After more than a decade, Casio has unleashed the latest edition of its legendary MUDMAN series: the GW9500. Like its forebears, the new watch is hyper-engineered to withstand a lifetime of abuse in the field — survival, rescue or tactical ops, wilderness expeditions — you name it.
As the name implies, the timepiece is designed to shrug off dirt, grime, mud, sand, and nearly any other type of funk you’ll encounter in the field. Its six dirt- and mud-resistant control buttons give you access to a host of features that empower you to get the most out of the MUDMAN watch in every situation.
In short, the GW9500 ushers in a sleeker case profile, an improved dual-layer LCD display, and protection from harsh elements — all to meet the needs of professionals in the field.
Explore the G-Shock MUDMAN GW9500 Watches
G-SHOCK MUDMAN GW9500 Features
- Mud-resistant
- Carbon Core Guard structure
- Bio-based resin in case and band
- Tough Solar draws power from fluorescent and other sources
- Duplex LCD display
- Triple Sensor: Altimeter/barometer, thermometer, compass
- Sunrise/sunset data
The Build
To make the most of the data gathered by the triple-sensor watch, it needs to be accessible in the field. That’s why the MUDMAN has a mud-resistant construction, with stainless-steel components inside and its buttons designed to drain mud and water. Gasket fittings in the button shafts help keep out grime, too.
Casio’s Carbon Core Guard is becoming a staple in the brand’s G-SHOCK watches. Its purpose is to protect the internal workings from being damaged by heavy strikes or drops. In particular, the protective case incorporates carbon fibers into its resin, which cuts weight and adds structural rigidity, in a smaller (14.8mm) package.
The bio-based resins in the case and band are sourced from organic materials in a carbon-neutral process. Coupled with the watch’s Tough Solar power, this watch is quite eco-friendly.
One last flourish — the watch sports an engraving of the brand’s MUDMAN mole character holding a compass.
The Tech
Obviously, the G-SHOCK MUDMAN GW9500 is more than a timepiece — though its ability to track sunrise and sunset times and display time zones from around the world is a nice touch, too.
The Casio technology in this watch is meant to gather and display useful information in the field with the flick of a wrist and the press of a button.
Triple Sensor
The brand’s Triple Sensor tech detects air pressure, magnetism, and temperature to inform the watch’s digital compass, barometer/altimeter, and thermometer. All of those readings can be displayed on the watch face.
The digital compass can toggle between displays of geographical north and magnetic north for orientation. You can then store a bearing, which will display in the 12 o’clock position to assist with navigation in low-visibility environments.
Altimeter data is created from your location and atmospheric pressure changes are detected by the watch’s sensor. For best results, you should set the altimeter at a trailhead or other well-established landmark to set a base altitude.
The thermometer function has some predictive abilities, based on a standard algorithm of elevation change. That can come in handy, even if just as a reminder, on ascents. Of course, weather plays a big part in how we perceive temperatures, too.
Still, a thermometer can provide data that your body may not sense, and thus it can be useful as a check-in with how your body feels during a long outdoor excursion.
Dual-Layer LCD
A good example of combining tech and design is the “Duplex LCD” display. This dual-layer display can show compass graphics on the top layer while the bottom layer displays the time. This is the first use of a negative LCD with a dual-layer construction in a G-SHOCK watch.
Super Illuminator
For greater readability in the dark, the MUDMAN has a high-brightness, full-auto LED backlight. That’s a fancy way of saying that the watch cranks up the visibility of the watch face for an evenly lit, brighter display at night or in dimly lit conditions. And, it can be set to automatically activate at the flick of the wrist.
Conversely, the watch will dip into a power-saving mode when motionless in a dark environment to conserve battery power.
Tough Solar
Casio’s Tough Solar is a proprietary tech that provides stable power from the sun and can also draw energy from nontraditional sources like fluorescent lamps. A solar-powered film bordering the watch face is enough to gather energy and run the watch’s many functions.
Watch Displays & Functions
- Multi-band 6 radio-controlled timekeeping
- World time (31 time zones/48 cities + UTC)
- 1/10-second stopwatch (1,000 hours)
- Countdown timer (24-hour)
- 5 daily alarms
- 12/24-hour time formats
- Battery level indicator
- Full auto LED light and adjustable illumination duration
- Power-saving function
- Button mute
- Run time: 6 months of rechargeable battery with solar exposure
Who It’s For?
Outdoor and emergency professionals who need a performance watch that can function in wet and dirty conditions. Hunters and hikers can keep tabs on altitude, temperature, and even get a navigation assist — and to differing degrees, keep tabs on sunrise and sunset times.
Of course, athletes and watch enthusiasts alike can enjoy having all these functions in a slimmer, grime-resistant case.
Explore the G-Shock MUDMAN GW9500 Watches
This post has been sponsored by Casio. Find more details about the Casio G-SHOCK MUDMAN GW9500 online.
