Military persons are the toughest blokes out there. These guys have to undergo strenuous exercises and rigorous training sessions just to stay active and always ready for combat.
Army Men have to jump from heights, plunge into swarms, and pass through barbed wires as a part of their course. The hectic routine is a serious killer of any gadgets they carry or wear.
But why should the military people be left from having the perks of technological advancements?
Don’t they have the right to get an accurate record of their training with the help of a modern military smartwatch?
They surely do. If you are a serving military officer or veteran who still loves the drills, you need to read this article as we bring to you the best military watches of 2022.
Quick Buying Guide: Military Smartwatches
To be able to choose the right watch for yourself you should know what to look for in a watch. We have made a simple list of features that are beneficial from a military personnel’s point of view.
Tactical Or Smart Watch
The most evident division in military smartwatches is the Tactical smartwatch and a generalized smartwatch.
Tactical Smartwatch
A Tactical Smartwatch is a smartwatch that is designed to withstand challenging and rough situations. The ideal military-style watch (tactical) should have certain highlighting features such as:
- Resistance to shock, dust, mud, and water
- The screen is bright and easily visible
- The constituent materials are robust (military standard testing is a plus)
- The battery life is good
- Keeps a good record of fitness and activity features such as Jumpmaster and built-in GPS
The rugged lifestyle of army men asks for a gadget that is strong like them.
There are tactical watches available that are mechanical watches with upgraded protective features. However, a tactical smartwatch is sturdy and offers smart features too.
Smart Watch
The generalized smartwatch category mainly aims to produce commercial products for the general public. However, this doesn’t stop them from making items for their servers of the armed forces.
Display
The display should be ultra-bright to allow easy viewing during broad daylight. Illumination of the screen shall help in visualizing the screen in dark, murky environments.
The digital display should be large enough to clarify the details at a glance.
Strength
The most important requirement of a military watch is to be sturdy and strong enough to tackle anything that is thrown at it. Exposure to dust, mud, shocks, and scratches is a common practice for hard trainers.
Waterproofing is also a must. IP67 or IP68 rating increases the credibility of the watch.
Battery life
All the strength features of a watch go in vain if the battery is not up to the mark. Training exercises require men to stay in open fields, far-flung areas devoid of electricity for days and even weeks.
Therefore, a military smartwatch should ideally be able to survive for many days.
Fitness Tracking
Improvements in performance can only be judged by keeping a track record of the activity. Running and workout sessions should be recorded very well with a military watch.
Built-in sensors to triangulate your position are also of great help to let you determine the location in the open and also record your outdoor activity sessions.
An army GPS watch can be very helpful.
**Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Top 10 Best Military Smartwatches 2022
After some comparing and searching we have shortlisted the 10 best watches for military men that include both commercial and tactical smartwatches.
1. Garmin Tactix Delta: The Secret Keeper Tactical Watch
Garmin tactix delta is a newer and improved version of the Garmin tactix watch. It is a stylish tactical fitness watch.
Prominent Features
- A tactical army GPS watch
- Military standard durability (810G)
- Advanced activity tracking
- A large battery
- Garmin Pay
Tactical Watch
The Garmin tactix delta watch is specially designed for intelligent army people. It has a myriad of tactical features that come in handy.
Jumpstarter mode lets you calculate the altitude release points when going skydiving.
Another beneficial feature of this tactical watch is the night vision capability that allows viewing the watch with night vision goggles.
Staying connected while you train is a unique feature of the device. The Garmin watch has built-in systems to allow you to connect to the universal transverse Mercator (UTM) and Military grade reference system (MRGS).
You can save remote geographical positions by the projected waypoints feature.
A stealth mode adds to the security of your device. Using this mode you can stop sharing your position and disconnect all sorts of communication.
A soldier’s heart is full of secrets. This watch is specially designed to keep it falling from the wrong hands, thanks to the kill switch on the watch that wipes all data from the memory.
Display
The display has impressed us. You get a colorful display that appears very pleasing to the eye.
