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High Gear ATF8 Multi-Function Device


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Home Forums Campfire Editor’s Roundtable High Gear ATF8 Multi-Function Device

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Viewing 19 posts - 1 through 19 (of 19 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #1266813
    Addie Bedford
    BPL Member

    @addiebedford

    Locale: Montana

    Companion forum thread to:

    High Gear ATF8 Multi-Function Device

    #1676476
    Mary D
    BPL Member

    @hikinggranny

    Locale: Gateway to Columbia River Gorge

    "Too-faint alarm chime"

    I guess I won't be buying this one; I'm still looking for a watch with a loud enough alarm to wake me up in the morning! While my hearing still tests out just fine in the normal range, we all lose the higher notes as we grow older!

    #1676481
    Bob Gross
    BPL Member

    @b-g-2-2

    Locale: Silicon Valley

    How about a minaturized version of Big Ben? That's what I need to wake up.

    –B.G.–

    #1676485
    Jim Fuller
    BPL Member

    @jfuller

    Waht is the cost of the ATF8? Where can it be purchesed?

    #1676497
    Jason Delso
    BPL Member

    @zencarver

    Locale: DFW
    #1676659
    Jace Mullen
    Member

    @climberslacker

    Locale: Your guess is as good as mine.

    Looks nice. Did I miss the weight?

    Also: What is that fixed blade knife you have on your pack? I kinda like that Idea for mounting a knife, especially because I have a tenancy to be in a harness a lot.

    #1676664
    Marc Mensing
    Member

    @soldierspike

    Locale: Southwest

    If I'm any judge, and I really don't claim to be, It's a Cold Steel sgian dubh (what other type of knife would you wear with that mountain hardware kilt?) although I'm not sure of the model

    #1676682
    Adrian B
    BPL Member

    @adrianb

    Locale: Auckland, New Zealand

    The chime noise is not that loud, but it's quite piercing. Certainly it's better than my old Brunton equivalent. And better than my Suunto Observer. I've slept through it a few times, but not often.

    The ATF8 is one of my favorite toys. I abandoned using watches after I tore the strap off my Suunto twice on rocks (fortunately the strap gave way and not my wrist). Plus with something away from your body heat you get temperature readouts while you hike, which is really helpful when tuning your gear.

    #1676769
    Jason Delso
    BPL Member

    @zencarver

    Locale: DFW

    Jace, the weight (listed in the intro of the article) is 1.6 oz.

    #1676791
    drowning in spam
    Member

    @leaftye

    Locale: SoCal

    Ray, I'm glad you mentioned the alarm. Hopefully they upgrade it in the future. Until then, I'll keep my old sensor watch in my pocket with the wrist strap removed.

    #1676836
    James Lantz
    BPL Member

    @jameslantz

    Locale: North Georgia

    I noted the same problem with my Alterra watch. Another issue with wrist worn multifunction devices is that the sweat from your skin will interfere with the air pressure port on the back of these devices. I would always have to take the Alterra off & blow on the back of it to make it accurate again. For those of us with high frequency hearing loss (like me) the Timex Expedition WS4 may be a good alternative. I have no problem hearing the alarm on the Timex & it has a caribiner style as well. From what I can tell, it also has the same functions as the High Gear albeit at a heavier weight & at a cost of $200.

    #1676862
    Raymond Estrella
    Member

    @rayestrella

    Locale: Northern Minnesota

    Hi guys,

    I am in Wisconsin dells with my kids for Christmas, on the world's slowest WiFi…

    I flat forgot to send Addie the specs table with weight and price and such. I am very sorry. When I get back next week I will post it here in the comments.

    I have yet to find one of the multi-function devices with a loud alarm. Which I don't understand as I woke to one for about 11 years (two Casio watches) so I know it is possible. ;-)

    Have a great Christmas all,

    Ray

    #1676864
    Raymond Estrella
    Member

    @rayestrella

    Locale: Northern Minnesota

    The knife is the Gerber Guardian Back-Up. I reviewed my first one (on number two after TSA swiped one) here:

    http://tinyurl.com/2qxnua

    #1677004
    Ken Thompson
    BPL Member

    @here

    Locale: Right there

    It's just remembering how all the buttons operate if you don't use it everyday. Thing things always try to do too much, not all of them well.

    #1677071
    Kathy A Handyside
    BPL Member

    @earlymusicus

    Locale: Southeastern Michigan

    Thanks, Ray, for a great review! I saw this on High Gear's website and wondered how good it was. I was torn between a multi-function watch and this and decided this would be much more convenient. As you show in your photo, it can be clipped to the sternum strap or shoulder strap of the pack. I will start tossing all my loose change into my loose-change can to save up for one of these! :)

    #1677190
    Mike M
    BPL Member

    @mtwarden

    Locale: Montana

    nice review and nice piece of gear, too bad the temps didn't go a little lower- I'm more concerned w/ temps on the low end vs high end

    #1677218
    Keith Selbo
    Spectator

    @herman666

    Locale: Northern Virginia

    It's called an Iphone4. A charge lasts a good long time if you keep the radios (phone, bluetooth, wi-fi) turned off, and if you can understand a normal conversation, you can hear the alarm. Compass? check, altimeter? check, GPS with maps? check, stopwatch, check, Weather forecast? only if you're in range of a cell tower. Music? check, books? check, all the AT elevation profiles? check. Expensive? check.

    At 1.6 oz. the High Gear ATF8 is much lighter than my solar powered Casio (approx. 4 oz) which has all the same functions including the alarm that only a dog can hear so that's a plus.

    But bottom line, despite the weight and cost, if further testing shows my Iphone4 will go more than a week between charges (with judicious use)that's what I'll be taking from now on because it does so many things so very, very well.

    #1677225
    David Ure
    Member

    @familyguy

    Is your iPhone shock and water proof?

    #1677266
    Keith Selbo
    Spectator

    @herman666

    Locale: Northern Virginia

    Is your iPhone shock and water proof?

    Can't say for sure, but likely no. As soon as I got it, I bought an anti-shock skin for it. When I hike, I keep it in a ziplok. For all it does, I think it's worth the extra precautions.

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