Disclaimers: This review was completed with a prototype Trail Trekker, not a production watch. Some aspects of the prototype may not be representative of the final production version.
Today, we have a collaborative watch created by two America-based watch companies, Nodus and Raven Watches. I have looked for comparable examples of watch companies coming together to make a watch with the best they both offer, but have yet to be successful. Some fringe brands in the 60s shared cases but can barely be mentioned in the same breath as this watch. Last year there was a collab within the Swatch group (moonswatch), followed by a sequel release (Blancpain 50 fathoms swatch). However, all the companies within the Swatch group are ultimately the same company, levying their parent company to mass-produce affordable versions of their already-produced luxury watches. The Trail Trekker is something else entirely. Raven is one of the original American brands that was part of the resurgence of independents in the early 2000s (launched in 2008). Nodus is an independently developed company about a decade apart. However, the influence and trailblazing by Raven are most definitely apparent in their work. The resulting Trail Trekker presents the best of these brands in an unprecedented collaborative effort for this market sect.
Almost two years ago, our Podfather Everett and I traveled to LA for the inaugural Nodus Intersect, where we spent the weekend hanging out with Wes & Cullen (of Nodus) and Steve (Raven). This collab was a topic of conversation, and before Wes dropped me off at the airport, I saw them all brainstorming at a local coffee shop, playing with different concepts in Photoshop. You can see this clip at 10:30 of the recap video I put together for Nodus.
Although the watch is wholly different from those early renders, both brands shine through in the final representation. The 39.5mm diameter true GMT watch with the latest Myota 9075 movement inside boasts only an 11.8mm thickness while maintaining the excessive water resistance of 200m Raven owners come to expect. The bezel is a fixed 24-hour scale, and this isn’t titanium grey you are looking at but rather CerakoteⓇ ceramic coating for added scratch resistance. The initial press material does not put a number on total production, instead stating they will be produced in batches at a retail price of $875.
On the Wrist
On the wrist, the sizing feels perfect. The most straightforward comparison to draw is to the five-digit Rolex Explorer II (39mm version), except with a Seiko-style case treatment. The Trail Trekker feels like a sports car compared to my 216570 Explorer II (42mm). The Nodus is just as thin but with the added comfort of side case chamfers.
The thinness is effortless to see when faced with the beautiful side profile of the watch. We have reviewed a few different watches with the new Myota GMT movement inside, and this is by far the most comfortable application. The previously reviewed Hydra GMT is a full 2.6mm thicker, and the Jack Mason Strat-o-Timer Will looked at 1.5mm thicker. The expectation has long been that if you get a more affordable mechanical watch with a GMT complication, you must sacrifice thickness, and the Trail Trekker eliminates that.
Nodus X Raven Trail Trekker GMT Specs | |
Case Width 39.5mm | Lug-to-Lug 47mm |
Case Thickness 12.04mm | Lug Width 20mm |
Water Resistance 200m | Strap Bracelet |
Crystal Sapphire | Lume Super-LumiNova |
Movement Miyota 9075 | Price $875 |
Dial Details
There is a light texture to the dial that has great contrast to the white indices and hands. Notably absent is a classic Nodus color-matched date wheel; however, the white date looks excellent on this watch. You still have the ever-apparent Nodus trapezoidal date window that can be seen in their watches for the last few years, and the handset seems to be borrowed from the Retrospect Serie seen below paired with a FINCH knife (Steve’s other brand specializing in knives/EDC circa four years ago)
When looking at the GMT hand, you get a treat of the Raven mustard yellow that has been so popular with the Trekker series.
The powerful lume that applies to the Trail Trekker is a combination of both. Blue Swiss Super-LumiNovaⓇ is applied to the indices and hands. A second color is not used for the GMT hand.
Dial text has been kept to a minimum, with the decision to place NODUS on the dial without their logo and use the Raven head logo at six instead. As a Raven Head logo fan, I agree with this decision.
Case, Bracelet, Misc
The side profile of this watch may be my favorite of the Nodii thus far, and I can easily see the inspiration from Seiko and Omega with the side chamfers and beautiful contouring. The line work is a sight for sore eyes when the pinnacle of GMT sports watches has long looked like the below.
Moving on to the bracelet, we have a quick-release DLC-coated steel flat link that ends in a NODEX expansion clasp. Starting at the case, we have a typical female end link that Nodus prefers to give the watch a more wearable lug-to-lug dimension for smaller wrists. Due to the slim profile on the Trail Trekker, the female link buts up against the end link, preventing it from fully rotating.
The above image shows where the first link intersects with the end link, preventing this rotation. The result is a male end link, but it is further extended because you must account for the gap between them. The measured lug-to-lug is 46.55mm, and the measurement of the edge of the first link brings you out to 55.11mm. Although this may be a rare exception, a shorter male end link would improve the wearability for smaller wrists.
The NODEX clasp has been given the full DLC coating, and in this version, the spring bars at the button and extension are exposed. The bars were not exposed on the Nodus DEEP review, and this is a slight improvement, giving you access to replace the bars when needed. The prototype watch I had suffered from the same defect as the original version of this clasp released on the Avalon II. When bending your wrist, the button can be pressed by the metal of the butterfly clasp, causing the extension to activate unintentionally.
As this is a prototype watch without the same QAQC a production piece goes through, I can’t say whether this would happen to a consumer-purchased watch. That said, I know that customers impacted by the clasp on the Avalon II were immediately supplied replacements by Nodus and that customer support would be expected if there was a defect.
The Trail Trekker’s caseback features a frontier-covered wagon, a solid addition that plays to the great planes where Raven is based.
Conclusion
The Trail Trekker is my favorite of the Nodus Collabs to come out this year, minus our own, obviously. The true GMT at a thickness unseen before is a massive improvement to the sub $1,000 marketplace, and there is little to dislike about this watch. The value at $875 is undeniable, with true American watch clout paired with a sleek design and a fresh take on a classic GMT.
Check out more Nodus watch reviews at The Watch Clicker here
Check out more Raven watch reviews at The Watch Clicker here
Check out the Nodus website here and the Raven website here
