One of the best releases from the small independent brand space last year was the TrailTrekker GMT watch from Nodus in collaboration with Raven. The watch used the Miyota 9075 inside of a novel warm grey case and bracelet that quickly became a fan favorite as the ultimate all-rounder outdoorsy types. You can read more about the original TrailTrekker right here. This week, we’re getting a part two for the TrailTrekker that takes a different form of inspiration in the Arctic Circle Trail. The watch is the TrailTrekker ACT, and it turns up the brightness to 11.
Where the original went full coverage with a gunmetal gray DLC coating (GDLC), the TrailTrekker ACT goes with bright white and raw, polished steel. It’s a stark contrast that shows a very different side of the design, and it should come as no surprise that it also works pretty well. The matte white dial hosts only polished surrounds at the hands and hour markers, with the only point of contrast coming from the black DLC polished bezel that contains the 24 hour index. My feeling is that using black for the surrounds on a white dial is the right move, but Nodus have created a theme with this one and they stick to it from top to bottom.
The case and bracelet are rendered in 316L steel that gets a mix of finishes, though even the fine brushing plays up the brightness. The case measures 39.5mm in diameter, and just 11.8 in thickness, providing a wonderful footprint on the wrist. I’d suggest that the watch would look quite nice on a light grey or white fabric strap as well. The clasp of the bracelet uses the brand’s proprietary NodeX Clasp for quick adjustments on the fly. It’s a great system, especially at this price point.
The Arctic Circle Trail covers a little over 100 miles of hiking trail of remote landscape in Greenland. The trail is one of the Arctic’s oldest, and cuts from Kangerlussuaq to Sisimiut, resting nearly perfectly along the Arctic Circle latitude at 66.6° N. The trail’s remoteness makes it suitable for experienced hikers, and the trip can take over eight days to complete. This Nodus TrailTrekker would be just a small part of the kit required to traverse the ACT, but the watch itself should bring more attention to the existence of this trail.
Nodus has found unique inspiration that fits with the ethos of the TrailTrekker platform, and paves the way for a curious future that covers many of the great trails of the more remote areas of our planet. The base design feels broadly applicable to a number of colorway and material configurations, and I’d love to see them delve into titanium with this one down the line. Here, the stark white dial and black bezel make a big impact, and offer a completely different personality from the Metal Gear-esque level of stealth that was the original.
Mercifully, the TrailTrekker ACT remains priced at $875, and still represents a huge value. Pre-orders are set to begin Wednesday, April 16th directly from Nodus.
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