"How much?" I asked the guys in the shop. "And can I surf with it?" They looked at me with a tilt of the head, and while they listened to my predicament, strapped it to my wrist and swiftly explained the functions.
"It's digital and analogue. It has a stopwatch. It has a timer. It has a second time-zone in case you travel overseas. It's bloody tough and water resistant. Anything else you need? "
"Um...diving" I stammered. Trying not to look foolish.
"It's got a stainless steel case back and case protector, a salt water resistant Polyurethane strap and will easily survive diving to 100 metres. You'd do well to break it chum"
"What if do?" I tested, as I sidled backward from the big guy.
"It's got a 12 month straight swap guarantee. If anything happens in the 1st year of ownership you simply send the watch and the slip back and get a brand new one for free" he replied.
The exchange done, and I went straight for a surf.
You see, If you're like me, and you always wear a watch - no matter what - then you'll know that helpless, naked feeling that envelops you when you don't have one on. I HAVE to have a watch on - to tell the time, the date, what day of the week it is and timing my cross-training runs. If I don't have a watch on I feel anxious and lost. Especially when I'm surfing the dawnie and I know I have a meeting to get to.
The other day my regular tide watch went in for repairs. They told me it would have to go back to the manufacturers and would take up to 3 weeks to fix. I started to panic. Besides my dress watches and a few perished non-functional surf watches from my youth, I was watch-less. It just so happened that later that day when pulling into the Surf HQ down at the beachfront, I saw this little fella:
The relief and the waves washing over me simultaneously. I was amazed at how weightless this watch is. So light in fact, that I hardly realised it was on. But as I habitually glanced at my wrist, there it was - ticking and blinking back at me.
I wore it for 3 weeks and it never came off my wrist. Sure, it's not an onboard computer - but it doesn't pretend to be. It tells the time, it's light, comfy, tough and at R399 - almost everyone can afford one.
My original tide watch came back the other day. Truth be told it sat in the packaging for another week before it saw daylight. Now I'm spoilt for choice. If I'm running or dirtbiking, then this is the watch I use...and lately I've noticed, glancing at my watch out at backline, trying to see how many more waves I can squeeze before heading in...I'm sometimes surprised to see this little fella twinkling back at me.
The Bad Boy BB5155
- Dual Analogue and Digital Display
- 24 hour Stopwatch
- Countdown Timer (Can be used as a Heat Timer)
- 2nd Time Zone for Overseas Travel
- Backlight for Night Illumination
- Stainless Steel Case Back and Case Protector
- Stainless steel buckle
- Tough Salt Water Resistant Polyurethane strap
- 10ATM Water Resistant
- 12 Month Warranty
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