By Wesley Wright
A Day with RZE and A Blog to Watch
A few months ago, Huiy from RZE texted me asking if I wanted to go on a small hike and hang out for the day. Before learning any of the other details, I said yes. A day with Huiy and a hike sounded awesome.
A few days later, more information came through, and I found out that we would be taking part in a small press trip with Ariel Adams and Ripley Sellers from A Blog to Watch. The trip would centre around the unveiling of the RZE UTD-8000 Project Forest edition.
With every new detail, I grew increasingly excited. Now it wasn’t just a hike and a chance to hang out; I would also get to spend time with two watch-community legends and be part of a new model release. Hell yes, I was in.
Fast-forward to June, and the day had finally arrived. Ariel, Ripley and Huiy had flown in the day before and held a small event at Roldorf, answering questions from the local community. Huiy had also roped in a close friend of mine, videographer Julian Fok (@4thdimension.pics), to come along and shoot some cool footage.
Julian picked me up that morning in his awesome 1977 Mini, and we jetted off to North Vancouver to meet the rest of the crew.
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Key Features of the RZE UTD-8000 Project Forest
Project Forest
Before heading to our first destination, we each got to choose the watch we would wear on our little adventure. I had arrived wearing my Arken Alterum, but I wasn’t about to turn down the opportunity to throw on a UTD-8000.
Huiy showed me a few options before pulling out the Project Forest model. If you haven’t read my work before, there is something you should know about me: I love anything green. It is my favourite colour. The moment this watch came out of the bag, I knew I had to wear it.
With our watches chosen, we packed up and made our way to the base of Cypress Mountain for our hike to Bowen Lookout.
After admiring the scenery for a bit, we took the obligatory wrist shots and gathered the UTDs together for a group photo on a nearby bench. While we were taking pictures, a very friendly—and very brave—chipmunk decided to get a closer look at what we were doing. Needless to say, it was a truly British Columbia experience.
Once we had taken in the view a few more times and snapped some pictures of the Steller’s jays, we began our descent. We ended our time at Bowen Lookout with a curated selection of Canadian snacks, including butter tarts and Hawkins Cheezies, along with some local T&T favourites such as dried jujube fruit.
Once we were fuelled by national pride, we set off for our next destination.
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No trip to British Columbia is complete without driving the Sea to Sky Highway, so we made our way up to Squamish for another viewpoint.
A quick aside: this highway is already an insanely fun experience, with its incredible scenery, but travelling it in the classic Mini made it even more exciting. Pinging off the limiter and hearing the exhaust scream through the valley was exhilarating.
We eventually reached the Sea to Sky Gondola, where we hopped aboard and rode to the summit for the suspension bridge and viewpoint. Once at the top, we crossed the bridge, which hangs a daunting 213 feet above the ground but makes for some awesome photos.
The viewpoint offers a different perspective from Bowen Lookout. From there, you can admire the beautiful mountain ranges lining the opposite side of Howe Sound, along with the town of Squamish itself.
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After making our way back down, we stopped for Indian food in Squamish, which was absolutely banging, and finished the evening in the most Canadian way possible: at Tim Hortons.
We had to introduce Ripley and Ariel to Canada’s classic coffee shop, so we grabbed some coffee and a box of Timbits. I also needed to point out the objectively best doughnut in the box, the Sour Cream Glazed—I won’t accept any other answer—and make sure they tried a classic Iced Capp.
Once we had demolished the box of fried gluttony and drained our cups, we said our goodbyes. Before leaving, Julian and I removed our loaner UTDs and handed them back to Huiy.
I found this useful both when initially fitting the watch to my wrist and throughout the day as my wrist expanded and contracted. I had a salty lunch.
That was the thing about the UTD. Throughout this big day of adventure, I had used it for its intended purpose: as a tool. Nothing more, nothing less.
It timed our hikes perfectly, helped me keep track of where we were in the day’s schedule and melted away on my wrist when I didn’t need it. The combination of the titanium case and the new elastic-and-rubber strap made it feel almost weightless.
It allowed me to embrace the “use your tools” ethos that so many tool watches encourage but do not always achieve. The UTD-8000 was the perfect companion for our day of adventure, and the setting could not have been better suited to the debut of the new Project Forest colourway.
A big thank you to Huiy from RZE for setting everything up and including me in the festivities; to Ariel and Ripley for being so welcoming and open to adventure; and, finally, to Julian for being my ride and lending me some camera gear to capture the day’s many memorable moments.
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Check it out for yourself
To see more of the RZE UTD-8000 Project Forest, visit the RZE website. The watch is available beginning today.
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About the Author
Based in Vancouver, BC, Wesley shares his passion for watches, photography, and EDC through his Instagram, @wesandwatches. With a strong interest for innovation within horology, he dives deep into brands with compelling stories, thoughtful design, and standout personalities. Beyond watches, Wesley keeps a close eye on men’s fashion and is an avid automotive enthusiast.
Off The Cuff articles are full-length, hands-on reviews of the watch in question and represent the opinion of the author only. All photos are original, unless specified otherwise. If you would like to have your watch reviewed on this site, contact us here.
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