Buying guide · 4 min
BMX watches: G-Shock models that survive the skatepark
Three watches that take knocks, water and track dust: the classic DW-5600, the slim, light GA-2100 and the solar GW-M5610U that never needs a battery.
Guide updated
Quick answer: A watch for riding has to take what your wrist takes: knocks against concrete, water and dust. The ones that do it out of the box are Casio’s G-Shock range, with a shock-resistant structure and 20-bar water resistance across the line. The choice comes down to three: the DW-5600 if you want the classic digital, the GA-2100 if you prefer it slim with hands, and the GW-M5610U if you never want to change a battery again.
A watch is not a bike part, and this guide does not pretend it is: it is the accessory a rider uses to time runs and jams without taking the phone out, to know how much session is left, and to leave the phone in the bag, which is where it survives. The problem is that a normal watch lasts one fall: the wrist is one of the first things to hit the ground. That is why almost everyone who rides with a watch ends up in the same place: a G-Shock, the range Casio designed to take knocks.
The three, at a glance
What a watch has to survive at the park
- Knocks, before anything else. A shock-resistant structure and a crystal protected by the bezel: in a fall the wrist hits the concrete and the watch is on it.
- Water and dust. Rain, showers and track dust get into any open watch; all three in this guide are rated to 20 bar by Casio.
- It must not get in the way. Slim and light, so it does not fight the glove or the wrist guard, and with a resin strap you can rinse under the tap.
- Readable at a glance. The time and the stopwatch have to show without letting go of the bars or fiddling with buttons.
1. Casio G-Shock DW-5600UE: the classic
The one it has always been: digital, square, and shaped like the first G-Shock of 1983. It is the entry point to the range and the one with the fewest things to break, because it has no hands and no extras. If it is your first watch for riding, start here.
Specs and cons of the DW-5600UE
According to Casio: a digital model from the 5600 series with the iconic shape of the original G-Shock, a shock-resistant structure, 20-bar water resistance, an LED light for reading it in the dark and a long-life battery.
Cons: the battery is a conventional one — when it runs out, it needs changing — and the buttons sit recessed in the case, so they are awkward with gloves on. And it is digital only: if you want hands, look at the next one. Pros and cons ↓
2. Casio G-Shock GA-2100: the slim one
The G-Shock that does not look like a G-Shock: analog-digital, with an octagonal shape and the slimmest case in the range thanks to its carbon structure. It is the one that sits best on a smaller wrist and the one you see most off the park, because it passes for a normal watch.
Specs and cons of the GA-2100
According to Casio: analog-digital with the octagonal shape inherited from the first G-Shock, a Carbon Core Guard structure of carbon-fibre-reinforced resin, 11.8 mm thick and 51 g in weight, shock resistant and water resistant to 20 bar, with a battery lasting about 3 years.
Cons: the little digital window is small and the hands cover it at times, and in this all-black version the markers are harder to read in low light. The battery is not solar either. Pros and cons ↓
3. Casio G-Shock GW-M5610U: the forget-about-it one
The same classic shape as the DW-5600, with two advantages you notice over the years: it charges from light, so there is no battery to change, and it sets itself from the radio signal. It is the buy-it-once watch you forget exists until you need it.
Specs and cons of the GW-M5610U
According to Casio: a 5600-series model with the shape of the original DW-5000 from 1983, Tough Solar charging, Multi-Band 6 radio reception (Japan, North America, the United Kingdom, Germany and China), a shock-resistant structure, 20-bar water resistance and an LED light.
Cons: it is the priciest of the three, and the radio control depends on coverage: in the Canary Islands the European signal arrives weak and it may not sync every night. Solar, yes; magic, no. Pros and cons ↓
| If you are… | Choose |
|---|---|
| You want the classic and to spend the least | Casio G-Shock DW-5600UE |
| You want it slim, light and with hands | Casio G-Shock GA-2100 |
| You never want to change a battery again | Casio G-Shock GW-M5610U |
| It is a gift for a rider | DW-5600UE: the classic that never misses (and more ideas in the gift guide) |
Common mistakes when choosing a watch for riding
- Wearing a dress or fashion watch: it is not built for knocks; the first fall onto concrete is usually its last.
- Timing with the phone in your pocket: the phone breaks in the same fall the watch shrugs off; leave it in the bag.
- Choosing on looks alone: what matters is shock resistance and the 20 bar; without those, looks are irrelevant.
- A metal or leather strap: it is heavy, it scratches and it does not rinse clean; for riding, resin.
If the watch is a gift, the BMX gift guide has more ideas that do not depend on sizes. And the rest of the kit that does go on your body: BMX clothing and shoes, helmets and protective gear. The three watches with their verified specs are just below.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a “BMX watch” to ride?
That category does not exist: you need a watch that is shock and water resistant, built for what a wrist goes through at the park. That is why this guide sticks to G-Shock: it is Casio’s range designed to take impacts, with 20-bar water resistance on all three models.
What does 20-bar water resistance mean?
According to Casio, the watch withstands pressure equivalent to a 200-metre water column: rain, showers and swimming are no problem. For riding it is more than enough, and it is the sign the case is sealed against water and dust.
Digital or hands?
Digital reads at a glance and has no hands: it is the classic format of the 5600-series models here. The GA-2100 mixes hands and a display, reads like a normal watch off the park and is the slimmest of the three.
How often does the battery need changing?
On the DW-5600, when its long-life battery runs out. On the GA-2100, Casio gives about 3 years. The GW-M5610U is solar (Tough Solar): it charges from light and never asks for a battery change.
Why don’t you give prices or scores?
Because prices change often and we don’t want to give you a made-up score: we’d rather help you pick the right product for the kind of rider. You will see today’s price on the shop listing.
