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The HELM 'Special Edition' Komodo

One for the Ladies? I Should Cocoa!

Those of you that read my ramblings will know that HELM watches have accompanied me on quite a few adventures over the years. Yes, I have other watches, but when you're up to your neck in mud, water, snow and ice, along with whatever else gets chucked at you, a tough, reliable watch tends to ease the situation somewhat. I have a Komodo and a Vanuatu, neither of which have ever let me down, but more than that, both watches when worn stay well inside -4/+6 seconds/day and for a Seiko NH35A, that's exceptional! My apologies, I'm digressing, I'll get back to how this 'Special Edition' Komodo came about. Some time back I managed to fall down a gully and in the process, scraped the case, along with the bezel insert on my Komodo; fortunately, the sapphire crystal remained unmarked. It had taken a hell of a knock, but even so, continued to keep perfect time. After a hot shower and a good cry, I sat looking at the the Komodo; it was certainly looking like I was feeling and I placed it in its box until I'd thought about it further. It was around the time that my other half's ORIS Aquis 36mm 300m needed servicing. I ordered some parts but they would be a week or so arriving, and then I had to rebuild the movement etc.

“I've got nothing to wear! Can I borrow your Seiko 1000m?” Julie chirped.

“No, but I'll find you something else.” I replied.

I grabbed the Komodo, stripped it, polished the case, re-brushed the bezel and polished the bezel insert. I then enamelled the caseback along with the bezel insert markings, all in gloss black two-pack epoxy. All this was done to make the Komodo a little more 'feminine' until I had Julie's ORIS back together. The following morning I rebuilt the Komodo and put it on a 5-ring ZULUDIVER.

I gave the watch to Julie and she loved it. After a few days she told me that she'd lost count of the compliments that the watch had received. Julie's an outdoor girl and most of our adventures are undertaken together. There are very few watches out there for the more adventurous female, and that gave me the idea to offer this feedback to Matt, the owner of HELM Watches. We chat on occasion about how the HELM watches are performing and how well they handle the harsh treatment. I explained the situation and sent a couple of images. Many months later Matt contacted me and said that he'd decided to build the Komodo and that he would get one over to Julie so that it could be field tested. The 'Special Edition' Komodo has a white dial, but in all other areas it's identical. This initial article is more of an introduction, and a full field test will be offered in a couple of months to see how it's performed on the wrist of an adventurous female. Right! Let's get on with it.

Same Old, Same Old?

The eagerly awaited package arrived and was identical to the previous HELM packages. It made me smile as I knew exactly what to expect. I turned over the box to reveal the HELM 'trademark'; this comes by the way of 'TOP' written on the box. Matt writes this on the box so that everything is in the correct position when opened, ensuring that the unboxing experience offers almost as much pleasure as the moment the watch is revealed from under the HELM cloth. The hand written card, pressure test card, stickers and booklet are all enclosed in a black HELM envelope. This attention to detail starts the moment you hold the package, and continues throughout. It's at this point that you start to realise why there's a waiting list for every HELM watch. 

I observed Julie's excitement as she unboxed the 'Special Edition' Komodo, this process gave me almost as much pleasure as seeing her face light up when the cloth was removed. This is the third time I've been through this and it still makes me smile! I unscrewed the crown and gave it half a dozen turns; the Seiko NH35A burst into life, awakening the dragon at the same time. I then set the time & date before giving it back to Julie. Later that evening I placed it on the timegrapher in the dial-up position; the readings were 0.1 m/sec. beat error and +1 sec./day. Now, Matt tells me that he doesn't do anything to these movements. I'll leave you to decide, but that's the third!

The Concept

I feel that I need to explain the reasoning behind this watch so that it can be fully understood. The Komodo is quite a chunky watch; I won't go into all the measurements as these can be taken straight from the HELM website if required. The Komodo's reputation for toughness precedes it, and needs no further embellishment from me. It's this very reason that the Komodo 'Special Edition' remains fundamentally unchanged; it's just been 'feminised' a little in its appearance so that a lady can not only wear it on her adventures, but continue to wear it when out to dinner later on. Think of this Komodo as you would the original, but with a twinkle in its eye.

Incredibly Surprising

I was expecting the 'Special Edition' Komodo to be, well, quite 'female'. I held the Komodo and immediately warmed to it. After a few seconds my thoughts turned to having my legs waxed along with three months of hormone therapy. Julie snatched it back, returning me to reality. Later I tried it on and, to my surprise, it really looked well on my wrist and not 'feminine' at all. On Julie, it took on a completely different appearance, noticeably feminine, but with a definite presence; you can't help but look at it.  A watch rarely manages to pull this off.

