[pct-l] Good Altimeter Watch

[eric lee]

I agree with Lonetrail, Suunto is the way to go. I've been working in 
outdoor retail for the past 3.5 years and the Suunto altimeter watches have 
the fewest problems and returns. Also their customer service is wonderful, 
they can replace basically every part of the watch if needed. I own an 
X6(expensive but lower profile and pretty accurate).

That being said, all altimeter watches will fluctuate even while you are 
stationary, just because of weather patterns. No watch(in any sort of range 
you'll want to spend) is going to be consistently accurate within 10ft. I 
use my Suunto in the Sierras all the time, and usually I calibrate it 
two-three times a day, it can be off by a couple hundred feet after 4000ft+ 
elev change if I don't. A GPS unit with a barometric altimeter is probably 
the most accurate general consumer product, though this will cost around 
$200 and isn't always on. The Suunto Vector is my recommendation for an 
afordable reliable altimeter watch.

Eric


>From: Lonetrail at aol.com
>To: stewjohns at comcast.net, pct-l at mailman.backcountry.net
>Subject: Re: [pct-l] Good Altimeter Watch
>Date: Fri, 7 Jul 2006 19:31:37 EDT
>
>
>
>
>Campmore is difficult on returns. I don't buy from them anymore. I have the
>Suunto and live by it on trail. I do find it necessary to always check with
>topo  map while on trail. They all go off to a degree. I notice when 
>battery is
>getting weak it goes way off.
>
>Lonetrail
>
>
>
>
>
>In a message dated 7/7/2006 4:25:36 PM Pacific Standard Time,
>stewjohns at comcast.net writes:
>
>Ok, I  bought this Altimeter watch from Campmore.  Its the Silva OC1 
>Outdoor
>Computer watch.  Well, it's junk.  I mean, the Altitude function for  which 
>I
>bought it for, is way off.  I set it for my home-town Altitude of  615 ft,
>and it says 547 ft.  Oh I can compensate for it, but what's the  point?  I 
>want
>something more accurate.  I know that the altitude is  dependent on the
>barometric pressure at the time, and I can accept that, but  jeez, you 
>should at
>least be able to set the correct reference altitude for  your location. 
>Even the
>time function loses 1 min over 24 hours, and I find  this unacceptable.  
>This
>watch costs $150.00, and I think you should get  better accuracy than this 
>for
>that kind of money.
>
>So here is my  question.  What is a good, and I mean really accurate
>Altimeter watch to  get, and how much is it going to cost me to get the 
>accuracy I
>need.
>
>Thanks in advance
>
>Doc  Holiday
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