A 1.4-inch screen made out of rugged, scratch-resistant materials matches the specs sheet of the wristwatch.
Strength
This tactical fitness watch has all the certifications to be approved as a sturdy candidate. This device has received a military standard 810 certification which means that it can resist shock, heat, dust, and water effectively.
Battery
An immense 21-day battery is incorporated into the gadget. You don’t need to worry about the battery dying out when out in the wild.
Fitness Tracking
Garmin tactix delta is a fitness-oriented smartwatch that accurately records your running, jogging, and cycling sessions.
You get the most advanced location determining services within the smartwatch. The global navigation system of the watch uses GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo to triangulate your location with the utmost accuracy. It enables better tracking of your outdoor training.
What’s More?
The altimeter, barometer, and compass make it an overall performer.
You also get the useful feature of mobile payment via Garmin Pay.
Bottom-line
The Garmin tactix delta is the most advanced tactical watch that offers exceptional tactical features, is sturdy, and has the most accurate positioning service. This is THE WATCH to get your hands on if you have some dimes in the pocket.
2. Garmin Tactix Charlie: The Best Tactical Fitness Watch
Garmin is a renowned manufacturer brand that puts special emphasis on producing strong devices. The Tactix Series from Garmin empowers users with a number of powerful tactical devices.
Prominent Features
- Tactical Watch with an ultra-bright screen
- Rugged strong design (resistance against shock, dust, and water)
- Jumpmaster, direction giver with GPS and GLONASS
- Heart-rate monitor
- 12 days long battery
Tactical Smartwatch
The Garmin Tactix Charlie watch is a Tactical fitness watch that is designed for military-level strength.
The watch is laced with tactical-specific features such as Jumpmaster. This feature records your speed of descent and the altitude of skydivers.
Waypoint projection is another feature that lets you have an idea of the direction of movement. It utilizes dual-positioning GPS to determine the exact whereabouts.
Display
The device offers a 1.2-inch display that is designed for viewing in the sun and even in the dark. The display is ultra-bright and easily viewable during broad daylight. It also supports night vision mode for enhancing view with night goggles.
Strength
A strong device is pivotal for any military personnel. The watch bezel is coated with a diamond-like carbon material (DLC) while the rear side has titanium covering.
The buttons, too are made out of stainless steel to provide sturdiness and strength.
The constituent material makes it evident that this device can resist shocks, dust, corrosion, and drops.
It can also resist water up to 100 meters and 10 ATM of water pressure.
Battery life
This watch boasts a large battery. It can last for days and weeks even.
Users have experienced as long as 2 weeks of battery life without GPS usage. Activating the positioning services reduces battery life.
Good thing is that you get an UltraTrac saver mode to save some juice.
Fitness Tracking
Garmin Tactix Charlie is one of the best watches for basic training. This feature-rich watch enriches you with many fitness and training options including running and hiking.
You get to know your training status very easily. The overall training load estimation gives you an idea of the progression of muscle strength. Similarly, the new anaerobic training effect metric is extremely important in drawing or pushing your limits.
TOPO provides you with maps of different parts of the world. Your present location is determined using GPS and GLONASS.
What’s More?
You also get a continuous heart rate sensor that coordinates with your fitness regime and informs you of heart health.
Advanced sensors of altimeter, barometer, and compass are also found.
Stay connected to the world via Garmin Connect.
Bottom-line
Garmin Tactix Charlie is a strong device with sufficient tactical watch features. It is good for military training and features like Jumpmaster and Waypoint projection are very useful for skydivers and outdoor trainers.
The materials of the watch are robust and can withstand water and shocks pretty well. Fitness tracking and military training records are also accurate and quick.
3. Amazfit T-Rex Smartwatch: Military Watch With The Best Screen
Amazfit gives us some very impressive devices. The Amazfit T-Rex smartwatch is one of them.
Prominent Features:
- Sturdy AMOLED screen
- Rugged exteriors that withstand extremes of temperature
- Military standard durability and waterproofing
- Long battery life
- Multiple exercise modes
Smartwatch
This is a commercial smartwatch and not a tactical watch. The design is of a military-grade smartwatch.
