grandpa Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Of all the altimeters (watches, fobs and so on) available, do any of you have any particular + or - opinions that you'd care to share? Are the electronic ones any good? Mechanical better or worse? I'm looking for "whiteout conditions" type usage. GPS (60CSx) as good as any other gadget? thanks, Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obwan Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 There are some things to consider such as cost, function, reliability, ease of use, weight etc. You can get a mechanical one for $60 - very reliable (no batteries, light wt and pretty functional); but not much fun and is measured in 100ft increments, whereas the digital ones are in 3ft or less. Generally most mechanical ones are plus or minus 30ft due to barometric conditions, and could be off several hundred feet during the day - to keep accurate, one must keep it calibrated at known altitudes by topo map or trail markers (but same for digital ones). They are a good cheap backup when using the battery powered GPS or watches. The watches are also good backup but run $125-250 - Suunto makes the best one with compass,etc (great if you need another watch, and batteries last about a year) - again needs calibration frequently with changing weather conditions, or you could be off several hundred feet. I've got an old Casio, not fancy but works. To solve the accuracy issue, I use a GPS - not all come with an altimeter (barometric version); but most will give elevation by satellite, and pretty accurate with a half dozen satellites acquired and not weather dependent. Works perfect above treeline and does ok in the woods with the newer antennas. It does take batteries of course, so bring spares - Lithium batteries have a longer life and not affected as much in freezing conditions. To save on battery life, one can also turn off the compass and use the satellite/compass function - but the mechanical (battery) compass, as in the 60Csx is handy and you do not have to be moving to get a bearing, just turn it off and use your backup compass. I've been using the 60Csx for several years and find it the best featured GPS, just a little spendy at $400. Being able to use the altimeter in either satellite with auto-calibrate, or barometric mode is handy; and you can also get a weather trend. Some GPS units are good for $100-250, just make sure they will do what you want - smaller is lighter, but harder to read in poor conditions; so lots to consider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 my watch altimeter has saved my ass many times - i used to have a fancy suunto but replaced it w/ a cheaper brand after a hot chick distracted me and made me lose it you don't need much - the intricate details some watches will store are nice, but in the end a simple read out is good - my current one only annoys me b/c changing the elevation when recalibrating it takes a maddeningly long time consider just putting hte watch on a lanyard around your neck - if most conditions that you'll need the watch for navigating, you'll be wearing 10 jackets adn 5 pairs of gloves and have a hard time getting at your wrist i don't like gps' much for whiteout conditions for similiar reasons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandpa Posted January 23, 2009 Author Share Posted January 23, 2009 Thank you all for your thoughtful answers, I have the 60CSx, and am considering whether to add a mechancial altimeter to the pack. I think that for now, I will not. Compass and water proof maps are my primary, the GPS is secondary (and for fun). Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pc313 Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 (edited) I've had cold weather freeze my GPS and Digital Watch's at -10 below so have gone back to a Mechancial Altimeter and it was with in 50ft at the top of Hood,Adams and St. Helens. I wear it around my neck or clip it to my pack but a new GPS or GPS Cell Phone would be a good backup if you keep it above -5 deg.! Edited January 25, 2009 by pc313 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 i've never seen temps near -10 in the cascades and if it's temp in my pocket anyway, i'm probably dead already, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pc313 Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 I live 35mi. S.E. of Mt.Adams at 500ft. record low was Dec. 1919 was -24, this Dec. we dropped below -0, 4 times as low as -7,in 2004 we hit -16,don't know what the records are for the cascades? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandpa Posted January 25, 2009 Author Share Posted January 25, 2009 ...so have gone back to a Mechancial Altimeter ... What brand/moedl, etc Please? Thanks, Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandpa Posted January 25, 2009 Author Share Posted January 25, 2009 What brand/moedl, etc Please? Nice Fat-Fingering.... Which model is what I intended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pc313 Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 I have bad eyes so the one i have is big and 10 years old,but you could go to REI.com and see what they have! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pc313 Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 ...so have gone back to a Mechancial Altimeter ... What brand/moedl, etc Please? Thanks, Dave Dave i sent you a PM,good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandpa Posted January 27, 2009 Author Share Posted January 27, 2009 Dave I sent you a PM,good luck! Got it, good info, thanks. D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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