G Shock Alternatives: 4 Brands You May Not Know About!

We all know that G-Shock watches are known for being some of the toughest, and most durable watches in the world. But are there G Shock alternatives, and can they compare to an actual G-Shock watch? Well although G-Shock pretty much dominates the tough watches market, there are actually some extremely tough watches out there other than G-Shock.

But Wait! Why Choose Another Watch Anyway?

Normally, people who purchase G Shock watches, do so because they want a tough, rugged, and reliable watch. But there may be times when someone needs a tough watch with a more specific interest in mind such as diving, hunting, or military applications. In these scenarios, there are some very durable watches out there more suited to a specific function.

Another reason that people may be looking for G Shock alternatives is the price. Even though, for the most part, G-Shocks are fairly affordable, there are similar watches that can be found for even less.

And finally, some may just be looking for a different style. G Shock watches have a distinct style and design to them. Some people may not like that style, or maybe just want something a little bit different for a change. It really depends on personal preference.

Anyway, onto or list of G Shock alternatives!

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Protrek

I’ll start with Protrek, because they are more closely matched with G-Shock watches. Part of this is due to the fact that they are manufactured by the same company as G-Shocks. Both of these watch brands are produced by parent company Casio.

Protrek watches were designed specifically to cater to the outdoor enthusiast crowd. They are intended for activities such as camping, and hiking. This is reflected in some of their features. Most Protreks come with a compass, thermometer, accelerometer, and altimeter.

Protrek watches do have a similar build to G-Shock, but they tend to be smaller and slimmer than G-Shocks. Also, the water resistance rating on these is usually going to be 100 meters vs the 200 meters for G-Shocks.

Protrek Watches Summary

• designed for outdoor activities such as camping and hiking
• come with sensors that measure temperature and altitude
• water resistant 100 meters

You can check out Protrek watches here

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Luminox

Here, we have a pretty tough contender! Luminox has a history of military usage, even being touted as the official watch brand of the Navy Seals! That’s quite the accomplishment. Luminox watches are built tough and water resistant to a depth of 200 meters. The thing that sets them apart from other watches though, is the fact that they use tritium tubes for luminescence.

The tritium tubes allow these watches to be self-illuminating, meaning that they do not to need to be charged by a light source. Other than that, most Luminox watches have basic features like an alarm, stopwatch, timers etc, along with a tachymeter, and support for multiple time zones. Additionally, Luminox watches come with rotating bezels to help keep up with dive times.

Luminox watches are built to last and certified for military use, if that is what you are looking for. The downside to Luminox watches, however, is that they tend to be a bit on the expensive side.

Luminox Watches Summary

• designed for use by Navy Seals
• tritium tube luminescence for “always on” visibility
• water resistant 200 meters
  • a bit expensive

You can check out Luminox watches here

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Smael

Next, we will be looking at the Smael brand. If you are looking for budget G Shock alternatives, Smael is definitely the brand to look into.

In terms of design, Smael watches bear an uncanny resemblance to G-Shocks. Smael watches are going to be an entry level durable watch. They are sturdy enough to handle outdoor and sporting activities, but will not be able to endure as much wear and tear as a G Shock. Also, the water resistance is only 50 meters, which is much less than other watches in this category.

Smael watches will have the usual features you can expect in a sport watch like timer, date, and stopwatch. That’s about it though. These are budget watches, so they are not going to offer much in the way of advanced features.

Overall though, if you look at how inexpensive these watches are, you will not be losing out on much to try one out. This is the watch to get if you want something very similar to G Shock, but at a dirt cheap price.

Smael Watches Summary

• designed to be sturdy
• basic features
• cheap
  • only water resistant 50 meters

Check out Smael watches here

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Skmei

The last brand we will be looking at is Skmei. Skmei makes a variety of different types of watches for different occasions. We will be focusing on their sports styled watches at this time, though.

These are comparable to Smael watches on several levels. Skmei watches sport that G-Shock styled exterior. I will say though, that they do have a slightly more stylistic flair to them. Aside from that, though, these are pretty generic sports watches.

You can wear them for outdoor activities, sporting events, and even swim with them. They are durable, and possess mostly basic features such as a timer, stopwatch, and backlight. Again, like as with Smael, the water resistance isn’t very high at 50 meters, but it is sufficient enough considering the price.

And price is the last point I will mention here. These watches stay in the budget range. So once again, they are tit for tat with Smael on being inexpensive watches.

Skmei Watches Summary

• sturdy
• stylish
• basic features
  • only 50 meter water resistance

You can check out Skmei watches here

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G Shock Alternatives: Conclusion

I believe that the brands listed here make for some great G Shock alternatives. We chose different types of watches that each specialize in their own unique area.

I feel that at the core, each of these watch brands embodies the spirit of G-Shock within them, but they have their own strengths and weaknesses. Some of these watches beat G-Shock in some areas, while in other areas, they under perform.

But anyway, hopefully this guide has helped to give you some ideas for different options in watches that are similar to G-Shock.