The resilient structure of the watch mimics a tactical watch.
Display
The watch boasts a 1.3-inch display and we are delighted to see an AMOLED screen. The display is crispy, clear, and bright even in sunlight.
The Always-on display makes viewing the data easy.
Strength
The solid craftsmanship on the watch shall pose no problem in any endurance. This amazing watch has passed 12 military-grade certifications of resilience and endurance.
The watch stands tall against extremes of temperatures (hot and cold) and humidity. It is a true military-grade smartwatch.
You can also take the watch for a swim too. Underwater training exercises are very well tolerated by this gadget as it can withstand water pressure of 5 ATM and a depth of 50 meters.
Battery
The battery is rejoicing. Most of the users have shown their content over the 20 day long battery. The watch will have your back when in harsh outdoor environments.
Fitness Tracking
This superb watch has multiple exercise modes that are designed for fitness training. It’s an army training watch that accurately records 14 different activities including triathlon running, swimming, elliptical training, trekking, etc efficiently.
Advanced GPS chips by Sony give highly precise location data.
Bottom-line
The Amazfit T-Rex watch keeps a good record of exercises and training. This watch is carved out of robust metallic materials ideal for military men. It is not a tactical watch but does a fine job in keeping up with tough environments.
4. Garmin Instinct Watch: The Best Army GPS Watch
The Instinct series is designed for those who want extra durability out of their smartwatch. This is not a tactical watch yet offers immensely beneficial military watch features.
Prominent Features:
- Rugged watch design
- US Military Standard (810G) durable
- 2 weeks of battery
- Heart rate sensor
- Advanced sensors and position tracking
- Training features
Smartwatch
Just like the Amazfit T-rex, this is also a durable smartwatch that lacks tactical features. However, this does not mean that the watch is any less performing a good job.
Display
Garmin Instinct is designed for those who acquire a macho look. The display is bright and has a high contrast but is only a monochrome display i.e. only black and weight.
The display is scratch-resistant.
Strength
Garmin has done a great job of putting up all the necessary shields on this device.
The manufacturers have tested this device rigorously. The very device has a military standard certification for thermal, shock, and water resistance.
Water resistance to 100 meters depth is assured thanks to the fiber-reinforced polymer case.
Battery
The Garmin Instinct watch can last for 14 days on average usage. However, continuous GPS usage will bring down the battery counter to 20 hours which is good.
Fitness Tracking
This watch can prove to be your personal fitness trainer. Garmin Instinct watch comes preloaded with a number of activity profiles to keep up with you. For military training, you get accurate running, swimming, and biking.
In order to triangulate your position, three advanced systems come into play. You can see GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo satellite networks working together to determine your position in the wild. This precision in location also helps record outdoor training.
These features make it one of the best army GPS watches.
What’s More?
Garmin Instinct watch has advanced sensors that include an altimeter, barometer, and a heart rate sensor.
You can upload your fitness data online in the online fitness community via the Garmin Connect feature.
Bottom-line
The Garmin Instinct is a strong and robust watch. It offers a monochrome display and is a strong beast. This device has passed military standard endurance and provides a few training features too.
5. Suunto Traverse Alpha Watch: The Hunters’ Choice
The Suunto Traverse Alpha watch is a good looking tactical watch that offers plenty of strength and resilience.
Prominent Features:
- Scratch-resistant sapphire glass
- Tactical watch
- Hunting and Fishing feature
- Accurate location tracking
- Good battery
Tactical Watch
Suunto watches are well renowned as excellent tactical watches. The main objective of tactical watches is powering the users with a sturdy device that brings something extra out of the box.
The strong men have some wild wishes and this watch shall help you fulfill them. One of these wild activities is hunting and the other one is fishing. Marking trails and locations for fishing is easy.
The Suunto Traverse Alpha watch gives you sunrise and sunset alerts.
There is an automatic shot detection feature that keeps track of your shooting (on topographic maps).
