BRIDGER WATCH
Category
Consumer electronicsIoT productsWearables
Awards
SERVICES
Feasibility study
Industrial design
Mechanical engineering
Software development
Hardware engineering
Firmware development
Prototyping
2023-2024
THE CHALLENGE
Most smartwatches are built for fitness tracking or everyday wear — not for outdoor enthusiasts like hunters, hikers, off-roaders, and fishers who love the wilderness but don’t want to get lost in it. Current options offer limited mapping features and often lack integration with essential tools, such as offline maps designed specifically for backcountry navigation. The challenge was to create a rugged, user-friendly smartwatch that excels in remote environments, offers advanced mapping, looks sharp, performs reliably, and truly serves a community that has long been overlooked by the wearables industry.
The Opportunity
The Bridger team, in collaboration with AJProTech, identified a clear gap in the smartwatch market: a device built specifically for hunters and serious outdoor adventurers. While existing mapping tools are essential for planning hunts, marking waypoints, and navigating deep in the field — often without cell service — most smartwatches fall short. Current options offer the necessary features but are held back by clunky interfaces and a poor user experience.
This was the opportunity: to combine rugged, field-ready functionality with seamless UX and modern design. A smartwatch that’s truly built for the outdoors — with the tools hunters already trust, in a package that’s smooth, intuitive, and built to last.
THE SOLUTION
Together, Bridger and AJProTech are building a smartwatch made for life off the grid. It’s tough, water- and dust-resistant, and runs up to 14 days on a single charge. The watch keeps offline maps always ready: offline topo and satellite views, color-coded waypoints, and real-time tracking — all without needing your phone. It supports large offline map downloads and shows your route as soon as you lift your wrist. A built-in flashlight adds practical utility for night use, whether navigating trails or setting up camp in the dark. Fitness and health features like sleep tracking, VO₂ max, and daily goals make it useful year-round. This is a true outdoors-first smartwatch, built for the way hunters really move and plan.
Industrial design
The team was challenged with an ambitious goal: to merge advanced technology with a sleek, versatile form factor. We conducted in-depth market research and analyzed existing formats to design a smartwatch that feels at home both in the field and in a business meeting. Key technical requirements included long battery life, full autonomy, and exceptional durability.
The display had to be large enough for comfortable map viewing, and the watch needed to operate independently — without relying on a smartphone. One of the biggest design challenges was fitting complex functionality into a compact body without compromising the user experience.
Our design team explored multiple form factors and ultimately selected a rectangular layout for its balance of usability and modern aesthetics.
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Combining rugged design with high functionality, we created a next – generation smartwatch built to withstand harsh outdoor conditions — while prioritizing smooth, clear UI and modern aesthetics. Engineered for durability, extended battery life, and seamless navigation in open terrain, it’s made for those who go beyond the trail with confidence and style.
Bridger Watch wins iF Design Award
Bridger Watch has secured the iF Design Award, a global benchmark for excellence in product design and engineering. Recognized for its precision engineering, intuitive UX, and sleek aesthetics, the smartwatch exemplifies next-gen wearable technology.
Next steps
With the core features defined and validated, the Bridger team is now preparing for production. Engineering refinement, final hardware optimization, and manufacturing setup are underway to bring this outdoors-first smartwatch to market. Launch planning and production ramp-up are the next milestones on the path to delivering a tool that meets the real-world needs of outdoor adventurers.
Stay tuned for updates.
