Look out, there’s a new running watch in town, and that’s the G-SHOCK MOVE GBDH1000 and its companion smartphone app, the G-SHOCK MOVE App.
The G-SHOCK watch series has a long heritage, all the way back to the watches many of us wore in high-school cross-country and track practice. That familiar, rugged package is optimized in both the G-SHOCK MOVE GBDH1000’s size and features to include much of which trail runners and ultrarunners seek in their running watch–GPS function, a wrist heart-rate monitor, training analysis and planning, vertical gain and loss tracking, step tracking, notifications, solar-assisted charging, and more.
In this article, we look at the watch and app’s key specifications, and then we take the watch out on the trail to see how it works in real life.
The G-SHOCK MOVE GBDH1000 watch and its companion smartphone app, the G-SHOCK MOVE App. All photos: iRunFar
G-SHOCK MOVE GBDH1000 and G-SHOCK MOVE App Specifications
Let’s start with the basic specifications of the G-SHOCK MOVE GBDH1000 watch and G-SHOCK MOVE App:
- GPS Function — With GPS function, the watch monitors distance traveled, pace, and accumulated vertical in real time.
- Wrist Heart-Rate Monitor — An optical sensor on the back of the watch gathers real-time heart-rate data.
- Altimeter, Barometer, Thermometer, Compass, and Accelerometer — More sensors, a total of five on the unit, collect environmental and movement data and help you navigate terrain.
- Shock and Water Resistance — The watch is trail ready with its shock, vibration, and water resistance. A series of resin protectors encase the mineral-glass watch face with G-SHOCK’s classic look and function. The band is also made of resin.
- G-SHOCK MOVE App — Via Bluetooth low energy connectivity between the watch and the G-SHOCK MOVE App on your smartphone, you can look back at all of your training as well as see the watch and app’s estimates of your VO2max, current training load, estimated recovery time, and more. You can also use the app to plan training toward events up to a marathon distance. The app is available for Apple and Android devices.
- Notifications — Via Bluetooth connectivity with your phone, the watch notifies you of text messages, phone calls, and more.
- Battery Life and Charging — The watch recharges via an included USB-A cord and the sun. It’s advertised to have a 14-hour battery life with all features in full use, and 18 hours if you choose the intermittent GPS reception option.
- Size and Weight — The watch is generous, weighing in at 101 grams and the case is 63×55×20.4 millimeters.
- Colors — The watch is offered in two colorways, all black and a combination of white, black, and neon green.
- Price — $399 (Purchase now)
G-SHOCK MOVE GBDH1000 and G-SHOCK MOVE App on the Trail
It’s a nice morning when I step onto the trail with my G-SHOCK MOVE GBDH1000. At the trailhead, I scroll through the screens for a quick check of my starting altitude and to see if any important messages came in on the drive to the trailhead–nothing that can’t wait a bit, let’s go! A one-button press calls up the watch to acquire its GPS position, which takes just under a minute. With a second press of that button, I’m off.
I head up the trail, focused on my hour of freedom to simply run among nature. It’s uphill here, and I let my body settle into a rhythm of shorter steps, higher knees, and a strong arm swing to propel me up. Though my body gives plenty of its own feedback, quick checks of the watch confirm that my heart rate is where I want it to be and how many vertical feet I’ve climbed.
My mind jumps among thoughts as I motor around the trail’s curves, and before I know it I’ve arrived at the viewpoint, my turnaround spot today. I stop to catch my breath, take a quick photo of the gorgeous scenery, and sneak a peek of the watch. I smile as I turn on my heel and lean into the downhill ahead, feeling strong, fit, and happy.
There is nothing like moving fast on a technical downhill, the kind of terrain where you think only about where to put your feet each time they land, where your mind and eyes can’t wander from what’s directly ahead, and where your full focus is on the task. In this moment, the rest of life simply disappears. There is no workday ahead, no replays of yesterday’s conversations, and no wondering what to make for dinner tonight. It is simply you and the trail.
Before I know it, I spot my car through the trees and find myself back in the trailhead parking lot. I hit the button on my watch to stop its data collection. I grab my water bottle from the car, open the G-SHOCK MOVE App on my phone, and upload the run’s data to it. As I make my way through my post-run stretching routine, I use the app to scroll through the run’s data. I felt strong this morning, and the objective data confirms my feelings. Not long later, I sit down at my desk to start the workday, set the watch on the windowsill so that it’ll recharge in the sun, and feel content after starting my day with a run.
[Editor’s Note: This article is sponsored by G-SHOCK. See the G-SHOCK MOVE GBDH1000 watch here. Thank you to G-SHOCK for its sponsorship of iRunFar, which helps to make iRunFar happen and free for all to enjoy. Learn more about our sponsored articles.]