Display
There is a monochrome display that has good contrast. A red backlight is also available for nighttime viewing that also allows viewing through night goggles.
The sapphire crystal glass of the display resists scratches and viewing easily at all times.
Strength
Every single piece of this robust watch is resistant to atrocities and torture. Be it the reinforced fiber of the strap or the stainless steel bezel, the machine stands tall against wear and tear.
This tactical military watch is shock, dust, drops, and water-resistant and can withstand extreme changes in temperature too. The watch has military standard 819G certification to boast of its resilience.
Battery
The battery is trustworthy and lasts easily for 10-14 days with average usage. Continuous GPS takes a toll on the battery but the device did a good job even in harsh battery circumstances.
Fitness Tracking
There are no specific fitness tracking modes but this particular device is more of an outdoor activity thing. You get one of the finest location tracking services so you can roam around and train in the wild without worries of getting lost.
For the price, you get an in-built compass. The GPS and GLONASS help you keep a record of your trail using the breadcrumb trail feature.
What’s More?
An extremely beneficial of the device is a built-in flashlight that comes in handy in dark.
The altimeter and barometer come incorporated into the watch. Weather updates and storm warnings are timely notified.
You can receive your social media notifications on the wristwatch.
Bottom-line
The Suunto Traverse Alpha watch is a basic tactical watch that is very strong and durable (military standard). It lacks advanced activity training features but is overpowered with features for hunting and fishing.
6. Suunto Core Military Men’s Watch: Best Watch For The Outdoor Campers
Suunto core watch is another entrant of the best military watch contest. It is more of a strength watch than an esthetic watch.
Prominent Features:
- Monochrome display
- Rotating bezel
- Resistant to scratches, drops, and temperature changes
- Altimeter, barometer, and compass
- Built-in weather indicator
Smart Watch
Suunto Core is a military smartwatch that has some serious specs. It is a military watch so you can expect concrete resilience with a cool design.
This mini-computer is laced with many advantageous features. The altimeter in the watch lets you track your hill-climbing and trekking. You get a good idea of how high you are and are also warn you of dangerous cliff edges.
A storm detector senses changes in the air pressure using a barometer and rightly informs you of the incoming danger.
A built-in compass lets you navigate while a sunrise/fall time of more than 400 countries gives you the knowledge of ideal camping.
Display
You get a round dial watch with a monochrome display. The display isn’t the best part of the watch. The screen displays activity, weather, and pressure data in digits.
There is a backlight on the screen to illuminate it at night.
Strength
The Suunto core watch is designed for those who love to spend their time in the wild. Campers love the harsh environments of wear and tear so only a sturdy device can stand by your side. This device will not let you down as it is capable of resisting scratches, and dust.
You can take the watch for snorkeling with you, thanks to the efficient water resistance (100 feet).
Battery
Suunto core military watch comes with a coin battery that can last for 1 year according to the manufacturer’s claims. There are mixed reviews from users regarding battery life.
Some have griped over the below-average performance of the battery that needs replacement every 3 months while others believe the claims of the producers.
Fitness Tracking
The watch doesn’t have any advanced fitness tracking features in it. It can measure the rate of your descent but not your fitness exercise.
Bottom-line
The Suunto core military watch is a decent device that has military-grade resistance. It lacks the typical smartwatch and activity tracking features and is suited for camping-lovers only.
7. Garmin Tactix Bravo: Best Watch For Army Basic Training
The Garmin tactix bravo watch is an amalgamation of style and strength. This is a pure tactical watch with a charming design.
Prominent Features:
- Tactical Watch with Colored display
- Waterproofing
- Advanced sensors (ABC)
- Big battery
- Oxygen saturation and heart rate sensors
Tactical Watch
Like other members of the Tactics series, the bravo series is best at the job. This is an ergonomic tactical watch that is powered by features like Jumpstart and waypoint projection that help you keep track of your movements in the open.
