# Battle of the Vibration Watches: Casio vs Timex!



## Pelican

Welcome to the Battle of the Vibration Watches: Casio vs Timex...

Well, it's not really going to be a battle, but more of a comparison.
I've just got the new Timex Expedition XL (model number T49950) in and thought I'd compare it to some other vibration alarm watches out there and see how they compare.

The 3 watch models being compared are:
The popular *Casio G-Shock GD-350*
The lesser known, but well received *Timex T49851 Expedition*
The new *XL-sized Timex T49950 Expedition*

_I was going to include the Casio *G-Shock G7500 *also, but it's out of production and has been well reviewed in the past. It's still a good option though and is easy to find at a reasonable price if its functionality is what you're after.
_
Anyway, back to today's comparison: I'm not going to compare negative vs positive displays as the pictures speak for themselves.

I've also included images of the new XL Timex next to two other large watches for reference: The Casio PAG-240 and the Pulsar W861-X006 (which has the largest digits of any digital I've owned so far).

I thought about awarding points to each watch to come out with a 'winner' as to which is 'the best', but decided just to say how they perform according to different criteria (e.g. alarm volume, vibe strength etc.). The reason being that what one person sees as a negative another person may see as a positive (e.g. illumination brightness).

Anyhow here goes. I'll start with the specs:

*GD-350:*
Shock Resistant
200M Water Resistant
Auto LED Backlight (Super Illuminator)
Flash alert Flasher with buzzer that sounds for alarms, hourly time signal, countdown timer time-up alarm
World Time 35 time zones (100 cities + UTC), city code display, daylight saving on/off
5 Daily or One-time Alarms (1 with Snooze), selectable flash alert/vibration alert
Hourly Time Signal
Vibration Alert (Daily Alarms, Countdown Timer, Hourly Time Signal)
1/100 second stopwatch Measuring capacity: 999:59'59.99" Measuring modes: Elapsed time, split time, 1st-2nd place times
Countdown timer w/Direct Access Measuring unit: 1 second Countdown range: 24 hours Countdown start time setting range: 1 minute to 24 hours (1-second increments, 1-minute increments and 1-hour increments)
Other: Selectable flash alert/vibration alert, direct start from timekeeping mode, Full Auto Calendar (pre-programmed until the year 2099), 12/24 Hour Formats, Low Battery Warning, Button operation tone on/off, Accuracy: +/- 15 seconds per month, Battery: CR2032, Approx. battery life: 5 years, Module 3403

Size of case/total weight GD350 53.4 x 50.8 x 18.0mm / 75g

*XL T49950:*
Shock-resistant to ISO standards
Mineral crystal
Dual mode alarm offers vibration and/or audible alarm
100-hour chronograph with lap and split times
24-hour countdown timer with stop and repeat
Regulate fluid intake with hydration alarm (repeat timer)
15 preset occasions to set reminders for birthdays, anniversaries and meetings
Three daily, weekday or weekend alarms with 5-minute backup
Three time zone settings
Comfortable and durable resin strap
Water resistance to 200 metres
Easy to view in low light conditions with INDIGLO night-light
Case width: 50mm
Lug width: 22mm
Battery Type: CR2032
Estimated Battery life: 5 Years

*T49851:*
Acrylic crystal
Dual mode alarm offers vibration and/or audible alarm
100-hour chronograph with lap and split times
24-hour countdown timer with stop and repeat
Regulate fluid intake with hydration alarm (repeat timer)
15 preset occasions to set reminders for birthdays, anniversaries and meetings
Three daily, weekday or weekend alarms with 5-minute backup
Three time zone settings
Comfortable and durable resin strap
Water resistance to 100 metres
Easy to view in low light conditions with INDIGLO night-light
Case width: 43mm
Lug width: 22mm
Battery Type: CR2032
Estimated Battery life: 5.5 Years

Now then, onto some comparisons...

*Price and perceived quality:*
Casio GD-350: $135 CAD
XL T49950: $75 CAD
T49851: $45 CAD

The Casio 'feels' to be the superior quality watch, but so it should given the price difference. This is subjective however. I will say though that the Timex T49851 does without doubt feel a bit toy like and rather plastic - again this can be a good thing, which brings me onto the next section.

