Why Hamilton's Khaki Field Expedition Should Be Your Summer Adventure Watch

When it comes to watches we at Field Mag will pick a time-tested classic over an overbuilt smartwatch most days of the week. Of course, GPS watches have their time and place, but for daily wear, a minimalist field watch is often our go-to. For the past few months I've been testing the newly updated Hamilton Khaki Field Expedition watch, a durable, reliable timepiece with a truly timeless look. Below I'll share why it's rarely left my wrist.

Hamilton first started manufacturing wristwatches during WWI when soldiers needed a replacement for pocket watches. The then Pennsylvania-based brand pivoted to kit out American troops with wristwatches designed to survive trench warfare, and continued supplying rugged watches to the military through WWII and the Vietnam era.

The modern iteration carries on the grit-inspired legacy with the same functionality and durability now available in mechanical and auto movement iterations (nine to be exact) in sizes 38mm, 41mm, and 42mm. The latest update to the classic military watch sees the introduction of a canvas NATO strap—a design first developed by the British armed forces.

The outdoor capable timepiece is swim-capable with 100 meters of water resistance and a screw-down crown. It has an automatic movement (your movement powers the watch) with a power reserve of 80 hours, so if you take it off for a weekend you won’t have to worry about resetting the time. Add to that a functional compass bezel and the result is a watch begs to be worn outside.

The Khaki Field Expedition is not a replacement for a GPS watch. For backpacking trips and long runs, I still wear my Garmin Fenix Solar 7 Pro. But the Hamilton is ideal for daily wear and casual outdoor days. Going off-grid with a smartwatch can feel like a contradiction. Many of us go outside to disconnect and experience life without the need for blue light glasses. A field watch is the timepiece equivalent of shooting film — analog and highly intentional.

Importantly, they’re repairable. Automatic watches eschew the planned obsolescence of the tech world. The technology driving the Field Khaki Expedition is largely the same as when the brand started, 130 years ago.

Hamiltons are now built in Switzerland, where the world’s best timepieces are assembled by watchmaking masters. But they’re committed to their US heritage—this month, Hamilton will open a US store in the brand’s original hometown of Lancaster, PA.

I recently joined the brand for a trip to Northern Arizona’s Sonoran desert, where we field-tested the NATO strap edition. It held up to the abuse of UTVS, river floats, and adrenaline-tingling hot air balloon ride (man wasn’t meant to be 3,000 feet off the ground with nothing more than hot air and a wicker basket).

And it’s a handsome watch. We stayed at the oasis-like Andaz, a small Southwestern paradise carved out of Phenix’s concrete suburbs, a testament to what desert hotels should be. The Expedition performed admirable double duty, appropriate for both trail days and long dinners.

The watch isn’t cheap. If you’re shopping on a more constrained budget, the 38mm Khaki Field Mechanical is a great option sans compass bezel. But these watches last a lifetime, have a heritage of durability, and never require an OS update or Bluetooth sync.

I’m headed up to Northern Michigan later this summer for a laid-back canoe trip. Extravagantly base camping and exploring Michigan’s water trails in 17-foot Old Town. It’s the perfect Hamilton trip, and I’m leaving my Garmin (and my instinct to record everything on Strava) behind.

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