The Komodo Bracelet

The Komodo arrived with a selection of straps, along with the Komodo bracelet. This is a parallel bracelet (20mm) and the clasp has a fold-over locking tab ensuring that once it's closed, it's going nowhere; it also has six micro-adjustment holes to ensure a perfect fit. Solid end links along with screw-pin removable links are what's expected from HELM and well, you know the rest. I asked Julie what she wanted it on and, to my surprise, she said, “The bracelet.” Now, this takes a bit of pulling off but I went along with it; I adjusted it so that the fit was perfect, not too tight but no movement whatsoever. It really looks well on her and she says that the extra weight is unnoticeable after a couple of hours. Any male will tell you that a woman is never wrong, so there you have it!

Who's the 'Special Edition' Komodo for?

It's for those that get out there and do stuff! It's for those that climb mountains, go caving, mountain biking, exploring, surfing, diving and snorkelling. But more importantly, it's for all those females that do it all and want to sparkle afterwards. I'm not going to tell you that this watch is for every female, it's not. The 'Special Edition' Komodo maintains absolutely 100% of its design criteria, 100% of its toughness and 100% of its enviable, hard-earned reputation. Indeed, this relentless pursuit of indestructibility does come at a cost, and that cost is the Komodo's chunkiness. Of course, I'm biased but Julie isn't, so watch this space! I'm secretly hoping that she doesn't like it; I'm sure that I can find her something else.

The Big Question: When?

Matt tells me that the 'Special Edition' Komodo will be available on the HELM website from the 28th August! I suspect that they'll go quite quickly and a waiting list will follow. I'm aware, like everyone else, that being on a waiting list is disappointing, but the HELM waiting list is genuine and transparent. Are HELM watches worth the wait? I've been involved in field testing both the Komodo and the Vanuatu and I've never encountered any problems whatsoever with either, and they've both been where many other watches wouldn't last five minutes! Look on the 'wait' as your guarantee of absolute performance under any conditions. The wait will soon pass, but the pleasure of owning and wearing a HELM on life's adventures will continue for many years. HELM has built an enviable reputation, but this hasn't come from aggressive advertising, it's come from producing almost indestructible watches at an affordable price. Their performance under exceptionally tough conditions is becoming legendary and now, that same uncompromising performance is available to those adventurous females that other watch manufacturers have chosen to overlook.   

The Last Word

Well, there isn't one! A full review will follow and that will cover just how Julie's getting on with the Komodo, how it wears along with all the other stuff. By that time, I'm sure that others will have their own thoughts and adventures to shout about!

Take a look at HELM Watches for yourself and see what you think. 

The OctoPod! 

The only watch strap you'll ever need!

We've all struggled from time to time with obtaining the perfect fit; our wrist diameter changes throughout the day due to temperature, not to mention the changes brought about by participating in various activities such as running, mountain biking, hiking and the suchlike. Generally, watch straps are quite inflexible, indeed, this is why we experience the problem in the first place. Rubber straps offer a little give but can become somewhat uncomfortable by the end of the day, and elastic straps tend not to support the more 'chunky' types of watch sufficiently, allowing them to feel a little unstable when moving quickly. The other problem that often presents itself is that the clasp/buckle rarely sits in exactly the right place on the underside of your wrist; this tends to constantly ease the watch away from the desired position. Well! Not with the OctoPod system. The position of the clasp is infinitely variable and once set remains there, ensuring that your watch stays where you would like it to be rather than where the watch would like to be!

So! What's Different?

Generally, on the face of it, very little! It's not until you delve a little deeper that the OctoPod system starts to tick all the boxes, it then goes on to tick boxes that you didn't know were even there! How can this be? It's a strap and a clasp! I'm sure that many will wonder how an elastic strap manages to tick any boxes at all with any degree of success! Let's break it down and find out why.

Quality & Design

The first thing is that it's from ZULUDIVER, so little more needs to be said on the quality front. Those that have used ZULUDIVER straps will know exactly what I'm getting at here. The strap itself is one-piece and looks identical to a single pass NATO strap without the hardware. The strap passes through both spring-bars in the same way that a NATO does and, this being the case, the increased security is maintained should you manage to pop a spring-bar. No tools are required to attach the strap to the clasp either and it's infinitely adjustable; once correctly adjusted for tension, no more needs to be done. The elastane exerts just the right amount of force to hold even the 'beefiest' of watches in place while still remaining incredibly comfortable, even when worn continually for a few days; it doesn't pluck all the hairs out of your wrist either! The clasp material is made from 316L austenitic stainless steel and has a twin-button release, this means that both buttons have to be depressed at the same time in order to release the clasp. The clasp is curved and follows, as much as possible, the shape of your wrist, while the strap blends seamlessly at either end.