*Beatability:*
All three will undoubtedly hold up well to abuse, but the GD-350 and the XL Timex come out ahead of the T49851 in my view due to protected mineral glass crystals (greater scratch resistance) and shock resistant designs and 200m water resistance. Having said that, one can easily argue that the acrylic is better - it's a case of whichever you prefer. The cheapest watch (T49851) can also be viewed as the best beater seeing as it is essentially disposable: If a watch is going to get broken I'd rather lose $45 vs $135.

*Battery:*
All 3 watches have a CR2032 battery rated for around 5 years of operation (5.5 years for the T49851).

*Water resistance:*
Timex T49851: 100m
Casio GD-350 and Timex XL T49950: 200m

*Crystal:*
The T49950 XL Timex features a THICK mineral crystal which was a nice surprise - I was expecting acrylic. It gives the watch a nice heft and a true feeling of solidity and is certainly thicker than the Casio's. Breaking the crystal on this one would take some serious effort!

The GD-350 G-Shock has the usual 'G' mineral and is the most recessed and therefore protected of the 3 watches.

The T49851 has a fairly exposed and easily scratched acrylic crystal. 'Easily scratched' though also means easily polished - again this is either a pro or a con.

*Alarm volume:*
The T49851 without doubt has the loudest alarm of the 3.

The XL T49950 has a louder alarm than the Casio.

The GD-350 however has a respectably loud alarm, especially for a G-Shock.

*Vibration alarm strength:*
The T49851 has the strongest vibration alarm of the 3.

Having tried all 3 watches on both wrists multiple times, the strength of the vibration alarm on the XL T49950 and the Casio GD-350 is identical (your experience maybe different due to wrist shape, how tight you wear your watch etc).

*Legibility:*
The XL T49950 has the largest digits by far (1/3 larger than the T49851). You could probably read the time on the positive display version of this watch from the moon!

The T49851 has large digits also and has a clear, crisp display. It's very easy to read.

The GD-350 has a busier display with far smaller digits, but is still easily legible.

*Illumination:*
This is an interesting one...
The GD-350 has the brightest illumination (LED) and brightest flash alert. The watch could be used as a standby flashlight if needed. This can be good if camping for example, but for e.g. night hikes your night vision will be ruined. This is a pro and a con. I personally like it.

The digits on both Timexes are illuminated via EL Indiglo. The light is easy on night vision, but not so bright so as to be flashlight like.

Both Timexes have a 'Night mode' feature which activates the Indiglo anytime a button is pressed, thereby allowing 100% watch functionality in complete darkness - very cool if that's something you'll use (I don't need it personally). This isn't the case for the GD-350 Casio.

When set to do so, the LED illumination on the Casio GD-350 will automatically activate with a tilt of the wrist so no button presses are needed to view the time in the dark - also a cool feature.

*Buttons and button feedback:*
GD-350: buttons not prone to accidental activation, smooth surface (not so easy in dark), feedback a bit vague, OK-ish for use with gloves.

XL T49950: buttons well textured for easy identification, potentially prone to accidental activation, definite feedback, very well-suited to use with gloves.

T49851: button texture less well defined than the T49950, but OK for easy identification, potentially prone to accidental activation, definite feedback, well-suited to use with gloves. Flimsiest feeling button set-up of the three though.

*Functionality:*
GD-350: Time shown in all modes.

Timexes: Local time not shown in any modes other than home screen.

All 3 watches can be muted and have alarm/sound combination options.

The Casio vibrates when returning to the home time screen, which is useful if changing through modes at night because you know you're on the home screen without having to look at the watch.

The Timexes automatically return to the home time screen after using a function - this is useful because, unlike the Casio GD-350, there is no need to scroll through the remaining modes to go back to time mode.

Timexes: Unwanted modes can be hidden if not required. This is a nice way of customising functionality to suit your needs - a cool feature!

The countdown timers for all 3 models are setable up to 24 hours to the second. The Timexes have auto repeat, the Casio GD-350 doesn't.

Chronographs: the Casio measures up to 999:59'59.99", the Timexes measure up to 100 hours.
Other variations in functionality can be seen in the specs.

*So which is my favourite?*
Hhhhhmmm...
That's a difficult question to answer!
3 different watches at 3 different affordable price points ($45, $75, $135).

All 3 are comfortable, user-friendly, highly functional and durable. Functionality for all 3 is very similar; they have strengths and weaknesses, but no one is definitively head and shoulders above the rest.

