We review a crazy amount of watches at GearJunkie. And while traditional analog watches have their place (so do digital watches and tracking watches), one new watch particularly stands out.
The Eone Apex Salas sport watch, announced last month, features a set of circular tracks; one in the center of the watch face indicating hours and one around the outside edge for minutes. A single ball bearing moves around each track, similar to watch hands, so wearers simply trace their fingers across the piece to tell time. The system is magnetized, which keeps the ball bearings in their respective rings, even while kicking up gravel on your bike or clipping on chains at the top of a climb.
“It’s extremely utilitarian. It’s accessible. And it looks hella good,” said Justin Salas, an American climber who won the 2018 Paraclimbing World Championship and is the five-time National Champion. He’s been blind since age 14.
Salas put the watch through about a year of testing, making sure the ball bearings, tracks, titanium (and ceramic) face, reflective band, and quartz movement mechanisms could stand up to an active lifestyle.
“I’ve had it in the desert with a lot of sand, climbing in that environment with chalk and sand and smacking it on rocks,” said Salas. Though, its water resistance is only 3 ATM, or splashproof. So, while this is not the watch for your next kayaking trip, it holds up well in the mud and light rain, said Salas. In his testing, it also proved to handle small bits of debris in the ball bearing tracks, which are easy to clean if it’s been a particularly epic day.
Eone Apex Salas: Next-Level Tactile Watch
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Easier-to-Feel Hour & Minute Indicators
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Flow State Fit, Single Band
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