What do people use for a watch when kayaking? I am looking for a watch to use when sea kayaking so I thought I would ask for suggestions and ideas on how others made their selection. Thanks!

Lumi-Nox
very bright at night, totally waterproof. $$-$$$



steve

Casio Ironman
I attach it on the shoulder strap of the pfd and it stays there all the time. Cheap, waterproof, and always available





Dan

I use a surfing watch…

...by Rip Curl. It also has a tide feature which is somewhat handy. Oh, another feature that clinched my decision to buy it, was the pinless band. If this watch gets ripped from your wrist, your hand probably went with it.
http://www.pacwave.net/shop/index.php?shop=1&cart=516026&cat=1170&itemid=1054&

God bless Wal*mart
I buy water-resistant (to 165’) $5.99 specials at wallyworld. I’ve had them torn from my wrist in white water, and if I lose one paddling flat water, I can just buy another (without tears.)

I Got Lucky
I bought a $9.95 Walmart watch thinking it might last a year. It’s been about 4 years now. Keeps perfect time. It says “MILAN” on the face. Also “water resistant 100 ft”.

Polar Heart Rate Monitior NM

Timepiece
I’m on retired time so I don’t own a watch. However, when on the water I can refer to the clock in my GPS .



Stay safe on the water

i like my timex
expedition $15 at campmor.com black analog with luminescent hands. i use it as my ‘start’ watch racing sailboats.

Brother sun, Sister Moon
I’m far from retired – but I haven’t worn a watch since my my watch slid off my wrist and dropped to the bottom of a pond while I was practicing rescues a couple of summers ago (seems there’s clocks on nearly everything these days anyway). Paddling is a chance to get away from the digital world. And paying attention to the tides, the sun, and the moon, and my stomach often tell me all I need to know. And yes, I can turn on the gps or cell phone to get a more precise read on the time when I need to.

Rip Curl ATS Tidemaster (analog)
I’ve been wearing this watch for about five years now, and it’s great! Before that, I had a tide watch by “Rusty” (another surf company), but that wasn’t nearly as nice as the Rip Curl.



This watch has very accurate Swiss movement, it’s completely waterproof, and each battery lasts for about four years. I suppose the accuracy of the tide and moon phase functions can vary a bit depending upon where in the world you are, but here where I am, it’s quite accurate for the local tide cycles. It’s also easy to make small adjustments now and again just to keep it finely tuned.



Melissa

Well I thought a watch would allow me
to determine how far I have traveled based upon my normal pace with allowance for wind, tides and currents. I have been using a GPS and love it but thought the watch could be a back up aid for navigation.



I don’t wear a watch anymore these days either. My cell phone is my watch part of the time, the computer other times, my car clock still other times and I can’t forget the TV although I don’t spend as much time in front of the TV these days.

My watch
I wear a casio G-shock. I’ve had it scuba diving down past 90 feet. I’ve taken it skiing, to the desert and at work it’s been in some pretty nasty chemicals. It’s relatively cheep and keeps time as well as anything else out there.



Mike

GPS.
That is what we use, and there are no watches as accurate.

Just used ours today (a few hours ago) on a twelve mile out and back paddle to figure what time to turn back to make it back to the put-in before dark.



Cheers,

JackL

Second that thought - Try Polar
I have the Red Chili version, a bit more band to the watch than some of their other models and the color looks great on women and on real men as well as ladies with big bones.



You can get it at Sportsmart for $149.00 abd remember that %60.00 of that is the part you wear around your middle. It can be replaced if lost at the gym, or in your gym bags.



I like it, it tells me how many calories I’ve burned and makes me feel encouraged. I love swimming but paddline burns more calories and normally one doesn’t have to wash the chorine out of their hair right away afterwards. At least according to the watch, paddling burns a lot of calories even when I’m just out there at my own slow pace enjoyikng the scenery.

flatpick - the gear guy (OT)
Right on - I’ve been using the luminox for years now (saw a new one on ‘www.wristwatchreview.com/’ ‘Quadrum’ - looks kind of neat). I do a lot of night paddling - and like to stop every hour briefly - my internal clock sometimes needs reinforcement (the ‘glowing’ watch).



(OT gear guy):

I remember your suggestion many months ago that Werner should make a ‘foam core’ version of the Shuna. (I had recently purchased an ‘Ikelos’, but wished I could have gotten a ‘foam core’ version of my older Kauai (Shuna predecessor).

Well, I don’t know whether or not it was by your suggestion, but I’ve just seen and ordered a new Werner ‘Cyprus’.



(say, while we’re on gear and glowing in the dark:)

Do you know of any ‘self illuminating’ compass (no battery)?



Andy

None… Time should be your last worry.

Cheap Timex
Analog dial, black numerals on white (indiglo) face, black plastice case and woven fabric wristband. I strap it on the bungees far enough forward to be out of the way but still readable. I’ve had my present one for over 3 years, still on the original battery.

Just the opposite…
-Too many rivers and not enough time!



Cheers,

JackL

freestyle shark X
night vision, dual analog/digital display, stop watch, etc. $75.