At 50mm wide and with a squarish shaped case, the XL Timex T49950 is a beast for sure - it's built like a tank and the thick mineral crystal is nice. At $75 or so I think this one offers great value for money and with its specs it would cost much more if branded as a G-Shock. It's too large (for me) for every day wear, but makes an excellent no-nonsense rugged outdoor watch. This one really is up there with the 'big boys' in my view.

The T49851 certainly feels like the 'cheapest' of the 3, but for a highly affordable, essentially disposable watch this one's hard to beat. Once again, it has superior functionality compared to many far pricier Casios and as a general knock-around, cheapo watch that won't draw attention it's great, especially if travelling to far-flung places where a Rolex could get you into serious trouble.

As for the GD-350, I really like it. I don't think it offers the same level of value as the Timexes, but it does feel like the highest quality watch of the 3, being way ahead of the T49851 and only a fraction ahead of the XL49950 - this is purely subjective of course.

When you consider though that the GD-350 is 3 times the price of the Timex T49851, is the GD-350 worth it? Well only you can answer that. Dimensions-wise, it's similar to the XL Timex, but seems smaller when on the wrist, so in this regard is perhaps more versatile. That said, these are hardly dress watches! Having time in all modes is always a nice-to-have, but not essential.

*OK, which one would I choose?*
The XL T49950 for a brutally functional indestructible tank of an outdoor watch.
The T49851 for an excellent low-cost travel watch.
The GD-350 for general weekend wear and for Casio's excellent dependability (I've been let down by some Timexes in the past and I've never experienced a Casio failure).

So that's it folks - I hope some of this was useful; feel free to add your experiences.
Happy watch hunting! ;-)


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## bezgeo85

YOU ARE THE BEST!
ONE OF MY FAVOURITE POSTS EVER!

Me personal i have the timex t49851 and i am more than ok. It is one of the best watches out there. Very tough been in every occasion and still ticking. 
The only thing that lacks is the coolness of a gshock but i didnt pay for a gshock and functionwise its far better and that last one is the reason i chose this.

Plus: i was waiting to see some live photos of the new timex and when you said and i saw that it had bigger diggits from the t49851 i couldnt believe this! I still cant.

Last months i am thinking of buying as my first gshock the gd 350(id love it had repeated timers and maybe multiple alarms) but i really liked the new timex...

Can you post some more (maybe some hundreds) pics with it on your hand?


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## Pelican

bezgeo85 said:


> ...Last months i am thinking of buying as my first gshock the gd 350(id love it had repeated timers and maybe multiple alarms) but i really liked the new timex...
> 
> Can you post some more (maybe some hundreds) pics with it on your hand?


Here you go - some wrist shots of the T49950 on my 7 inch wrist - a large watch, but a good candidate for the great outdoors!


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## Pelican

...and some wrist shots of the GD-350 as well...

;-)


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## bezgeo85

Thanks my friend pelican, those are huge digits but as to my t49851 i would them a little bolder and with round edges like the casio ones.


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## gloster

Great post Pelican!


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## Pelican

Cheers Gloster! It's nice to know that the odd post here and there hits the target ;-)


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## Sedi

Great, great post! The XL Timex is on my list - I checked it out on the website just a few days ago - so your post is right in time :-d. I'm definitely gonna get one. I wrote a comparison once between the Casio GL-7500, GD-350, the smaller Timex and the W-735H.
I'll add this review to the link-list on top of the forum. Thanks very much for the effort!
Btw: the Timex looks much better on those pics than on the Timex homepage. I think I'm gonna get the green one - the T49951.

cheers, Sedi


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## greg1491

Great comparison Pelican. Thanks for the effort. I've been waiting for some pics of the new timex compared to some other watches. The 49950 having a mineral crystal is a nice surprise. Now I have to decide between the 49950 or the 49951.


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## Pelican

greg1491 said:


> Great comparison Pelican. Thanks for the effort. I've been waiting for some pics of the new timex compared to some other watches. The 49950 having a mineral crystal is a nice surprise. Now I have to decide between the 49950 or the 49951.


Decisions, decisions eh!


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## Pelican

Sedi said:


> I wrote a comparison once between the Casio GL-7500, GD-350, the smaller Timex and the W-735H.
> I'll add this review to the link-list on top of the forum. Thanks very much for the effort!
> Btw: the Timex looks much better on those pics than on the Timex homepage. I think I'm gonna get the green one - the T49951.
> 
> cheers, Sedi


Good to know you had the G7500 covered - thanks for adding the review, sounds like a plan. As for the XL, it's the real deal in my view when it comes to a rugged, functional watch - it's no flashy poseur and simply gets the job done. I'm enjoying it!


