What Altimeter / Barometer / Compass watch?

[neilski]

I'm after an "adventure" type watch with altimeter / barometer / compass type functions for cycling across Asia and later on the Americas and have been looking at the Suunto Core All Black on a leather strap



and various models in the Casio Pro Trek range including



and



and was wondering what people's experiences of any of them are.

I'm leaning towards the Core at the moment for it's sunset alarm and storm warning features which would both be useful for setting up camp before it's too dark or wet. Do either of the Casios have any "killer features" to recommend them over the Core that aren't obvious from the Casio website?

Any other models I should consider? Budget is £200ish so that rules out the Tissot T Touch and Suunto Elementum ranges even though they're .

[andy_s]

I've used the Suunto xlander and vector well on the hills, the Core should be good now the initial probs have been sorted.

[Fittster]

The compass on my Casio Sailing watch (can't recall the exact model) is more use as a random number generator than as a navigation tool.

[troc]

Been using a Suunto Observer Ti as my trekking, climbing. skiing, outdoors-y watch for almost 10 years now with no complaints. Very light, enough functionality and easy to read.

[Iceman82]

Are these resiliant enough though for the inevitable knocks you take cycling, rock climbing, hiking etc?

The Core is a great looking piece of kit but it looks as though a decent knock to it would smash the face or, at the very least, scratch it pretty badly. The Pro Trek looks like it could withstand more abuse but again, surely there answer is a G - Shock of some varient and then a separate, more reliable, compass?

Perhaps the G-Shock Riseman and a decent compass would be best? Or do people find that the compass on the Suunto/Pro Trek is good enough as it seems to be the main issue people have with these watches?

[andy_s]

If it's for taking/using bearings then a normal/prismatic is needed; for a rough (+/-5") direction of travel then the Suunto's are fine.

[Tiggsy]

I looked at a Suunto but it just looked to much like a polar heart rate monitor!

Went for the new 2000 model protreck in the end:

[neilski]

NeMiSiS said:

You have to buy the 'Man on Fire' watch, and view the film if you haven't seen it.

Does it come with a free pair of secateurs and a car cigarette lighter?

[Debaser]

NeMiSiS said:

Altimeter mode.

Where were you?

[ShadownINja]

Debaser said:

NeMiSiS said:

Altimeter mode.

Where were you?

That's a problem with pressure altimeters - as the weather changes, you get stupid readings. Apparently, I'm on Mount Kingston in SW London which is 500m above sea level.

[Debaser]

ShadownINja said:

Debaser said:

NeMiSiS said:

Altimeter mode.

Where were you?

That's a problem with pressure altimeters - as the weather changes, you get stupid readings. Apparently, I'm on Mount Kingston in SW London which is 500m above sea level.

Which makes them pretty useless without regular calibration.

[ShadownINja]

Debaser said:

ShadownINja said:

Debaser said:

NeMiSiS said:

Altimeter mode.

Where were you?

That's a problem with pressure altimeters - as the weather changes, you get stupid readings. Apparently, I'm on Mount Kingston in SW London which is 500m above sea level.

Which makes them pretty useless without regular calibration.

Egg-shack-lee.

[Gooby]

Having played with and owned a few - the Suunto is in a league all by its own, by far the best, unfortunatly I purchased the Tissot Touch titanium, wanted it to look presentable when not on the side of a mountain. Love it a lot but unreliable as hell and back being fixed for the second time.

[neilski]

Thanks for the replies so far everyone.

Gooby said:

Having played with and owned a few - the Suunto is in a league all by its own, by far the best, unfortunatly I purchased the Tissot Touch titanium, wanted it to look presentable when not on the side of a mountain. Love it a lot but unreliable as hell and back being fixed for the second time.

So in what way would you say it's in a league of its own then?

ETA: I'm 99.9% sure I'll get the Core but just wondered what makes it stand out from the rest. Now to decide whether to stick to the black one above or stretch to the Aluminium / Black or the Everest Edition....

Edited by neilski on Friday 5th November 17:01

[Zingari]

If you're a sniper this might be your bag!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

Mind you it does offer some assistance from the bar to the bogs if you've had one too many

WTF?

[KP328]

If anyone is looking for a Pro Trek, Tiktox sell them.

I have bought three G-Shocks from there with no problems.

[Gooby]

neilski said:

Thanks for the replies so far everyone.

Gooby said:

Having played with and owned a few - the Suunto is in a league all by its own, by far the best, unfortunatly I purchased the Tissot Touch titanium, wanted it to look presentable when not on the side of a mountain. Love it a lot but unreliable as hell and back being fixed for the second time.

So in what way would you say it's in a league of its own then?

ETA: I'm 99.9% sure I'll get the Core but just wondered what makes it stand out from the rest. Now to decide whether to stick to the black one above or stretch to the Aluminium / Black or the Everest Edition....

Edited by neilski on Friday 5th November 17:01

Simply the fact that they work and are reliable. I have 3 suunto diving watchs / computers for many years (The joys of mixed gas diving) and they have been faultless and saved my life on a couple of occasions. Build quality is excelent, software is superb and they dont fail. My friend has a "core" and he has found the same thing.

The problem I have found with suunto is they are a weighty watch and if you select a rubber or leather strap, the mass of the watch in a fall can undo the strap - happened a couple of times, the metal straps are brilliant but a little weighty but very secure, the titanium bands are superb.

I should say that this is on a "stinger" which is a hefty dive computer to begin with. The sort of thing that can be used instead of a weight belt! Even so, many yeard of being bounced around dive boats amongst cylinders and dive belts, then thrown down to 65m in cold water have never phased the thing.

To my mind the casios are ugly and look infantile, they also feel cheap...
The Tissot is the looker with the titanium case and strap with the woven carbon fibre face etc, it is also light and comfortable but unreliable as hell and I am still waiting for it back from its second repair. It has very rarely been accurate or reliable, out of the 5 years I have owned it it has been good for about 3,, it would probably be less but sometimes the momentum to get it fixed is a little high...

[neilski]

Thanks

Now to write to Santa....