ARMITRON SOLAR WATCHES

Who doesn't love having fun in the sun?! Armitron has some great watches that are perfect for people who appreciate techy things, are eco-conscious and spend time outdoors out in the sunlight because they are solar powered. Armitron solar watches as the name implies are timepiece powered by light. These watches never need to be charged or have batteries replaced as they are powered by sunlight which is absorbed by a panel that converts solar rays into energy.

Armitron kindly sent me a few of their solar watches so ageekdaddy.com could put them to the test.  I've worn them to work, around the house and on a number of adventurous road trips and have to say these Armitron solar watches are amazing! No worrying about winding the gears or the battery dying on you with these watches! Plus all the features have worked great!

Solar Stainless Steel Watch with Brown Leather Strap

This casual looking analog watch is perfect for just wearing around wherever. It compliments everything from office casual to a well-dressed date night yet is sturdy enough to wear while doing chores or wrestling around with your kids. A dial displaying the date also makes sure you always know what day of the month it is as well as the time during the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Solar Stainless Steel Watch with Adjustable Link Bracelet

This Armitron solar watch looks great with my suit and with a water resistant rating of 50 meters/165 feet it is durable enough to wear on a beach vacation.  The timepiece also includes chronometer and calendar features. This watch always looks sharp and with its solar feature you can always count on having the precise time whether you are in a boardroom or on a boardwalk.

Solar-Powered Analog Watch with Green Nylon Slip-Thru Strap

I have to say this is my favorite watch and find myself wearing it all the time. In fact, I have it on as I'm typing this write up. From Disney World to the St. Louis Zoo, this watch has gone along on a lot of ageekdaddy.com family adventures. I've also worn it camping, around town doing errands, and sometimes have even worn it with my suit to work. It has really worked out well for me.

I like that it is casual looking enough that I don't need to worry about it getting beaten up a bit getting jostled around while out and about. Yet it looks sharp enough so it doesn't negatively stand out if it is worn when I'm more dressed up.  With its 50 meter water resistance and nylon strap this watch has endured dips in lakes and swimming pools but has kept on ticking. It is also just a great fit for me...the case isn't too big or too small for my wrist but just the right size. In addition to using solar energy to power the watch, its dials also absorb and then reflect sunlight so you can see them at night which has come in handy on camping trips. This has been the perfect watch for me!

You can't go wrong with any of these three Armitron Solar Watches! The prices for quality watches can often be ridiculously expensive ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars but these attractive and dependable Armitron Solar Watches are priced under $100. Between paying my kids orthodontist bills and saving up to help with their college education, I don't have the discretionary money to be spending lots of cash on wrist watches. Thanks to Armitron it is possible to wear a sharp looking watch that you can count on without busting a family budget. Check out their collection of solar watches at armitron.com.

A Geek Daddy received complimentary watches to review from Armitron. The opinions expressed in this Armitron watch review are honest and my own.

BACK TO SCHOOL TIME

My great grandfather was a horologist … someone who makes and repairs clocks and watches for those who aren't familiar with the term.  He had a workshop in his house filled with the tools and parts needed for the trade.  My family would visit my grandparents' home in rural upstate New York during the summers and I've been fascinated by watches ever since.

Yes every phone has a clock on it and we carry those with us everywhere nowadays, but there just isn't anything like having a quality watch on your wrist. Excuse the pun but there is a timeless quality to wearing a wrist watch. It is the ultimate fashion accessory for us guys and I still find them useful to wear.  Especially in situations when it is not appropriate or convenient to be using a phone which for me may be while I am in court for work or running a route across town for a workout.

It is back to school time for my kids which means the lazy days of summer are over and there is a lot more going on. Dropping and picking up the kids from school … our district doesn't have busses and it is a two mile walk from our home. Lots of extra curricular activities going on too! Soccer practices and matches, swimming lessons, and so on. So it is really important not to lose track of time.

I also transition from stay at home dad during the summer time to picking up my regular caseloads of client work when the kids return to school.  So I appreciate watches that look good with the outfits worn for work that are also functional to help me with my professional and parenting responsibilities. This analog watch from AMITRON fits just what I am looking for in a time piece with a look that goes well with either a suit or office casual.  Plus its three subdials provide some useful features as well as enhance the aesthetic appearance of the watch.

Having to pay the orthodontist bills for my kids and other household expenses doesn't leave me the discretionary income to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a watch.  So I really appreciate how Armitron has a lineup of good looking watches that are durable and provide some great features with prices ranging between $25 and $200. You really can get some impressive watches from Armitron for under $100 that are in a price range that is affordable for the average dad.

