Compass Watches

Reviewed by Jerry Moore

I owned gshock watches prior to buying the Pathfinder PAW1500.  I was very happy with them but wanted some of the features of the Pathfinder series.  The PAW1500 seemed to have the best of both worlds plus compass, solar rechargeable, and Atomic time setting.  Number one; it keeps perfect time day in and day out despite the abuses of being hit and banged, or going straight from the sunlight on a 95 degree day into a cold stream of water. I use the tidal and moon phase data to help me make fishing decisions similiar to; well it's time to go home.   The back light is clear and bright, however I wish it stayed on a few seconds longer instead of the 2 to 3 seconds at a time.

Read more: Casio Pathfinder PAW1500-1V review (1)

Featured review by Steven

So far I am very pleased with this watch. I love all the features it has. The compass works good, it is not accurate enough for map work but it will keep you going in the right direction. The recessed watch face is good and with the stainless steel bezel around it, the potential for scratches or scrapes on the watch face are minimized. It is definitely water proof as I found out and all watch functions perform as advertised. Calibrating the compass and altimeter are time intensive and the operation of the altimeter takes getting used to so be sure and get familiar with the watch before you take it backcountry.

Read more: Casio Pathfinder PAG80-1V reviews (2)

Featured review by Bill S

Timex provided me with two of their outdoor watches at the Outdoor Retailer Show for review. They are the Expedition WS-4 and the Expedition e-Altimeter (W257). The e-Altimeter is one of several "analog" watches with special instrumentation for various aspects of outdoor use. The series is really a "street" watch, more for showing your "lifestyle" than for real use in the outdoors. The watch itself is rather large and heavy on the wrist, although you get used to it after a while.

Read more: Timex Expedition WS4 reviews (2)

Reviewed by PTogs21

I bought this watch a little over a month ago, and so far, it has lived up to its billing. I purchased it primarily for the altimeter, but I find myself using its other functions quite often. I typically wear it hiking or mountain biking, and track my time with the stop watch function. Before hitting the trail, you have to calibrate the altimeter to ensure that it works properly. Some find this annoying, but you will have to do this with any barometric altimeter and it takes less than a minute once you have the hang of it.

Read more: Casio Pathfinder PAW1300-1V review (1)

Featured review by Mystro

I decided to complete my Suunto "Black Collection" with the Observer SR "Black Collection". I wanted a smaller more stealth size watch for under my hunting/fishing gear and it had to be tough and have bullet proof reliability. It is a much simpler animal than my X6M and is thinner and smaller. It feels solid on the wrist but could be worn without notice for days. Its stainless steel construction is solid and has just the right amount of weight without feeling heavy. Just like the X6M, the Observer is made and built in FINLAND and it feels like it.

Read more: Suunto Observer reviews (3)

Featured review by Tony

The Suunto Vector is bomb proof! I've owned mine for about three years and I've had no glitches at all. THE LOOKS: The piece is quite large, but I'm a husky dude so it doesn't seem abnormally big on my wrist. I have the black model with the indistinct orange bevel on the inside. Very nice and understated. If you're a flashy personality, try one of the many colors; but be advised that yes, the size of the watch, coupled with a boisterous color will make your wrist look fatter... THE FIT: It's contoured nicely to comfortably fit on your arm; no binding, no discomfort.

Read more: Suunto Vector reviews (7)

Featured review by JTroxell

I've had this watch for 1.5 years and have found it to be quite reliable.Pros: altimeter works well, easy to use (much more intuitive than Suunto Vector that I saw), useful configuration options, replaceable battery, very comfortable wrist band, looks goodCons: brushed titanium face scuffs easily - will not always look new; the graphical representation of altitude change over time doesn't make sense to me.Overall I really like this watch. I've used it numerous times for measuring cumulative elevation gain over local routes that we mountain bike on.

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