Marathon Navigator 41mm Steel (SSNAV)

[@ams914]

A detail that has been left out of this review is not only the incredible accuracy, but the shock resistant technology of the watch. It has a sensor that detects an impact (faster than a car airbag) and locks the hands in place. That's insanely cool. I think outside of a g shock, this is the toughest analog quartz on the market.

[@Corkboard753]

This thing is a torch at night. I generally sleep with a watch on but this one can legit keep you up at night. It just never fades. Love it.

[@webe1309]

Thanks for the review Rob. This was by far my best purchase for ‘23. On an Artem strap it’s about a perfect GADA.

[@sensible202]

Not gada. Dress watch?

[@dc7442]

Bought one today on sale through Best Buy Canada. $670 CDN after taxes with free shipping, so I’m happy with that.

[@TheBimmer74]

Great tool watch with drilled lugs too!

[@Joe-yi8xj]

I cut that extra part off of every nylon strap to make it a single pass and position the buckle under the wrist like normal

[@GilbertRose-u1u]

Have mine for a month now. A super field watch! Got it in Polar .

[@canadianwatchmonkey3992]

❤ Marathon and CWC are one of the few true military watch companies sill making watches for the military. These Marathon watches are the real deal. Marthon is based in Vancouver, B.C. Canada!!! 😊 I have a couple of their watches and they are built like tanks!

[@JM-gy6zb]

Marathon is based in the Toronto area. You might be thinking of Momentum, which is based in Vancouver.

[@canadianwatchmonkey3992]

@@JM-gy6zb oops! You are correct.

[@melissasmess2773]

They’re built like a tank, I have the MSAR and love the Tritium, lume never stays bright enough for me, from my San Martin to my Omega Seamaster. Great government/military watches.

[@Comotellamas131]

$800 is delusional. It’s an awesome watch but that is a huge dealbreaker. I understand companies need to make profit but this watch should be $400-$500 max.

[@Thesupermanning]

Yet, they have been sold out. 🤷‍♂️

[@Comotellamas131]

⁠@@Thesupermanning Maybe in your country, not mine. In the US every single variant of this watch is in stock. It’s almost… like they are overpriced?

[@roycedot]

Tritium is expensive

[@flaviusjurj6960]

Maybe $300 and that's for the name. It's just a basic quartz watch. Certina offers at $450 much more solid offers with COSC quartz.

[@roycedot]

@@flaviusjurj6960 Certina doesn't have tritium. They both use PreciDrive lmao

[@jaredhill1021]

Having previously owned a 1991 issued version, I really want this.

[@zer0875]

Ar coating and this is a legend

[@randymarsh3677]

On the last pass thru. Slide the strap through the pass through for a cleaner look. Over the pass through makes it look bulkier

[@chriswalls6667]

Bought the 40mm Artic SAR keep so bad time even after warranty repair, returned it for the Artic Quartz TSAR.

[@melissasmess2773]

I have the smaller MSAR automatic with Selita SW-200, -4 sec/day, very pleased. I like the T25 Tritium better than lume.

[@ams914]

They probably don't regulate it, but an indie watch maker (or yourself, honestly) could do it.

[@sethconry9807]

Is the issue with the odd bezel is that it is a 90 click instead of a 60 or 120?

[@ams914]

It's 120, I'm pretty sure. What's nice about that is you can time things and not just use it for a second time zone.

[@johnsrabe]

Is that movement available in the cheaper versions? That HAQ is only 5-secs off the Citizen Chronomaster.

[@ams914]

Nope. Only this one. It's still a relatively cheap quartz so really all brands should be using it. Hard to go back to crappy quartz movements after this.

[@2K9s]

I take a bread knife to that top keeper for a nice tuck on the nice long strap. Their leather straps are not what one would think… to each their own. Thermally compensated ETA F06.412 HeavyDrive-PreciDrive Quartz movement, the 41mm Steel Navigator (SSNAV) stands out with unmatched precision, featuring accuracy of ± 10s/year. Solid mil spec watch.