This 42mm watch that Armitron provided me to try out which has a gold-tone stainless steel case with matte white dial and three subdials retails for $85. It includes a real leather black wristband. The subdials show the day of the week, date of the month, and military time. The watch's sturdy construction also makes it water resistant to a depth of 165 feet. Though with that quality leather wristband you aren't going to want to be swimming wearing this watch but that water resistance highlights the workmanship put behind Armitron watches.

I like this watch! But for those who may like the design but want something a bit different Armitron also has two alternate variations of this same watch. One has a gun metal matte for the dial with a dark brown leather wristband. The other has a tan leather wristband with a black matte for the dial. All three look really sharp in my opinion.

When you have some time, head over to Armitron.com to take a look at the wonderful selection of watches they have available.  I own a variety of Armitron watches and you will see me wearing them all the time. The brand has absolutely earned A Geek Daddy nod of approval.

ARMITRON WATCHES

Knowing I appreciate ARMITRON watches, the company sent me a couple of them they are highlighting as gift suggestions this holiday season.  It was Christmas come early for me while opening a gift bag they sent my way that included an athletic sports watch with duel analog / digital features and chronograph functions along with a sporty black stainless steel analog watch that looks impressive whether you are matching it with a suit or jeans and a sweater.  I've been a fan of Armitron watches for a long time because they are dependable, durable and stylish as well as affordable.

Busy guys can trust Armitron to reliably help them keep track of time with watches that also look sharp to people who notice them being worn on your wrist.  For those of us who can't afford spending thousands of dollars to buy a wrist watch because that money could be better used for other obligations, like a kid's braces or a family vacation, Armitron products tend to be under $100 and provide a tremendous bang for your buck based upon the quality these watches provide.  I wear Armitron watches all the time for both work and play!

I started off the holiday season wearing Armitron's duel analog / digital sports watch to the Detroit Thanksgiving Day parade.  Its black resin strap was really comfortable to wear on a cold day and the alarm on the watch came in handy to give me a reminder about when we had to get ready to leave so we wouldn't be late arriving at my parents house for Thanksgiving dinner.  Its chronograph with lap time will be useful when training at the high school track training for my next 5K fun run plus its countdown timer will be useful while coaching my kids' soccer teams so I know exactly how much time we have left throughout their games.

This watch shows the time with analog movement through hour, minute, and second sweep hands.  Its digital features in addition to an alarm, chronograph and timer also includes the date, time displayed in the 24 hour military format, and a backlight with 3 second delay.  It is water resistant to 330 feet which means you could feel comfortable keeping this watch on for a swim without ruining it.  At a suggested retail price of $55 this watch sure is a bargain.  I'll absolutely be getting a lot of use out of this Armitron watch myself!

I've been wearing my black stainless steel Armitron watch with my suits to work as well as when I needed to dress up for a holiday Christmas party.  Yet it also looks nice with a casual look as I have it on while typing this wearing khakis and a sweat shirt.  I really like the black and silver coloring of the watch along with its classic Roman numeral lettering on the dial.

Its stainless steel bracelet and casing makes for a sturdy watch yet it feels very lightweight on your wrist.  The watch has silver toned analog hour, minute and second sweep hands along with a panel that highlights the day of the week and date.  With a 165 feet water resistant rate it isn't as flexible for use around the water as the watch above but is still made well enough that you shouldn't worry about casually getting it wet.  At a suggested retail price of $95 this Armitron watch is dressy but not pretentious and a really great buy for the price.

There are more than 70 watches in each of Armitron's men's and women's collections to choose from. You can find Armitron watches at retailers across the United States or purchase them directly from the manufacturer at armitron.com.  Whether looking for a watch for yourself or as a gift for someone else, you can't go wrong with an Armitron.

Armitron ADVENTURE Collection

** A Geek Daddy received the featured products for free to review **

Since 1956, ARMITRON has been equipping men with dependable watches that combine style with function at an affordable price.  They've just introduced a new collection of watches meant to empower guys to be adventurous.  Whether you are hiking through a rustic forest, climbing a steep peak, kayaking white water rapids or simply walking to work, Armitron ADVENTURE watches are designed to keep your day on track.

The Armitron ADVENTURE collection offers several designs that provide different features to meet wearers different needs and demands.  Need to monitor the environment around you during an outdoor trek?  Adventure Tracker watches include altimeter, barometer, temperature and weather station gauges.  Spending time under the darkness of the night sky?  Visible247glow in the dark technology absorb energy from daylight to illuminate the faces of these watches when it's dark. Other watches in the Armitron ADVENTURE collection offer a variety of different analog and digital functions for people to choose from.

