Casio’s latest sports watches are perfect for hiking in wet weather

Four Casio watches against mountain background
(Image credit: Casio / Stock for You / Shutterstock)

If you get frustrated pulling your sleeve back to check the time while running or walking, there’s good news: Casio has released a batch of new G-Shock style sports watches that are designed to be worn over your cuff, putting an end to mid-hike fumbling.

As Casio fan blog G-Central explains, the new wearables all have extra-long straps, which not only accommodate larger than average wrists, but also make them ideal for slipping on over your best waterproof jacket.

Of course, wearing a watch over a sleeve means you won’t benefit from features like heart rate or blood oxygen tracking, but unlike some of Casio’s recent sports watches, these aren’t fully-fledged fitness watches to keep tabs on your vitals during workouts. Instead, they’re tough but simple timepieces with shock-resistant cores to protect against the hardest drops and knocks.

They also lack their own satellite positioning modules, so they won’t replace one of the best GPS watches any time soon, but if you’re happy navigating with a map and compass and just want a really tough watches for exploring the backcountry, they could be exactly what you need.

Tough timepieces

The four extra-long watches come with two different case designs – one inspired by the classic octagonal G-Shock shape, and one with a more modern circular face The octagonal W-737HX-1AV and W-737HX-5AV watches come in black and brown respectively, while the round AE-1500WHX-1AV and AE-1500WHX-3A are black and green.

They’ll be launched in Asia this month, but we’re expecting them to go on sale internationally very soon. Casio has yet to announce prices, but they’re likely to be seriously affordable, costing under $50/£40.

Cat Ellis
Former editor

Cat is Homes Editor at TechRadar and former editor of Advnture. She's been a journalist for 15 years, and cut her teeth on magazines before moving online. She helps readers choose the right tech for their home, get the best deals, and do more with their new devices.