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The demand for military watches is steadily increasing, leading to a surge in production from various companies. However, it’s essential to exercise caution when selecting the ideal military watch for your needs.
This is because while many military watches offer basic GPS functionality, we recommend opting for a watch that boasts advanced features.
To simplify your decision-making process, we’ve compiled a list of the finest military watches equipped with both GPS and a built-in compass.
| Image | Product Name | Editor's Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Garmin Instinct | Check Price | |
 | Amazfit T-Rex | Check Price | |
 | Suunto Traverse Alpha | Check Price | |
 | Suunto Core Classic | Check Price | |
 | CakCity Multisport | Check Price |
Best Military Watch With GPS Reviews
Not all military watches deliver an exceptional GPS and compass experience. What’s more, only a handful of smartwatches include these two essential features. Among these, we will introduce you to some of the most exceptional military watches with GPS and built-in compass capabilities.
1. Garmin Instinct
In late 2018, Garmin introduced the Instinct, a rugged smartwatch that places a strong emphasis on durability. This timepiece adheres to military standards, ensuring its resilience in the face of extreme conditions, such as temperature extremes, shocks, and the ability to withstand dives of up to 100 meters.
The Instinct boasts an anti-scratch glass cover fortified with special chemical compounds, granting excellent visibility even under direct sunlight. The watch’s body is constructed from a reinforced polymer, enhancing its overall robustness.
This smartwatch comes equipped with several remarkable features, including GPS and GALILEO support, allowing users to pre-plan waypoints for future routes. It also features TracBack, a function that enables users to retrace their steps if they find themselves off course.
In addition to its navigational capabilities, the Instinct incorporates a 3-axis compass, a barometer for altitude measurements, and a heart rate sensor. It enables users to monitor their sleep patterns, stress levels, and various activities like running, biking, swimming, mountain climbing, and skiing. Moreover, it can display smartphone notifications.
The watch’s battery is exceptionally resilient, with a 14-day lifespan as claimed by the company. When using the GPS feature, it can last up to 16 hours, and in power-saving mode, it can extend to 40 hours.
2. Amazfit T-Rex
Huami has taken a bold step by launching their most impressive watch to date: the Amazfit T-Rex.
This new creation from Xiaomi’s partner, which has chosen to embark on an independent path, is designed like a tank. It boasts a remarkable waterproof rating of up to 50 meters or 5 atmospheres, making it suitable for both freshwater and saltwater swimming. It has successfully passed 12 rigorous tests based on the MIL-STD 810G military standards, demonstrating its ability to withstand extreme temperatures, prolonged exposure to moisture, and salinity.
The Amazfit T-Rex features a 1.3-inch circular Super AMOLED screen with a sharp 360 x 360-pixel resolution. Its display is protected by Gorilla Glass 3, which includes a fingerprint-reducing coating. This robust smartwatch comes equipped with a built-in GPS receiver, Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, a built-in heart rate monitor, and a range of motion and position sensors for tracking 14 different sports and activities.
With its 390mAh built-in battery, the T-Rex can deliver around 20 days of usage under typical conditions, including continuous heart rate monitoring and occasional use of positioning services. It can also last up to 66 days for basic watch functions and up to 20 hours when the GPS receiver is in regular use.
The Amazfit T-Rex is available in five masculine color options, including khaki, black, dark blue, green, and a camo green.
For those willing to forgo the built-in GPS, this watch serves as an exceptional survival watch with a compass, all at a price point that’s less than half of the Traverse Alpha.
3. Suunto Traverse Alpha
Suunto has taken a significant step forward with their Traverse Alpha, a survival watch designed to meet the needs of adventurers while offering both rugged durability and modern convenience.
This watch exudes a robust and military-inspired aesthetic, with essential features presented on the face, while advanced functions are accessible through side dials. Color options include green, black, and grey, although it lacks leather or steel band choices, catering primarily to those who prefer nylon textile or silicone for functionality over style.
