Stainless Steel or Fibre Shell? | Marathon Steel Navigator First Look 

I have had this watch for almost 2 months now, and it does exactly what I need it to. I am an aviator in the Air Force and this watch is as advertised; Great for long ocean crossings and austere environment. The lume is completely legible through all hours of the night, which is necessary when operating in darkness for several hours. The twelve hour bezel is necessary for tracking a second time zone (UTC). The watch fits so well that I forget I am wearing it. Get the cheaper watch strap (Ballistic Nylon Strap). Thank me later.

Im extremely picky about watches, and was jonesing for an aviator watch. After seeing the Steel Navigator hit the market, I fell in love and it became the one I wanted (IWC Mark XX too expensive) so I finally broke down and bought one on sale recently. It is beautiful. I know many prefer the black nylon strap, but if you put the black Marathon leather strap on it, the watch is elevated to a really elegant aesthetic.

19.5mm lugs on watch are necessary. Unless you want your strap to disengage the springbars and you lose your watch (if not on NATO or ZULU). Its deliberate! You should go a 1mm wider strap on any watches lug width with spring bars. Strap wears in anyway.

It's a really good looking watch. Thanks for the video.

Thanks for addressing the 19.5mm lug width question!

That silicon strap looks fantastic!

Great review. Really nice shots of both versions. I picked up the SSNAV and it's been taking wrist time from my CWC GS. Great watch, can't wait to try an Artem strap or a 2 piece rubber strap like yours.

The contrast difference is probably due to sapphire vs plexi crystal. Nice review!

Great review! I’m also wanting to check one of these out!

I got the watch on launch day. Love it, but my pip fell out after 5-min, LOL. Waiting for more stock to come in so that it can be replaced. Other than that, I think its great ;-) EDIT - The original (fibershell) one is not 13mm thick. Its the same as the steel version. Marathon has a typo in their specs on that. I have noticed it before too. I have both here and meassured. Marathon has some funny little typos around their other products too. For example, the 11" 20mm single pass strap is *actually* only 10" (exactly what ships with the watch). However, the 22mm single pass strap listed as 11", is in fact 11". Little things like that..

Looks good. Add a solar watch and I’m in.

Is the bezel misaligned

The watch looks great and I would consider purchasing it if: lower price point (price point is too high), Marathon offered this version without a date. I hate the date placement.

Good review. I'm thinking of getting this one, but I have a small wrist of around 15.5 so I'm a bit afraid of having to return it. Can you please share your wrist size?

I’ve got my eye on the no-date stainless version, but it has to be on Black Friday sale before I’ll pull the trigger. MSRP is just too high.

Recently purchased this. It’s the first Marathon I’ve ever owned. Very impressive in almost every way spec-wise and in person. The one thing that bugs me about it though is the weight. None of my other military watches feel this hefty. Bottom line is that I start to feel discomfort after a while which limits usage other than a nifty tritium bed clock at the moment. I”m thinking of experimenting with other straps to see if that alleviates the wrist pain. I wish they had shaved a few more grams off of this attractive piece.

I was more interested in the one you were wearing during the video. What is it?

❤❤❤

Just found out your RU-vid channel through your IG account. I suggest you timestamp your videos. Great content. Subscribed!

It’s not really parkerizing, it’s blasted. You can’t parkerize stainless steel, it’s what parkerizing tanks are made from for that reason. Or why M1 Garand gas cylinders go shiny; they’re stainless, and got a less robust finish than parkerizing.

That is not the oraginal the oraginal started in 1986 and the first one was stainless steel,dang research it

Get a Luminox, more choices and used by Navy Seals and 1/2 the price.

Way overpriced for what it is.