The most durable Smartwatch that passed military tests is here | Review

At Smartwatch For Less, we try to source smartwatches for everybody, different colours, shapes, features and price points. But this one was missing. How about people who work in extreme environments? Or they need the most durable indestructible device when doing sports or day to day jobs? This is why we are bringing the most durable smartwatch – Army Series Smartwatch to you.

The ARMY Series smartwatch is a military-grade, highly durable and waterproof smartwatch for the most extreme environment. Having passed 15 military-grade tests, the watch can battle through extreme environments. Witness endurance that braves the elements with 70-degree heat resistance, -40 degree cold resistance, shock resistance and 50-metre water resistance, and it’s practically drop-proof. If that’s not enough, it also comes with a number of health and fitness tracking features. But those are just a couple of features. To truly understand this smartwatch, we’ll have to take a look at the bigger picture. How long does the battery last, and how does it charge? What kinds of apps can it run, and what does the display look like? What tests has it passed? By answering these and other questions, we’ll get a complete understanding of the watch. At that point, we’ll be prepared to render our verdict. Let’s get started!

Overall Design

The Army Series Smart Watch is constructed from a mixture of durable plastic and steel. Above and below the screen is plastic, and you can choose between a black or an olive green version. The two sides of the case are dark brushed steel that’s nearly black in colour. The total width is 43mm, which gives the watch a large wrist presence, like most smartwatches. That said, the strap width is 22mm, which is a common size. We also offer black camo and green camo straps. The watch is also thick, with a tall, fat, angled bezel that provides excellent protection to the screen. Despite all this, the Army Series weighs only 2.3 ounces, less than many “dumb” watches. It’s a bit “big” on a skinny person’s wrist, but fits well, snug and cosy no matter what your body type is.

The Army Series is nearly indestructible. To begin with, it’s been certified MIL-STD-810G 516.6. We actually had to look this up, but here’s what that means. This means it’s been lab-tested and dropped multiple times onto a concrete floor. It’s been dropped on every corner and edge 26 times from a height of four feet. Clearly, this watch is no shrinking violet, but it’s also rated to work in extreme environments. A lot of touch displays start to malfunction when it’s too cold or hot. This one keeps on working down to a temperature of -40 degrees, or up to an insane high of 158. These tests are usually done in a very stable environment and if you decide to test it, it is your responsibility and SFL is unable to cover the damage.

Another common concern with smartwatches is weather resistance, but that isn’t an issue here. The Army Series has a weather-resistance rating of IP69K. The 6 in this context indicates the highest possible level of dust resistance. Meanwhile, the 9K represents a very high level of water resistance. To achieve this level, a device must be able to withstand a sustained, close-range spray of hot, high-pressure water. Not only that but the watch can also be submerged. It has a submersion rating of 50 meters, which means it’s fine for showering, swimming, or even snorkelling.

Display

The display itself has a diagonal measurement of 1.72 inches. It’s an IPS panel, which means it can be viewed from a very wide angle, even from almost 90 degrees. This makes it easier to view than a display that fades out when you move to the sides. The total resolution is 280 x 320 pixels, which is reasonably high for the size. It’s not exactly ultra HD, but it looks pretty nice; clear and vivid. The colours are also bright and vibrant, so you can easily read the watch. Also included is a screen protector, which will keep you safe from any potential scratches.

The display has 10 different modes pre-installed, and you can download more free dials for free. In total, it can display the time, day, date, steps taken, miles walked, heart rate and calories burned. In practice, few of the display modes show all of this information at once. Most of them are less busy. Some are bare analogue displays, with nothing but the time. Some have a more industrial look, with analogue hands combined with digital elements. Still, others are all-digital, with slick, modern, all-digital displays. The point is, that you can customize the Army Series to look like whatever you want it to look like.

Design

For controls, you’ll have the touchscreen, of course. But you’ll also have a pair of black plastic buttons on the side. These work a lot like standard watch buttons, so you can perform basic functions. In particular, you can switch between different workout modes, which we’ll discuss momentarily.

You can order a bare watch if you want, but you’ll probably want to add a strap. Army Series provides two different add-ons: olive green and black camo. The olive green matches the green watch, and the black camo matches the black watch. That said, you’re free to mix and match. The straps are made from TPU rubber, which is a highly flexible material that’s resistant to grease and abrasion. The total length of the strap and watch is 10.6 inches, so it can accommodate even a large wrist. That said, there are holes along the entire length, so it will fit on small wrists just as easily.

Battery & Connectivity

The Army Series has a battery capacity of 380mAh. Exactly how long that will last will depend on how much you’re using it. If you’re constantly bringing up the screen and checking your vitals, it will only last for a few days. If you’re using it as much as the average person uses their watch, it will last for around two weeks. However, if it’s just sitting there doing nothing, it will last for up to 50 days. The battery charges via a proprietary cable, which snaps onto magnetic contacts on the back. This is a bit annoying since if you lose the cable, you’ll have to replace it directly from us. Then again, it charges the battery in 2 hours, and the design is necessary to maintain a closed, waterproof case.

The Army Watch connects via the Bluetooth 5.0 wireless protocol. This is the current standard used by most smartphones, so you get near-universal compatibility. You can connect to Android phones running Android 5.1 or later, and iPhones running iOS 10.0 and up. This includes almost any phone in use today.

Apps & Extras

Beyond just showing you the date and time, the Army Series can also track some of your vital stats. We already mentioned that it will keep track of your steps taken and calories burned. But the sensors can also display your blood pressure and blood oxygen level. There’s even a sleep monitoring function that lets you track how much quality rest you’re getting. To view and track this information, you’ll need to download the Da Fit app, which is free on Android and iOS. Once the app is installed, you can pair it with your watch and watch your stats. You can also view historical data, and track your information over time.

This watch has 24 different sports modes. These include sports like basketball, tennis, soccer, swimming, and other common activities. There are even different modes for walking, running, or hiking. The purpose of all these different modes is simple. Depending on the mode, the Army Series will interpret your movements differently, and make calculations accordingly.

One thing to be aware of is that this watch only has 128MB of storage space and 64KB of RAM. It can’t run any third-party apps, and the only things you can install are alternative watch faces. So if you want to install a GPS app or something like that, you won’t be able to.

Final Verdict

The Army Series lives up to its name. It just might be the toughest smartwatch on the market. It’s drop-resistant, water-resistant, and you can even take it into arctic conditions. The battery lasts for around two weeks, which is truly spectacular. We would have liked to be able to install our own apps, but the native features are pretty robust. With all the different health tracking options, it’s an ideal workout companion. Considering how tough it is, you can take it into the wilderness or the gym with equal reliability. It seems to be built well, full of great features, and priced affordably for most people. Overall, highly recommended!

Get your Army Smart Watch here!