[pct-l] Lets Talk High-End Watches

jason moores jmmoores at hotmail.com
Fri Jan 14 00:22:44 CST 2011 

I received a Pathfinder as a birthday present a few years back. I've found all of the functions to be well within my expectations for a watch. Monitoring the altimeter last year on Fuller Ridge helped keep us on trail. I've found my Casio to be more accurate than my previous watches and find myself re-calibrating it less often. That is not to say that I never need to re-cal., but I don't find it a chore on the trail since I'm often referencing altitude data. Knowing that changes to barometric pressure alters the watches accuracy keeps me from getting frustrated over it, it's of little concern. I know that if I will be relying on the altim. or compass I check them before hand. I don't really route find with the compass but having a quick reference helps from time to time. Until I find a watch that doesn't rely on barometric pressure, the Casio will do just fine.

Jackass


> Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2011 20:22:06 -0800
> From: treerings at gmail.com
> To: completewalker at gmail.com
> CC: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Lets Talk High-End Watches
> 
> I have a Casio Pathfinder. It has compass, altitude, temperature, barometric
> pressure, time zones, atomic time updated daily, and is solar powered. All
> watches calculate altitude from temperature and pressure. When barometric
> pressure changes the altitude reading will also change, doesn't matter what
> watch brand. Therefore it's necessary to recalibrate along trail. During
> summer, for the most part, air pressure changes little along the PCT so not
> an issue. I think the Casio is much better in $$ than Suunto (and Suunto
> looks too much like a diver's watch). Can't argue that a GPS unit is the
> best way to go, but they're fiscally and gravitationally costly.
> 
> On Thu, Jan 13, 2011 at 4:59 PM, Yoshihiro Murakami <
> completewalker at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > Dear Paul
> >
> > Casio releases so many slightly different models every year, that most
> > people cannot discern which is the latest model. This type of watch is
> > called "Pro Trek" in Japan.  The reasons of  the cheapness of REI are
> > the thickness, not solar powered, not corresponded to electric wave,
> > and it may be a old model. But, the exactness of sensors must be
> > similar to recent models.
> >
> > I have a basic model of "Pro Trek" ( Pathfinder ).
> > http://psycho01.edu.u-toyama.ac.jp/PB292098.jpg I had selected my
> > watches based on some basic mechanism.
> >  1. slim and light ( and plastic belt type is cheap)
> >  2. solar powered ( You need not worry about the battery consumption. )
> >  3. triple sensors ( The performance may be the same in all models )
> >  4. multiband ( Time is automatically corrected by the electric wave
> > in USA, Japan etc., I bought this type of model before the flight to
> > USA )
> >
> > The majority of hiker in Japan wear "Pro Trek" ( Pathfinder ).  There
> > are many variations in this models, from the cheap plastic models  to
> > the expensive titan models. The performance is almost same.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > 2011/1/14 Paul Robison <paulrobisonhome at yahoo.com>:
> > > if you hang it off your pack the temperature would be accurate, but the
> > altitude
> > > would not.
> > >
> > > ... the compass's have worked great,  as does the compass on my 22$
> > timex, btw.
> > >
> > > for altitude, i did a 3 day, two night hike with my pathfinder... and
> > when i
> > > returned to my starting point my elevation was off 450 feet to what it
> > said when
> > > i started.  standing at the car,  exact same point.
> > > ... basically useless for any kind of navigating,  finding where you are
> > on a
> > > contour map etc.
> > >
> > > i didn't use the suunto long enough to knwo how quickly it degrades, but
> > it's
> > > essentially the same sensor,  the only difference is, the altitude is
> > 'locked'
> > > when you are standing still ...  so weather changes while you sleep won't
> > throw
> > > it off come morning.  weather changes while you walk still will
> > obviously.
> > >
> > > by contrast my GPS not only shows me my elevation;  but it has halfmile's
> > maps
> > > on it,  so it shows me right where i am,  and says i am "mile 122.5,  6.7
> > miles
> > > from next camp-sight,  and 3 hrs 22 minutes until sunset"  makes planning
> > your
> > > day a non issue.
> > > the convenience is awesome ...  i will carry it for the tougher sections
> > and
> > > bounce it ahead when i feel comfortable.
> > >
> > > ~Paul
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ________________________________
> > > From: John Casterline <tnx4asking at gmail.com>
> > > To: Paul Robison <paulrobisonhome at yahoo.com>
> > > Sent: Thu, January 13, 2011 6:08:02 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [pct-l] Lets Talk High-End Watches
> > >
> > > so if you want one that measures altitude fairly accurate, any
> > suggestions?  How
> > > bad is the accuracy of the pathfinder?
> > >
> > >
> > > On Thu, Jan 13, 2011 at 5:16 PM, Paul Robison <paulrobisonhome at yahoo.com>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > just happened to notice the pathfinder is deal of the week are REI like
> > 89$ free
> > >>shipping no tax.
> > >>
> > >>that's pretty good deal;   that said,  it is not functionally accurate in
> > > either
> > >>altitude or temperature.
> > >>
> > >>but if you did want one you'd be hard pressed to find it for that price
> > with a
> > >>money back unconditional return policy.
> > >>http://www.rei.com/product/810885
> > >>get one, try it, and send it back if you'd like...
> > >>~Paul
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>________________________________
> > >>From: John Abela <pacificcresttrail2011 at gmail.com>
> > >>To: PCT L <pct-l at backcountry.net>
> > >>Sent: Tue, January 11, 2011 5:19:53 PM
> > >>Subject: [pct-l] Lets Talk High-End Watches
> > >>
> > >>Hey Everybody,
> > >>
> > >>I have been wanting to bring this up for a few weeks.
> > >>
> > >>I would like to know every bodies thoughts on the higher end watches like
> > >>Suunto Core, Timex Expeditions, Casio Pathfinder and so forth.
> > >>
> > >>None of these watches are cheap and some of them down-right crazy
> > expensive
> > >>(600+ for some).
> > >>
> > >>Me personally, being on the trail I often times (most days) like to know
> > the
> > >>time, the date (hey, days get long sometimes on the trail, eh), what
> > >>elevation I am at, and how freaking cold it is while I am all bundled up
> > >>freezing and trying to sleep.
> > >>
> > >>That said, a person can get by without knowing pretty much most of that -
> > >>and some would say all of that.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>But, none the less, looking for thoughts from those of you who have
> > dropped
> > >>the money for some of these higher end watches.
> > >>
> > >>If there was a way to get the Suunto Core to display the time & the
> > >>temperature, I'd probably already own one. But, I don't want to fumble
> > >>around when it is 3am and freezing with pressing buttons, just to see the
> > >>time and temp.
> > >>
> > >>John
> > >>_______________________________________________
> > >>Pct-L mailing list
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> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>_______________________________________________
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> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > John Caster____
> > > lungcancerhike.org
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Sincerely
> > --------------- --------------------------------------
> > Hiro    ( Yoshihiro Murakami )
> > Blogs http://completewalker.blogspot.com/
> > Photo http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/CompleteWalker/
> > Backpacking for 30 years in Japan
> > 2009 JMT, the first America.
> > 2010 JMT, the second America.
> > ------------------------------------------------------
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