Timex Expedition T49661 Review

If you've read any of my earlier posts, you may have read mention of digital watches claiming much more wrist time from me throughout the span of this pandemic/work from home era. Along with that shift came a shift in the kind of watches I've been adding to my collection, as well as what I have looked for in a daily driver. 

Near the middle of 2021, I had started working out again and was on a hunt for a solid, comfortable "beater" that would be up to that task. Unfortunately, my G-Shocks had been a bit too large/uncomfortable on my small wrists for a couple exercises when I wore them out.

Coincidentally, around that time, Timex was having one of their sales, as they do, and I found myself scrolling through the list of available pieces (as I do…).

When it comes to digital watches, I‘m fairly certain Casio will always be my favorite. Heck, my most worn watch of 2021 was my A168WA, and I had also (finally) been bitten, rather hard, by the G-Shock bug that year. However, the first watch I had ever loved as a child in the 90s, and the cause of my very first "watch tan," was a small slime green Timex Ironman Triathlon.

Ah yes, it was like wearing a box of Hi-C Ecto Cooler on your wrist.

As I scrolled through that Timex sale, a watch I hadn't seen before jumped out at me; a small, 33mm digital watch in black and blue (my current favorite colorway), with an Indiglo light button prominently accessible in the front. 

Though different from the slime green Ironman of my youth, it still managed to smack me in the face with nostalgia vibes, and with 100m of water resistance displayed above that Indiglo button, giving the watch a go for my new "beater" was a no-brainer.

What I didn't expect, however... was that I'd enjoy it so much, it‘d go far beyond that. 

I haven’t seen many reviews for this watch online, and there are shockingly very few YouTube videos that even mention it, so I'll do my best to detail why this little gem is so great, why I ended up buying a second one (in all-black), and why it may very well end up being my most worn watch of 2022. 

This will also be my first review here on WatchCrunch, so, wee!

Falling under Timex's "Expedition" line, the T49661 is available in a large number of colorways, each paired with straps that range from velcro to two-piece nato... esque. 

The included straps aren't terrible, but (personal opinion) they aren't great, which is a shame, because watches like these are hard to find straps for (that smaller at the lugs situation). I managed to find some comfortable black resin straps on Amazon that fit perfectly which I will likely never take off. 

As mentioned, the watch is 33mm in diameter, 10.92mm thick, and looks rather nice on my (pictured) 6.25 inch wrists. The thick lugs, which blend in with the case, give it a much larger presence. Weight comes in around 0.8 ounces, depending on the strap.

We’ve also got a scratch-resistant mineral crystal and resin case, with a stain steel 4-screw caseback, as one may expect from a watch like this.

The lcd display sports lovely large numbers/text and nice viewing angles for excellent visibility, both indoors and outdoors.

Features are operated by four comfortable pushers (two on either side), along with the earlier-mentioned larger Indiglo light button in the front. 

Speaking of features, my goodness golly, it sure does have some glorious ones!

Features Include:

• 12/24 Hour Time w/ Dual Timezones (quick/fully swappable with the top-right pusher) + Day/Date/Month Calendar
• 100-Hour Chronograph with Lap & Split Times
• 24-Hour Timer, which can be set to stop or loop upon completion.
• 3 (rather loud) alarms with 5-minute backup, that can be set for all-week or just weekdays or weekends and easily/individually toggled on/off. The light will flash as part of the alarm as well!
• Indiglo with 3-Second “Afterglow,“ as well as "Night Light" mode, which, when turned on, will activate the light on any pusher press. The Indiglo will also remain on if you continue to perform actions on the watch while it‘s engaged.
• Hourly Chime, similar to a lot of digital watches from Casio, Timex, and the like. 
• Up to 10-Year Battery Life

Honestly, if this watch also managed to have a solar battery, sync'd with the Atomic Clock, and looked a bit less sporty/was available in stainless steel, it may have quickly become my dream watch. 

I've given a few as gifts, and even recommended them as "first watches" for some of my friends' kids. 

If you’re looking for a nice do-it-all "beater,“ it's hard to recommend anything above the Timex Expedition T49661 (outside of a Casio G-Shock, of course), especially for those with smaller wrists. 

For those looking for an awesome do-it-all daily... it's also hard to not recommend this watch, especially for the price. It checks so many boxes and is, in my opinion, definitely worth having in your collection, in your lineup, and on your wrist.

Heck, even my cat is a fan, and she’s incredibly picky…

I've seen prices range from $35 to $50 on sites like Amazon and Walmart, as well as Timex's own website. 

And that, my fellow watch enthusiasts, is that. I hope this review was helpful!