What Else?

The clasp is part of the OctoPod system and is of deployment design so it doesn't actually come apart when released; this ensures, with the assistance of the strap itself, that in the extremely unlikely event that both buttons are depressed accidentally, the strap retracts and the watch doesn't fall off! These are just little things that often go completely unnoticed! The clasp material, as we've already covered is 316L and almost completely impervious to salt water, so much so that 316L is termed 'Marine Grade' stainless steel. The strap material is also completely at home in salt or fresh water, indeed, the strap material takes mud, dust, sand and grit in it's stride; all that's required is a good wash in the sink when you're done.

The Cherry on the Cake

Being a diver, one of my biggest gripes is my watch becoming loose at depth due to the compression of the suit or glove. If I dive in a dry-suit I normally prefer a cuff dump, that means that my watch has to be below the dump valve or it will impede the flow of air out of the suit when ascending. When it's below the dump it's on the neoprene glove, and that compresses with depth resulting in the watch becoming slack during your time at depth. A slack watch gets caught on equipment, not to mention a myriad of other things when diving in or around wrecks. If I dive in a wet or semi-dry suit I have the same problem. The OctoPod system eliminates all these problems without any further adjustment! It expands to accommodate the suit, glove or both on the surface and then contracts when at depth; on ascending it expands again. The watch stays exactly where it's placed for the entire dive. If I'm in the mountains during winter and using my watch as a navigational timer, I often wear it over my cold weather clothing; the OctoPod will no doubt deal with this situation also, again, requiring no further adjustment!

Any Watch?

I've tested the OctoPod on two watches, the first was a Seiko 1000m 'Golden Tuna' and the second was a Christopher Ward Trident Elite 1000m Titanium GMT. Both 'chunky' watches and both with 22mm lug width. Both watches were held in position perfectly once the OctoPod was adjusted correctly. Both watches were used during land based adventures and the 'Golden Tuna 1000m' worn while diving. I've worn both watches on the OctoPod during cross-country runs and never felt that either watch was 'bouncing about' on my wrist. As part of the test both watches were also worn for three days and two nights continuously without removal; both watches remained comfortable throughout and left no marks on my wrist. I would consider that to be a reasonable test of any strap system!

Could it be Better?

To be honest, it's difficult to see how. There are a multitude of different colour ways for the straps, with no doubt more planned as time ticks by, and the clasp is available in brushed self-colour or brushed black PVD depending on your preference. The straps are easily changed without the need for any tools whatsoever and you can clean the lot in the sink! I suppose ZULUDIVER could supply it complete with a lovely young lady that placed it on your wrist each morning! It's certainly a nice thought but I just can't see it going down a storm with the wife, and as winter creeps ever closer you'll be much better off sleeping inside the house.

The Last Word

Joking apart, these are my thoughts on the OctoPod system as it copes with my personal lifestyle. For the past 25 years or so I've been a full time adventurer so my gear has to work, often in extreme environments. As it stands at the moment, I'm sold on it! It's trouble-free, comfortable and does everything that I require of it. On returning home it goes in the sink along with the watch where it gets a good scrubbing in warm, soapy water with a toothbrush before a rinse under the cold tap. It's then dried with a cloth and placed back on. Oh yes! I almost forgot, the whole thing looks good as well! Being a ZULUDIVER I'm sure that it will stand the test of time but as yet, I can't actually vouch for that. I'm as interested as everyone else to see what it's like after six months or so of use; if it's still good after diving, climbing, hiking, mountaineering, travelling, mountain biking and cross-country running it'll get the full thumbs-up! I'll pen an update in a few months revealing the final verdict, but as of now I'm exceptionally impressed. The OctoPod has got to be the most significant jump forward in strap design in recent years. Yes, it's the real deal, and no 'stretch' of the imagination required! Apologies, low-hanging fruit and all that, you know how it is.

Only from ZULUDIVER. Well, who else?

The HELM Vanuatu. 

Absolutely Bulletproof!

Recently, Matt very kindly sent over a HELM Vanuatu to accompany me on future adventures. I already had a HELM Komodo that he sent over some time back and I admit to being intrigued as to how that one could be topped. I've done various articles on the Komodo should anyone be interested and with that in mind I'll say no more. The postwoman arrived and handed me the box. The norm in the UK since Covid-19 is that they now take a photo of you holding the package in order to confirm its delivery instead of the usual signature; I did offer to have a shave and change into more appropriate attire for the impending photo-shoot, but apparently this was superfluous to requirements.

