Smart Watches/Rugged Watches

[ridered3]

Recently I've been interested in "rugged/smart watches." While I don't do welderin, everyday wrenchin, etc, I do spend a fair amount of time on the tractor. As such, I never feel when my phone goes off in my pocket. I wear regular old ear plugs for the open cab tractor use, but have no interest in noise cancelling over the ear or in the ear smart headphones. I'd like to be able to get a notification on my wrist, vs always having to dig out the phone to see if it is worth responding to or ignore until later or to find out that the phone call I've been waitnig on all day was missed 37 minutes ago and now they are closed...


I've seen a ton of advertising for these (assuming Chinesuim brand) rugged/smart watches, but have no experiences with any of them or even this sector of watches.

Any good, bad, ugly, indifferent experiences with "rugged/smart watches"?

Is an Apple Watch rugged enough for open cab tractor life?

https://smartarmored.com/products/smartarmor
https://militarymentalendurance.com/products/operator-smartwatch-w-earbuds
https://shopluxium.com/products/luxiumcrusader
https://shopcarbinox.com/products/carbinox-x-ranger
Amazon product ASIN B07HYX9P88

 

[Wmikew06]

I have a apple watch ultra, I think its rugged enough for open cab tractor life. water proof, dust proof, shock proof. I have put it through the ringer and still looks good, no scratches on screen and works as it should.

 

[ridered3]

I have an apple watch ultra, I think its rugged enough for open cab tractor life. water proof, dust proof, shock proof. I have put it through the wringer and still looks good, no scratches on screen and works as it should.

Good to know there. Wife has a regular Apple Watch and hasn’t killed it yet, but typically takes it off before water/outside working so want sure how rugged/fragile it was.

 

[SkinnyPedalRacing]

I have a Garmin smart watch, and has worked great for the last three years or so. Now they are geared toward working out, bike, running, etc, but they do not mind the ocean, pool, or showers. I'm getting around 7 days of charge on it currently. They measure heart rate, steps, and other cool things even if you aren't into the physical side of things with a free app on the phone.

I have not cracked the face or hurt the watch at all. The band isn't the best, but when it did tear, bought one off of Amazon with the tool for $10 to fix. I only take mine off to charge, other than that it's good to go. On the outer edges, you can see where I have it hit on hard things, but it's just a little color missing off the edges and isn't glaring. The screen does not go to the edge, and I think that what makes it rugged and the fact I haven't killed it. When it comes time, I will buy another one. I bought my wife a fitbit, but I would probably mess it up due to the screen design. It's does more of the "phone things" that I don't care about. I can have different watch screens through the app on mine.

It will tell me the following:
Emails: - who its from and maybe a line.
Text: if its a contact - who and some words of the text; non contact - phone number and part of the text
Phone Calls: Contact - name pops up; non contact - number pops up like it on your phone screen
Blue Tooth Ear Buds - you can answer a call with it, but you would have to talk through blue tooth ear buds or the phone.

I have the Fenix 5x, so they probably have newer watches that may do cooler things since mine is a few years old.

 

[ridered3]

I have a Garmin smart watch, and has worked great for the last three years or so. Now they are geared toward working out, bike, running, etc, but they do not mind the ocean, pool, or showers. I'm getting around 7 days of charge on it currently. They measure heart rate, steps, and other cool things even if you aren't into the physical side of things with a free app on the phone.

I have not cracked the face or hurt the watch at all. The band isn't the best, but when it did tear, bought one off of Amazon with the tool for $10 to fix. I only take mine off to charge, other than that it's good to go. On the outer edges, you can see where I have it hit on hard things, but it's just a little color missing off the edges and isn't glaring. The screen does not go to the edge, and I think that what makes it rugged and the fact I haven't killed it. When it comes time, I will buy another one. I bought my wife a fitbit, but I would probably mess it up due to the screen design. It's does more of the "phone things" that I don't care about. I can have different watch screens through the app on mine.

