Casio G-Shock DW-5600 vs. Timex Expedition Scout: Which Cheap Watch Survives Abuse

Both numbers come from a static-pressure test under ISO 22810, the standard for everyday water-resistant watches: the watch sits still in a pressure tank holding the equivalent pressure of that depth for a set period. It doesn’t reproduce a dive, a wave, or a fast swimming stroke, all of which spike the real pressure past the rated number. A 200m rating gives more of a safety margin above ordinary use than a 50m rating does, but neither turns the watch into a dive watch.

The G-Shock DW-5600E-1V’s 200-meter rating comfortably covers showers, handwashing, and swimming. The Expedition Scout’s 50-meter rating is lower: Timex’s own guidance says it’s fine for handwashing and light swimming, but not for snorkeling or diving at the pool, and buttons shouldn’t be pressed while the watch is wet. If you shower or swim daily and want the bigger margin, the G-Shock is the safer pick of the two.

The G-Shock DW-5600E-1V is built around exactly that: a shock-resistant module suspended inside a resin case, a design Casio has refined since the original 1983 G-Shock. The Expedition Scout wasn’t built around impact resistance in the same way — its mineral crystal and brass case handle everyday knocks fine, but it isn’t marketed or built as an impact-resistant tool watch.

Both watches run on a single CR2016 battery. Casio rates the G-Shock’s battery at roughly two years per charge; the Expedition Scout’s quartz movement runs on a similar cycle. Either battery is a standard size any jeweler, watch-parts shop, or comfortable DIYer with a case-back tool can swap, so neither locks you into a brand-specific replacement or a mail-in service.

Current Expedition Scout models use mineral crystal, not the acrylic lens older Timex field watches were known for. Mineral crystal resists scratches better than acrylic, though it isn’t as scratch-resistant as the sapphire crystal found on pricier watches, and unlike acrylic it can’t be buffed to remove light scratches. For a watch in this price range, reviewers generally have no complaint with the tradeoff.

The Timex Expedition Scout 40mm costs less than half of what the G-Shock DW-5600E-1V runs at the top of its price range, and it still adds Timex’s Indiglo backlight and a mineral-crystal face most watches this cheap skip. Buy it if price is the deciding factor. Buy the G-Shock instead if the extra water resistance and shock protection are worth the higher price to you.