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Want a rugged digital sports watch that isn’t huge and doesn’t need a manual? The SKMEI 1248 is plain, tough and cheap.
I like SKMEI watches: good value, durable and rugged. I have a number of them, and they’ve lasted me through beach volleyball, camping and rafting. The 1248 (it looks like 1249, but it’s an 8) comes in a few colors; mine is all black. My original listing for it is gone, so the button goes to the Casio W800H, a similar simple, rugged digital sports watch on Amazon.
- Big presence but a manageable 46 mm
- Comfortable; band angles down to hug the wrist
- Battery type printed on the back for easy service
- Stopwatch with split times, dual time and countdown
- Bright, easy-to-read backlight
- Works like an old-school digital watch, no manual needed
- Inexpensive enough to beat up
- Chunky; probably won’t fit under a dress-shirt cuff
- Backlight only stays on a couple of seconds
▶ Watch the full review on YouTube
Size and style
It’s not super big. If you like sports watches but shun really huge ones, this might be the perfect watch. It’s a very manageable 46 millimeters across, so it has big presence but is much smaller than a lot of other SKMEIs and competitors, even G-Shocks, which compete at a different price point.
All black, it looks murdered out. There are no traditional lugs; the band looks bolted directly to two chunky protrusions, which gives it a bit of a chunky style.
Band and comfort
The band is a flexible but harder rubber with a tire-track or tank-tread design, single holes all the way down, and a standard stainless steel single-prong buckle. The band angles down pretty dramatically, so it hugs your wrist. It’s comfortable, though it probably won’t fit under a shirt cuff.
The functions
The buttons are labeled mode, light, start and reset. The main mode shows the time, day, date and seconds on a reversed LCD. Mode takes you through the alarm; the stopwatch (start, stop, and a split on the bottom that keeps running while you hold a lap); dual time zone; and a countdown timer.
That’s pretty much it, and that’s what I love. So many watches have so many complications now that you have to read the manual. This gives you everything you need and nothing you don’t.
Backlight and service
Tap the light button and it glows bright blue for a couple of seconds, very easy to read. And SKMEI prints the battery type right on the stainless steel case back, so you know before you open it. Very easy to service.
Verdict
It’s a meat-and-potatoes watch you can beat up without sweating it, no matter how much money you make. It looks a lot like watches that cost a lot more and does basically the same job. I’ve had SKMEIs for years and been super happy with them.
FAQ
How big is the SKMEI 1248?
46 mm across, smaller than many rugged digital watches.
Does it have a stopwatch with splits?
Yes, plus an alarm, dual time and a countdown timer.
Does it have a backlight?
Yes, a bright blue light for a couple of seconds.
What battery does it use?
It’s printed on the case back.
Is the SKMEI 1248 still sold?
My original listing is gone; the Casio W800H is a similar simple digital sports watch.
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