I placed the package on the kitchen table and removed the outer cover, revealing the plain, brown box within. I immediately saw 'TOP' written on the box and smiled to myself; it was almost like I'd been transported back in time to the opening of the Komodo. Matt writes 'TOP' on the box so that the unwrapping process is as pleasurable as possible, ensuring that everything is presented in the correct manner; it's nothing much in itself but more of a taste of things to come. Next up is the watch box itself, encased in a cardboard sleeve with the HELM logo on it. Once the sleeve has been removed and the lid eased away, a black envelope is visible; this contains the instruction manual, a hand written note, warranty card, pressure test card and a couple of HELM stickers. The removal of the envelope reveals the clear-wrapped engineer bracelet and a HELM cloth that covers the face of the watch; even the cloth has been folded so that the HELM logo is prominent! Once removed, the watch presents itself on an additional strap that's fastened around a cushion in order to keep the watch in the desired position. This unboxing experience is up there with the very best. Further inspection reveals three spare spring-bars and two spare threaded pins for the bracelet. Yes! I did say threaded pins. The engineer bracelet has threaded pins in all removable links as well as solid end links that are complete with their own spring-bars! A quality screwdriver is also included in the package just underneath the bracelet to assist in the required adjustments. I'm sure you know where all this is going and it's not been removed from the box yet! Did I expect anything less? No, not really, because I'd had exactly the same experience with the Komodo some three years earlier. But why comment on the packaging? We used to have a saying many years ago when I worked for Rolls-Royce/Bentley Motors, 'Perfection is the road, not the destination.' and that just about sums this up; Matt's attention to detail is evident from the moment you remove the protective shipment cover and it doesn't stop there, in fact, we haven't really started yet!

Moving Forward

All this and it's not out of the box yet! I know I'm going on a bit but I've worn and dived in a Rolex Sea-Dweller and later, a Submariner for well over twenty years, so for me to bang-on about a microbrand diver means that it's a little bit special. But just how special? I could go on about all sorts of things here but all you need to do is to take a look at the YouTube reviews and you'll get the picture. So! What more can I offer after all those spectacular reviews? Well, the reviews offer a great insight into all the dimensions, the quality, the luminosity, etc. etc. but I've actually used both HELM watches in anger so to speak, and can offer information that the reviewers can't. The Komodo has been diving, climbing, mountaineering, caving, mountain biking, cross-country running etc. and it's coped with the lot, keeping accurate time throughout. The Vanuatu has been diving already, in fact, I used it while filming a TV documentary on pirate treasure off the coast of Cornwall recently. It will go on to endure similar hardships to the Komodo and I have no doubt whatsoever that it'll come through without even breaking a sweat.

Waiting List

You don't often associate waiting lists with microbrand watches; HELM are obviously at the forefront here as well! I believe that another company are even making a homage of the Vanuatu so that you can have one now! Matt won't compromise on quality in order to increase production and that's your guarantee that you're getting something a little bit special. Wait your turn and you will not be disappointed! I consider myself exceptionally fortunate to have two HELM watches, a Komodo and a Vanuatu but would I be prepared to wait? Before Matt sent the Komodo, no, perhaps not, but now I've used one I'd definitely wait! When you embark on an adventure you have to rely on your equipment; your watch is a valuable part of that equipment, not only to inform you of the time but also, on occasion, for navigational purposes. Confidence has to be built over time and the Komodo has done that already. The Vanuatu now starts from a privileged position so to speak, and I'm more than confident in its ability to stand its ground; what concerns me more is my ability to stand along with it!

What's So Special?

That's quite a difficult question to answer, because on the face of it there's nothing that's really outstanding about it. It's only when you get down to those small details that often go unnoticed that the Vanuatu stands head and shoulders above many other watches costing more than four times the price! But why? The vast majority of watches are designed to sell rather than actually perform; HELM watches are designed to perform, and they sell as a by-product of this. People are now associating HELM with watches that are guaranteed to perform, and as such, demand is high.

