★★★★★ 2
Longtime Ironman Wearer -- I Hate This Watch
Color: Black
I've worn the old Ironman 100 Lap Watch for Years
I would still be wearing those watches if the Indigo on them didn't consistently fail.
My main requisite is large, easy to read digital display, and the ability to turn the Indiglo on 20 seconds a day once or twice to see time in dark.
If I could have found a simple watch with a large display made by any other reputable manufacturer I would have bought it instead. I have truly come to dislike Timex because their Indiglo fails so consistently, on (5) different Ironman's I've owned. Doubt this one'll be any better, viewing it a disposable purchase after a year. Unsurprisingly, Timex is an American company, all marketing no quality, and yes I'm an American, looking at something Casio Seiko, Swiss or Japanese made. They get fundamentals right in terms of quality.
The band on this is redesigned. Grippier. Tougher to adjust or put on, but more apt to stay on and not slide once on. I'm used to the old band, don't love or hate this new one. I will usually take my watch off while typing for a long time, not as easy to do with this, not a dealbreaker, can see the sense in making a swimming and exercise watchband a bit tougher.
I hate the branding on this watch. Bright red Ironman logo on both ends of the band near the watch. Even worse is the Timex and Ironman words ATOP the glass on the watch. This means they throw shadows down onto the watch face below the glass. This effect gets even worse with the magnification underwater. Inexcusable design flaw, simply so some corporation can self-advertise its products. The combination of these two sets of branding make the watch look cheap, gaudy, and inappropriate for any remotely formal wearing. This would not have been the case if it was understated in color scheme. Without the two red marks on the band, and the absolutely moronic decision to place the branding on the watch glass, you have something understated you could get away wearing all the time. Not with the branding. There are also two lines running horizontally above and below the time. I hate these when I'm looking at it underwater. Haven't tried the lap functions yet, I usually open lake swim, maybe the lines help with that, but for my use I hate them.
I'm 6'4" tall, people complain the watch is big, it feels to me if anything a bit undersized or the proper size, others may find it big. I would rather have a slightly larger size with bigger numbers.
Biggest plus is time SUPER easy to read. I'd love to be able to turn date off and only have time display and nothing else in some mode. I don't need to check the date 6 times a day. Love to have mode where I press one button, upper left say, and date shows for five seconds or something.
Indiglo about the same as old big Ironman 100, excellent--when it doesn't break which it almost always does. I have many of these watches where the time still shows but Indiglo never works, Timex themselves admitted to me this is a known problem.
The rounder face, versus rectangular, better looks, but wonder if it is optimal way to make most readable.
I would pass on this watch. I have always liked Ironman watches, but the branding is so bad, glass especially, and the absymal quality of Timex Indiglo, are unacceptable.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2023