I had the opportunity to personally try out two different styles of these new Armitron ADVENTURE watches.  Appreciating analog watches with their classic dial look, I selected two to review that would be useful in different circumstances.  They both were stylish and sturdy leaving me very pleased with my experience using them.  Even after wrapping up this review, I'm sure to continue regularly using these.  Based upon their affordability (most of the watches in the collection are under $100), quality of craftsmanship designed to stand up to rugged outdoor activities, useful features and stylish appearances, Armitron ADVENTURE watches get A Geek Daddy nod of approval.

Solar Powered Analog Watch with Green Nylon Slip Thru-Strap

You won't have to worry about winding or changing a battery to keep this watch ticking.  It is powered by light with one full charge allowing the watch to work continuously for up to 4 months.  Of course if you are actively wearing it around this watch will constantly be charging so you can always depend on it when on the go.

While you may lose your way on a trail you can depend on this watch to always keep track of the time.  With its durable stainless steel case and tough nylon wrist strap this watch is meant to be worn when you are active outdoors where it will get banged and scuffed up.  Whether you are mountain biking in the woods or clowning around with your kids on the neighborhood playground this is a great watch to wear while having outdoor fun.

I found it a very comfortable and convenient watch to wear while doing activities like mowing the lawn, playing catch in the backyard with my son and taking a hike on one of the local nature trails.  It is perfect for activities where you wouldn't want to worry about scuffing up or breaking a fancier model of watch.  Yet it is very dependable keeping an accurate time and still has a stylish look with its analog layout featuring a black face, luminous dial, and easy to view arabic numerals.  The solar cell which converts light into electrical energy to power the timepiece also blends in seamlessly with the watch's appearance.

Analog Watch with Dark Brown Leather Strap

This watch is a great accessory for whatever adventure arises out of your day.  I appreciate that it is professional enough to wear at work with a suit; but can also be casually worn while watching my kids soccer games, going out to eat on the patio of a local bistro, or on a shopping trip to my favorite comic book store.  Whether in a court house or a farm house this watch will help keep you on top of your day's schedule.

Powered by a traditional battery, in addition to the normal time this analog watch also has a multifunction dial that shows military (24 hour) time, the day of the week and the month's date providing quickly accessible information in a manner that also enhances the clock's look.  With a stainless steel case and water resistant up to 330 feet it is built not just to be looked at but to live life's adventures with. In my opinion this is a really sharp watch that is a great bargain because you can comfortably wear it at work or at play.

Fathers Day is coming up and an Armitron watch would make a great gift for a dad in your life.  Purchase a watch from the ADVENTURE collection now through Fathers Day (June 18, 2017) at armitron.com using the code DAD25 at checkout to receive 25% off your order plus FREE 2-Day Shipping. That really is a great deal!  Make sure you don't miss out on it!

BLOGGER BASH 2016 WAS A REAL BLAST!

  **  A Geek Daddy has been financially compensated as a BLOGGER BASH Ambassador. Opinions are honest and my own  **

I recently spent a few days on a yacht docked off a pier in New York City for the annual Blogger Bash conference.  This two day event provides an opportunity for online influencers to network with brands and each other to assist with enhancing the content and quality of their blogs and social media channels.  I've always found this conference an excellent opportunity to develop contacts, educate myself on new topics and of course have some fun.  This year was no exception providing me the chance to learn about products I wasn't familiar with, renew existing connections and build some wonderful new relationships.  There are innumerable professional benefits to attending Blogger Bash, but interestingly enough you can't take the event too seriously and must allow yourself to be a bit silly or goofy to really maximize the opportunity.  Whether it is hugging a Care Bear, hitting the dance floor with brand representatives or totally going out of your comfort zone by eating a cricket; embracing the fun atmosphere of this event is a key element to having it be a successful function to attend.

The highlight of Blogger Bash is the SWEET SUITE toy exhibition that provides a preview of the hot new products that will be showing up on store shelves for the holiday shopping season. Many of A Geek Daddy's toy reviews and giveaways are the result of networking at the Blogger Bash's Sweet Suite function which in addition to featuring a suite filled with great toys includes an evening of sweet dinner and desert options for its  participants to enjoy.  It was very nice to have some face-to-face time with representatives from brands such as Educational Insights, Hexbug, Skylanders, Spin Master, Uncle Milton and WowWee who have been very supportive of A Geek Daddy since I introduced myself to them during my first Blogger Bash experience.  Stay tuned because ageekdaddy.com will be having some new reviews coming up featuring toys from each of these companies throughout the remainder of the year!

