The Mud-master is water-resistant. It can handle some serious depths as it’s resistant up to 660 feet (200 meters). You can dive with it, but not continuously. The device is unfortunately not ISO 6425 certified.
As it’s a G-Shock, it’s not surprising to see a solar powered mechanism. Sunlight powers its Japanese quartz movement.
If you’re about to save someone in a dim setting, knowing that the backlight on the timepiece being almost torch-like is great.
Of course, you’ll always be on time. Atomic timekeeping is available. This means the GWG-1000-1A3 syncs to atomic clocks through radio waves. The watch also reads the time in multiple time zones – there are 29 as of now.
Whether you’re a firefighter or not, a compass is always useful. You’ll love to know that the digital compass on the Mud Master is in-depth.
What makes it special:
Its atomic timekeeping
The Most Durable!
SUUNTO is a brand acclaimed for producing pieces fit for the outdoors. Along with our G-shocks, it’s no surprise that the Alpha is one of our top picks for durability. It’s the most durable entry on our list. It comes with a premium sapphire window – you’ll find it very hard to get scratches on it. Around its window is a stainless steel bezel. It’s not just any stainless steel – It is knurled, so it will withstand all kinds of beatings. As it’s textured, it’s fun to rub against your fingers.
Its strap is not resin but nylon. Nylon is a fabric, so it’s normal for it to get wet. But the nylon on the Traverse ALPHA was treated to be repellent.
As it was made for the outdoors, there is a premium GPS on the device. Although it’s not helpful for a firemen, the timepiece records wherever you take shots on its map. This helps you find the best area to hunt in. Yes, it does this automatically.
Firemen don’t just work in the city. There may be a fire on the outskirts of town. If you’re in the wilderness and are lost, you’ll love its breadcrumb feature. The ALPHA makes note of where you were before your trip started, creating ‘breadcrumbs’ for you to follow.
The olive green version is our favourite – you’ll be camouflaging the best. However, you can pick the device up in a multitude of colours. There is a rose gold one that looks especially good.
Did we mention that you get a NATO strap? The straps are a breeze to wear as there are no holes for you to latch pins into. Time is money, so you’re in good hands.
If you’re expecting water resistance, it won’t disappoint. It can handle 330 feet (100 meters). Its stainless steel and NATO strap keep it waterproof.
European watches are known to last the longest, especially Swiss ones. A lot of craftsmanship goes into their design. You’ll love to know that the Alpha SUUNTO is from Finland. SUUNTO’s timepieces are known to last a while.
It works with a battery. The Alpha’s battery needs to be fully charged every 2 weeks.
So, how big is it? Its case is 1.96 inches (50 mm).
What makes it special:
Its thorough GPS
The Best For Small Wrists!
Just like how the Mud-Master is legendary, the Iron Man is as well. The Classic 100 is a pretty small watch. Its case stretches 1.49 inches (38 mm) across. Being a firefighter, you’re always on the move. So, having something weighing your wrist down is not going to be comfortable.
Once again, you’re looking at a device made from resin. This shouldn’t be a surprise as it is known to be durable. The thickness of the resin in the Ironman 100 is good but is not the best – it doesn’t hold a torch to the G-shocks we ran through.
The glass on its window is acrylic. It’s tougher than mineral. However, it’s not as resistant as sapphire.
Being a firefighter, you have to regularly clock your hours. To make this easier, it is widely done in military time. The Ironman offers the time in a 24-hour feature.
When in dim settings, its indigo dial will read the time in the dark. That being said, it’s not as bright as the backlights on the entries already discussed.
If you’re looking for a water-resistant piece, the Ironman Classic 100 is the one for you. It can withstand 330 feet (100 meters) underwater. Timex says that it can handle serious swimming but not snorkeling and diving. As its body is made from resin, waterproofing is not a problem. Nothing will stick to it, even smoke and dust.
We have to say, the button placement on it is really good. There are 5 and we found that they’re superbly tactile.
It is Japanese quartz. For firefighters, quartz pieces are the best. They come with the least parts, so they’re the most reliable. Being on time is a huge part of the job, which you’ll have covered. But is it solar powered? The answer’s no.
What makes it special:
Its small case.
There’s another G-Shock on our list because the brand is so good. The GA-700 is darker than its sibling. This helps you camouflage better. You don’t have to be a firefighter to find this useful – any hunter would.
