If you’re like me and aren’t opposed to a little man bling, then you need to peruse the offerings from MTM Special Ops watches. The name says it all, with inspiration from the Special Ops community, these military timepieces feature exotic alloys, carbon fiber and a heavy dose of sex appeal. Last year at Shot Show, I found myself gravitating daily towards the MTM Special Ops watch booth and their stunning watch displays. Unfortunately for me, they were not handing out free samples. The Cobra model which instantly caught my eye is the biggest, baddest watch that MTM currently offers.
While in the Ranger Regiment, I utilized the good ole Casio G-Shock like everyone else. It was a good durable watch at a low price point but it did nothing aesthetically for me. Once I left the military and was earning a decent salary, I wanted more of a statement piece. Like a Breitling Super Avenger. With Swiss blood in my veins and love for aviation, it made perfect sense. Or so I thought. It also costs a shit ton of money and I quickly found myself wearing it less and less as fears of damage or loss crept into my head. Since then, I’ve bounced around various watch manufacturers looking for what I consider the perfect time piece. A watch that performs all the functions I feel are necessary yet won’t break the bank and is both durable and good-looking.
I settled on the Limited Edition MTM Cobra in a black DLC coating. This hefty time piece arrived in a tacti-cool Pelican style hard case and is individually numbered. The large 47.5mm case sculpted from a block of titanium is neither subtle, nor covert. In fact, it’s the largest watch I own. Although the MTM website states a weight of 7.1oz, my Cobra tipped the scales at 6.3oz after removing a few links from the bracelet. Removing metal links from a watch band typically involves a trip to the jeweler. Not the case with the titanium band from MTM. Link removal was a breeze with the supplied allen key taking me no more than 5 minutes to dial in the size.
The MTM Special Ops Cobra is a great daily driver looking good in various environments. Subdued enough not to compromise your position in a tactical setting, yet classy enough to accompany you for a night on the town. MTM Special Ops offers not only DLC Black, but brushed silver and sandblasted gray for a more traditional look. Furthermore, there are 5 different watch faces and dozens of watch bands in several colors and textures to choose from. MTM Special Ops offer more than a dozen different models, all with their own unique look and specific functions. MTM actually has a watch that can detect Gamma radiation with a Geiger-Muller tube! Great for your next vacation in Chernobyl. Watches range in price from under $300 to almost $2000. For me, that’s the price-range sweet spot.
This mammoth watch has been comfortably on my left wrist for over a month now. It’s been banged around on the construction sites, spent time sub surface on a shipwreck dive, engaged in shooting sports, out to dinner and even bitten by my dog. The MTM Cobra is a large overt watch that will get some attention. If you’re looking for something more covert, take a look at the other offerings from MTM, I’m sure you’ll find something that suits your needs. My addiction to watches may see the MTM Air Stryk 2 joining my ranks at some point.
