An HRM with many capabilities and just a few minor setbacks

I've had this HRM since Summer of 2008 and it's been a great fitness tool. I purchased two of the accesories for the watch the suunto food pod (later edition) and the suunto bike pod. Both pods have worked flawlessly in sync with the T6c and I highly recommend them if you jog or mountain bike. The T6c has its pros and cons i'll jump right in and explain them:



Pros:

- able to browse through 6 settings during your workout(For example I use duration Current Heart Rate Calories burned in one screen and Distance Speed Avg Speed in the 2nd screen (using either one of the pods)). You can also browse to the Time interchangeably with the two aforementioned screens.

- amazing graphical software (Firstbeat ATHLETE) is available for purchase and compatible with the T6c. Also a con which i'll explain.

- comfortable fitting heart rate strap makes it hardly noticeable during exercises

- Workouts can easily be uploaded to PC with included USB cable link.



Cons

- The backlight is useless. If you browse through the suunto forums you'll find the backlight gives many people trouble. For my watch it doesn't work PERIOD. If you workout at night and need to view the watch at night frequently you may want to reconsider this watch if that is one of your purchasing factors.

- The software that comes with the watch Suunto Training Manager is subpar in my opinion. You can view line graphs and all of your uploaded stats which is nice but the layout and interface of the program is sloppy and unorganized. Firstbeat ATHLETE however is beautiful compared to STRM. It has beautiful graphs and many combinations of results you want to see. The downside is that this program costs 80 dollars! There's a free trial that you should try out and see for yourself how much better it is. Hopefully Suunto will do some updates on their standard software!

- There are times where the HRM strap will have trouble transmitting to the watch. For example i'll get a flatline during workouts where it won't output my current heart rate. I did find a solution that works well. Use electrode gel before you put it on your chest this helps with the readings (much better than spit or water).

- Cost. The pods are $50-$100 = $150. The Firstbeat ATHLETE program is $80. The watch is about $300. That's $530 i've spent! Ugh.. Still it's been worth it!



In all as a prior owner of the Polar F6 i'm blown away by this heart rate monitor. I have yet to try the GPS pod but i'm a little nervous as many have had trouble with signals. Since I have the food and bike pod however I won't really need it. I love the open endedness of the watch and how you can customize what you results you want to see. It's definitely a breakthrough in heart rate monitors. Now if they can just fix that stupid backlight it'll be nearly perfect!More detail ...

Great watch and even better price!

This watch is great! I bought it for my husband as a gift. He was thrilled with all of the things it does. Great buy!More detail ...

Excellent watch especially if you like gadgets

This is a very comfortable watch with a synthetic band and a good closing clasp.



The best part are the touch pads on the crystal. Temp Altitude Barometer Compass are all quality functions. I have worn this watch in the ocean and the pool with no problems.



I like this watch alot high quality and comfort.More detail ...

Tissot T-Touch Expert

Great watch fast delivery and a low price. The watch has many features and may take a while to learn all of the functions. Ideal for the gadget guys. Word of advice my watches' operators manual was not for the expert series. I down loaded the correct manual and the set up was much easier.More detail ...

It's not for just any baby to play with!

I haven't read any other reviews before the one listed here and I sure didn't before I bought it and I paid a helluva lot more than the price listed here at Amazon. I bought this very same watch before it was available to the general public when I was working in Hawaii I had always wanted an attractive not too bulky watch with all the features for a true get away from society explorer's wet dream. This watch is definitely the answer if you figure out electronics even ones with a complex set of multi functions like this one then you won't need it's nearly 300 page mini manual yes nearly three hundred pages. While it is true that it dosen't wipe your butt for you like some people think expensive brainy electronics should do. If you are an avid explorer and aren't afraid of pushing a few buttons sometimes more than once then you could find no better watch but if you don't like depending on technology to do it's job and would rather use a stick then by all means do so. Just don't pick the wrong kind of plant when using the bathroom. The compass feature does stop reading after 20 seconds but guess what you can always press the compass button again. The point behind getting a compass reading is that you can check and recheck your headings Factually I wouldn't trust a compass who told me only one way to go as it actuates. Now Moving on to a couple of the other features like altimeter have you ever wondered how many meters above the ground you were in an airplane yeah I did too found out too it's really freaky to watch how fast a plane drops when descending. Barometer function does take a little bit of explaining I would suggest reading the manual if only for this caveat Thermometer I would like to say this was really acurate while being worn but alas I don't think there is a skin liked device that can give you an accurate room temp without taking into account body temp. However if you take it off and let it naturalize you can get a realistic reading in either celsius or farenheit. The five different alarms are great if you are one of those whom need constant waking up in order to get going. Or for setting alarms for different time zones another cool feature is the world clock ever wondered what time it is in Tokyo when you are having your tea and crumpets in South London. All in all it is a great watch get it at this much cheaper retail price if you like it.More detail ...

Absolute Great Watch - Recommend to anyone

With this watch you can't go wrong. First even though one variation will sync with the Atomic clock for about $40-50$ more don't waste your money. This watch stays within just a second or two per month accuracy. In addition to keeping time the capabiity to select a world zone by a city and then use that dual clock is as simple as it gets.



