Break out the Bugles and round up your friends for Goldeneye, because, according to Timex, “Everything you love about ’99 is back.” So reads the tagline for the company’s reissue of its iconic Ironman Flix ($109).
The timepiece’s full name of is the Huckberry x Timex Ironman Flix, which is more than a bit of a mouthful. But credit the company’s marketing crew — they know ’90s nostalgia is big, and their ad copy leans into it. Behind the “member berries” is a claim to hard-use cred: “Prized by athletes, pilots, military and first responders for its simplicity, affordability, and unbeatable dependability, it’s no surprise the ‘Flix’ is the stuff of legends.”
You know what they say about never meeting your heroes, but the Huckberry x Timex Ironman Flix and I have met before — at least, I’m familiar with its predecessors. I sported an Ironman through much of middle and high school, so I’m going to refer to this watch on a first-name basis from here on. Let’s crack open a can of Surge and dive back into the pre-Y2K world with a review of the Timex Flix.
In short: The Huckberry x Timex Ironman Flix is exactly what it claims to be: A faithful reissue of a capable, classic timepiece. Its construction, water resistance, and functionality are solid, with a wealth of simple timekeeping features and workout-focused timers. However, an unintuitive interface, nostalgia pricing, and ’90s-era plastic dull the gloss of this wearable yearbook photo.
- Case size: 44 mm
- Case height: 9 mm
- Case material: Resin (stainless steel back)
- Crystal: Acrylic
- Strap and lug width: 18 mm
- Water resistance: 100 M
Pros
- '90s styling
- Excellent legibility
- 100M water resist
- Lap timers and memory
Cons
- Late '90s plastic
- Interface learning curve
- Nostalgia-based pricing
Huckberry x Timex Ironman Flix Review
Interestingly enough, retro-branding isn’t the only selling point of this Ironman. Rather than gushing about the watch’s features, Timex takes a different tack, by emphasizing what the Flix isn’t.
“There’s no heart rate monitor, no GPS, no altimeter, no compass, no world time, no Bluetooth,” the press release reads. “We teamed up with Huckberry and dipped into our archives to take you back to the summer of ’99 for the antithesis of the modern smartwatch, and the perfect adventure or workout companion.”
It’s this “antithesis” idea that caught our attention. Because as neat as it is to wear a Tough Mudder-grade Garmin that’s as powerful as three N64s, sometimes all you need is a stopwatch.
And for the most part, the Flix lives up to its billing. Over its week of wear, the watch turned out to be a capable, comfortable companion.
Normally, I’m not a fan of watches designed by fashion companies. But in this case, the Huckberry collab bears fruit. The Flix’s sloped lugs and resin strap are comfortable, and effortlessly so. And here’s a surprising bit of restraint — nowhere on the watch itself does the name “Huckberry” appear.
At the gym and on the streets, this Ironman is exactly that. Once you master the interface, it’s easy to track and store lap times and manage alarms. There’s even a 10-entry Memo Pad, which allows you to store “three pages of eight characters each.” Check it out!
Another feature rarely found on simplistic digital watches is Timex’s hands-free Night-Mode. Activated by holding down the upper left button, this feature will trigger the signature Indiglo when you lift your wrist.
Overall, the Flix packs in a good amount of features and feel-good. But once you get past the retro charm, a few shortfalls begin to show.
Beware the Pitfalls of Nostalgia
One of the Flix’s selling points is its simplicity and, outside of a learning curve with its chronograph and lap memory, this rings true.
But unfortunately, the simple resins of the watch’s chassis and buttons feel a bit … basic. It’s like a Pontiac Sunfire — compact and sporty in appearance, but made with a lot of hard, cheap plastics.
I even made a trip to the local Target to compare the materials with a few cheaper models, and I’d be shocked if the resins weren’t the same.
Also, there’s the advertised night mode, which the press data says, “can be activated simply by raising your arm.” In testing, I found that a more significant flick, flap, or shake was required to summon the glow.
But there’s one issue here that overshadows all of these gripes: The $109 price tag.
That’s nearly the same as a G-SHOCK with solar charging, 200M of water resistance, and multi-band atomic timekeeping. Now, there is a caveat; the GWM5610-1 shown above goes for $150 on Casio’s official website, which is significantly more than the Flix.
But I paid $99 on Amazon for the G-SHOCK, and they are widely available in that range.
Conclusion: Huckberry x Timex Ironman Flix Review
My enthusiasm for Timex’s new direction is well-documented. Watches like the Pan-Am and Q Chronos and the Expedition North Field Post are outstanding, and show that the company can simultaneously innovate and honor its back catalog.
Maybe that’s why I feel a bit let down by the Flix. From a nostalgia standpoint, you’re getting exactly what’s promised — a capable, all-purpose watch that’s as at home on the track as it is in coveralls or business casual.
But the simple feel of its resin (apart from the lovely and comfortable band) feel less like a ’90s homage, and more like actual $40 plastic from the time of the original Pokemon.
All of this watch’s sins, every one, could be excused at a lower price. But when you poke your head above that $100 waterline, you’re swimming with some pretty big sharks.
Again, the Flix is a good timepiece, even if it’s not quite great. And with the exception of the Nite-Mode issue, it measures up exactly to the company’s billing. If you desperately yearn for a time before the advent of the aughts, this watch will help you get there in era-appropriate style.
