Best watch with thermometer and altimeter?

"So it adjusts automatically the measured pressure at a fixed altitude ? Well, maybe that is not as good. My altimeter is also being used as a weather evolution instrument and a change in pressure at a fixed elevation, might show how the weather will evolve."

No, I don't think that's quite right.

The Core simply intuits whether or not you're on the move and assigns pressure changes to either the barometer or the altimeter accordingly.

Once you stop at camp, for example, it notices that the pressure hasn't changed (beyond some small tolerance) for something like 12 minutes and switches into barometer mode. From then on, pressure changes get logged as changes in the barometric pressure. So you can most definitely evaluate possible weather changes–the watch even has a storm alarm.

When you start moving again and the watch notices enough pressure change (in about a 3-minute period) to prove you've changed elevation (i.e., the weather can't change that fast), it switches to altimeter mode and begins assigning all pressure changes to elevation. It switches back and forth between modes as you hike and/or stop.

It sounds gimmicky, but works amazingly well. Of course, it can't know what to do when you're changing elevation *while* the weather is changing, so all that gets assigned to the altimeter and calibration does drift. You can also lock the watch into either barometer or altimeter mode if you want to take manual control, but I find the auto mode does a great job of minimizing the need to recalibrate.

You don't change batteries. It's a USB rechargeable lithium-ion battery. You plug it into your computer to upload your GPS tracks and it charges. Or, it could be charged by a portable or solar USB charger.

It's good for up to 15 hours in continuous GPS/heart rate recording mode. Up to 50 hours in "ultra" mode, which turns on the GPS every five minutes or so to take a reading and then turns it off. This mode is for ultra-marathon runners, etc.

It's not sold as a dive watch. 5 ATM or 50 meters is sufficient for normal hiking activities. Heavy driven rain, splashing while stream cross, surface swimming, etc. The watch has a SWIM mode with accelerometer counting of strokes and laps in a pool or distance in triathlon open water swim.

The limiting factor is the seals around the buttons. True dive watches have a screw-in stem with an o-ring seal. If the stem is not fully screwed in, The watch is not waterproof for diving. You can't have a screw in o-ring seal on the buttons on a GPS watch because you need to be able to operate the watch. It has o-ring seals on all the buttons, but spring pressure is supplying the seal. They recommend not pushing buttons while underwater. Garmin watches are widely used by just about every triathlete in the world. I'v heard of swimming being a reliability issue.

OK, but I see the word 'logged' and usually that means you have to toggle through a menu to see the results of those measurements. While, with my altimeter you visually indicate where the pressure measurements was before the pause or in the evening at camp and you immediately see (so in a few seconds)after the pause or in the morning how pressure has changed.
For changes during the walk and how the weather migth evolve, I look at the sky, the clouds, …

> You don't change batteries. It's a USB rechargeable lithium-ion battery. You plug it
> into your computer to upload your GPS tracks and it charges.
Ah – designed for affluent weekend warriors who are never more than 5 minutes from a mains outlet.
OK.

Cheers

"OK, but I see the word 'logged' and usually that means you have to toggle through a menu to see the results of those measurements."

Well, no. The whole point of the auto mode is to keep you from having to use the menus. It puts itself in the mode you're most likely interested in and cuts down on how often you need to recalibrate.

I've never owned a Casio (but have one on order!), but from comparing specs, the auto mode is about the only functional advantage a Suunto has. Worth the difference? I'll let you know when my Casio comes in. :-)

I have the Casio Pathfinder PAW1300 and absolutely love it. it is smaller than the Sunntos and fits better on my tiny wrists

>>Ah – designed for affluent weekend warriors who are never more than 5 minutes from a mains outlet.

I suspect that most people in the market for a GPS ABC watch stumble across a USB port often enough to make due with 5 week rechargeable battery life. Or, outfit themselves with a solar charger.

Don't believe the headlines. The 5 week battery life is based on NOT using the GPS or sensors so no point buying the watch if that's what you need in the way of battery life. Battery life is claimed to be 50 hours in a special "turn the gps on once a minute" mode and 18 hours or less under normal functionality.

That's what I wrote earlier in the thread:

>> It's good for up to 15 hours in continuous GPS/heart rate recording mode. Up to 50 hours in "ultra" mode, which turns on the GPS every five minutes or so to take a reading and then turns it off. This mode is for ultra-marathon runners, etc.

Roger is the one who seems to have a problem with the battery life. I love 15 hours with continuous GPS. As far as I know, that is by far the longest GPS battery charge of any GPS fitness watch. The Garmin Forerunners struggle to get 6 to 8 hours. Double that is the biggest reason to choose the fenix over the Forerunner 620 or 610.

The barometric altimeter and magnetic compass and waypoint navigation are bonus features that may be useful in hiking applications.

---

I read countless people here who use cellphones for GPS navigation, leaving them off to preserve battery power, only turning them on to take an occasional GPS reading and plot their position on the map. Leaving the fenix in watch mode and doing the same thing will give you a battery life of several weeks between charges. That's not how I use mine, but it seem to work for some folk.

I get the impression that often only one apparatus is being used as a compas, an altimeter, a barometer, a GPS, … and it's electronic in nature so it can always fail (even if it's from a well known and reputated company).

> Roger is the one who seems to have a problem with the battery life.
Oh, probably … well … maybe?

> I love 15 hours with continuous GPS
My ($50?) watch/altimeter lasts for about 2 years on one battery. My $12 compass (instead of a GPS) lasts for 1000 years with no battery changes. I guess the $500 fenix 2 is just too much for me.

Cheers

…

"My $12 compass (instead of a GPS) lasts for 1000 years with no battery changes."

What makes you think that the compass life is limited to 1000 years?

Roger, are you older than we thought?

–B.G.–

Are we not overdue for having the poles shift positions? I suppose as long as we can adjust for the resulting crazy amount of declination the compass ought to keep working.

Hi Bob

> Roger, are you older than we thought?
Captain's Log, Stardate 3539 … reached Earth

> What makes you think that the compass life is limited to 1000 years?
I figure that the pivot pin will probably have worn out by then.
[Yes, I did have this answer ready when I posted that comment. :-) ]

Cheers

kristen – did you get to see 14,411 ft or thereabouts on your casio in the last couple of days?

i've worn a couple of altimeter watches and for me, i need a field replaceable battery and a function that gives me feet/meters per minute climbed. just be sure to remember which scale you have it set to. other than that i really don't care. to me, the compass on most and use thereof is one step above a toy. sure, it's useful for knowing you're going generally in the right direction and in an emergency if that’s all that was available, but i wouldn't use it for taking shots that i was counting on for serious land navigation or using it with a topo. having done many, many miles of pace and compass work i’m pretty comfortable with a lensatic, brunton or base plate compass. map and compass work is not thathard to learn adn can be fun. for thermometers, if you are wearing the watch on your wrist, i can’t think of one that i’ve worn that will give you an accurate ambient reading. if you’re not wearing it on your wrist, they are all generally acurate.

Richard,
we only made it to 11000 or so, we had to turn around because of bad weather. Waited an extra day at camp shurman but the weather did not clear. Still an enjoyable trip though!