I have to say my favorite toy on display at this year's Sweet Suite was WowWee's CHiP the robotic puppy.  Last year's WowWee MiPosaur robotic dinosaur was my daughter's all-time favorite toy review by A Geek Daddy and they've expanded upon that concept making it even better with CHiP. This robotic dog incorporates artificial intelligence that allows it to adapt to its owners favorite preferences.  It also comes with a recharging bed that when the toy is low on energy it will  independently curl up on to energize its depleted battery.  An included smart band allows CHiP to uniquely recognize its owner and provides new exciting avenues for interactive play.

One of my personal favorite recent toy reviews by A Geek Daddy focuses on Spin Master's RC Batmobile replica from the Batman v Superman movie and they also provided the toy for one of my son's favorite reviews which featured Legendary Yoda.  Because they've been very generous in sharing with us both their staff's time and products for reviews, I wanted to give them some special recognition acknowledging the Guinness World Record they achieved this summer for the Most People Drawing on an Etch A Sketch Globally at the Same Time.  Spin Master acquired the iconic brand earlier this year from The Ohio Art Company and celebrated the addition to its product family by accomplishing the Guinness World Record on Etch A Sketch Day (July 12) which marks the date in 1960 that the first Etch A Sketch was sold.  Since July 12, 1960 more than 175 million Etch A Sketches have been sold around the world!

Spin Master also teased an exciting new product that will be hatching this fall just in time for the Christmas shopping season.  Hatchimals will be interactive animatronic creatures that hatch from eggs which children have to raise.  After breaking out of a shell these creatures behaviors and personalities will change as they grow up from baby to adult modes.  Spin Master is being hush hush on what these Hatchimals will look like until the first one hatches later this year but they did show off what the egg these creatures will emerge from will look like.  From my discussions with Spin Master this looks to be a toy to keep an eye out for when it arrives at stores later this year that will incorporate lots of advanced features that are sure to delight kids.

I also made some nice new connections at Sweet Suite this year with brands A Geek Daddy hasn't worked with in the past such as Bachmann Trains, Carrera of America, LEGO Dimensions, Magformers, Sony PlayStation, and USAopoly that will hopefully lead to some upcoming toy reviews and giveaways for our blog readers and social media followers.

The most exciting and enjoyable aspect of this year's Sweet Suite for me had to be the opportunity to spend some quality time playing video games.  Skylanders brought out the new game it will be launching this October called Imaginators and allowed attendees an advance opportunity to play it well before it will be available to the public.  Instead of purchasing action figures to serve as your characters within the game, players obtain devices which allow Portal Masters to sculpt their own individualized digital characters to play with.  Imaginators lets players imaginations go wild in customizing their very own character creations to play within the game.  Every year Skylanders strives to incorporate an innovative new aspect to its game play and this year's Imaginator feature really should make a lot of this video game franchise's fans happy.  I know customizing the characters and surroundings in video games is one of my kids favorite part of playing video games and they are going to be overjoyed with what they can do in the newest installment of the Skylanders franchise.

I also had the incredible opportunity to spend some time playing LEGO Dimensions' Mission Impossible and PlayStation's Ratchet & Clank with some of the developers who worked on creating the games giving me some one-on-one tips while I played.  That really was an AWESOME experience!

With 27 companies showcasing hundreds of products at Sweet Suite, it would be overwhelming if I discussed all my experiences from this amazing night but keep returning to A Geek Daddy as we continue to share my family's experiences with toys, video games and other fun things.

In addition to Sweet Suite, Blogger Bash also provides a variety of other functions for attendees to participate in.  This year Blogger Concentrated provided a seminar that provided tips and guidance on expanding a blog's audience, improving website layouts, and generating income as a social media influencer. The Ride took attendees on a entertaining bus tour of midtown Manhattan.  Enterprise Ireland sponsored a session that showcased Irish businesses that would have an appeal to parents such as Arckit, Easydry, Lottie Dolls, Solvar, The Irish Fairy Door Company, and Writing for TiNY.  They also provided some incredible Irish coffee.  I had mine with whip cream, Tullamore Dew whiskey, and just a hint of coffee.

Blogger Bash started off with a brunch sponsored by the Care Bears where Sean Gorman, President of American Greetings Properties -- did you know the Care Bears originated not as toys but as greeting cards? -- discussing current products and projects involving Care Bears ranging from an original cartoon series on Netflix to plush animal dolls from Build-A-Bear Workshop.

The second day's breakfast was sponsored by Disney Junior's hit animated cable TV series Kate & Mim-Mim.  The breakfast included a discussion with the show's creators Scott and Jule Stewart who discussed their creative inspirations and provided a sneak peek of an upcoming Wizard of Oz themed Kate & Mim-Mim musical special.