[@jlg395]

I will never be able to get over how ridiculously ugly NATO straps are.

[@ianlockett]

Has anyone got their hands on the mechanical version of this? I see it on Marathon's site but can't find any reviews

[@TZOID08]

They must use a Mil-Spec because that watch minus the case looks pretty much identical to my older Traser . FWIW when the Tritium dies it kinda kills the joy of wearing the watch so expect that in 15 or so years :)

[@ams914]

Then you just send it in for a service and they'll swap the tubes or the whole dial.

[@Chef_Alpo]

Marathon will do a dial/hand swap. Painted lume deteriorates as well, couldn't say how long vs the 15 years you stated for tritium, but this particular company has low diversity of models and has used the same configuration consistently throughout the years. 15 years from now, you will be able to have the dial and hands swapped and not have the look of the watch altered. Compare that with another tritium based company like Ball, which churns out endless designs year to year, the only option would be replacing tubes on the existing dial, which no doubt comes at a higher cost to the watch owner, and puts the dial at risk during thr process, pros damage watches all the time. This is the one company with tritium dialed watches that I don't worry about.

[@johnsrabe]

Why can’t they just put a nice fat nylon keeper on there instead of three sharp pokey metal keepers? Will the buckle really fail when you jump out of an airplane? (Asking seriously.)

[@jlg395]

No. NATOs are stupid. Companies just like to laugh at customers for wearing them, then snort coke with the profits.

[@Chef_Alpo]

Gives it a premium feel, though I also think in general that the slimmer metal hoops retain the band better than the single loose nylon tunnel.

[@johnsrabe]

@@Chef_Alpo I’ve never had slippage on mine, but my activities are a bit more sedate than your average Navy Seal. Cheers.

[@johngillies8591]

Rob I respect your opinion and love your content. You and Jody (just one more watch) are 2 of the primary reasons for getting in this hobby, and go to source when looking. But....... I'm sorry and probably in the minority, but that watch is GROSSLY OVERPRICED!!! Could have bought a Benrus around holidays for around 1300? Reg price is 1600? I would and am going to get the San Martin with an AUTOMATIC mov and maybe even better build quality for around 150.00

[@ams914]

Not better build quality, but you could get an auto for less, sure. What you're not understanding is that in this watch's case, quartz is a feature, not a bug. This is way tougher than an automatic watch. I posted a comment about the impact-resistance technology it has up above. This is like a G-shock.

[@jlg395]

Automatic watches are horribly inaccurate, not to mention annoyingly needy. Why would anyone want to deal with that nonsense when quartz is so much better in every way that a watch can be better?

[@tomalophicon]

That strap tail will be coming out every 4 minutes.

[@RandomRobReviews]

Surprisingly it stays put, I have worn it for days.

[@tomalophicon]

@@RandomRobReviews surprising. Very cool.

[@Goetterdaemmerung]

I loose 4 seconds all 4 weeks - risicuolus the claim of 10 sec per year. Did you ever Test This by Setting Atomic Time And Control all 4 weeks

[@Ferien7]

It’s marketing hype… and way overpriced. You’ve gotta be a saavy consumer. Hopefully next time you’ll wise up

[@Boblw56]

I’ve lost a second per month over four months. So pretty accurate.

[@Corkboard753]

Have had mine for around 6 months now and just checked against atomic clock. 2 seconds off from the first and only time I have set it. Love the watch personally.

[@dhuge677]

Paid $450 for one from a friend

[@e.m.pinballfan2477]

Meca quartz would be better esp for $800

[@roycedot]

This isn’t a chronograph

[@ams914]

Can a mecca quartz do +/- 10 seconds a year? Nope.

[@jlg395]

Lol, can't tell if you're joking or not. Mecaquartz is terrible and prone to breakage. Do you realize how tough and accurate this watch is, not to mention its insane 94-month battery life?