Casio Forrester. Analog, nylon band with velcro fastner. Cheep.
I knowOriginally Posted by colorado_rob
I was composing the post when I got a call. By the time the call was over, you had posted, and then I posted.
Cassiopeia is in the night sky tonight. Just sayin'.
TZ
PS, good point about relative elevation.
https://www.amazon.com/Casio-F105W-1.../dp/B000GB1RAU
Cheap Casio that has alarm, stopwatch and lights up so you can see it the dark. Been wearing one for years. Battery lasts 4-5 years. If it gets messed up no big loss. Available at Walmart, Amazon.
If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.
I think that's my cheapie replacement, while my fancier Casio was sleeping under the couch cushions.
It IS a good watch, but if it's the exact model I have, the stopwatch's maximum recorded time displays as 59:59. It keeps on going after that, but the displayed time starts again at 00:00. I would only use that for telling time and date (doesn't even display the month!)
Hard too beat a Casio G Spot for about $50....I’ve had several...as others said it’s no longer wp when battery needs replacement. That said I also have a all black Suunto core that I’ve had about 7 years without issue other than simple do it yourself battery change and a new band.
That is what I use when hiking. Used to use one all the time, but switched to a Fitbit when home.
The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
Richard Ewell, CSA General
What features should I consider for hiking/backpacking?
Consider what type of backpacking/hiking you mainly do or and anticipate doing. You might consider a watch that serves more than hiking/backpacking activities. You can get a lot in a "watch' these days for $250 and less. Heck Casio Pags and Sunnto Cores are about $150 now. Tech is exponentially advancing. That affords opportunities. And, here's a TIP - searching at Pawn Shops especially in or on the city outskirts of affluent outdoorsy areas(think of some of those CO, CA, CT, upstate NY, NH, VT towns, Lost Vegas) can get you manufacturer refurbished or retested/recalibrated/re-certified even higher end ABC possibly with GPS and map downloading watches for greater savings. Manufacturer User pamphlets and YouTube how to vids abound these days posted online.
"Watches/watch uses" have become like so called "phones/phone users. " They are more and more often required to offer more than being able to tell the time or making a phone call. "Phones" are most often mobile hand held computers. For myself I have grown from Timex Expedition and IronMan, which definitely served me well enough at that time, watches where it was mainly about time functions/distance/pace calculations, to much more heavily relied upon ABC watches as backpacking/hiking takes me into other time zones sometimes into remote places on exposed high elev ridge lines(do some low level climbing and mountaineering, peak bagging), where I want utmost reliability in: WPness(I use the same WP watch for paddling and fishing, it has to be rust proof), no possible energy issues - solar power(in sunny climes, that includes typical timeframe AT thru hikes), no glaring band breakage(this is mostly a slight convenience anyhow as others have offered it doesn't affect the functioning, tie a lanyard to it and throw it around your neck), tough, easy enough menus or functions to grasps, - and, most of all not overloaded with features that I don't use yet have to shell out for. This takes considering what types of hiking you do.
You probably had good reasons to have used a Casio G Force and Garmin Vivofit. It makes me think you too want a watch that does more than just: tells time, maybe has an alarm, and backlighting.
FWIW, I had a well used 1995 ABC Sunnto with a nylon band handed down to me. I used that watch for nearly every outdoor activity until the band broke and I destroyed the back case screw lock mechanism 6 yrs later. AKA why I don't ultimately like replacing watch batteries. It went for at least 10K of mostly on trail miles. Off trail it seemed I was always getting that watch caught on something though with its high profile. Again, one of the Casio Pathfinder PG 300(3000?) series atomic solar watches I had for 4 yrs I bought new for $240, that is no longer manufactured, when I went to have Casio replace the band, outer rotating ring, and pressure sensor cap they wanted more than $110 for the parts alone. It hit the bottom of a garbage can recently.
