Time for a New Watch / Altimeter

[BISCUT]

My old watch/altimeter has crapped out on me. I would like to know what you guys are using and how you like it. I am OCD on the time thing. I see so many models, and the hefty price tags that go with em! I NEED accurate altimeter (preferably one that you don't have to calibrate every 10ft!); stopwatch, etc... I don't even need it to be a watch, as I will be attaching to my pack anyway.

 

[Tom Rankin]

If you already have a smartphone, you might want to check out 'back country navigator'. There is a free 'evaluation' version.

If you don't want to go that route, the best price I could find online was about $100. I agree it seems $$$ for just adding an altimeter to a watch! Suunto's have always been good to me.

One thing most (if not all?) Altimeters do not take into account is temperature. The colder the temp, the more off it will be. There are easy conversions you can memorize.

 

[peakbagger]

I have had good luck with a High Gear XIS-XT. The oversize is less than my prior Casio watches. Unfortunately the watch models seem to change monthly

 

[mcdxcvii]

I cannot resist adding a vote for Suunto—they have always given me accurate measurements. The latest one Ambit3 has altimeter calibrated with the GPS signal, measuring temperate, distance, speed, and your heart rate (especially after looking at the price tag).

 

[4Paws4Feet]

I have a Suunto Core, it works great. Typically within 50' at the peak, and often closer.

 

[Tuck]

The Core gets my vote.

Tuck

 

[Tom Rankin]

I have a Suunto Core, it works great. Typically within 50' at the peak, and often closer.

I suspect that is when the pressure is stable and the temperature is relatively warm, or the 2 cancel each other's effects out.

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

My Casio Pro Trek is still going strong after seven years. The photo electric cell has never blinked. It still registers 'Hi' on charge. All sensors still working fine. After seven years I did just have to replace the watch band but that also is good compared to my prior experience with watch bands. It never leaves my wrist and I doubt that at the price paid I would simply leave it attached to a backpack.

 

[DougPaul]

One thing most (if not all?) Altimeters do not take into account is temperature. The colder the temp, the more off it will be. There are easy conversions you can memorize.

Humidity is also a factor.

You generally want the conditions at both the calibration point and the current measuring point.

However, when there is a significant altitude range (eg several thousand feet), there can be temperature and humidity layers to confuse things...

And for a final confusing factor, the weather related pressure changes can be rapid enough to affect measurements made over several hours or longer since calibration.


One way to avoid these problems is to use a GPS auto-calibrated barometric altimeter (found in a number of modern higher-end GPSes). Probably a bit impractical to fit into a watch...

Doug

 

[jniehof]

One way to avoid these problems is to use a GPS auto-calibrated barometric altimeter (found in a number of modern higher-end GPSes). Probably a bit impractical to fit into a watch...

Garmin 910XT, 920XT, Fenix, Fenix2, Suunto Ambit 2 (not 2R/2S), Ambit 3 Peak, maybe others. Y'aint gonna like the price, though. Note the 920XT seems to have problems with not properly calibrating the barometric altimeter off the GPS.

 

[DougPaul]

One way to avoid these problems is to use a GPS auto-calibrated barometric altimeter (found in a number of modern higher-end GPSes). Probably a bit impractical to fit into a watch...

Garmin 910XT, 920XT, Fenix, Fenix2, Suunto Ambit 2 (not 2R/2S), Ambit 3 Peak, maybe others. Y'aint gonna like the price, though. Note the 920XT seems to have problems with not properly calibrating the barometric altimeter off the GPS.

The Garmin "sensor" hiking GPSes have GPS auto-calibration for their barometric altimeters. (I have several such units.) I don't know the specifics of other brands.

Doug

 

[Remix]

I would just buy a cheap GPS with mapping capabilities or smart phone/weather that can be pre-loaded with map data and protected case --- it knows your altitude from the GPS position and map database, it does not need to be calibrated, it will not drift with barometric changes, and it will not drift with temperature changes.

I had a Highgear and put it in the same pocket as my cell phone-- it was destroyed, presumably by the pulses of radio frequency energy of the cell phone.