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## Sedi

I love the huge digits! And the strap doesn't look to small either as compared to the stock pix.

cheers, Sedi


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## cal..45

Thanks very much Pelican for this well written, unbiased review |>

Jeez the T49950 is a big sucker, I already knew that but seing it for real, the two other watches look almost childish in comparison. The negative display appears to be very legible, I wonder if it is comparable with my personal negative display references the T49900 and T49903 or if it can even prevail due to the larger digits...:think:

Actually I was going to test the positive T49951 but now that I saw this pics I think I have to get them both. Oh my, looks like september is going to cost me alot of money...

Anyway, the T49851 has become quickly one of my absolute favorite watches, in fact I consider it the best of all my daily beaters. But I never was 100% happy with the way it sits on my wrist, it's not too bad but it's not great either. Both - the resin strap and a nylon never give me a 100% satisfying wearing comfort, in that regard the T-49897 is the best I have ever encontered. The band of the T49950 appears to be quite differnt from the T49851, would you consider it better, equal or worse? 


cheers


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## Etype65

Excellent review, thanks.


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## Pelican

cal..45 said:


> Thanks very much Pelican for this well written, unbiased review |>
> 
> Jeez the T49950 is a big sucker, I already knew that but seing it for real, the two other watches look almost childish in comparison. The negative display appears to be very legible, I wonder if it is comparable with my personal negative display references the T49900 and T49903 or if it can even prevail due to the larger digits...:think:
> 
> Actually I was going to test the positive T49951 but now that I saw this pics I think I have to get them both. Oh my, looks like september is going to cost me alot of money...
> 
> Anyway, the T49851 has become quickly one of my absolute favorite watches, in fact I consider it the best of all my daily beaters. But I never was 100% happy with the way it sits on my wrist, it's not too bad but it's not great either. Both - the resin strap and a nylon never give me a 100% satisfying wearing comfort, in that regard the T-49897 is the best I have ever encontered. The band of the T49950 appears to be quite differnt from the T49851, would you consider it better, equal or worse? In my view I'd say it's better for a wider range of wrist sizes.
> 
> cheers


Hey Cal! Attached are a couple of images of the T49950 with your fave the T49900 - I'd say that the T49900 is crisper and a bit brighter than the XL T49950, but due to the huge digit size, there's zero problem reading the XL.

As for the strap on the T49851 it doesn't move freely on the pins so, if you have larger than a 7 inch wrist, it could feel as if it's pushing into the sides of your wrist or possibly make the watch sit off your wrist a bit. I personally find the strap comfortable. The strap on the XL T49950 though moves freely on the pins and is therefore less restrictive - very comfortable in my view. Both straps are the same width, but the XL T49950's strap widens out towards the watch head to give a more chunky type look in line with the size of the watch. In my view the XL's strap is better because it will fit a wider range of wrist sizes more comfortably. As mentioned though, both straps are fine for me.

Hope that helps - have fun spending your cash!


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## cal..45

Hi Pelican,

wow, thats too cool, many thanks for the comparison pictures. Good Lord, knowing the T-49900 very well and its anything but small digits, the T49950 digits must be GIANT  :-!

It might be the monitor I'm sitting right now in front of, but actually it apperas to me that the T49950 has the brighter digits, and considered the sheer size I can see why you say "zero problems with the legibility". You bet I will have a lot of fun spending my hard earned, now the waiting begins ;-)


cheers


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## bezgeo85

before this post i had some months i didnt even log in, now with this post im often checking in to see the new photos!

I really think it would be nice ( or even perfect ! ) if timex added an extra line to include current time in every mode (or manage to put ct in the current lines) AND include auto dst settings so that you dont have to worry about changing the time (even this is something easy- its just nice to have feature). And perhaps a world time mode (like casios).

Feel free to keep posting photos!!!


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## Sedi

Current time in timer mode would be great. Auto DST however only works on atomic watches.

Cheers, Sedi


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## xevious

Very nice comparison review! |>

I like that Timex T49950. Timex watches can wind up seriously discounted, much more so than CASIO. So I'll have to keep an eye out for a sale on this model. I may just pick one up for my Dad, who is taking medication on a periodic basis. I got him a Casio G-7510 that he likes, but I think he'd appreciate the larger digits of the Timex.

Funny how the cheaper Timex has a louder alarm. Maybe it's the thinner casing.