It is made from strong resin. This allows it to be shock and vibration resistant. Just like its counterpart, the resin on it is on the softer side. It is not as big as the Mud-Master. The GA-700 has a 2.07 inch (52.8 mm) case, while its brother has a 2.20 inch (56.1 mm) one.
The glass on it is not sapphire. You’re getting mineral instead. It’s not as resistant, but it does a good job. As the timepiece contains so much resin, worrying about its dial being damaged won’t be an issue.
It can handle quite a bit of water. It is water-resistant up to 660 feet (200 meters). But you can’t dive with it. The GA-700 is not ISO certified. When you’re submerged, you’ll easily be able to read it. It comes with a powerful LED backlight.
Unlike its sibling, it is not solar powered. G-shock is known for its solar-powered pieces, so we’re disappointed. A regular battery charges its Japanese quartz movement. Not only is it not solar-powered, but it doesn’t come with atomic timekeeping either.
The device has various features. One of our favourite things about it is the ability to read the time in 30 different time zones.
What makes it special:
It is great for blending in.
We think its red and black colourway go well together. The red on it was placed strategically, making the 9144 B-R-B look futuristic. Its case is made from a zinc alloy. This lets it handle more scratches than usual. It also makes it glossy which is something anyone would want.
If you look at its strap, you’ll notice that it’s leather. The leather on it is high-quality, so it looks elegant. Unfortunately, the material isn’t very durable. It also easily gets wet. You’ll see red stitching on the band. This gives the illusion of a hand-stitched strap, which you only see in premium devices.
It is water-resistant. Can it handle a lot of water? Not really – it is only resistant up to 100 feet (30 meters). Naviforce says that a couple of splashes is all it can handle.
You’ll always be on top of your schedule with the timepiece. It has an impressive 8 digit display. This lets it read the day, date, week, month, year, second, minute, and hour.
It is a digital watch that comes with an analog display. The hand on it is luminous. Not only are its hands luminous, but there is a backlight on it which is quite bright.
It doesn’t come with a digital compass – you will see the directions plastered on its dial. They’re engraved, so they won’t fade.
The device is Japanese quartz. There are thousands of quartz movements out there, but we don’t know the specific movement on it. We do know that the one on the Naviforce is super reliable, though.
The watch comes in all sorts of designs. The black and red will help you camouflage the best, though. There is a gold variant that’s pretty eye-catching.
It’s big but not as big as many of the entries on our list. Its case stretches 1.77 inches (45 mm) across.
What makes it special:
Its zinc alloy case.
If you want a firefighter watch that will grab a lot of attention, the SK1029 is for you. To begin with, it has a body full of dark and bright blue spots. Its dial reads the time on a neon green digital display. The blue and green go well together, making the piece the easiest to read from across the room.
It can read both 24-hour and 12-hour time. As you know, having access to military time works great when logging activity.
The device is made from resin, though not entirely. The strap on it is rubber. Having a rubber strap is great because the material is extremely waterproof. If you’re in a dusty setting, dirt won’t collect on your timepiece. Rubber is also more comfortable than resin. Of course, the device is durable.
Speaking of durability, we have to talk about its window. There is mineral glass in place. The mineral on the SK1029 can especially handle a beating. Gosasa says that the glass on it was made to withstand different kinds of pressures – we believe them.
It is water-resistant up to 165 feet (50 meters). It’s not a diver’s watch, but its water resistance is fair for fire department watches – all you need is a device that can handle some serious dunks.
It has a powerful LED backlight. Considering that its digital markers are neon green, they light up very well.
You’re looking at a big firemen watch. Its case stretches 2.12 inches (54 mm) across. If you have smaller wrists, keep its size in mind.
As the device is digital, it also comes with many features. You get a stopwatch, calendar, dual-time display, and alarm.
Yes, there is a dual-time feature on it. It won’t be the first thing you notice but around its lime green digital markers are gold-like Arabic numerals.
What makes it special:
It reads military and analog time.
Check out our other top watches
If you were looking for the best watches for firefighters, make sure to consider our picks. We firmly believe the G-shock Mud-man is the best choice for you. Not only does it come jam-packed with features but it’s one of the most durable entries we reviewed. It looks chic too. In terms of the other watches, the top few come neck-in-neck with each other.
