When we launched the Nixon Heat in 2021, we were proud of the fact that at 8.5mm in thickness, it was the thinnest 10 ATM digital sports watch on the market. Today, five years later... that's still true!
Usually, claims on being the "best" at something don't last very long. But we're proud that the Heat's thinness claim still stands, all these years later.
If you've never gotten your hands on a Nixon Heat, it having an 8.5mm thin case might not sound very impressive. But once you throw one on your wrist, you begin to see why the Heat continues to be a popular choice for athletes who want a watch that's capable and low profile.
In this post, we'll cover why thinness matters in sports watches, especially for water sports.
Let's dive in (pun intended).
Why Thin and Waterproof Don't Usually Mix
Typically, a more robust water rating means that you have a more robust watch case. If a watch needs to withstand high pressure to survive normal use, that requires it to have strong gaskets, casebacks and crystals.
And strong usually means "thick".
Dive watches, like the 30 ATM 51-30 Chrono, are typically pretty thick. They are built big to help them withstand big pressure.
The Heat takes the opposite approach.
The Heat has a 38mm stainless steel case that measures just 8.5mm thick while still carrying a full 100 meter / 10 ATM water rating. That means it can handle swimming, surfing, duck dives, and general ocean abuse without the bulk you'd expect from that kind of rating.
To achieve this, we built the Heat with a solid stainless steel screw-down caseback, screw pin lugs, and stainless steel pushers protected by hardened mineral crystal. At the time, it was a more deliberate construction approach than just stacking on thickness for peace of mind.
And that still holds true.
What's Actually Inside the Watch Case
The Heat runs a custom high-contrast LCD module that's genuinely built for athletes, not just people who want a slim digital watch for looks.
And the thin profile of the Nixon Heat isn't hiding a stripped-down watch, either. Sure, it's not as fancy as an Apple Watch... but, for people who just want the basics from a digital watch, the Heat comes pre-loaded with all the essentials.
Functions of this digital watch for men and women include:
- Time of day with a second time zone
- Day and date with an auto calendar through 2099
- A full chronograph
- Multiple preset timers plus custom timer setting options
- A 60-second "SEND IT" countdown notification for the final push before a workout or heat ends
- An EL backlight that activates by pressing both pushers at once, useful for reading the display underwater or in low light
Those timers are dedicated to surfers, runners and people training in the gym, allowing athletes to track heat time or interval time without fumbling through menus. The "SEND IT" alert at the 60-second mark is a small detail, but it's the kind of thing that only gets designed in by people who actually use the product in its intended setting.
Built for the Wrist, Not Just the Spec Sheet
The case is only half the story.
We also paired the Heat with a 20mm injection molded rubber strap featuring a perforated design for breathability and a double locking looper system. This system helps the Heat stay put during hard movement instead of flopping around.
The rubber watch strap is connected to the stainless steel watch case via screw bar with a free swing band type, keeping things secure without adding bulk back into the equation.
At roughly 181 grams total, the Heat sits in that sweet spot where you forget you're wearing a water-rated instrument at all. That's the tradeoff most 100m digital watches never quite land: either they're thin and compromise the rating, or they hit the rating and end up feeling like you strapped a small brick to your wrist.
The Heat is one of the few watches that doesn't ask you to choose.
The Nixon Heat proves that a 100 meter / 10 ATM water rating doesn't have to come with bulk.
An 8.5mm stainless steel case, a genuinely useful digital module built around timers and chronograph functions, and a strap designed to stay locked in during hard movement add up to a watch that's still the thinnest in its class.
If you want proof that thin and tough aren't mutually exclusive, this is the watch that makes the case.