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## Precise

I have the Timex. see

https://www.watchuseek.com/f296/praise-timex-vibrating-alarm-watch-608623.html

You mentioned one of the great features of Timex:_

"The Timexes automatically return to the home time screen after using a function - this is useful because, unlike the Casio GD-350, there is no need to scroll through the remaining modes to go back to time mode."_

I wish *all* digital watches did this.

Alan


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## cal..45

xevious said:


> Very nice comparison review! |>
> 
> I like that Timex T49950. Timex watches can wind up seriously discounted, much more so than CASIO. So I'll have to keep an eye out for a sale on this model. I may just pick one up for my Dad, who is taking medication on a periodic basis. I got him a Casio G-7510 that he likes, but I think he'd appreciate the larger digits of the Timex.


I think for your Dad, the T49951 with positve display will be even better:

Timex Men's T499519J Expedition Shock XL Vibrating Alarm Green Resin Strap Watch: Watches: Amazon.com



> Funny how the cheaper Timex has a louder alarm. Maybe it's the thinner casing.


It might be the thinner casing but I'm sure it is mainly the far less power restrictions policy Timex have.

cheers


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## greg1491

Happened to be in my local walmart yesterday and looked to see if they carried the t49851. They had one in the case so I had to try it on. I gave the lady $35 and kept it on my wrist. It's 100% more comfortable than the gd350. The wings on the gd350 just dont work for me. While I no longer have the gd350 to compare the vibration strength with, the timex vibe strength will work for me. I work in a very noisy environment and wear ear plugs, the chime alarms are useless. I dont plan on using it for a wake up alarm, I just need an alarm during the day at work. The digits on this model appear nearly but not quite as large and bright as my modded t49896. Both are very comfortable. I still plan on getting the new timex XL but it may be a little too large for everyday wear.


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## Sedi

@cal..45
I think he means the smaller Timex compared to the bigger Timex ;-).

The vibration of the the small Expedition model is the strongest of all the vibration alarm models I have - the others are all Casios. IMO it's almost as strong as the vibe alarm of my cellphone.

Cheers, Sedi


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## bezgeo85

Sedi said:


> Current time in timer mode would be great. Auto DST however only works on atomic watches.
> 
> Cheers, Sedi


Then i didnt express it right. I mean the dst setting that non atomic casio watches have.

Perhaps could someone do a photoshop t49851 with reversed display and and black instead of grey buttons and compass ring?


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## Sedi

Ah, yes - the standard DST setting. Makes sense - but are there any Timex models with worldtime? It still makes adjustment easier without worldtime however as we don't have to remember if we need to add or substract an hour :-d.

Cheers, Sedi


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## cal..45

bezgeo85 said:


> Then i didnt express it right. I mean the dst setting that non atomic casio watches have.
> 
> Perhaps could someone do a photoshop t49851 with reversed display and and black instead of grey buttons and compass ring?


Well in the case of the T49950 and/or t49851 you have two additional timezones easily accessed with a single (or double) push of the upper right button. If you don't need those two on a regular basis you can always set one of them to DST on/off (whatever applies). Keeping the upper right button pressed for about 4 seconds changes the timezone permanetely. No need to scroll through menus, no need to adjust anything in timemode - I think it doesn't get much easier than that.

cheers


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## xevious

Thanks for pointing out the T49951, Cal..45. Sheesh, I sure wish Timex came up with better model names for their watches. These single letter followed by 5 numerics is just lousy. They need some kind of logical grouping of letters and numbers similar to the way CASIO does it.

Btw, Sedi is right that I was pointing out the difference between two Timex models--the T49950 and T49851. Strange how the alarm volume is so drastically different.

About CASIO power restrictions, I do agree that CASIO is probably focused on trying to maximize the battery life assuming daily usage of the alarm. If the alarm is softer by a few noticeable decibels but gains 1-2 months, CASIO will make it softer. I'd much rather they make it louder and let me decide if I want to run the alarm daily or not. They seem to forget how conservative their estimates are, that their watches are capable of running far longer than the specified battery life. I really wonder how many people set their G-Shock alarms to go off daily, given how they aren't loud enough to wake most people.


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## fizzbin1701

Hello. Can one of you please help find a vibration watch with the features below?

I know the 7500 model would be perfect, but I can't find one for sale! (I don't suppose anyone would be willing to part with one? I could trade or just sell my Timex Expedition vibrating watch if you'd like...)