Beyond the standard survival watch features, the Suunto Traverse Alpha stands out with its array of advanced GPS functions. It not only allows users to track their routes during activities like running but also lets wearers mark hunting locations and animal sightings, enhancing utility during camping and hunting endeavors. This watch can even generate heat maps for hike and run planning by connecting to the Suunto Movescount smartphone app, all with impressively fast GPS connectivity.
Despite its feature-rich profile, the Traverse Alpha doesn’t compromise on durability. It features scratch-resistant sapphire glass and boasts water resistance up to 10,000 meters in altitude, making it a sturdy choice for adventurers, military use, and extreme sports enthusiasts alike.
4. Suunto Core Classic
The Suunto Core Field Watch is an indispensable companion for outdoor enthusiasts engaged in activities like hiking, biking, or any other adventurous pursuit. This remarkable timepiece is equipped with essential features, including an altimeter, a built-in barometer, and a reliable compass, making it an ideal choice for outdoor enthusiasts.
The altimeter function allows you to monitor your elevation changes, whether you’re climbing up a peak or descending into a valley. Additionally, the watch features a “fresh start” function that simplifies tracking distance traveled. The barometer, which measures air pressure in your surroundings, enables you to anticipate weather conditions and even provides a storm alarm to alert you of impending weather disturbances.
The built-in compass is an invaluable tool for maintaining your direction during outdoor activities like hiking and biking. These features collectively contribute to its suitability as a dependable military watch. Moreover, the Suunto Core Field Watch offers a replaceable battery and boasts water resistance up to 30 meters, enhancing its durability.
This versatile timepiece includes features such as an altimeter, barometer with storm warning, a reliable compass, a depth meter for diving, various clock functions, and additional practical features like button lock and multiple language options. Its user-friendly interface, electroluminescent display, and mineral crystal glass ensure ease of use and durability. It can operate in a wide temperature range, making it suitable for various outdoor conditions.
The Suunto Core is available in a range of styles and materials to cater to diverse preferences and needs beyond the model discussed here.
5. CakCity Multisport
The Multifunction GPS watch is a versatile timepiece suitable for both men and women. Packed with features, it offers the functionality of a compass, thermometer, barometer, and altimeter, making it an excellent choice as a military watch. Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast or a sports enthusiast, this watch has you covered.
With six sports modes, including walking, hiking, climbing, running, cycling, and ball sports, it automatically tracks relevant data when you engage in these activities. This ensures you can keep a close eye on your performance and progress.
In addition to its sports-related features, the watch also excels in all-day activity tracking. It monitors your sleep duration, stages, and sleep quality. Plus, it keeps you connected by vibrating to alert you to incoming calls, texts, and messages from your social networks.
For fitness enthusiasts, the watch regularly checks your heart rate and sounds an alarm if it exceeds the preset value, promoting safe exercise. The sedentary reminder is a helpful feature for those with office jobs, encouraging movement at regular intervals.
This outdoor military tactical watch is equipped with a thermometer, altimeter, barometer, and compass functions, making it a valuable companion for hiking, outdoor activities, and wilderness survival. Its rugged design and durable materials ensure it can withstand the demands of active lifestyles.
With a solid build, soft silicone strap, and long battery life of up to 7 days in normal mode and 13 hours in GPS mode, this watch makes an excellent gift for sports and fitness enthusiasts, as well as for special occasions like birthdays and Christmas. If you have any questions while using it, their customer support is ready to assist you.
Final Verdict
Indeed, the military watches equipped with GPS and a built-in compass mentioned earlier are typically high-end in terms of price. However, instead of investing in various separate gadgets for diverse needs, opting for a versatile multitasking watch can be a more economical and practical choice.
In this article, we have introduced you to some of the top multitasking military watches available in the market. Each of these watches excels in various aspects, all centered around their core feature of being a survival watch.
We trust that within this selection of exceptional options, you can identify the ideal military watch that suits your specific requirements. So, whether you’re an outdoor adventurer, a fitness enthusiast, or simply seeking a reliable and multifunctional timepiece, there’s a multitasking military watch that can cater to your needs and preferences.