Best Hiking Watches: Eight Options For Every Budget

In daily modern living, watches have been somewhat divorced from their original tool roots, usurped by the convenience and ease of the smartphones most of us carry around at all times. But there are certain situations in which a watch can rise to the occasion and offer a steadfast reliability that a phone with a dwindling battery life cannot, especially when there’s no power outlet in sight. Hiking, trekking, or generally going off the grid is the exact scenario I’m talking about. Today, I’m going to be breaking down options to find the best hiking watch for your next trip up a mountain (or for your next stay at a campground), with options at a range of price points, styles, and functions to help you find the best fit for you. Though I’m not a hiker by any means, watches, I do know. Down below, I’ve gathered up some of the best hiking watches on the market today that I would confidently recommend to any of my outdoorsy friends for their next trip into the great outdoors. 

[toc-section heading="Casio PRJB001B-2"]

Case: 46mm Material: Resin Water Resistance: 100 meters Caliber: Tough Solar quartz Price: $180 

I’m going to kick off this list with something a bit unconventional and with a whole lot of quirk, which also happens to be one of my favorites, with Casio’s PRJB001B-2. There are a lot of things going on here that I haven’t seen on any other field-oriented watches. Most notably, we have the super-unique strap, which combines a more traditional cloth band with a bright orange bungee cord. But this isn’t merely a fashion statement – the bungee cord allows you to wear this piece over thick outerwear sleeves, or you can loop the cord around outdoor gear, or fasten the clip onto a backpack with a carabiner. 

The bezel is also quite a novel addition to this piece. You can basically achieve two different aesthetic looks in one watch by rotating the bezel 45 degrees to cover or uncover the buttons, which also allows you to prevent accidental button pressing or reveal them for easy access. This is quite the large piece, with its 46mm case width, but in terms of functionality, you have a suite of timekeeping, calendar, alarm, and stopwatch functions, Bluetooth connectivity that allows you to log and track your next expedition or position on a map, 100 meters of water resistance, and the lightweight feel of its resin build. This thing is also solar-powered and achieves up to 18 months of battery life, even when stored without any access to light on the power save function. 

[toc-section heading="Hamilton Khaki Field Auto Titanium"]

Case: 38mm  Material: Titanium Water Resistance: 100 meters Caliber: H-10 Automatic  Price: $1,075 

Now we’re pivoting into more traditional field-watch territory with the titanium take on Hamilton’s Khaki Field Auto. Personally, I think the lightweight feel of titanium is well-suited to any strenuous outdoor activity, and here, I’ve gone with the leather strap pairing, which has a slightly more hiking-ready look than the bracelet option, in my opinion. 

Measuring 38mm, this watch has all the 20th-century field watch design inspiration that’s made the line such an enduring success, and all the legibility that makes it a great, versatile choice as one of the best hiking watch options out there, especially if you want to wear it in less adventurous contexts. We’ve got the large, clear numerals and handset with plenty of lume for nighttime reading, along with the 24-hour military time indications positioned at the center of the dial. This piece is water resistant to 100 meters, and is powered by the H-10 automatic movement with a robust power reserve of 80 hours. 

[toc-section heading="Timex Expedition Tide-Temp-Compass"]

Case: 43mm Material: Steel Water Resistance: 100 meters Caliber: Quartz Price: $309

This next pick is particularly suited for those who plan to work in some fishing on their next camping or hiking excursion. The Timex Expedition Tide-Temp-Compass manages to work in a myriad of functionalities into a piece that’s just as good-looking as it is functional. As its name suggests, this piece has an analog compass to help guide you through your next adventure, worked into the fixed bezel that works in concert with a dedicated hand to help point you in the proper direction. There’s also a dedicated, bidirectional hand that tracks tide temperatures and can be set to reflect your own tide conditions. 

Measuring 43mm in beadblasted stainless steel for extra resistance to corrosion,  every detail on this piece’s dial and bezel is coated in lume for supreme legibility even in low-light conditions. While it isn’t depth-rated for scuba diving, this piece is waterproof to 100 meters and safe for swimming, snorkeling, and surfing. Additionally, this watch is quartz-powered for ease of use and is priced at $309. 

[toc-section heading="Seiko SPB121"]

Case: 39.5mm Material: Steel Water Resistance: 200 meters Caliber: 6R35 Automatic Price: $725

We now move on to a watch I typically recommend as a one-and-done collection or an everyday carry, but it is particularly suited to outdoorsy types as well. Yep, the SPB121 isn’t called the Prospex Land for nothing. For those who are already a proud owner of this watch, next time you find yourself in the great outdoors, give the rotating compass bezel a whirl. You already have one of the best hiking watches in your collection. 

