I’m not a smartwatch person — I don’t desire even more notifications in my life — but I’m in love with the practicality and stylishness of watches. That’s why I own over 30 in various colors and styles, each with a distinct dial, face, strap and accents to suit my mood for the day. (If you think that’s bad, wait till you hear about my eyeglass collection…) But even though I own everything from a hardy steel diver to a few vintage dress watches, I always tell my friends and family: if you’re looking for a new watch, nothing beats a G-Shock.

From its practicality of being tough-as-nails to simply being a really accurate clock, it’s one of the best values in the world of wristwatches. It illuminates with a simple button-press and operates as a stopwatch and countdown — all much quicker than a smartwatch, I might add — and auto-adjusts depending on the day and calendar year. And if you take care of it, it’ll be the last watch you’ll ever need.

G-Shock, owned by Japanese electronic company Casio, is so ubiquitous, you might’ve owned one as a child or at least know someone who did. Initially introduced in the ’80s, the modern G-Shock DW5600UE-1V (or, as I like to tell people, “the blue one”) was created by engineer Kikuo Ibe to be a tough, shock-resistant watch that wouldn’t break under pressure (more on that later).

Durable frame aside, it’s basically a digital watch perfected. It has a stopwatch, a timer, a backlit screen so you can read it in the dark and an alarm. It’s extremely practical. In other words, rather than, say, tracking your sleeping or fitness data, it just gives you the facts.

Its screen is also crystal clear and legible — something I love most about this watch. One Amazon reviewer agrees: “A go to workhorse of a watch, its display layout of hour, minutes and seconds is extremely easy to find and read, even for my middle-aged eyes.” I can see the time, date and set any alarms without the lag of a smartwatch that needs firmware upgrades.

Really. Just watch this YouTube video of a 27 ton truck running over one with its tires.

It has a square face encased in a plastic-y looking resin that absorbs shock when dropped or accidentally dinged, similar to how a bouncing ball absorbs impact. It can also dive up to 50 meters underwater without damage, so it’s shower and dish-washing approved!

The G-Shock’s toughness isn’t solely a hardy timepiece. While, yes, you can ding it, run it over and bang it on a desk without scratches, you also won’t have to worry much about the battery life. The DW5600UE has a battery life of a claimed 5 years, although many Amazon reviewers say theirs lasted way longer than that. One reviewer who calls the basic G-Shock “THE watch” says the battery can last up to 10 years (!!!) if you don’t use its backlight feature. Another says they’ve had theirs for 4 years and it’s still going strong.

Personally speaking, I’ve owned the upgraded solar-powered version of the DW5600 called the GWM5610 (or “the red one”) for 7 years now and haven’t had to change its battery once. It also still looks pretty fresh, despite having taken it hiking, camping, running and overseas.

“A go to workhorse of a watch, its display layout of hour, minutes and seconds is extremely easy to find/read, even for my middle aged eyes. The abbreviated day and numbered month/day of the year is well positioned and large enough to easily read. The Casio feels very comfortable on the wrist, lite but at no point does it feel flimsy or fragile. It feels solid while wearing and the display is well protected by the case. No scratches or chips on the display window in 3 years of wearing it 5 days out of the week. Time keeping has been spot on and reliable, time/date is easy to adjust as well as the stop watch function, easy to operate. The light function is good and bright, easy to read time in pitch-black conditions. I don’t use the alarm function but it is also easy to set. I really enjoyed owning this DW5600UE-1V and will always have one in my collection.” — Louie Calderon

“I switched to Casio from Seiko and Timex watches in the mid 1980s, after much frustration at how they don’t hold up for more than a year or two. Since then, I had a series of Casios that lasted me over a decade. I never expected any of them to last that long. Some I gave away to friends, when they were in a bind for a watch that works, and they still work after a decade on my wrist and a few years on theirs.
This is the one of the cheapest G-Shocks available. If you want a functional and durable watch at a reasonable price, you can’t go wrong with this one. […]” — HagayV (This review has been edited for length. Read the full review.)

“Why did you pick this product vs others?:
This watch has stood the test of time. 40years and running because it’s a straight beast of a watch. Tough as nails, easy to read, all the functions, and great back light. And if you don’t like the black band by all means mod it with a metal kit and it takes it to the next level!” — Pete

“It is not very big or heavy, nor is it as attractive as other G-Shocks and at first glance it can be confused with a $17 Casio (perhaps that is why they have lowered its price). However, when we look at it in detail, we find a resistant watch that can withstand falls and immersion and can last several years. If you like a simple and durable watch, this is the option.” — Anthony Barbera

“I’m not a lumberjack or a deep sea fisherman, but it’s nice knowing there’s nothing I’ll be able to do to this watch that will wreck it. If I happen to fall in the lake while kayaking, or smother it in snow, or land wrist first on a rock it will be fine.
I love the 80s style of a lot of Casio digitals and this one fits right in. It fits my small wrist. It’s definitely bigger and heavier than my favorite, the W-93H, but not by too much, and it has all the same features, including a timer that auto repeats, which I always appreciate. The manual doesn’t mention it but if you use the bottom right button while setting the timer, you can toggle the auto repeat, so that it will immediately start counting down again while the alarm goes off. It helps me know when I’m half way through a workout of a set duration.
Display could stand to be sharper and clearer like the F105 but it’s not a deal breaker. This is definitely the most durable wristwatch you’re going to get for $40 and it has the added perk of looking like it teleported in from 1987.
I’ll probably stick to the W-93H most of the time just because it disappears onto my wrist better, but this will certainly be my hiking and kayaking watch.” — BJT

The Real Deal: We use deal trackers and commerce experience to sift through “fake” hike-and-drop deals and other deceptive sales tactics. Products will usually be rated at least 4 stars with a minimum 15% discount. (And when there’s an exception, we’ll tell you why.)