Casio's professional series of Master of G watches stretches back to 1985. With it comes heritage and expectation. How well does this latest addition to the squad perform?
Bearing a host of sensors and phone-connected location, the GG-B100 boasts a rich feature list encased within its tough exterior. But because it still has an analogue face, it appears to occupy a space between smartwatch and sports watch.
Certainly, in terms of price, it's an appealing prospect for outdoorsy types in need of a time piece. So, is the Casio G-Shock Mudmaster GG-B100 a worthy hiking accessory? We've been finding out.
Features and design
G-Shock watches have always had that particular style. They're chunky and look like they've been designed in collaboration with Tonka Toys. Except, that would be doing this G-Shock watch a disservice because it's an awful lot tougher than a child's toy truck.
The GG-B100 has a Carbon Core Guard case to dial the toughness intensity up to 110%. The mention of carbon in outdoor equipment often signals something exciting. Carbon Core Guard sounds a carbon fibre. In fact, it's a carbon fibre reinforced resin. Downgrade? Hardly.
Water resistance is rated up to 20 bar, which is double what many sports watches offer. It's also as adept in the face of mud and dirt as a pig. Hence the Mudmaster name.
The G-Shock GG-B100 has six big buttons and a large 35mm (approximately) watch face. In addition to the clock, the face also has reference display and barometer. The watch's second hand indicates other things such as North in compass mode.
Although the Casio G-Shock GG-B100 has Bluetooth and connects to your phone, we wouldn't class it as a smartwatch. Certainly not one that's one the same page as Garmin or Suunto models. The G-Shock app is for setting the time, and checking your 'Mission Log'. It's reasonably basic but the war strategy game design is quite amusing.
Performance
Size and style are deceptive in terms of comfort. The big Casio is fantastically comfortable to wear. The resin strap clamps firmly but doesn't irritate the skin. After being in the water or heavy perspiration you'll want to remove the watch and dry it and your wrist. But you'd do this for any watch.
The other characteristic that's immediately obvious with this watch is how beautifully it's made. It immediately fills you with confidence to take it with you anywhere and that it'll last years, decades even.
The buttons are large enough to be used with gloves, and the watch face is incredibly easy to read. Even in the dark thanks to luminous watch hands and an on-demand backlight. But the same ease-of-use praise can't be applied for the Casio G-Shock GG-B100's location features.
For easy tracking and mode navigation on a watch, you need two things: GPS and a decent-sized digital screen. The GG-B100 Mudmaster has neither. And that makes it harder to use than a digital smartwatch for certain things. Connecting the Casio with a phone is easy enough. You hold down the Connect button and wait a moment for watch and phone to become one.
But recording your location is a case of holding down this and wating for that to flash. And since the Casio doesn't have built-in GPS, it must be connected to a phone with internet and location connected. With a location memorised, you can check your distance from that point and record waypoints with altitude measurements by a similar method.
It's not a bad system per se. It's just that on a cold, rainy afternoon in January, I was fiddling around trying to log waypoints and couldn't help but think Suunto's 9 Peak Pro was so much simpler.
Sustainability
From Casio's own sustainability reports, the company has medium to longer term decarbonisation in its sights. Casio has some in-house certified Green Star and Super Green Star products, which include models of projectors, calculators, and watches. But the GG-B100 isn't one of these.
Price and competition
The Casio G-Shock Mudmaster GG-B100 sits at a mid-price point and undercuts many multisport smartwatches. While it is about as tough a watch as you'd ever need, it doesn't have most of the smartwatch features. If smartwatch functions are what you desire and you like the rugged styling, Garmin's Instinct 2 is a great option at a similar price to the Casio.
If you want an analogue outdoor watch, brands like Luminox offer alternatives. However, those with equivalent levels of protection are more expensive. The Casio would remain the better option, even if you don't use the location and waypoint features.
Verdict
I have a split opinion about the Casio G-Shock Mudmaster GG-B100. Its location features are fiddly compared to digital smartwatches. But the GG-B100 is super tough and constructed to an incredibly high standard. Its watch face is also easy to read and it's very comfortable to wear.
Therefore my verdict is as follows. If you want an outdoor watch with smart features, go for something else. I'd suggest the Suunto 9 Peak Pro or Garmin Instinct 2. But as a tough, outdoor analogue watch, it's a compelling case.
Features 4/5 | Performance 4/5 | Toughness 5/5 | Value 4/5 | Sustainability 3/5
Overall score: 80%
Pros: Tough as nails, very comfortable, long battery life, reasonably good value
Cons: Location features a bit fiddly to use
Dimensions 55.4 x 53.1 x 19.3mm | Weight 92g | Materials Resin strap; mineral glass; carbon-resin case | Screen size 35mm (approx.) | Battery life 2 years (approx.)
g-shock.co.uk
g-shock.co.uk
g-shock.co.uk