I've been a G-Shock fan for a while, but after buying this watch, I am seriously rethinking my loyalties. For the same price or cheaper than an entry-level G-Shock, the Ironman Shock gets you the same basic functionality (stopwatch, countdown timer, light, alarms, 200m WR) and then some (30-lap memory, improved band design, superior legibility, user-friendly guided settings).

Let's break those improvements down a bit:

-The Ironman Shock has a 30-lap memory with its stopwatch, so you can time and review your laps or intervals rather than just your whole run/swim/bike. Want to know if you took that hill faster than you usually do? The Ironman Shock will tell you, a standard G-Shock will not.
-The band includes a notch for the keeper to rest in, so the keeper will not slide around but will do its job and hold the extra strap in place.
-Unlike G-Shocks, there is no excess visual flair (like redundant seconds counters) taking up space on the dial. The digits are large and legible, easy to read at a glance or from an angle.
-With a G-Shock, you either have to constantly refer to the user manual, use trial and error, or simply memorize the correct buttons to push in order to change the settings. The Ironman Shock guides you through any settings changes with blinking "next," "done," "+" and "-" markers to indicate which buttons you should push to do what. No more guesswork!

In addition, the Ironman Shock is a more convenient size than most G-Shocks. It's comparable in size to the DW5600 and significantly smaller than most of the other G-Shock models so you can actually wear it with long sleeves or a coat in winter.

No, the watch isn't solar-powered. It won't do your homework for you, either, even if you ask it very politely. But it's the best bang-for-your-buck sport watch out there. Casio would do well to learn from the user-friendly features that this watch packs, or the G-Shock may soon find itself dethroned.

P.S. I got my Ironman Shock for $35 from Wally World. Good luck finding a G-Shock that cheap.