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Nodus x Raven Trailtrekker GMT Watch Review

April 28, 2024 Nick Lehner

After a sneak preview of the Nodus x Raven Trailtrekker at the brand's Intersect LA watch show, I wanted to spend more time with one. I almost pre-ordered it, but had just purchased another Nodus, my Random Rob Sector Dive. I was also interested in the brand's then-upcoming Contrail GMT. Luckily, a friend bought a Trailtrekker! He and I did a short-term Nodus trade so that I was able to have enough time with it to write a review and he could wear the Sector Deep for a bit. Keep reading to learn more about it and view different replacement strap options for the Nodus Trailtrekker.

At first, it seems surprising that two brands in the same space would collaborate on a product and even put both of their logos on a watch dial. In my interactions with Nodus, however, this is not how the brand thinks. Wes and Cullen love being involved with the watch community, and work to elevate the entire space through activities like Intersect and the Nodus design lab.

A brand should focus on bringing value rather than worrying about what competitors are doing, and this is how I've tried to operate StrapHabit. If you're doing things that people like and that are different, you don't need to spend time worrying about what your competition is doing. Nodus and Raven realized that they each have different strong design aspects that could appeal to both sets of customers if combined.

Nodus x Raven Trailtrekker First Impressions

It wasn't that long ago that one had to spend well into the thousands to get a mechanical watch with Traveller GMT functionality, especially one that was attractive and well-built. When Miyota recently released its 9075 GMT movement, we all looked forward to the complication being democratized. Because I've owned and enjoyed a few Nodus watches, I was especially excited to see what the brand would bring to the table, and I wasn't disappointed.

It combines the Nodus eye for detail and wearability with Raven's rugged aesthetic. The traits work especially well with the dark "clay" shade of the watch and create something that makes you feel ready for an adventure.

Nodus x Raven Trailtrekker Details

The fixed, 24-hour bezel is coated in Cerakote, while the rest of the case is DLC. I have read some comments from other wearers about the colors not matching. While you can see a slight difference in macro photos, on the wrist, it's not something that you notice at wrist distance. Nodus likely wanted the extra scratch-resistance of cerakote applied to the vulnerable bezel but didn't want to apply it to the whole watch. Cerakote is thicker than DLC, has too much texture to look good on a case and a bracelet, and would require too loose of tolerances.

While other Nodus watches have polished and brushed finishes, the Trailtrekker is completely matte. This works well, as it is pure tool watch, and matches the matte Cerakote.

Thick, applied markers are surrounded by polished gunmetal, as well as brushed and 3D-chamfered hands.

The crown is also black, with a knurling that makes it easy to grip.

Most will appreciate the date application. It is not color-matched to the dial but rather stands in for the 6 o'clock hour marker. It also features a metal surround.

Despite having two brand logos on the dial, it looks clean and uncluttered. The black text blends into the clay cerakote coating in a lot of situations, giving it a stealthy look.

Wearing the Nodus x Raven Trailtrekker

At 11.8mm thick, the Trailtrekker is quite slim for a tool watch. A sloped bezel and chamfered case make it appear even thinner.

The lugs are also tight to the case, and the bracelet uses female end links. At 39.5mm wide, the Trailtrekker will fit comfortably on a lot of wrists.

With regards to legibility, the Trailtrekker is quite good. Large indices with distinct shapes and 12, 6, and 9 along with large hands that stretch to the edge of the dial make it easy to read. The contrasting-colored GMT hand is easy to spot and differentiate from the others. I like its squared of the tip, which makes the end of the hand larger and allows for more lume.

Morning and night are indicated in a subtle shift on the rehaut.

Despite having boxed edges, the crystal creates very little distortion, making it easy to read at angles too. It has a blue AR coating applied to the underside.

At night, Super-LumiNova GGW9 Grade A is long-lasting and bright, making it easy to read throughout the night.

Bracelet and Replacement Straps for the Nodus x Raven Trailtrekker

Nodus x Raven Trailtrekker comes with a gray DLC stainless steel bracelet and a strap.