1) Vibration alarm
2) Countdown timer (one button and presets like Casio's W214HC) that hopefully goes up to 1 hr
3) Multiple alarms
4) I also like how other Casio's let you have a countdown timer that goes off, say, every 4 hours

Thank you in advance for your advice!


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## BigJimm

I found this forum and I've been reading up on both Timex T49950 and T49951 XL Vibration Shock Resistant watches and I decided to take the plunge and buy both models. I ordered the T49950 reverse display model with the black resin case and band and the T49951 positive display model with the green resin case and band. I bought the black one from EBay and then ordered the green one from Walmart. 

I also took advantage of the 2 year extended service protection plan warranty for the green watch that I bought from Walmart for only $9. The protection plan that Walmart offers covers the watch "beyond" the manufacturer's warranty and it covers things like movement failure, crystal scratches and breaks, case or bezel damage, broken watchbands, broken stem, crown, or buttons, broken clasps, water damage to water resistant watches and failures due to normal wear and tear. I figure that for an extra $9, it's a good idea to have this type of protection on the green watch just in case anything breaks within the first 2 years of ownership.

Do anymore people in here own either the T49950 reverse display black case or the T49951 positive display green case XL Timex Vibration Shock resistant watch who can chime in on how much they like or dislike like this watch? What type of activities have you done with the watch and how durable has it been so far?


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## Tsarli

My biggest gripe against the Timex watches is that the vibra function does not work with the hourly chime. You only get an audible alert for the hourly chime but not a vibra alert. For this reason my Casio PAS400B-5V fishing watch gets a lot more wrist time than my T498549J. Disappointing huge oversight IMO.

Sent from my Lumia 625 using Tapatalk


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## Wally79

You can set the hydration reminder or countdown timer to repeat every 60 minute, those work with vibration alerts but yes it would be nice if the hourly chime could be set to vibrate.


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## BigJimm

Tsarli said:


> My biggest gripe against the Timex watches is that the vibra function does not work with the hourly chime. You only get an audible alert for the hourly chime but not a vibra alert. For this reason my Casio PAS400B-5V fishing watch gets a lot more wrist time than my T498549J. Disappointing huge oversight IMO.
> 
> Sent from my Lumia 625 using Tapatalk


It would be nice to have both the vibra alert and the hourly chime functions on the T49950 and T49951. It doesn't really bother me though that it doesn't have the hourly vibra alert because I wouldn't really have any use for it. I'm still happy to have with the hourly chime sound that I'm so much used to having in my other older Timex Ironman and Atlantis digital watches that I wear.


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## cal..45

Tsarli said:


> My biggest gripe against the Timex watches is that the vibra function does not work with the hourly chime. You only get an audible alert for the hourly chime but not a vibra alert. For this reason my Casio PAS400B-5V fishing watch gets a lot more wrist time than my T498549J. Disappointing huge oversight IMO.


I agree but the lack of a CDT is much, much worse IMO.

cheers


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## BigJimm

cal..45 said:


> I agree but the lack of a CDT is much, much worse IMO.
> 
> cheers


I could be wrong, but I thought that the XL Vibration watch already had a 24 hour countdown timer function built into it? Is the XL Timex Vibra alarm a bad choice compared to buying the Casio Fishing watch instead?
Do you think that I will regret that I ordered 1 negative display and 1 positive display of this particular Timex vibe alarm model?


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## Tsarli

Wally79 said:


> You can set the hydration reminder or countdown timer to repeat every 60 minute, those work with vibration alerts but yes it would be nice if the hourly chime could be set to vibrate.


I'll try this thanks! I hope Timex will remedy this in future models because I really like their module's feature set. And while they're at it, maybe time in SW/CDT modes as well?


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## Sedi

Yes, the Timex has a timer but the PAS-400 doesn't. I think the T49951 is great btw.

Cheers, Sedi 


BigJimm said:


> I could be wrong, but I thought that the XL Vibration watch already had a 24 hour countdown timer function built into it? Is the XL Timex Vibra alarm a bad choice compared to buying the Casio Fishing watch instead?
> Do you think that I will regret that I ordered 1 negative display and 1 positive display of this particular Timex vibe alarm model?


