Timex Expedition Scout Review: Go On An Adventure!

An Affordable & Always Useful Field Watch

The Timex wing of my watch collection is now home to eight watches, with several modern quartz Timex staples – the Weekender, Weekender Chrono, and Expedition Field Chronograph – sitting beside numerous vintage Timex automatics. The collection is a mixture of old and new, and I think showcases the best from one of one of America’s most enduring watch brands.

Since 2013 I’ve reviewed almost every line Timex has released, but absent from the list has been the Expedition Scout. Finally, in a Black Friday inspired impulse buy, I decided to change that.

The Expedition Scout comes in many flavors, all of which are a variation of field watch theme. Military-inspired styling is evident as well, but especially so in some of the darker color schemes. The blue dial and tan leather combination I have here offers a taste without going whole-hog on the austere often associated with military style.

You can get the Expedition Field Scout in 36mm or 40mm. Aside from the different case size, the two are functionally identical and nearly identically styled.

View price on Amazon.

Timex Expedition Scout Technical Specifications

MODEL NUMBER: TW4B01800
MSRP: $60
CASE DIAMETER: 40mm
ALTERNATE MODELS: Tons of choice
MOVEMENT: Quartz
COMPLICATIONS: Date display
BATTERY LIFE: Approximately 3-5 years
WATER RESISTANCE: 50m / 165ft
CRYSTAL MATERIAL: Mineral

I Love Field Style Because It’s Usually In

In my list of best casual watches, I call out several simple designs that are military/field inspired. This is because field style is functionally purposeful, with good contrast between important elements of the dial and minimal distractions or accents that would take away from the purpose of the watch.

Don’t get me wrong – I love complications, intricate engravings, and sunburst dials as much as the next person – but those complicated elements can make a watch too busy or too focused to be worn with a casual outfit. Not to mention that said complications often increase complexity associated with telling time.

After all, a watch sporting an open heart dial or a moonphase complication is going to be out of place with jeans and a t-shirt, whereas the clean and simple lines of a good field watch will complement the look. The field watch, assuming it is tastefully sized, will also dress up nicely when paired with a leather strap or a steel bracelet.

The Hamilton Khaki Field, for example, is effectively the more upscale cousin of the Expedition Scout, and the dark dial and steel bracelet version looks as comfortable in the boardroom as it does off the beaten path.

WYCA Recommends Amazon

If you like what we do and want to support us, consider grabbing a watch from Amazon. Usually, Amazon offers a two-year warranty on watches bought from them. They also offer fair prices and fast shipping.

You should know that if you click on ads that WYCA receives an approximate 4% commission on the sale of the watch you buy. This does not change the price that you pay…

… but it does allow us to purchase camera gear ($5,000+ since 2013), software licenses (Adobe Photoshop, etc.), web hosting, and so on. Oh, and it lets us buy more watches, too.

The Expedition Field Scout Looks the Part

All the versions of the Expedition Scout have the same clean and tasteful design, with their differences coming down to the size of the case and the color of the dial and strap. I opted for the blue dial and tan leather combination because I wanted a blue dial (I have numerous steel, black, and green dials in my collection) and I thought that Timex did a good job with this Scout.

Part of what I like about this model is the high contrast white used for the hour markers, ensuring that this Expedition is easy to read. Of course, this is also true in dark settings thanks to the Indiglo backlight.

At 40mm, this is the ideal size for any man and could also work for a woman wanting a bigger piece. The short lugs quickly round down, reducing their side profile and keeping the Expedition from wearing larger than its case size.

The case is treated to a brushed finish throughout and, aside from the Exhibition logo engraved on the caseback, is free from any visual focal points. This watch is all about the dial.

Built Like You Expect a Modern Timex to Be

Timex watches aren’t the best of what’s available in the affordable watch segment, but they’re also far from the worst. In fact, my collection has so many Timex’s because I’ve come to appreciate them as inexpensive and robust timepieces that can stand up to what I do in a day and can last for years without complaints.

Perhaps I’ve been fortunate, but I’ve yet to have to replace the battery on my Weekender 40, Weekender Chrono, and Expedition Field Chronograph. They’re all still ticking away on their original batteries- the Weekender and Weekender Chrono are over 5 years old at this point. That’s not bad!

Modern Timex’s are also simple in their construction. This one skips decorating the crown, for example, and the caseback engraving is quite basic. The simple engraving – the Exhibition logo and some model information – would look totally acceptable on their own, but some off-angle numbers – likely marking the production run – cheapens the caseback and reminds you that this particular watch is one of millions of mass-produced examples.

But, considering the street price of under $60, what else can you expect?

Comfortable & Lightweight

The genuine leather strap and matte-finish steel buckle are adequate and appropriate for the price. I’ve had mixed experiences with the straps Timex includes on its watches, but this is one of the better ones. Notably, I have the same sentiment for the Chronograph version of this watch (which I’ve owned since 2015).

The strap is somewhat plush and is soft against your skin. After several weeks of semi-regular wear, the strap still looks quite good and is mostly free of cracks in the leather from the clasp.

Given the quartz movement and uncomplicated motif, it’s not surprising that the watch itself is quite light. All told, the Expedition Scout isn’t the smallest or lightest watch I’ve ever worn, but its size and weight make it easy to wear for long periods of time.

It Comes With Both of Timex’s Trademark Features

All modern quartz watches from Timex are equipped with Indiglo, its excellent backlight that makes low-light visibility nearly as good as normal daytime visibility. Indiglo is one of Timex’s signature features and is a major part of what the brand is known for.

Another major feature that is marketed significantly less is the incredibly noisy quartz movement, which can be heard clearly over many types of ambient noises. As I write this, I can hear my Expedition Scout ticking away despite the fact that it’s sitting on my desk about two feet away from me. Considering that my desktop computer, with its three 120mm case fans, power supply, etc. is only a few feet away, that I can hear the watch at all is mighty impressive.

But this isn’t a new story for Timex. In fact, one of the most common questions people ask about Timex watches are “is this the noisy one?”. Yes, yes it is; in fact, most Timex’s are “the noisy one”.

It’s Made Well Enough & It Looks Pretty Good, But is it a Good Value?

What I tend to like most about Timex are how competitively priced its watches are and the level of functionality built into the price.

As of the time of this writing, you can grab this Expedition off Amazon for $44. That’s a solid price for a decently made watch with a backlight, date display, and 50m of water resistance. For $44 you should get 3-5 years out of the battery and, assuming you don’t take it swimming or smack it around, the watch itself should run as long as the battery inside of it has got charge.

If you want a field watch and your max budget is $75, the Expedition Field Scout is one of the best options around.

If you stretch that budget a bit and are willing to spend up to $100, your options expand considerably. You can get an entry-level automatic (Seiko SNK-series) or a quartz watch made with better materials (such as the BOLDR Venture). Stretching that budget even further – say to $500 – now opens up entry-level luxury automatics from Swiss brands (Hamilton Khaki) as well as numerous quartz models from Swiss, Japanese, and European brands. Of course, none of them would be a Timex, and none would have Indiglo.

Ultimately, I think that the Expedition Field Scout has one of the best value propositions out there. If you want a good looking field watch for under $50 but don’t want it to look like it is priced under $50, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better watch than this one.