It will tell me the following:
Emails: - who its from and maybe a line.
Text: if its a contact - who and some words of the text; non contact - phone number and part of the text
Phone Calls: Contact - name pops up; non contact - number pops up like it on your phone screen
Blue Tooth Ear Buds - you can answer a call with it, but you would have to talk through blue tooth ear buds or the phone.

I have the Fenix 5x, so they probably have newer watches that may do cooler things since mine is a few years old.

Good to know all around there.

The screen going to the edge is what had me the most concerned with the Apple Watch.

 

[hokie_yj]

I’ve been wearing the same Apple Watch Series 3 daily for 6+ years. I wear it working 12 hr shifts doing maintenance work in a chemical plant, working in the shop, yard work, etc. and it’s still going strong. When it’s gets a funk built up on it from sweat, dirt, etc. I just pop it out of the band and wash it in the sink. I don’t submerge it, but it’s supposed to be capable. I use a cheap band/bumper case from Amazon. Actually just ordered some new ones this week.

GZ GZHISY 3 PACKs Band Case Compatible with Apple Watch Ultra 49mm 45mm 44mm 42mm 41mm 40mm 38mm for iWatch Series 8 7 SE 6 5 4 3 2 1, Sport Strap for Men Women with Cover Bumper Shockproof, Black/Army Green/Storm Gray 42/44/45mm https://a.co/d/eXfLtJa

 

[ridered3]

I’ve been wearing the same Apple Watch Series 3 daily for 6+ years. I wear it working 12 hr shifts doing maintenance work in a chemical plant, working in the shop, yard work, etc. and it’s still going strong. When it’s gets a funk built up on it from sweat, dirt, etc. I just pop it out of the band and wash it in the sink. I don’t submerge it, but it’s supposed to be capable. I use a cheap band/bumper case from Amazon. Actually just ordered some new ones this week.

GZ GZHISY 3 PACKs Band Case Compatible with Apple Watch Ultra 49mm 45mm 44mm 42mm 41mm 40mm 38mm for iWatch Series 8 7 SE 6 5 4 3 2 1, Sport Strap for Men Women with Cover Bumper Shockproof, Black/Army Green/Storm Gray 42/44/45mm https://a.co/d/eXfLtJa

:dblthumb:

 

[ridered3]

Don't know that anyone cares, but figured I'd update this anyway. Ended up being a cheapskate twice.

Bought this Chinesium watch through Amazon for $35 at the time. First one they sent me wouldn't charge and the MFG immediately sent me a replacement. Through that process, Amazon refunded the purchase I ended up getting the watch for free. Filled out a survey for the MFG and got a $25 Amazon gift card. They essentially paid me to buy their watch after a few weeks. Can't beat that.

Amazon product ASIN B0C9915728
Watch was massive but worked well enough for me to see if I liked being connected/feel my phone go off when working on other things. Easy to set up, vibrations were strong enough to feel on the tractor, very waterproof, charged it once a month, etc. Overall, I was very pleased with the watch and wore it for a few months without issues other than it being relatively large.

All that said about the Chinesium watch, I ended up switching watches a few weeks ago. Wife shattered the screen on her Apple Watch Series 3, and I superglued it back together for my own use, because I refuse to let go of the home button on my iPhone 8…(the oxymoron of not letting go of some technology while accepting other technologies isn't lost on me). She ended up getting a Apple Watch Series 8 from a family member upgrading to the newest watch.

All that said, if you want a cheap way to try a smartwatch, I'd 90% recommend the Chinesium one I linked above. That said, if I were to do it over again, I'd just pony up and buy the Garmin's mentioned in this thread.

 

[onepieceatatime]

I've been wearing an Amazfit T-Rex for about 4 years now that I'm really happy with. It's survived everything involved with hauling heavy equipment for a few years and farm life. They have newer updated ones that I would consider if something ever happened to this one or I've seen a bunch of adds for Carbinox watches and they say they're real tough.