Casio ProTrek PRG-600 Review & Complete Guide
One of the most popular watch brands in the world for affordable and reliable timepieces is Casio. Casio sells millions and millions of watches per year, and they are widely appreciated for their affordable price yet long-lasting durability and accuracy.
Having said that, Casio has a wide array of timepieces in all shapes of forms to suit any style and preference.
If you are looking for a sporty, durable, and robust timepiece that can handle all kinds of hardship you subject it to, yet is packed with helpful functions, the Casio PRG 600 may be the watch for you.
Casio ProTrek PRG-600 Review
As the name suggests, the ProTrek PRG-600 is made as an outdoor watch. Most luxury watches need to be handled delicately, but this watch is more so the opposite of that. It is made for people who need a durable and reliable timepiece that can handle all kinds of rough conditions that outdoor life may involve.
Having said that, the Casio ProTrek PRG-600 is a tough watch. Both in the way, it is built but also in terms of look and design. Already at first glance, its personality reveals this is a tough one.
In this article, we are reviewing and looking closer at the Casio ProTrek PRG-600.
NOTE that Casio has made a number of versions and iterations of the ProTrek, all of which have the same reference (PRG-600), the only difference is the ending of the reference number. The differences between the different versions involve color differences and visual differences, but apart from that, they are all identical.
Having said that, we will look more widely at the Casio ProTrek PRG-600 in general, so you, in turn, can find the version which you prefer the most.
Casio ProTrek PRG-600 case
The watch is equipped with a stainless steel case with a resin bezel to make it more resistant and protected from knocks and shocks. It has a diameter of 51.6mm and a thickness that measures 13.4 mm. As we could expect, it’s quite a large watch. And that is exactly what outdoor tool watches should be. But at the same time, it doesn’t wear as insanely huge as the numbers on paper may suggest. Firstly, the watch weighs in at about 74 g which makes it very light.
Secondly, we haven’t yet spoken about the lug-to-lug measurement, which is perhaps the most important to talk about as it has a great impact on how a watch wears. As you can see, the lug design of the Casio ProTrek PRG-600 is quite unusual. They do not have the classic lug design which extends from the case, and therefore, the watch wears differently, too. Because of this, the lugs are quite short and therefore making the watch wear smaller than what the specifications suggest.
Sitting on top of the case is a Mineral Glass. At this price point, I don’t really expect a sapphire crystal. To keep the watch protected against water, it has a screw-down crown. The watch has a water resistance of 100M which is great for an outdoor watch. This means that it is suitable for both swimming and snorkeling and can handle all kinds of water splashes.
Speaking of durability, the watch is low-temperature Resistant and can handle temperatures down to –10°C/14°F.
Movement/functions/dial
The movement is packed with helpful functions you may need when outdoors. These functions include:
- Tough Solar
- Thermometer
- Altimeter
- Barometer
- Digital compass
- Auto light switch
- Smart Access
With that said, this is not only a watch but rather a complete toolset that can be truly handy and helpful in the outdoors. For example, if you are out hiking and want to know how high up you are, the altimeter can come in handy. If you need to navigate, the digital compass will come in handy. Want to know what temperature it is? No problem!
In addition to all of the helpful outdoor functions, the watch is also equipped with more basic, yet perhaps more important functions of a timepiece such as a world time, alarm, stopwatch, timer, alarm, and day/date.
At first glance, the watch may look complicated and overwhelming with all of the functions, buttons, and displays, but once you’ve gotten a hang of it, it’s relatively easy to use.
The buttons positioned on the sides of the case have the following functions:
- Button at 2 o’clock is for the altimeter
- Button at 6 o’clock is for the LED backlight
- Button at 8 o’clock has multiple functions. Firstly to take you back to the main time. Secondly, to help you go through all of the different functions. The indicator is positioned at 9 o’clock.
- Button at 10 o’clock lets you adjust the LCD display and its different modes.
Moving on to the dial of the watch, you can see that it combines both analog with digital. The watch displays the standard time in the form of hours, minutes, and seconds, via analog hands. In addition, as mentioned, it has an analog indicator at 9 o’clock for the different modes. At 6 o’clock, the watch has a digital screen that displays additional information.
The indicator at 9 o’clock is a really helpful function as it helps you instantly understand and know which function the screen displays and refers to.
Speaking of the dial, for the analog watch, the hour markers have been made very large to help with legibility. The hands are also made large and have a generous amount of luminous material applied to them to help with legibility in the dark. The indices are also luminous. But if that is not enough, the watch has LED lights that can be activated by pushing the button at 6 o’clock.
Therefore, with the Casio ProTrek PRG-600, legibility is hardly an issue, regardless if it’s night or day.
Depending on which model of the PRG-600 you opt for, they will have different dial/accent colors. The bezel color is also different on some of them, but upon closer inspection, you will also note that they all have a world timer, as, on the bezel, a large number of cities are indicated. The watch has a world timer for 48 cities.
As if that wasn’t enough, the watch is a solar-powered timepiece that is recharged via solar energy.
Casio ProTrek PRG-600 strap
Depending on the version of the PRG-600 you use, it comes with different straps. They are presented either on a silicone strap or a woven texture strap. Both of these straps come with their own set of pros and cons, but they are both durable.
Specifications
- Weight: approx 74 g
- Water-resistance: 100m/330 feet/10ATM
- Thickness: 13.4 mm.
- Diameter: approx 51.6mm
Available references under the PRG-600 range:
- PRG-600-1CR
- PRG-600Y-1CR
- PRG-600YB-3CR
Conclusion
If you are looking for a sporty tool-like watch that is robust and can handle all kinds of hardships that the outdoors may subject it to, the Casio ProTrek PRG-600
It’s not meant to be an everyday watch, but rather to be a helpful and practical companion when you are in the outdoors. This watch is packed with functions and instruments which can be truly helpful and practical in the outdoors. The watch combines the best of both worlds by offering a ton of functions, whilst also being built to last. The legibility is exceptional, and of all the things you bring with you when you’re outdoors, the watch is likely the last thing that will let you down.
The Casio ProTrek PRG-600 is available to order on Amazon.
Had this watch for about a year now. The thermometer is widely inaccurate and the crown dial doesn’t register clicks very well in the clockwise direction anymore. Also it can’t charge very well indoors, very much needs sunlight to charge well.
Sorry to hear! Thanks for sharing your experience!
Kind regards,
Millenary Watches
I’ve had mine for year and a half now, and I can tell you that the thermometer won’t work with the watch strapped to your wrist for obvious reasons. IIRC it is stated in the instruction manual that the watch has to be off your wrist and in the shade, without moisture for a period of 20-30mins in order to get accurate temp readings. (E-69 section of the user’s manual)
Also, it’s a SOLAR watch. Yes, it will need the sun to recharge. But, even after a whole year practically indoors, mine has NEVER left the High battery power level.
Your crown dial seems to be a legit problem, but it should be solved under warranty.
Yes definitely! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience!
Kind regards,
Millenary Watches
you recommend Amazon only, is there no other Casio retailer online? How much kickback do you get?
Hi,
Amazon is the place that generally has most of these watches in stock most of the time. There are of course other places to buy but they often have a limited supply and are then out of stock. For the convenience of our readers, we refer to Amazon as that is the place where the chance is greatest that it is currently in stock.
Kind regards,
Millenary Watches