Marathon GPQ (General Purpose Quartz) FieldvsVaer Tactical Field
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Measurements
Catalog photos are all shot at the same flattering size. These aren't: every case below shares one millimeter scale.

GPQ (General Purpose Quartz) Field

Tactical Field
Diameter
34mm
36mm
Lug-to-Lug
41mm
lowest
43mm
Thickness
11.5mm
8.4mm
lowest
Water Resistance
30m
100m
highest
MSRP
$420
$199
lowest
Movement
Swiss High-Torque Quartz (3J, EOL)
Miyota 2035
Case
6 specsCrystal & Dial
2 specsMovement
1 specsPricing
1 specsReviews
Synthesized for each watch independently from owner discussions, enthusiast forums, written reviews, and video reviewers.
Marathon GPQ (General Purpose Quartz) Field Watch owners widely praise its legibility, day and night, due to tritium gas tubes on every hour marker. Its small, lightweight 34mm case is noted as comfortable and ideal for smaller wrists, avoiding the bulk of larger watches. The Swiss High-Torque Quartz movement is appreciated for its ruggedness, accuracy, and lack of winding requirement. Some owners find the $350-420 price point a bit high, and one enthusiast considers the 30m water resistance a drawback. Overall, owners rate the Marathon GPQ (General Purpose Quartz) Field Watch highly for its exceptional legibility and comfortable, practical design.
Owners widely praise the Vaer Tactical Field for its excellent value and build quality for the price, with its 36mm case and thin profile making it highly wearable. The C3 SuperLuminova lume is consistently described as exceptionally bright and long-lasting, and the watch is considered a reliable beater for outdoor activities and rough work. Some owners note that the second hand may occasionally miss markers due to hand assembly, and one user found the rubber straps to have sharp edges. Overall, owners rate the Vaer Tactical Field highly for its robust build and impressive lume at an accessible price point.
The 36mm case size is a great fit for smaller wrists. The watch's 200m water resistance is a standard for this type. The quartz movement is a compromise for the watch's overall design and feel.
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