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## BigJimm

I took a ride out to my local Walmart today and checked out both models. The black cased reversed display and the green cased positive display are very sharp looking watches and I like them both. They definitely have a presence on the wrist. I tried both on and I like the all black case/band T49950 with the reverse display the most. The numbers are very large and very easy to read on the reverse display model. I don't know why some people think that the legibility is not good in low lighting situations? I covered the watch inside my heavy coat where there was very little light and didn't have any problems seeing the time. The watch also has an excellent Indiglo night light built into it, so I don't see a problem being able to view the time while in low lighting.
I also like the other green case/band T49951 model with the positive display too, but I must admit that the black cased one looks more serious and much nicer as a watch than the green cased one. I currently have both models on order and I may keep only the black one and return the green cased model if I don't like it before the Walmart 90 day exchange/refund period is over. We'll see what happens after I receive both watches later on this week.


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## cal..45

BigJimm said:


> I could be wrong, but I thought that the XL Vibration watch already had a 24 hour countdown timer function built into it? Is the XL Timex Vibra alarm a bad choice compared to buying the Casio Fishing watch instead?
> Do you think that I will regret that I ordered 1 negative display and 1 positive display of this particular Timex vibe alarm model?


As Sedi already stated, it is the Casio that lacks the CDT, not the Timex.



> I took a ride out to my local Walmart today and checked out both models. The black cased reversed display and the green cased positive display are very sharp looking watches and I like them both. They definitely have a presence on the wrist. I tried both on and I like the all black case/band T49950 with the reverse display the most. The numbers are very large and very easy to read on the reverse display model. I don't know why some people think that the legibility is not good in low lighting situations?


The legibility is suboptimal - for my standards anyway. Compare the XL against a T49900 or T49903 and you will see that there is no comparison, despite the giant digits. It's probably because the XL's digitis appear yellowish while the T49000/03 digits are silverish/grey. I also find the Indiglo on the XL too bright, it doesn't come even close to the fantastic backlight of the T49000/03.



> I also like the other green case/band T49951 model with the positive display too, but I must admit that the black cased one looks more serious and much nicer as a watch than the green cased one. I currently have both models on order and I may keep only the black one and return the green cased model if I don't like it before the Walmart 90 day exchange/refund period is over.


I agree that the black one overall looks better, but for the sake of legibility the green one is the way to go. Ideally one gets both and swap the modules, I think Timex did a wrong decision to chose the colours the way they are.

cheers


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## BigJimm

The color of the digits on the XL reverse display T49500 appear to be a mixture of light green and lime. They don't appear to be yellow in color.
I've seen the other colored reverse display Timex watches that have the bright silver color digits on them. I agree with you that the silver digits stick out much than the light green/lime digits that are on the XL reverse display. I'm not sure as to why Timex didn't use the same bright silver digits in the lcd on the XL reverse display model? Maybe they wanted the lcd display in this particular model to look more stealth than the T49000/T49003 model?


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## greg1491

cal..45 said:


> I agree that the black one overall looks better, but for the sake of legibility the green one is the way to go. Ideally one gets both and swap the modules, I think Timex did a wrong decision to chose the colours the way they are.
> 
> cheers


I havent bought either one but if I decide to, I plan to get both and swap the modules. I just dont think I could live with the green on that model. I thought the green on the t49897 made the watch look too cheap and flimsy. Thats why I swapped its module with the t49896. The black with positive display is great.


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## Sedi

greg1491 said:


> I havent bought either one but if I decide to, I plan to get both and swap the modules. I just dont think I could live with the green on that model. I thought the green on the t49897 made the watch look too cheap and flimsy. Thats why I swapped its module with the t49896. The black with positive display is great.


IMO the green one looks perfect and I'm very happy it has a positive display:

Before the arrival of the Rangeman it was one of my favourites - at the moment it's collecting dust together with the whole rest of the collection :-d.

cheers, Sedi


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## BigJimm

I finally received my positive display green case T49951 and the negative display black case T49500 XL Timex Shock digital watches yesterday and today. I've been wearing my green one all day long today. The watch feels very sturdy and it looks like it's well built. I don't see any flimsiness in the build quality of either model. Both watches feel very comfortable on my wrist.

I love the easy to read large numbers on the positive lcd screen on the green case model. Both models have an alarm that is loud enough for me. The vibration alarm goes on first for 10 seconds and then the alarm sounds for 10 seconds. The vibration alarm is felt on my wrist without any problems. I would say that the intensity and feel of the vibration is okay. It doesn't feel very intense, but it doesn't feel very weak either. There is no vibration whenever the hourly chime beep is turned ON to beep every hour on the hour. 

