Casio just gave the MUDMAN its biggest digital upgrade yet with an MIP display and smartphone notifications

Casio has given the ultra-tough G-Shock GDG-B100 a surprisingly modern upgrade.

The new MUDMAN keeps the mud, dust and shock resistance the line is known for, but adds a high-contrast MIP display, activity and training features, Bluetooth connectivity and even smartphone notifications.

It arrives at a relatively approachable £200, making it an interesting alternative to the considerably more expensive sensor-packed models elsewhere in Casio's Master of G family.

(Not to mention the Casio G-SHOCK "Blue Rose" MRG-D5000, which sells for £67,000.)

Its chunky bumper-style construction takes inspiration from off-road vehicles and survival equipment, with a multifaceted front bezel and rear bumper designed to protect the central case against impacts from multiple directions.

Casio has also used its Carbon Core Guard structure, with carbon fibre-reinforced resin helping increase rigidity while maintaining the airtight seals needed to keep mud, dust and water outside.

Gaskets around the button shafts provide another layer of protection, while the bezel and band interlock to strengthen the attachment points.

The caseback features the line's familiar mole mascot racing across rough terrain, while a tread-like pattern inspired by the character's boot appears across the dial and strap.

A much smarter MUDMAN

Casio has equipped the GDG-B100 with a Memory-in-Pixel (a.k.a. MIP) LCD, designed to provide clearer, higher-definition information than a conventional digital display, particularly outdoors and in bright light.

At night, the watch switches things up again with an automatic red LED backlight.

Casio says red illumination is gentler on the retina than bright white light and helps preserve the wearer's adaptation to darkness, which makes plenty of sense on a watch designed around night-time and outdoor use.

The company has also borrowed a few ideas from its more fitness-focused G-SQUAD watches, such as the Casio G-SQUAD PRO GSW-H1000.

The GDG-B100 can measure distance, speed, pace and estimated calories burned in addition to stopwatch timing, while a built-in accelerometer handles step counting.

It can also store up to 100 lap times and includes an interval timer with up to five programmable time settings.

Vibration alerts can tell you when you've reached certain elapsed-time or calorie targets without requiring you to constantly look at the screen.

Your phone can talk to it, too

Bluetooth brings another layer of functionality through the Casio Watches app.

Training sessions and daily activity data can be transferred to a smartphone, while the app also handles automatic time adjustment, watch settings and world time for around 300 cities.

Perhaps more unusually for a MUDMAN, the GDG-B100 can vibrate when the connected smartphone receives supported notifications, including incoming calls, emails, social media alerts, calendar notifications and reminders.

You aren't going to start replying to WhatsApp messages from your wrist, but it gives the watch a useful dose of smartwatch functionality without compromising the straightforward digital G-Shock experience.

Casio is launching the GDG-B100 in three outdoor-inspired colourways: black, dark green with orange accents, and a particularly good-looking sand-coloured strap with a black bezel.

All three versions of the G-Shock GDG-B100 MUDMAN cost £200 (~$270 / €230 / AU$410) at Casio in the UK and will be available from October.