I think this is the same as my personal watch, at least it's very similar. My main watch requirements are time, day, date, water resistance and light. I prefer a digital date that doesn't need to be reset every other month. The Timex Indiglo light is best but the little LED on my Casio is acceptable. Plus this watch has a titanium case and band and all things titanium are better. It has all sorts of extra features (world time, countdown timer, alarms, etc.) that I can never remember how to use. It is solar powered and for the several years I've had mine I've had no issues. I prefer a metal band as for me it's more comfortable, doesn't hold dirt as well as fabric or rubber, and is easier to clean. It's very light, nice enough to wear with a suit and subdued enough that I don't feel ostentatious wearing it while hiking. Not cheap but not overly expensive for a nice watch.
Last edited by perrymk; 10-25-2018 at 07:25.
Can't wear a wrist watch because it interferes with my trekking pole strap and generally drives me crazy. Got a cheap watch on a carabeener from Amazon. It attaches to my pack shoulder strap.
That's what I like about the Casio Forester. The velcro band can attach to a d ring on my backpack strap. I think I paid less than $25 at Wally World.Can't wear a wrist watch because it interferes with my trekking pole strap and generally drives me crazy. Got a cheap watch on a carabeener from Amazon. It attaches to my pack shoulder strap.
Haven’t worn a watch in about 25 years. Recently bought a Forerunner 935 from Garmin and love it! It’s basically a Fenix 5 in a lighter casing. It’s way over your budget at $500. However, I can easily go a week using the GPS tracking for about 4 hours and STILL have 50% battery left. I think it’s better than an AW.
Yep! Good backlight so I can see it at night super easily. Loud enough hourly 'chime' that I hear often enough so I can pretty easily keep track of myself without ever having to look at the watch. Going on year number?? Three? Four? now.
u.w.
For hiking, I’d just go to Walmart and pick up a cheap digital watch, something like a Timex Expedition with Indiglo, and maybe a spare watch band. If you have a smart phone, it probably has GPS, altimeter, map apps, etc., and there is no need to spend a lot of money duplicating those features on a watch. If you lose it, you’re out $50 max.
My Vote.....Tissot T touch
Yeah, cell phones have it all, BUT taking them out, swiping them open, getting to the app, plus burning precious battery life (though small) is cumbersome. For $40, you can have a watch that has all those great, simple Timex Ironman features PLUS the at a glance altimeter and barometer (plus temperature, if you take the watch off at night). The extra ten bucks for the Casio altimeter watch discussed below over the cheap walmart Timex's is so worth it. No brainer. But people get used to things and don't ever want to upgrade, even at no cost.
If you can get it for less than $50, go for it.
Couple other drawbacks about the Casio with altimeter/barometer/thermometer - the face is a bit more prone to scratching (or in my case, gouging) than the Ironman, in my experience, and the backlight isn't as quite good contrast as the Indiglo (IMO).
That said, it has more functions than the Ironman, the band lasts a ton longer, and the price is excellent. It'll be interesting if I can change out the battery myself on it, when the time comes. I tried multiple times to change my own battery on the Ironman and the darn thing never went back together the same again. Not just the tricky, super-thin gasket, but the buttons never press the same again (they always end up way more recessed), etc. I'd always end up buying another one.
Link repeated from below, $40:
https://www.amazon.com/Casio-Sensor-...43CMEN5Q93RGH3
I have only semi-successfully changed the battery in my Casio altimeter watch..."semi" meaning I got it back together and it worked, but wasn't quite as waterproof. I lap swim a lot, wear my watch often, before the battery change, no problem, after the change, it's fine in the rain and probably shower, but can no longer be immersed without eventually fogging then finally failing. The battery does last a good two years though, and as I just said, can be changed, but just don't swim in it after changing it. I seem to remember pretty much the same thing for my Ironman watches, I used to buy repeatedly.
It's similar to having a camera or smart phone intending to use the camera function to take pics when it's typically accessed stored inside a pack. By the time you get the camera or smartphone out you lose the pic. After my second $100+ smartphone glass scree replacement on less than $300 smartphones with damage occurring on trail and one replacement at work with already two battery failures at work from water damage despite case/screen protectors and WP standards I have grown into not relying on them as much.
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