Are cheap Casio's really this good?

[Kim]

I have just finished reading Sheck Exley's - 'Caverns Measureless to Man'. I am curious as to whether others have tried to use the very cheap (around US$30) Casio watches that he swears by in the book. For those that have not actually read it, he used these cheap water resistant (note: not waterproof) watches down to amazing depths - 600/700/800 ft - with no problems at all. According to him they still functioned when actual diving watches would simply have imploded from the pressure.

I had one such watch years ago that really did say 'Water Resistant to 200 meters' ! At the time I remember thinking - 'Yeah sure......and who is going to use it that deep?' So I was fairly amazed to read the comments in the book. I do remember that the one I had kept really good time - it strayed about a second and a half over a year. Sheck used to take several down with him and left them with stage tanks as backup - as well as all the way down. He never had one fail.

 

[RP Diver]

I've worn my Casio G-Shock for 10 years and at least 150 dives, to as much as 150 feet deep, and it's still on my wrist right now. I'm on the 3rd battery, and about the 6th band, but the watch has been a bargain at only $35.

 

[O2BBubbleFree]

I've had a G-Shock mounted on my wrist slate for about 10 years, but only have about 25 dives on it, up to 90'. Battery replaced once, by WalMart staff. Going strong.

 

[QuoVadis]

Don't know about the Casio but I read a thread here over a year ago about a $5 watch from Wal-mart called Aquatech. It has been flawless for me (been down to 110ft). I am sure the Casio works great.

 

[Charlie99]

I have just finished reading Sheck Exley's - 'Caverns Measureless to Man'. I am curious as to whether others have tried to use the very cheap (around US$30) Casio watches that he swears by in the book. For those that have not actually read it, he used these cheap water resistant (note: not waterproof) watches down to amazing depths - 600/700/800 ft - with no problems at all. According to him they still functioned when actual diving watches would simply have imploded from the pressure..

Who knows? Maybe it worked for him because the watches would work when filled with the fresh water of the cave. If you've flooded something, there isn't any pressure to implode it.


For ocean diving, I used to just wear my normal everyday watch(cheap Casio analog hands + digital alarm, 50M depth rating). It worked fine, but nowdays I don't bother since both my SPG and my buddy's timepiece are backups to the timer in my computer.

 

[FredT]

One must always remember that Mother Ocean is a hungry wench and WILL be fed, eventually. When you feed her would you rather do it with a $20 watch or a $300 watch?

I've had both Casios and Timex analog watches (easier to seal that digitals) under the $30 barrier to below 200' several times

 

[simbrooks]

Don't know about the Casio but I read a thread here over a year ago about a $5 watch from Wal-mart called Aquatech. It has been flawless for me (been down to 110ft). I am sure the Casio works great.

I had one and although it worked ok to about 100ft a few times i think the old problem got to it - a button was pressed (not by me personally, probably just pressure from my wetsuit as my wrist moved) - this broke the seal and the watch flooded and stopped working. They are rated as water resistant to 50m (164 or 167ft or whatever). I now have two dive computers, one as a back up timer more than anything. I would prefer to lose something cheap than expensive, but my main computer is bungeed (two cords through both pins so it should go too easily) and the back up suunto mosquitto i got for $150 with 5 dives on it Both seem to work well when i press buttons UW. I have another cheap aquatech that i use for biking, kayaking, hiking etc where i am not likely to bust it with water pressure.

 

[rgerman95]

I second QuoVadis's opinion. The Aquatech watches at Wal Mart work fine and its cheaper to replace the watch than the battery.

 

[Mrs.Prages]

I have a G-Shock and it has worked great for me. I think it was 19.95 at Wal-Mart. I use it mostly as a back up timer for my dives.

 

[RTodd]

I have just finished reading Sheck Exley's - 'Caverns Measureless to Man'. I am curious as to whether others have tried to use the very cheap (around US$30) Casio watches that he swears by in the book. For those that have not actually read it, he used these cheap water resistant (note: not waterproof) watches down to amazing depths - 600/700/800 ft - with no problems at all. According to him they still functioned when actual diving watches would simply have imploded from the pressure.

I had one such watch years ago that really did say 'Water Resistant to 200 meters' ! At the time I remember thinking - 'Yeah sure......and who is going to use it that deep?' So I was fairly amazed to read the comments in the book. I do remember that the one I had kept really good time - it strayed about a second and a half over a year. Sheck used to take several down with him and left them with stage tanks as backup - as well as all the way down. He never had one fail.

The 300m Casio G-shocks are probably the most robust dive watch available. I suppose if you are doing saturation dives to 1,000+ feet, a Sea-Dweller may actually be called for on a dive. So, unless you are going to attempt depths greater than what Sheck was able to live through and there are few divers as qualified as he was, the g-shock is all you will ever need. BTW - no watches are sold as "water proof." They all say water resistant. 300m seems to be the starting point for truly diving capable stuff.