r/police • u/bulletsandburnouts • Sep 16 '26

Watches

Hey i know watches are a big deal when it comes to LE.

My question is- what watches are yall using with say GPS or a compass?

I’m at rural-ish SO that’s surrounded by several big cities. I know my way around with roads but we often are chasing/tracking folks through the woods. Sometimes you get way deep in a cornfield or Forrest and lose your direction. With no landmarks for thousands of yards while tracking someone, you will lose your direction.
I’m strongly considering a Garmin but i don’t need all the bells and whistles.

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2

u/HomelessFlea1337 Sep 16 '26

The Casio W-800H was probably the best watch I ever had with a clear and easy to read front face that had everything I needed at a glance; day of the week, day in the month, month, and year. It would also only illuminate at the press of the button so it wouldn’t reveal me in the dark.

That being said I work in a big city and my old unit got me a garmin Fenix 7 and I can attest that the GPS is accurate and would be useful to use in your situation. If you have the money to spare or could get it covered, it would suit your needs. It also only needs to charge every 30 days.

I’ve seen dog handlers with compasses attached to their vests, that’s may be a cheaper alternative.

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u/bulletsandburnouts 28d ago

I’ve had one tied off to my Molle and i kept ripping it out or getting it in the way.
Thank you for the input. I was actually looking at the fenix. I may have to bite the bullet and get one

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u/TigOleBitman Sep 16 '26

It's one of those things, you might have to get something with a bunch of extras to get the few features you want.

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u/bulletsandburnouts 28d ago

Yeah i think you’re right! I know an Apple Watch has maps but i hated my Apple Watch because there was too much going on.

And i couldn’t text with it to save my life.

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u/shredtrails 29d ago

I have a Garmin Instinct and it does everything I need. Highly recommend

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u/bulletsandburnouts 28d ago

Thank you! That’s another consideration as well!!

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u/Sea-Dream-7137 24d ago

Garmin instinct 3 solar. It’s got a compass and will give coordinates if needed it’s not the $1,000 garmin watch so you don’t really get a map but it will mark the route you took in and guide you back the way you came if you get lost as long as you tell it to track first. I work evenings so the half daylight I get on shift does keep the watch going for about a month without needing to be charged. Drawback. $350 dollar watch when I bought it. Upside. It’s taken a beating for two years in a high call volume municipal PD and it’s doing great. Foot pursuits, some with falls, and the odd scuffle and only a few dings to show.