Blogger Bash's keynote lunch was sponsored by the PEANUTS.  It included a panel discussion moderated by Good Morning America's Ginger Zee featuring some of the children who voice the characters in the brand-new animated Peanuts cartoons now airing daily on the Boomerang and Cartoon Network cable television channels.  The luncheon also promoted the PeanutsRockstheVote campaign which is a partnership between Peanuts Worldwide and Rock the Vote which is a non-partisan effort to increase participation by eligible voters in 2016's presidential election.

During the luncheon, attendees were able to ask questions to the Peanuts cast.  I asked how interacting together while recording their lines impacted how they voiced the characters.  Interestingly, the kids told me they don't get the chance to interact as they have their segments done in separate recording sessions instead of together as a group.  They interact instead with adults on the production company staff who read the other characters lines from a script as the kids recite their own at the studio.  In the end product all the taping sessions are merged and only the kids voices are used. Watching the Peanuts on Boomerang or Cartoon Network you'd never guess that these kids weren't taping their lines together at the same time as smoothly as the conversations flow together.  See you always learn something new at Blogger Bash!

Blogger Bash also featured a day long non-toy related products expo featuring more than seventy brands.  I learned a lot of new things walking through the expo talking with the people staffing booths there.  I've always respected Kohler for the high quality kitchen and bathroom fixtures produced by this Wisconsin company named after the town it is headquartered in but did you know the company also runs a number of golf and resort destinations plus has its own line of chocolates?  Do you know what the UL certification sticker on products you purchase stands for? Wow! there's a 5K running event now where where people are challenged with inflatable obstacles -- that's insane! -- well actually that is the Insane Inflatable 5K.  They have a one mile version too called the Krazy Kids Run!

There were a variety of challenges attendees could take on during the expo to win prizes including the Boudreaux's Butt Paste Diaper Changing Challenges.  While I narrowly missed out on winning the prize, A Geek Daddy did show up some trash talking mammas with a dominating performance in this diaper changing competition.

While blogging is often associated with women there was a decent representation of prominent men bloggers joining A Geek Daddy at Blogger Bash including The Architechnologist, The Rock Father, and BenSpark.com.

I have to admit that I'd thought of Armitron as being a line of plastic digital watches aimed at teen audiences before seeing their display at Blogger Bash.  Chatting with disabled Army veteran Noah Galloway who lost a leg and arm in Iraq, I discovered that Armitron really is an impressive brand.  Galloway, who has overcome his handicaps to become a respected personal trainer and recently finished third on the television show competition Dancing with the Stars, is a brand ambassador for the company.  He told me his story of how he was wearing a $20 Armitron watch on the wrist he lost to an improvised explosive device in Iraq and that same watch which was recovered by Army medics and returned to him still runs!  You can't dispute a brand's durability after hearing a testimonial like that!

Armitron displayed a variety of men's watches at Blogger Bash that not only are durable but are very stylish.  There are a variety of watches available to fit a variety of needs from athletic training to casual wear to professional fashion accessory with prices ranging between $20 and $200 dollars.  I saw Armtron watches that would be perfect for casually throwing on while working out at the gym as well as some really nice ones that would match very well with the suits I professionally need to wear to work.  If you haven't taken a look at Armitron watches lately you really should!

Speaking of fashion accessories, I also discovered a great brand of sunglasses called Soleurs.  They had a variety of shades that not only will protect my eyes from UV rays but also looked rather nice on my face.  I had a nice experience talking to the company founder while testing out a few varieties of Soleurs sunglasses on the deck of the ship that Blogger Bash was taking place at.

I love ice cream! So I was so happy to see Ben & Jerry's at Blogger Bash!

I also ate something a bit more unique enjoying some cookies made from of all things crickets.

Aketta maintains cricket farms which they harvest to produce a protein-packed, nutrient-rich and environmentally friendly flour that can be used in baking.  You can also purchase whole crickets from Aketta if you just want to pop them in your mouth as a snack or add them to trail mix, salad and other creative recipes.

After spending a days docked at Pier 81 learning about a variety of great brands, Blogger Bash concluded with the yacht leaving the dock for a nice cruise along the Hudson River to see the Statue of Liberty.  Not only was Blogger Bash a very productive opportunity to discover ways to enhance and improve my blog but by allowing myself to be silly and goofy during my visit to New York City I also had a lot of fun during my time there too.  I really had a blast at Blogger Bash!

That's not the end of the story though as every Blogger Bash attendee also gets a Sweet Suite box of swag filled with samples from various event sponsors mailed directly to their home's front door.  One last great perk of going to Blogger Bash.

For more information about Blogger Bash and how to attend in 2017, please visit bloggerbash.com.