Best Referee Watch

[dee-jay]

I would like to hear from those of you that have an opinion about the best watch to keep game time and the 25-second clock.

Is there such a watch designed just for football that has a dual view of both a countdown game clock and countdown 25-second clock?

[grantsrc]

Originally Posted by dee-jay

I would like to hear from those of you that have an opinion about the best watch to keep game time and the 25-second clock.

Is there such a watch designed just for football that has a dual view of both a countdown game clock and countdown 25-second clock?

I used this watch for the first time and loved it. http://www.xcelwatches.com/servlet/t...-Casual/Detail

It is 29.95 and they ship free. The reason I like it is because it vibrates. You can program it to warn you 5 seconds prior to the end of the play clock. It doesn't allow you to view both the play and game clocks simultaneously, but it does have various time incriments preprogramed in it. I personally think this is a much better deal than the Ready Ref.

[dvasques]

when you say it vibrates to warn 5 secs to go does it start vibrating at 5 secs and stops when time is up?
that's not ideal for me but it's good
Redy Ref reply was that there is a model I could use but I didn't think it would work for me. So now I'm thinking 'bout going for this Casio one and watch the time to warn the offense of 20 secs, 10 and then wait for the vibration to count down from 5.

[JugglingReferee]

My friend has this watch and he loves it!

[RMR]

Originally Posted by dvasques

when you say it vibrates to warn 5 secs to go does it start vibrating at 5 secs and stops when time is up?
that's not ideal for me but it's good
Redy Ref reply was that there is a model I could use but I didn't think it would work for me. So now I'm thinking 'bout going for this Casio one and watch the time to warn the offense of 20 secs, 10 and then wait for the vibration to count down from 5.

Great watch. This is my second season using it.

It will vibrate at whatever point you st (10 sec., 5 sec.) and then it will vibrate again when the full time runs out.

[Texas Aggie]

Can this easily change between 25 seconds and say, 1 minute, for the play time and the time out timer? If so, I think I'm in.

[REQ]

No it is not easy to move between the 25 sec (or 20 and then 5 sec) and a one min timer. Other than that and the fact that I started my stop watch feature on it one time and cant turn it off I like the watch

[Rich]

Originally Posted by grantsrc

I used this watch for the first time and loved it. http://www.xcelwatches.com/servlet/t...-Casual/Detail

It is 29.95 and they ship free. The reason I like it is because it vibrates. You can program it to warn you 5 seconds prior to the end of the play clock. It doesn't allow you to view both the play and game clocks simultaneously, but it does have various time incriments preprogramed in it. I personally think this is a much better deal than the Ready Ref.

A better deal than the Ready Ref? Why, just cause it's $30 cheaper?

The Ready Ref has one purpose. It will last me a long, long time and I change the batteries at the start of each season, need them or not. I only use it for subvarsity games as my BJ on my varsity crew has his own Ready Ref.

I also wear a watch. It's in its third season -- it looks like it's almost due to be replaced. It only keeps the game clock and on Friday nights helps me stay on schedule.

[RMR]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

Can this easily change between 25 seconds and say, 1 minute, for the play time and the time out timer? If so, I think I'm in.

No, but I found a way around that. Just run your 25 second count twice and our mechanic is to summon the teams at 50 seconds anyhow, so it's really not an issue.

[grantsrc]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

Can this easily change between 25 seconds and say, 1 minute, for the play time and the time out timer? If so, I think I'm in.

No, that's my biggest knock on it. But like someone else said, I run the 25 seconds twice, when it warns me at the second 20 second incriment, that's when I tell my R it's time to get going. I wish I could have two separate timers.

And yes, the timers are changable in 5 second incriments.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

A better deal than the Ready Ref? Why, just cause it's $30 cheaper?

Cheaper is not always better.

Based on what I am reading, I do not see the point of the watch. I am very happy with my Ready Ref.

Peace

[LDUB]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

Can this easily change between 25 seconds and say, 1 minute, for the play time and the time out timer? If so, I think I'm in.

Yes, it easily changes.

There are several modes on the watch.

Countdown: Used for the game clock.

Interval: Another countown timer which is used for the play clock. Can be set to vibrate at 25 seconds or a short vibrate at 20 as a warning and then vibrate again at 25.

Stopwatch: Used for timing timeouts. It counts up and can be set to vibrate at 1 minute. Also can be used to time halftime.

There is one button on the watch which switches it between modes. It is not hard at all to switch between clocks. The watch also has a world time mode and a standard clock mode.

[tjones1]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Cheaper is not always better.

Based on what I am reading, I do not see the point of the watch. I am very happy with my Ready Ref.

Peace

Same here. I am very happy with my Ready Ref.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by tjones1

Same here. I am very happy with my Ready Ref.

I wear a watch on the field, because I always want to be prepared to keep the time on the field. But for 4-man, when I'm the WH, I don't want to deal with using a watch as the play clock. The ReadyRef is perfect for the job it was designed for.