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Any Surfers Bought Watch, Tempted to Take It Into the Surf?

Mac 128

Mac 128

macrumors 603
Original poster
Apr 16, 2015
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Any surfers bought the Watch yet? Or waiting for 2nd gen with hopefully better water-resistance, and possibly GPS. Actually I just thought of a new use for the camera ... A GoPro on your wrist!

Anybody with one taking it off and swapping with a different watch in the car so you can keep track of time for that pre-work surf in the morning, and then swapping back for the office?

Anybody tempted to take it into the surf given the positive reviews of its water resistance? Certainly swimming a few laps pales by comparison to taking one on the head, or wiping out in a closeout. But maybe for a nice small day on a longboard?
 
Mac 128 said:
Any surfers bought the Watch yet? Or waiting for 2nd gen with hopefully better water-resistance, and possibly GPS. Actually I just thought of a new use for the camera ... A GoPro on your wrist!

Anybody with one taking it off and swapping with a different watch in the car so you can keep track of time for that pre-work surf in the morning, and then swapping back for the office?

Anybody tempted to take it into the surf given the positive reviews of its water resistance? Certainly swimming a few laps pales by comparison to taking one on the head, or wiping out in a closeout. But maybe for a nice small day on a longboard?
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I bet Craig Federighi has tried it :cool:
 
Neutral Milk said:
This seems like a better watch if you spend a lot of time surfing: http://www.ripcurl.com/searchgps-1.html
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For sure that's a cool watch, especially for tracking your performance and training. For the average kook its kind of overkill. The Nixon Ultratide is a pretty nifty alternative with Bluetooth connectivity. http://www.nixon.com/us/en/product/...u=A476001-00&gclid=CLabwvO6x8UCFQiUfgodAnEAog

However, it does show up one of the shortcomings of the Apple watch as the searchgps provides up to 10 continuous hours of GPS tracking, something the Watch could easily accommodate considering turning on GPS would be optional, just like taking calls on the watch, which are far more power intensive at only 3 continuous hours of use.

That said, the Watch appeals to me as a surfer for many other reasons -- it can serve as a key to get into my car, or house, and It has Pay to make purchases when I'm out wearing nothing but board shorts or a wetsuit. It can have tide tables. It can connect to wifi in places I've been with my iPhone to get messages in between surf sessions. And then of course it tells time, has reminders and alarms and contacts that sync with my other Apple products. It also plays music over BT -- I haven't seen a BT headset built into a surf cap, but it's possible. There's no IPX8 rated surf watch that can do even half of that.
 
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You should definitely rinse the watch in fresh water if you happen to get it wet in the ocean. Salt can be merciless...
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
But didn't he swim 1000M in under 30 min, basically the same as 1 meter depth for 30 min? And the water pressure and platform jump tests were short in duration.
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Yes, but the pressure exerted would be enormous since he was swimming at speed (not just splashing around in the pool) and without a break. Here is an article that states that the arm crashing down on the water can exert a force/pressure equal to a 100M depth on a watch (that is over 160psi). He is tall (long armed) and a competitive swimmer (so probably in excess of 100M of force) and doing this continuously for over 20 minutes.

http://bigwatchworld.com/water-resistance/10atm-100-meters-330-feet
 
kdarling said:
I'd be worried that a wipeout could cause the strap to come undone and thus lose the entire watch.

Would probably want to use some string for an extra wrist loop going through a watch strap hole, to prevent it from totally getting away. Kind of like a surfboard leg rope.
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I have a Vestal Brig surf watch I use now, which is pretty common in the lineup, and there's nothing special about the band. By comparison to the Watch it's like a cheap plastic band you'd find on a $20 Casio. I'd actually be more concerned that the traditional pins holding the band to the case would break before the band came unfastened. In this regard the Watch is far superior. However, some surf watches have a loop lock to secure the band. Apple has eliminated this by tucking the band inside itself. So if the watch band is tight enough, between the rubber and water friction I doubt a mere wipeout would cause it to come undone. I've never seen a leash for a surf watch, but it shouldn't be hard to fashion one. A simple clip to pass through two aligned holes would do it too (you'd have to punch the bottom hole). Some surf watches have Velcro bands which are essentially the same as a leg leash.