The T49951 with the green case positive lcd display is good looking, but the black case negative display T49950 is a lot sharper looking than the green one. The negative display has very large green/lime colored numbers and the numbers are easy to read even in very low lighting. I don't have any problems seeing the time on the lcd display when I look at the watch while I'm in a room that's not very well lit, even without my tri-focal progressive lens glasses on my face. Under excellent lighting conditions, the numbers on the lcd stick out and are very easy to read.

Overall, I like the looks of the black case model even though I'm not used to wearing a negative display watch on my wrist. It would've been nice if Timex also made the black cased model with a positive lcd display too, but this is not a deal breaker for me. I can live with this particular negative display watch. I also like the green case model too, but I'm not a very big fan of green colored watches. The easy to read positive lcd display on the green case model overrules the green color of the watch and I'm starting to adapt to the green color. In conclusion, I accept both models with open arms and I don't really see anything negative about the positive or the negative display. I believe that it's a matter of preference for everyone as to which model that they like better. For me, I like both of them and I will be wearing them both in rotation. I recommend either model according to everybody's tastes. I hope that this additional review was helpful and that it will help more people decide which of the two models that they like better for themselves.


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## G-Shocks Are Cool.

I just picked up my second vibrating alarm watch. It is the only type of watch I wear. No other watch will do for me. I got the Timex Expedition Shock XL. I got to admit it is a pretty nice watch. But, and I say but for a reason. It is not a Casio. My other vibrating watch is a Casio Pathfinder Fish Timer.


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## hiker

a casio model W-735H I saw.it has vibration alam and its price was just 35 dollars


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## txdm

Hello, I'm a long time lurker, and this is my first post. I have a standard black T49951, and I use the hydration reminder to remind me to get up from my desk and stretch every 30 minutes. The repeating countdown is good for daily yoga and for timing rest periods between sets when I work out.

The only two gripes I have about the watch are the fact that when you put it into vibrate-only mode, the buttons still beep when activating certain features like starting/clearing a timer, and the useless compass decorations are kinda lame.

I fixed the beeping issue by sticking some electrical tape on the inside of the back cover. I trimmed the tape to fit the contours so the watch re-seals like normal. Adding the tape prevents the peizoelectric beeper from sounding EVER...which is how I prefer it.

As for the compass, well, I had considered sanding the bezel down until the letters were gone, but that would remove too much material. Instead I'm just using an exacto to carefully remove the paint from inside the letters for now. I really like the bezel on the XL version, but the jumbo size looks out of place on my arm. If Timex made it in the smaller size with the simpler bezel design, I'd be thrilled!


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## G-Shocks Are Cool.

The rubber band got to be annoying on my Timex Exhibition Shock XL. So, I put it on a nylon nato strap. What a difference in comfort.


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## txdm

I originally purchased a T49851 and decided for my uses it was the best of the vibrating watches, because the added functionality of the Timex module over the Casio module.

I really love everything about the bigger XL version of the Timex, except the size was too gratuitous for me... I'd look like a child wearing such a huge watch on my wrist.

So recently I decided to buy my second Timex vibrating Expedition, the T49854, which has an inverted casing color and brown/tan fabric band. I think it's a practical beater/trail/training watch that will make no pretense of being anything other than that.

And since that new watch is on it's way to my door, I decided to mod my original T49851 by filing off the fake compass from the casing and black out everything (temporarily) using a sharpie, just to see what it would look like.









While the results are too crude to stand up to real use, it gives you a good idea of a starting point if you wanted to put some serious effort into cleanly filing off the fake compass, buffing the ring, and disassembling and dying the casing black...With some careful work it could b passable as a classy watch even though the display is not inverted or amber like on the XL version.

I'm happy to know that I have a spare resin band and extra module for the T49854 I have coming, and I believe the T49854 is a more viable candidate for full "stealthing" without sanding off the fake compassing (but blacking out the N,S,E,W letters).


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## txdm

Just received my T49854 today, and I have to say the reversed bezel color scheme (black ring around the watch face) is much nicer and the cloth band is infinitely more comfortable than the resin version.


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Instead of using electrical tape, I pressed down on the 4 tabs around the module's edges inside the case so they are bent down far enough to not touch the back cover, which successfully makes this watch completely silent, even when functional buttons are pressed.

The only mod I have planned to do is to scratch out the gray lettering markers on the fake compass, and possibly add an all-black mil-spec band.


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