The Timex Expedition North Field Post Solar 41mm is an ideal watch for me. I’m an engineer, which means most days I am on a skyscraper construction site, or at a blown-up oil refinery, or standing along the edge of an aeration basin at a wastewater treatment plant. I also have a toddler to get through college. So wearing a vintage Rolex or Blancpain is just a wee bit out of my comfort zone during the week.

As such, my daily drivers are on the lower end of the range. Watches that are enjoyable, but that wouldn’t get me too upset if they accidentally got dropped into a vat of acid, never to be seen again. I prefer a larger case size, and I can’t resist gunmetal/PVD finishes (those late 1970s/early 1980s Heuers, ooh yeah).

So when I saw the new Timex Expedition North Field Post Solar 41mm, I happily added it to my beater watch line-up. Timex were smart with their Expedition North series, offering a range of case sizes and finishes, dial colours, and movement options for their modern take on the field watch using more sustainable manufacturing and packaging practices. I have been intrigued by solar-powered movements, recently offered by brands from Cartier to Vaer, so I took the plunge here over the mechanical options.

Out of the box (responsibly made from recycled cardboard), I let the Timex Expedition North Field Post Solar 41mm sit in the sun for a few minutes, and now it will run for four months without needing another dose of sol – that’s fun. The 20 mm green nato strap made from 100% recycled plastic is one of the most comfortable fabric straps I’ve encountered – unfortunately durability seems to be a bit of an issue, so after a few weeks when it started to fray I swapped it out for a standard gray nato. The gunmetal stainless steel 41 mm case with a sapphire crystal, screw-down crown (that includes the Expedition North logo), and 100-meter water resistance is a lot of watch at this price point ($159), and a cleaner design than Timex’s less-expensive Expedition options. It feels solid and looks good on the wrist.

The dial is a modern take on the traditional military field watch. It won’t be mistaken for a vintage military-issue Benrus or Hamilton, in a good way. Forest green is very 2021. The date window is outlined, as it should be. I don’t love fauxtina lume but it plays well with the green dial and gray seconds hand and dial markings. The finish and alignment? Well, it’s a sub-$200 watch, and they’re not great. The lume is subpar, and there is no Indiglo. While the watch keeps good time, the tick of the seconds hand is inconsistent as it travels around the dial. But this isn’t a Vacheron Constantin, so I’ll let it slide.

Overall, the Timex Expedition North Field Post Solar 41mm is an attractive, worry-free field watch, delivering lots of dependable features for well below 200 bucks. Set it, and forget it. Um, I mean takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’. Let’s get to work.