Casio is a world leader in digital watches. These days they have a dizzying array of models to choose from with different mixes of features. The G-Shock line is the most popular, however, some functionality can't be found in that line. Enter the SGW200 Lap and Distance model.

Casio's experience in digital watch making since the early 1980's gives this watch a fantastic heritage behind it. Pretty much everything is well thought out. But, like any device with a function that needs human input to operate properly, there has to be a manual to understand it. I did not like the enclosed manual, so I downloaded the one available from the Casio website ([...]), which is a little easier to follow. You just enter the module number (3166) to get the right one.

I found the watch pretty accurate on measuring distance traveled. But, you must make sure you capture your stride correctly. The idea is to jog a known measured distance and count your steps along the way. You then divide the distance by your "steps" and you'll get your stride value. This is what you'll input into the watch. So, it's based on your average. If you decide to "run" instead of "jog", your stride may be slightly different and so the measurements will vary. But... in the grand scheme of things, it's a minor variation. However, with walking, your stride is definitely different. You may need to adjust it to get a proper measurement. Also, if you do not swing your arms much, it may not work at all. Ideally for walking, you are best off using a waist mounted pedometer. I haven't tried hooking this one to my waist to see... I'll have to give it a go and report back.

In other respects, this is a terrific watch. The wrist band is very comfortable (soft pliable plastic with silky texture). The numeral display is a good sized font. Also, I like how the time, date, and day are displayed simultaneously. And unlike most LCD watches that have a backlight, this one has the numeral segments light up--much better contrast and easier to see. Over the time of a week, the watch gained 1 second. That's pretty darned good. Lastly, the alarm has a nice loud sound to it (unlike most digital watches). You've got 5 alarms you can set, where one of them operates like a snooze (it'll go off multiple times until you press a button). This is useful, because the alarm sounds for just 10 seconds, which may not be long enough for some people.

Funny thing... the overall design looks similar to some of the G-Shock models (most popular and more expensive), so on a few occasions I've had people ask me "Oh, is that a G-Shock?" Unless you really beat up your watch, the G-Shock is probably more robust than you need. I picked this one up on sale at a big department store that had a Casio clearance going on. Still, the price being charged by places like Amazon is darned good, especially since you don't have to pay for shipping.

Recommended: Yes