GM Lang Trailseeker

Right up front, I’ll admit that I have an affinity for Austin watch brands.  How can you not?  With names like Tockr and Dufrane among the pack that also includes Roebuck, Trafford, and Jack Mason, it’s hard to beat the pound-for-pound quality offerings from this modish watch community.  Now with the release of the Trailseeker, it’s time to add GM Lang to that list.

In a prior review, we’ve thoroughly covered Austin’s vibrant culture and how some watch brands are doing their part to “keep it weird.”  Here we explore another aspect of Austin’s character revealed in wristwear — one that appeals more to the outdoor-venturing, nature-loving, and yes, trail-seeking ambitions.

While this field watch may seem naturally suited to sunny hikes, like in Austin’s Wild Basin Wilderness Persevere, you’ll see it rises to numerous trekking challenges.  

In terms of brand history, GM Lang is a name I’ve followed closely since their first Kickstarter, the Founders Edition, that caught my eye with its mid-century aesthetics and awesome deer logo (more on that to come).  

The Trailseeker is a new pre-order from the Grant Lang and Katherine Walter’s rebranded company, and I will say it had me reaching for it out of the drawer even after the week on the wrist was done.  

Basics upfront: this A-11 style field watch comes on a stainless steel bracelet in three colorways that pay tribute to alluring landscapes: Carlsbad Gray, Chisos Mountain Green, and beautiful Acadia Blue.

While that blue gets all the Instagram love, I was pleased to review the Carlsbad Gray, which might be truest to its foraging namesake.

The case is listed at 39 mm x 10.4 mm, but I will tell you, it wears a bit larger.  And that’s not a bad thing.  The weighty case carries some heft to create a solid, sporty feel and sets it apart from a downsizing trend among micro field watches.  For those familiar with the vintage callback — in Monty Python’s “woody” versus “tinny” debate (6:15), this is most definitely a “woody watch.”

In a more contemporary reference: I couldn’t help but imagine this dwelling in the Mandalorian universe, perhaps owed to the pronounced, armored crown guards (1-2 mm) and overall sturdy stainless steel construction.  Whatever your reference preference, if you’re looking for a sweet spot between sub-40 mm case and stout wrist feel — this is the way.

Viewing it on edge, you’ll notice the radiant brushed bezel sitting atop a polished chamfer.  In the right light, this spruces up an otherwise rugged field watch with just a dash of luxury feel.  And while it rather clearly pays respect to names like Atlas and Triumph, you could do a lot worse in seeking design inspiration.

The case back proudly features a red deer stag that, personally, I was delighted to see remain in the design language.  Grant and friends encountered a red deer in the wild during brand development — somewhat rare to his Austin area — and have drawn inspiration ever since.

In terms of the dial, you get a classic A-11 mil-spec presentation: high-contrast 12-hour Arabic numerals, railroad minute track with markings at the 5’s, and for good measure, an attractive handset with a second hand that aligns precisely at the markers for hacking satisfaction.

Specific to the Carlsbad model: the gray dial also contains a subtle grainy texture that peaks through at the right angle and adds a welcome dimension to the wrist check.

One other production note: Grant has clarified that the mustard-colored numerals and accents on this review model will appear as a lighter tan in final sales models, which can be viewed on the website.  While I welcome this minor adjustment, I also found no major objection with the review model colors.

Now on to one of the absolute highlights.  I don’t know how else to say it — this is a good bracelet.  Shown here on my 7.5-inch wrist: the oyster-style, H-link, brushed stainless steel links accommodate the wrist ably to create a snug, smooth feel in a variety of settings.  While not fully articulating (how many are?), it could almost convince you otherwise.  Affixing the bracelet is a signed, push-release clasp that held up in both warm and chilly environments without any slips or clasp failures.

Closer inspection shows what really sets this bracelet apart.  Pictured on top is a pair of links from a standard $600 diver (the micro’s specialty).  Compared to the Trailseeker on the bottom, you’ll notice two things:

First, the curvature of the GM Lang link is more pronounced.  You can appreciate this best at the edge where the bottom surface meets the rounded side.  This accentuated curvature is present on the middle links as well (not shown).

Second, the GM Lang links are slightly smaller: about 1 mm by my measurement.  The photo here is not to scale, but it illustrates the difference: top link fills 10 hash marks versus the GM Lang link at 7-8 hash marks.

How do these minute details make such a world of difference?  Damnit, Jim! I’m a doctor, not a micro-engineer!  So I can’t explain the precise physics of it — but the results are superb.

Ok, enough microscopic analysis.  On to some strap combos!  Now to be clear, the Trailseeker does not come with any band options beyond the silky bracelet.  But I do think it pairs well with a number of straps in terms of wrist presence, and this gray dial provides some unexpected versatility with color pairings.  My personal favorite with the Carlsbad Gray was olive/militia green (Nodus).

For completeness, I’d say it also pairs well with black (Nodus) and light brown / caramel (Weiss).  Surely there are other attractive pairings; again, gray may be an under-appreciated dial choice.

Now on to the real test for a watch that dares to call itself the Trailseeker: how does it perform in the wild?   Not to cause Grant any indigestion, but I pushed this baby as far as my COVID-deconditioned state could muster.

As I think the pictures will demonstrate — here we have a trusted companion for all seasons.  On snowy winter treks, where many bracelets become loose and jangly, the Trailseeker held snug; in fact, those protruding crown guards provided a nice perk maintaining visibility above the glove.  No fussing wrist checks here.

Likewise, the Trailseeker felt right at home in the dusty chaparral where the weighty case helped limit wrist slips even while working up a sweat.

Somewhat unexpectedly, I found myself gravitating to this at the beach as well.  By no means would I suggest dual-billing as a diver, but as a stainless steel sports watch with 200m water resistance, it was perfectly comfortable on surf and sand.

Powering the Trailseeker through these adventures is the likable Miyota 9039: 4 Hz, no phantom date, no major complaints.  And for the real crowd-pleaser: all this is packaged at a pre-order price tag of $295.

For some analogous considerations: one of these bottles of scotch goes for $30, and the other just above $100 — a threefold price difference, and I love them both.  Not that they are the same — sometimes there’s just no substitute for all those years in the barrel or behind the loupe — but that they each provide an experience well worth their value.

So there it is, straight from the horse’s mouth.  This is one of the most fun watches I’ve worn in a while, especially with its above-weight-class bracelet.

Perfect?  No, of course not.  You can easily detect some glare despite the anti-reflective coating (less noticeable in person, for what it’s worth), the “woody” case may not be everyone’s “cup of tea,” and there aren’t many added features like applied indices, custom fonts, or exhibition case back.

And all of that is perfectly acceptable to this reviewer’s eye.

GM Lang’s stated goal is “to provide the best entry-level tool watch on the market.”  I’m not going to say the debate is over, but with the Trailseeker, they certainly make a “strong case.”  (I waited all article for that pun.)

Bottom line: you get more watch than you pay for, and you’ll find more reasons than expected to wear it.  Those are two tests many watches can’t pass — with so many unexplored trails ahead.