I Need a Watch

CycloneRanger

My old wristwatch has finally bitten it; it no longer keeps good time and the band is now broken in too many places for me to tape it together. I need a new watch.

I want a digital watch (I'm aware that they don't look as classy as the analog option) with the usual stopwatch/timer features. Waterproof is a must--there is basically no chance of my remembering to take the thing off at any time or for any reason, so rocks, branches, paintballs, and water are all likely to be involved at some point. The rubber/polymer bands I've seen in the past have always cracked and eventually failed before any other component, so if there's a better option I'd like to hear it.

So, are there any particular brands or specific decision-making criteria I should be looking at? Anything to watch out for? My price range is flexible, but I don't want something needlessly expensive or fancy--just something functional and durable.

defreak

The Timex Ironman watches are pretty great, they're available at pretty much any sports store (Academy's, Dick's) or supercenters (Target, Walmart), and there's a ton of styles to choose from. Here are a couple of examples, they have ones with resin straps or stainless steel straps.

spaboolly

Second the recommendation for Timex. I've been wearing one for over 5 years straight now (through showers, swimming, and diving; no issues with water) and just had to replace the battery for the first time a few weeks ago. Works great.

Essee

Thirding Timex! As you say, the only reason I ever stopped using the one I had was the rubber strap it had, which broke... and it was my fault that broke, anyway, because I kept bending it backwards. I think I got it in 8th grade, then used it throughout most of high school. Those things are both inexpensive and very solid.

Arang

I have a Casio F-91W, which is kind of retro-looking (or actually retro, since it's been exactly the same since the 80s), not sure if that's what you're after. It has the date, a stopwatch with interval, alarm, hour notification and "water resist", which as far as I can tell means you need to take it off to go swimming. The strap is resin, not sure if that falls under your definition of rubber, but it looks and feels exactly like it did two years ago. There are models with more features, including metal casings and straps plus waterproofing, for just a few dollars more.

As a bonus, it's supposedly the world's most popular bomb timer. So that's a conversation starter

amateurhour

Casio G-Shock.

I bought one used from an army guy's yard sale for $20, put a new battery in it, and I haven't removed it in six months, showers, lake, camping, the whole shebang and it still works fine and it has to be at least five years old based on the model.

Seriously they are the perfect performance digital watch.

Donovan Puppyfucker

Can't get much more classic digital than this: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GAYQJ0/ $13.54 for a water resistant stainless steel digital Casio with alarm, backlight, stopwatch and lap timer, and day - date functions.

CycloneRanger

I went with a Timex Ironman with a steel band.

Thanks for the recommendations.