I suspect that we may see some third party Velcro bands at some point, and to the extent the Watch is ever IPX8 rated, then that might be a terrific combo -- especially if like me that's the main way the watch will be worn, and otherwise sitting on the charger ready to go when I need it.
 
I won't be wearing mine when I'm riding (short, long, SUP, skim). That's my moment of zen ... not worried about the time, notifications, etc., it can sit in the truck, or on a towel (but honestly, it won't even be brought)

I've got some watches that handle 200M, and would survive a drop from a 30 story building, and I don't wear those either. :)

We were just at the beach yesterday and the wife wore her Timex Weekender ($25 "disposable") vs. the Apple Watch, but she also doesn't wear her <higher_end_brand> to the beach. Just too many concerns: losing it, smashing it against a board, sand grinding against the glass ... and kind of the same thing as me: we go to get _away_ from technology. :cool:
 
My vote is negative. On even a moderate sized day the force created by a breaking wave will definitely find its way into the intervals of the AW... Salt water to boot.
 
The other thing to keep in mind is that continued exposure to water could impact how water resistant the apple watch is. Page 84 of the Apple Watch User's Guide:

https://manuals.info.apple.com/MANUALS/1000/MA1708/en_US/apple_watch_user_guide.pdf

Water resistance is not a permanent condition and Apple Watch cannot be rechecked or resealed for water resistance. The following may affect the water resistance of Apple Watch and should be avoided:

• Dropping Apple Watch or subjecting it to other impacts.
• Submerging Apple Watch in water for long periods of time.
• Swimming or bathing with Apple Watch.
• Exposing Apple Watch to pressurized water or high velocity water, for example, showering, water skiing, wake boarding, surfing, jet skiing, and so on.
• Wearing Apple Watch in the sauna or steam room.

Also confirmed with AC+ staff that there are indicators inside the watch to indicate water damage (as with the phones).
 
fischersd said:
Water resistance is not a permanent condition and Apple Watch cannot be rechecked or resealed for water resistance.
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You know I just realized the importance of this statement -- if and when the customer replaces the battery, which drops to 80% after 1000 recharges, then the watch will no longer be water resistant.

Wow. Tough choice, lose 4 hours a day of battery life after 2.7 years, or lose water resistance.
 
Mac 128 said:
You know I just realized the importance of this statement -- if and when the customer replaces the battery, which drops to 80% after 1000 recharges, then the watch will no longer be water resistant.

Wow. Tough choice, lose 4 hours a day of battery life after 2.7 years, or lose water resistance.
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Pretty sure they'll reseal the case in the same manor after they swap the battery out. If this compromised the water resistance, they'd have to say so when the work was done.
 
Mac 128 said:
You know I just realized the importance of this statement -- if and when the customer replaces the battery, which drops to 80% after 1000 recharges, then the watch will no longer be water resistant.

Wow. Tough choice, lose 4 hours a day of battery life after 2.7 years, or lose water resistance.
Click to expand...

I can't imagine they don't re-seal the casing. I've had the battery changed in my traditional watch more than once and each time I've had it re-sealed. It'd be silly for Apple to choose not to use processes that have been in place for decades.
 
Julien said:
I see no mention of the :apple:Watch or 'average' surfing info in that article. :confused:
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Sometimes a person is required to take information from multiple sources, such as the ones mentioned in this thread, and come to a reasonable conclusion. If you think I'm wrong, feel free to surf with your apple watch and promptly post pictures of your water logged wrist brick... Unless of course you just THINK you are a legit "surfer" - in actuality it sounds like you are a KOOK who just straddles his board all day watching groms catch beach break.

*edit* Nevermind... I see the problem. You are from Atlanta... You have no business talking about surfing. I bet you have a strong opinion about using an apple watch in outer space too.
 
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