Freestyle Shark b-cross

Today it's time for another of my Freestyle watches, and another LCD model.

Working out a model name on the Freestyle watches is always a little challenging. This says Night Vision on the face, but after a bit of research that seems to just mean that the watch has an el-backlight. The strap has the name b-cross (maybe b cross) and bX, so I think this may be the name (or specific line) as it doesn't refer to a feature of the watch. The watch is also one of the Freestyle Shark line which are mainly aimed at surfers (and are the "raddest watches in the universe"), although I think this may be for snowboarders. The reason I think this is a snowboarders watch is that the name b cross and bX can refer to the sport Boardercross (snowboard cross) which is a downhill snowboard race for 4 simultaneous racers which includes various jumps and sharp turns. This use would fit with the very secure fabric strap with two fastening mechanisms (both clip and velcro) which would be suitable for cold weather and rough use. The watch is also white and clear colours, which fits with a snow and ice theme.

The case is similar to the other Freestyle Shark watches I've blogged with the same shape and plastic screw-on bezel around the LCD glass. Both the Freestyle and Shark logos are on the face above and below the LCD. The back has the Freestyle USA logo with the statement that this is a "high performance timing machine" (and that the back is stainless steel and the watch was made in China).

The LCD has two lines of 6 digits, with the first digit on the top line being different to show letters for the day. For modes, it has a stopwatch, alarm, and timer which all use the top line, leaving the bottom line to keep displaying the time.

Freestyle USA have been making watches for around the last 30 years, so it's difficult to age the watches without finding them specifically online (which is almost impossible due to the lack of model name/number). For this watch, I think it is one of their 90s LCD models, but it could be newer. A 90s date may also fit with the first Boardercross event in 1991, or the sports inclusion in the Winter X-Games from 1997.