Back to the Vanuatu

Enough waffle; let's get down to it! I'm not going to go over the dimensions etc. as all those are available on the HELM website as well as the myriad of YouTube reviews. When looking at a tool watch, we need to adjust the way we view things; the whole purpose of a tool watch is to perform, and that places quite severe restrictions upon the aesthetics of the design. The Vanuatu is predominantly a diving instrument, so much so that it complies to ISO 6425. The Vanuatu's rated depth is 300m and it's been pressure tested to a depth of 375m (300m + 25% = 375m) in order to conform to that standard; this is your guarantee that the Vanuatu will remain functional in any situation that you're likely to find yourself in, be it above or below the surface! The 120 click uni-directional bezel is perfectly aligned, firm, smooth to operate and has no slack or spring-back whatsoever; even with gloves on, positioning is quick and accurate. Readability is outstanding, above or below the waterline and those large baton hands deliver the time in a mere glance; the flat, sapphire crystal ensures no distortion when looking directly at it underwater. The case is quite beefy, but no more so than any other tool watch and although it's quite chunky it never seems to get in the way. The luminosity is incredible on the Vanuatu, just as it is on the Komodo; if we disregard fully lumed dials and tritium illumination, HELM are among the best, if not 'the' best, regardless of price or pedigree. The 'engineer' bracelet is exceptional in finish and quality; all removable links are screw pins and the end links are solid. The clasp is beefy without being cumbersome in any way and has six micro adjustable positions but no dive extension. Why no dive extension? Well, as a diver I always dive with a Zulu strap for the extra security of it passing through both spring-bars, and as the case has drilled lugs, changing from one to the other is an absolute doddle. The HELM spring-bars are some of the best I've seen on any watch and are well up to the job of keeping the watch where it should be, on your wrist! This is the case wherever you are and whatever you may be doing.

How Practical?

Incredibly practical! It's not a dress watch by any means, and it doesn't pretend to be one, but that said, it's no ugly duckling either! It fits under a shirtsleeve comfortably and it's worth remembering that the people who would buy and use this type of watch may only put on a suit a few times a year anyway, the rest of the time it's always the right tool for the job! I know some worry that the Vanuatu may be a little too large for them, but I'm no 'master of the universe' with a wrist circumference of 6.5” (16,5cm) and it sits there totally unnoticed; even when cross-country running there's no movement or discomfort whatsoever. On the subject of practical, the anti-reflective coating is clear and on the underside of the crystal only; this is no accident or cost-cutting exercise! I know that many will not understand the importance of this, but on a proper tool watch the manufacturer understands that the watch will get knocked and banged, almost on a daily basis and anti-reflective coatings can, and will get scratched when on the upper side of the crystal, leaving unsightly marks. This is just another small detail that sets HELM watches apart from the 'pretenders' in the category. Another is the bezel insert; a black, PVD coated, stainless steel insert is fitted; you won't break this! The top of the watch is completely flat, with no step whatsoever between the edge of the crystal and the bezel; this protects the edge of the crystal from chipping. The old saying 'Takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin.' hold true with the entire watch.

Stainless Steel or Titanium?

Matt gave me the option of either and I chose the stainless steel. People go on about titanium picking up scratches all the time and looking a mess but this really isn't the case at all. I have three titanium watches and all three are pristine, despite accompanying me on many trips in the mountains and underwater. Yes, they do pick up marks more readily, but they re-finish easier! If your intention is to wear the Vanuatu on the engineer bracelet I'd go for the titanium option, but if, like me, you wear it on other straps that increase the security under extreme conditions, the stainless steel option is virtually unnoticeable on you wrist. Whichever option you go for one thing is certain, you won't be disappointed!

The Last Word

If you want a watch that will accompany you to the ends of the earth and hopefully, back again, look no further. Initially, with the Komodo I was a little concerned about the movement, a Seiko NH35A. I need not have worried; this movement is almost bulletproof. The Komodo has stood some hefty knocks and bangs and never missed a beat. It runs at 21,600 VPH, is hackable and hand winding. It states that the accuracy is -20 / +40 seconds a day but both of mine perform within +1 / +6 seconds a day, pretty much regardless of what stress they're subjected to. I accept that I may have been lucky with the Komodo, but two in a row? I'm not a gambling man but perhaps I should consider buying a lottery ticket! I know that you'll all be interested to see how it may compare to a Sea-Dweller or Submariner. Well, you can't really compare these in any sensible way. I eventually sold mine because I really didn't like what Rolex has allowed itself to become and, like many others, no longer wished to be associated with the brand; it was nothing to do with their truly excellent sports watches. On performance alone, both the Komodo and the Vanuatu have performed impeccably under the same harsh conditions, just as my Sea-Dweller and Submariner did; it would be interesting to see just how far either HELM would go against the Sea-Dweller or Submariner, but I guess we'll never find out. In short, HELM watches measure up and deliver on their design concept 100%, and there's not many things nowadays that you can say that about! You may have to wait for a HELM, but look at it this way. One HELM, a million adventures! A quick word on the lume shot; try as I did I couldn't get it any better. In reality, everything is razor sharp and crystal clear, it also remains perfectly legible through the entire night.

Oh yes! For the female adventurers that are far too often forgotten by watch companies, there may just be something special coming your way from HELM!