For those less familiar with this watch, the SPB121 has a versatile 39.5mm diameter and is defined by its quirky take on classic field watch style. You’ve got the cyclops date window at three o’clock, gold hour markers and numerals, and a matching set of cathedral-style hands, which adds a ton of personality to the overall impression of this watch. This piece also has an impressive amount of water resistance, capable of plunging to 200-meter depths. In the movement department, we’re working with the automatic 6R35 caliber with a 70-hour power reserve, which is on full display through the exhibition caseback. 

[toc-section heading="Alpina Alpiner Extreme Automatic"]

Case: 41mm Material: Steel Water Resistance: 200 meters Caliber: AL-525 automatic Price: $1,995

Given Alpina’s rich history of making watches for alpine explorations, this is the pick on the list that thematically ties into the hiking spirit, but is more GADA-oriented in terms of its functionality. Housed in an angular cushion case, this piece adds depth and dimension to its straightforward time and date functionality with its richly textured dial with triangular “Alpine summit” patterning. 

Measuring 41mm in diameter (42.5mm lug-to-lug) with a case profile of 11.5mm, this piece wears quite compactly on the wrist, and I think it’s best suited for the Great Outdoors when paired with a rubber strap, though you can go for a more classic, integrated-bracelet style as well. You’re safe to swim, shower, and snorkel with this thing on your wrist with its 200 meters of water resistance, and you can see the AL-525 automatic caliber in action through the exhibition caseback. I would recommend this more so for the recreational hiker, rather than the extreme hiking enthusiast. 

[toc-section heading="Casio PRG340B-3"]

Case: 51.7mm Material: Resin Water Resistance: 100 Meters Caliber: Tough Solar quartz Price: $290

This next pick from Casio delivers tough, function-packed utility for under $300. The PRG430B-3 might be one of the most gargantuan hiking watch options on this list, but its packing a lot of heavy-duty functionality into all that real estate. Featuring a Triple Sensor, you’re getting compass bearing, barometric pressure, altitude, and temperature readings all on your wrist, delivered in a bio-resin-based package. 

This piece is another one of the solar-powered watches on this list, a style that strikes me as particularly handy for those who plan on long treks and want to maintain accurate timekeeping over extended periods of time. In addition to being more environmentally conscious, the bio-resin-based material has a lightweight feel, which is particularly helpful with a piece of this size. In addition to all the data from the triple sensor, this watch is also packed with a range of other features, including world time in 31 time zones, an auto calendar, battery level indicator, LED backlight illumination, timers, alarms, and a sunrise/sunset time display.  

[toc-section heading="Timex Expedition Field Post Solar"]

Case: 41mm Material: Steel Water Resistance: 100 meters Caliber: Solar quartz Price: $199

I think you could fairly argue that this is Timex’s solar-powered remix of Hamilton’s Khaki Field Auto. In terms of design, this piece is leaning on almost identical, 20th-century field and military watch style codes and NATO strap pairing.

Measuring 41mm with a profile of 12mm, this take on the Timex Expedition is housed in a fully brushed stainless steel case with a gunmetal PVD finish. All of the timekeeping functions are coated in a healthy serving of lume, making this piece legible in low light conditions. The solar-powered movement has a continuous battery life of up to 4 months on a full charge, and the 100 meters of water resistance boosts this field watch’s versatility. If you don’t really care about your watch being solar-powered, Timex also offers a similar titanium rendition of its Expedition powered by an automatic movement.

[toc-section heading="G-SHOCK Master of G-Land Rangeman"] Case: 53.2mm  Material: Resin Water Resistance: 200 meters Caliber: Tough Solar quartz Price: $550

I’m closing out this roundup with the best hiking watch option for those who want something more on the smart-watch end of the spectrum. Strava lovers, rejoice! This Master of G-Land Rangeman is not only made to withstand the most grueling of environments, but also has sensors that track your biometric health and movement data with Bluetooth connectivity to pair it with your respective smartphone apps. 

Since this is a G-Shock, after all, it has all the rugged resilience you would expect, including side buttons that have been fortified against any stray dust or mud you might encounter. You can use the satellite GPS or compass functionality to track your next route, along with the suite of timekeeping, calendar, stopwatch, and alarm functionality that G-Shock is known for. This thing even comes with guided interval training and workouts if you’re trying to boost your fitness for your next grueling hike. This watch is definitely on the larger side, with its 53.2mm diameter, but this is truly a survivalist’s watch, made to hold up to truly punishing conditions.