What Exactly Is a Tactical Watch?

from The Gear Patrol Podcast · host Oren Hartov, Nick Caruso

Hartov explains the origin of the military wristwatch and talks about how far the category has evolved since the first World War. Episode Navigation:01:10 – What Is a Tactical Watch?02:45 – Early Military Watches, WWI and Beyond11:35 – G-Shock's Genesis and Rise to the Top of the Segment17:00 – Defining Characteristics of a Tactical Watch20:00 – Oren Discusses His Service and How it Affected His Relationship to Watches22:35 – How Quartz and Digital Watch Advancements Affected the Military25:00 – Other Modern Tactical-Style Watches30:55 – What Is the Quintessential Tactical Watch Featured: These Are 10 of the Best Tactical Watches21 of the Best Military Watches and Their HistoriesThe Ultimate Guide to Military WatchesWe Field-Tested Two Military Watches in the Army and This is What We FoundWhat's the Most Legit Modern Military Watch You Can Buy?Out of Iraq: The Story of an Issued Military WatchThe 10 Best Field WatchesThe Fascinating and Humble History of the NATO Watch Strap

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jun 15, 2021

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What this episode covers

In this episode, Editor Oren Hartov explains the ins and outs of tactical watches–sometimes called military watches. When you hear the terms "dive watch" or "pilot's watch," you can easily picture the product; tactical watches are a much more ambiguous idea. Hartov explains the origin of the military wristwatch and talks about how far the category has evolved since the first World War. He also shares some insight about his own military experience, and how his relationship with watches changed as a resul