Advanced positioning features are provided by the combination of GPS, and GLONASS. Dual-format GPS is all you need to have for outdoor navigation. Military system connection (MRGS) features are also present in this great device.
The watch also lets you view it through night-vision goggles which is a big plus for the night surfers.
Display
The watch lives up to the reputation of Garmin and powers you with a pleasant, bright, and sunlight-readable colorful display. The 1.2-inch screen is a treat to watch.
The Garmin Chroma display with backlight LED makes for a great viewing experience.
Strength
All components of the watch speak of the premium quality they carry. The knurled bezel with the diamond-like coating fights against abrasions and scratches.
The stainless steel buttons and 3 ring nylon of the band ensure reinforced durability.
You also get waterproofing till a depth of 100m or to water pressures of up to 10 ATM.
Battery
The watch battery is designed to last for 2 weeks on average usage. In the GPS mode, it makes it to 20 hours.
However, you can get 50 hours of juice with an UltraTrac battery saver mode.
Fitness Tracking
The watch is a beast in terms of fitness tracking features and notices the minutest of the details. For example, it tracks the extent of bounce you have while running.
Your running symmetry, number of steps per minute, and length of the stride are all recorded with sharp precision and accuracy. The traceback feature enables the military men to return to the starting point of their exercise. So, with this watch on the wrist, you can never get lost.
The military watch also shows you the amount of stress, lactate threshold, and performance conditions.
Oxygen saturation meter and heart rate sensor are great inclusions to the watch that works in line with the calories burned and steps taken to give you the big picture of your health.
What’s more?
Garmin Connect allows you to upload your activity to the Garmin community and brag about your training session. Just like texting watches, you can connect the watch to your smartphone and receive social media notifications and even email and text alerts.
Advanced altimeter, barometer, and compass (ABC) are present.
Bottom-line
The Garmin Tactix Bravo watch is a sports and fitness-oriented tactical watch. The founding materials are extremely tough which makes it a natural choice for outdoor activities. If you are looking for a tactical fitness watch this is made for you my friend.
8. T1 Tact Military Smartwatch: Best Military Style Fitness Watch
The T1 Tact military smartwatch is an economical tactical watch that has a simplistic design with great value for money.
Prominent Features:
- Military-grade smartwatch
- Screen with backlight
- Coin battery that lasts long
- IP67 waterproofing
- Remote camera
- Smart notifications
Smartwatch
The T1 Tact is a military-grade smartwatch that can pair with your android or an iPhone device. The watch has no tactical features but is decently powered with features of sturdiness.
The style and looks of the watch are in line with the prevalent military watch design.
Display
The watch offers a monochrome digital display. The digits size and the brightness of the screen enable you to view the watch screen in broad daylight.
An in-built backlight on the screen allows you to observe your activity record in the dark too.
Strength
The device is claimed to be military-grade strong but we don’t get any official military-grade testing.
However, an IP67 rating ensures that this watch can offer some resistance against shocks, dust, and water. The manufacturers claim that it can be taken to a depth of 50m underwater.
Battery
T1 Tact military-grade watch comes with a coin battery that can last for 2 years as per manufacturers’ claims. The battery can be easily replaced.
Fitness Tracking
The extensive fitness tracking features offered by this watch have impressed us. You can use this watch for fitness tracking.
For starters, you get an accurate fitness tracker, calorie counter, and distance measurer in the watch.
Advanced fitness tracking features comprise multiple sports modes. You can own the sport you want and the smartwatch will keep track. Sports modes include running, football, hiking, cycling, and basketball.
It keeps a record of the fitness data for 21 days.
What’s More?
The Raise-to-wake feature of the T1 Tact smartwatch is a cool one.
The remote camera control feature is a blessing for the selfie-lovers.
You can receive smart social media notifications (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) on the watch. Message and call alerts are also received when paired with your smartphone.
Bottom-line
The T1 Tact military-grade watch is a simple and decent device that is good for fitness tracking. It lacks the premium feel of its competitors and also comes without gimmicks but provides great value for money.