The bracelet tapers from 20mm to 16mm at the clasp, which features the proprietary NodeX adjustment system. It features a quick-adjust system using a push button.

I don't prefer the appearance when it's fully extended, but it's secure. A half link would allow fine-tuning without requiring the clasp to be extended all the time, but the system is a compact and slick design.

The bracelet also features screwed links and quick-release spring bars, making it easy to size and swap. The links appear to by oyster-style, but are double-hinged, adding flexibility. My friend pointed out to me that the external edges of the clasp are a bit sharp. It doesn't bother me, but something to note.

The included strap is an olive drab ballistic nylon single-pass strap with matching hardware. It photos it looks like a cotton canvas, but it feels like it is made of nylon in person. It's lightweight and comfortable.

The Trailtrekker still sits flat on the wrist even with the strap behind it.

Because the Trailtrekker uses 20mm lugs, all of your favorite straps will fit it as well. It looks good on so many straps that it's taken some experimenting to find my favorite StrapHabit pairing. The color of the GMT hand is somewhere between yellow and orange, meaning either of those colors will pair well. Greens and browns also look great, and of course black.

Although I normally like bright, color-matched straps, my favorite at the moment is a seatbelt strap in khaki. Keep scrolling at the end of the article to see other strap combinations for the Nodus x Raven Trailtrekker.

Nodus x Raven Trailtrekker Movement

As mentioned, the Traiktrekker is powered by a Miyota 9075 movement. It features a GMT function where a 24-hour hand can indicate a second time zone. A 12-hour hand can be jumped independently to show the current local time while traveling through time zones, advancing the date, or moving it back as needed. A solid caseback protects the movement and depicts the trail trekkers for whom the watch is named.

The 9075 beats at 28,800 vph (8 beats per second) for up to 42 hours when fully wound. Nodus says that it regulates them in-house to achieve +/- 8 seconds per day of accuracy (standard is +30, -10). It features uni-directional winding. While you can't see the rotor, you can occasionally feel it free-spinning if you move your wrist quickly. The watch is well-balanced and sits low on the wrist, so I didn't notice it very often compared to other such watches.

GMT watches tend to be thicker than non-GMTs to allow space for the additional hand. I noticed that the Trailtrekker has tight gaps between the hands as well as the hour markers which helps contribute to its thinness. This is my first experience with a 9075 movement, so I'm not sure if it's something that Nodus improved over other brands.

The hour hand jumps more crisp and precise than I expected, making it satisfying to adjust. It's not as sharp as a Seiko 9F GMT, but satisfying for a watch at this price.

Conclusion

When the Trailtrekker was first released to the public, I read complaints about its similarity to the Rolex Explorer II. Yes, its bezel uses a similar design, but the hands and markers are different as well as the more sculpted case shape. In the review of the Grand Seiko SBGN003, its similarity to the Exp2 wasn't even something that crossed my mind. I like having a rotating bezel, but this design makes for the most legible and effective GMT watch.

Because of its low profile (visual as well as physical), the Trailtrekker'a appeal lies in its ability to take on anything. Scratch resistance, 200m of water resistance, and the ability to track time multiple time zones while traveling make it an ideal companion for all of your adventures.

At the time of this article, Nodus is out of stock of the Trailtrekker, but will be opening up ordering again in the future. Visit the Nodus website to sign up for notifications.

Nodus x Raven Trailtrekker Specifications:

Name: Nodus Trailtrekker - Clay
Reference Number: N/A
MSRP: $875
Diameter: 39.5mm
Height: 46.6mm
Thickness: 11.8mm
Lug Width: 20mm
Movement: Miyota 9075 GMT
Power Reserve: 42 hours
Water Resistance: 200m
Crystal: Box sapphire with blue anti-reflective coating on the underside
Crown: Screw-down
Bezel: Fixed 24-hr scale with cerakote ceramic coating
Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel, NodeX Clasp, QR springbars/olive drab ballistic nylon single-pass