Watches Out There?

[Googan]

I'm in the market for a watch that might be useful for hiking.

[Leanthree]

Just get the Timex Ironman and move along. By far the best in its class.

[Vegan Packer]

I bought a LaCrosse XG-55. I find that the altimeter is particularly useful, and has proven to be very accurate on my hikes. No GPS, but most watches that have GPS have to be recharged so frequently that I don't find them to be useful. This takes the 2032 batteries (coin style), and my current set has been in there for months. It also has a compass feature.

[gregpphoto]

This is all you need, or something like it. Anything more is frivolous at best. I have had one, exactly one, for about 8 years, never replaced the battery, on my second band but watch itself is a beaut!
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[Another Kevin]

I have a Casio SGW-400H that I really like. The altimeter is reasonably accurate (obviously, you have to set it when you come to a known elevation because barometric pressure changes with the weather). Having the altimeter saves my smartphone battery from obsessive progress checks. If I'm on a trail, or following a handrail feature (a ridge, stream, or other linear feature on the map), I can check my position simply by looking at my wrist for the altitude and finding where the trail or handrail crosses that contour, without needing to spend battery on lighting up my phone display and rendering the map. Moreover, as long as I know what mountain I'm on, I can get a decently accurate position estimate even in moderate whiteout by using altitude and aspect of slope. I don't need to cross-sight on distant objects to do that.

The last time I was looking, this watch was the cheapest one I'd found that had an adjustable altimeter.

[bigcranky]

The only time I ever wear a watch is while hiking - it's surprisingly useful. I just have a cheap Timex and wear it on a Velcro band with one of those tiny compasses attached.

[MuddyWaters]

Only feature i need in a watch is to be water resist and actually be able to read in dark. My daily watch i cant well, but cheap timex digital can. Mostly to know how long till daylight when wake up in night.

[nsherry61]

. . . I just have a cheap Timex and wear it on a Velcro band with one of those tiny compasses attached.

What are you? My clone? I carry exactly the same thing.

My watch requirements:

• cheap - it's not jewelry out there, for me anyway and I don't want to advertise my tremendous wealth.
• light - cuz I'm old and cranky and I get more mileage out of my body with less weight
• backlight - sometimes I want to know what time it is at night without having to hunt down a flashlight or bother my bunkmate with a light
• large display numbers - cuz I'm old and can't see small numbers without glasses
• alarm - on rare occasions I still climb mountains and need help waking up for those ungodly early starts
• no battery hogging features like gps or electric compass

I'm not opposed to a good altimeter watch, just haven't needed one enough to pay for it or carry it.

[Odd Man Out]

Love the time idiglo watches. They also double as a mini flashlight in the middle of the night. I prefer analog watches with a dial and ones that are small and simple. Most men's watches are ginormous and ugly. The one feature I might like in a digital watch is the timer or stopwatch for navigation.

[Slo-go'en]

The cheapest one you can find, though most people just use their smart phones these days.

[Fredt4]

I like casio. Don't have the solar but it's perfect.

[daddytwosticks]

I don't wear a wrist watch when I hike. A wrist watch interferes with my trekking pole straps. I got a cheap watch with an attached carabiener on it's end off the internet. It attaches to the shoulder strap of my pack. A watch is a great piece of gear to use while hiking. Great tool to keep track of distance travelled.

[bigcranky]

What are you? My clone? I carry exactly the same thing.

My watch requirements:

• cheap - it's not jewelry out there, for me anyway and I don't want to advertise my tremendous wealth.
• light - cuz I'm old and cranky and I get more mileage out of my body with less weight
• backlight - sometimes I want to know what time it is at night without having to hunt down a flashlight or bother my bunkmate with a light
• large display numbers - cuz I'm old and can't see small numbers without glasses
• alarm - on rare occasions I still climb mountains and need help waking up for those ungodly early starts
• no battery hogging features like gps or electric compass

I think the word you want is "doppelganger." And your list is exactly on point. Big numbers are a huge plus, 'cause I hate trying to dig out my glasses in the middle of the night.

I actually know somebody in Elgin, IL. We were there for a week a couple of summers ago.

[Sarcasm the elf]

I use a Casio that has an altimeter which I picked up on amazon for about $50. It has a rubber watchband which was a big plus for me, as I've owned several that had leather or nylon (webbing) bands and they get very nasty very fast when worn outdoors.

Personally I had bad luck with Timex Ironman watches, I've owned 3-4 of them over the years. A couple that I bought had convex plastic cover plates, which got scratched up very quickly, most had the above-mentioned nylon watchbands and another simply fell off my wrist somewhere. Clearly others have had much better experiences that I have with that line, but I've had a better experience with Casio.

[fastfoxengineering]

I use timex watches when out on the trail. Digital or analog. Needs to be waterproof and have indiglo. The only other feature I have ever found useful is an alarm.

Altimeter would be cool, I feel I'd actually use it.

My last hiking watch was a timex atlantis. great watch for my purposes. I did break it though after a year of hard abuse.

[Maui Rhino]

I've been wearing a Casio Pathfinder PAG-80 for about 7 or 8 years now. I love, love, love the altimeter feature! The compass and barometer are also handy at times. Mine is also solar. I paid around $200 when I bought it, but don't know what they go for now.

[squeezebox]

I bought a watch with a heart rate monitor for $15 normally $50. Heart rate is a nice feature to tell if you are just normal tired or seriously whiped out.
Elevated HR in the morning might call for a slower day.

[Ksbcrocks]

I use the casio f-91w. It doesn't weigh much of anything so you hardly feel it on your wrist. It does everything I need.

[Feral Bill]

I have a nice solar Seiko I wear for all occasions. I use a nylon band that threads through the pins, so a lost pin does not mean a lost watch. The idea came from Colin Fletcher. The idea for the band, that is.

[MkBibble]

Not a wrist watch fan. Years ago I bought a cheap watch with an alarm and thermometer that I clip into my pack.