9. Samsung Galaxy Gear S3 Frontier Smart Watch: Samsung’s Sturdy Beast
Samsung is known for the variety of devices it produces. The manufacturers create gadgets that target different strata of society. Galaxy Gear S3 frontier is Samsung’s attempt to target military men.
Prominent Features:
- A big round dial
- Unique rotatable bezel
- Military-grade resistance watch
- Spot-on fitness tracking
- Call and text option
- Samsung Pay
Smart Watch
This prodigious watch from Samsung is not a tactical watch but packs up sufficient features to make it to the best military watches list.
The rotatable bezel on the device takes it a step further in class and quality.
Display
As this is a Samsung device you can expect the display to be top-notch. The Samsung Galaxy S3 frontier watch boasts a crispy AMOLED display. The brightness is sufficient for viewing directly under the screen.
Strength
S3 frontier gets a military-grade resistance that goes with the notion of engineered for adventure. The watch provides military-grade performance and resilience against dust, shocks, drops, and extremes of temperature.
You also get strong waterproofing.
Battery
The battery on this machine is not as good as advertised. It manages to give 3+ days of battery life very rarely. Users have serious concerns over the battery performance and despite the AMOLED display this watch hardly makes it through the day when paired with your phone.
Fitness Tracking
S Health is one of the most systemized and accurate apps to record fitness activity. This watch is capable of recording your steps, distance measures, and the calories burnt.
Built-in GPS helps you record the outdoor activity sessions with precision and accuracy.
The heart rate sensor works in conjunction with the fitness data to inform you of heart health.
What’s More?
You can use the watch to make and answer calls. You can also send and receive text messages.
Samsung Pay feature lets you pay for items wirelessly.
Bottom-line
The Samsung galaxy s3 frontier watch is a premium device from a renowned brand. It offers military-level sturdiness and a charming design. If you are a brand-conscious person and seek a fitness military watch then you can look forward to this.
10. Men’s Digital Sports Smartwatch: The Most Economical Military Watch
This highly economical watch from find time comes with a basic design and features. You get a nice screen, subtle fitness tracking features, and sturdiness.
Prominent Features:
- Monochrome display with backlight
- Military-style watch
- Advanced fitness tracking
- Waterproofing
- Long-lasting battery
Smart Watch
The smartwatch from find time is named as a tactical watch but it doesn’t have any tactical features. The design is like any other premium military-style watch but has a petty price tag. This makes us love this watch even more.
Display
There is a monochrome display given. The digits of the display are large and the brightness is good too.
An LED backlight allows night display too.
Strength
The screen has protective mineral crystals to save it from wear and tear. The watch can resist scratches.
The silicone strap is soft on the skin yet durable.
The Men’s watch offers water resistance till 5ATM pressure or 165 feet of depth. However, it is recommended that you keep it away from very hot and cold water.
Battery
The battery life is advertised to be 10-12 months and is replaceable. It has a non-chargeable battery that is meant to last for a year and the claim seems to be near reality.
Fitness Tracking
Activity tracking of the watch satisfied us. You get the basic step counter, calorie counter, and distance measure.
The device does a fine job at outdoor activities (like cycling and running).
You can devise your fitness plan using the watch.
What’s More?
You can receive calls and SMS alerts on the watch. The remote camera feature is loved by selfie lovers.
Bottom-line
This watch is for those who want to own a military device but are on a tight budget. When opting for a smaller price tag you should keep in mind that this can’t be compared to high-end watches.
Final Verdict
The contest of Best Military Smartwatches Of 2020 is won by the Garmin Tactix Delta watch. The good looks and the extraordinary tactical watch features give it a lead over the rest of the contenders.
The runner-up is the Amazfit T-Rex smartwatch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are military watches compatible with the iPhone?
Yes, the watches are compatible with iPhone and Android phones.
Which smartwatch allows us to make and answer calls?
Only the Samsung galaxy s3 frontier watch allows you to answer and make calls.
Which watch(es) provide(s) military equipment connectivity?
The Garmin tactix series allows connectivity with military equipment.
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