Wristwatch Review: Pro Spirit Men's Digital Watch from Target

If adventure has a name it's Indiana Jones, but if adventure wears a watch the choices are endless. Among inexpensive watches, there are fabled names like G-shock and Ironman. They are followed by names like the Timex Expedition, Casio Pathfinder, and Casio Forester. Perhaps it is natural that all manner of watch brands would want to cash in. Pro Spirit is perhaps the cheapest brand to follow the adventurous trend. The black and brown Pro Spirit men's digital watch from Target retails for less than $10.

The Pro Spirit digital watch offers many adventure styling cues: compass directions on the bezel, a brown nylon, Velcro, and artificial leather band, black plastic case and bezel, and brown trim. The watch case is large. It measures 1 and 3/4-inches in diameter and about 9/16-inches thick. The LCD watch face itself is only an inch in diameter. Inside the bulky case, you'll find a traditional digital watch with a Chinese-made module powered by a common CR2025 battery.

On the positive side, the Pro Spirit has a simple, conventional, design that is easy to use. The watch is readable and it is easy to set the time, use the stopwatch, or set the alarm. The nylon and Velcro watch band accommodates all wrist sizes. The watch is also attractively styled. It is similar to the Casio Pathfinder and Forester in appearance. While this watch looks outdoorsy, I actually found it comfortable to wear while typing for long periods in the office. The Pro Spirit excels as a casual "bang around" watch.

However, this cheap watch has one drawback: it's a little cheap! While the band is perfectly acceptable, the case feels a little cheap. Where plastic watches like the Timex Ironman, Timex Expedition, and Casio Forester feel solid, the Pro Spirit does not. I was able to induce a few creaks and squeaks by squeezing the case between my thumb and forefinger. There is no disguising the plastic construction of this one. The watch packaging also does not claim any water resistance. These drawbacks may be real problems when using this watch outdoors in a rugged environment. It's too bad because the basic design of this watch actually looks good.

Overall, this is the kind of disposable watch that you might give to a child. It looks like an adventurer's watch, but it certainly doesn't have the adventure gear price tag. An adult might be served by a more solidly constructed timepiece. This watch doesn't seem rugged enough for real adventures in the outdoors.

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