As usual Casio makes a watch that does not take a genuis to learn to use - even without reading the manual. Determining how to use the Altimeter Barometer and electronic compass is virtually self-explanatory. You do need to know that you have to manually synchronize the altimeter in order to ensure your readings are correct during a given time period. The only way to prevent this is to have a watch that could triangulate its altitude from satelites and to my knowledge that dog hasn't been born. However that being said the importance lies in the fact that you have a tracking graph that indicates a 24 hour history of changes in both the barometer and altitude. That's what's really important so that even if the altitude settings are off or the barometric pressure setting is temporarily incorrect you can look at the graph and know the relative change. For instance if the graph indicates dropping pressure over the past few hours you can pretty much assume the weather is probably going to move from good to bad (low pressure usually indicates a weather front is coming through or rain developing).



One nice surprise is that when using the watch at night a simple tilt of the wrist toward your face will cause the back light to temporarily come on. I.e. you don't have to push the button. I never saw this function in the ads or in the manual.



Finally it is well built and although reasonably large by watch standards it is comfortable for a man. I'm not sure most women would want to wear it though. You can't go wrong with this watch. Just make sure it is this model because some of the others close to the same price do not have all of these functions.More detail ...

No Bling is a Good Thing

I recently purchased through Amazon the Luminox 8802 Navy Seal 20th Anniversary 8802 Black/Graphite Dial watch. The design of this model is understated compared to some other Luminox models. I am a fan of Luminox but frankly some models are too garish IMHO. I was looking for a good quality watch that does what I need without confusing me with extras I neither want or use.

This watch doesn't have the "WOW! Look at me!" that many people prefer. The watch excells in low light and dark conditions. Unlike many other watches the Luminox doesn't need an external source for its luminosity. It is however the watch of choice when your buddy can't see the hands on their own watch and is constantly asking you for the time.

The strap is rubber and is comfortable. I don't know if a stainless steel bracelet is available.

If I could change a couple of features it would be making the calendar a little bigger (to help my aging eyes) and have a screwdown crown. If your are looking for a watch with all the bells and whistles with multple funtions this isn't it. Overall however for a good looking low key everyday watch Luminox has a winner.More detail ...

Not too bad

I was always curious about the watch Pres. Obama wears. It looks really good in photographs and it looks particularly good on the President. When I learned it was called a Jorg Gray and when I learned it was cheap I immediately bought one at the nearest watch store. Pros: I like the pointed hour and minute hands which are common to pilot's watches such as the IWC spitfire; the 41mm diameter case is just about the right size and will look good in any wrist; the chronograph functions add to the beauty of the watch. Cons: The leather strap looks dull; I don't like the "Japan Movt" text in the 6 o'clock position (maybe they should have left it blank); the date window which is between the 4 and 5'o'clock positions and near the midpoint of the center and edge of the dial seems out of place; it feels too light for a chronograph watch; the stainless steel case is too shiny (would have been nice if the whole case was all brushed steel not just the sides); quartz movement. Bottomline: Looks nice enough and its really affordable but if the President wasn't wearing one I probably would not have gotten one.More detail ...

Tissot Touch broke after 2 1/2 years

Great watch but for a list price of $900 you would expect it to last for more then 2 1/2 years. The whole multi function including display just stopped working one day. And I have been treating it like a precious baby no diving no swimming not even bringing it to the beach. Believing it was only a battery replacement I sent it off to Tissot but NO. Tissot have quoted me a cost of repair (replacement of: multi function/movement exchange) for $400!!!! 6 months after warranty expiry.More detail ...

This is a great instrument for the right persons

I love this watch and never travel without it. I followed the instructions in the manual and use the thermometer a lot. To get an accurate ambient air temp reading I just take off the watch and wait about 8 minutes in the shade. You can also calibrate the thermometer and found the factory setting to be dead accurate! I discovered that if you read the temp while wearing this watch it will read your skin temp and have found this to be very helpful in monitoring my skin temp. Anything less than a 83 degrees means I am starting to get uncomfortably cold and need to warm up. 86 degrees skin temp is perfect for me. Knowing this allows me to tell if I have a fever or just over worked etc.



I use the altimeter alarm function when I fly to alert me of a faulty cabin pressure system during my commercial flights. I set my PAG 40 alarm to 8000 which is the maximum altitude pressure allowed in passenger cabins set by the FAA. If the cabin pressurization goes above 8000 ft the alarm will sound on the PAG 40. There is a graph at the top of the screen to check your altitude history. The graph is also used for tracking barometer history.



I calibrate my altimeter daily to get an accurate reading since the barameter will change by the hour.



The compass feature is great and you can also calibrate that too. I find the compass usefull at night and on heavy overcast days.



You get 5 seperate alarms and a short alarm for the top of each hour. All the alarms can be turned off or on seperately.



The stopwatch function does split times and single timing. It will not do laptimes for example timing laps at a race on after the other.



It runs on 4 batteries part# 395. Which I was able to change them myself.



Watch speed calibration was also accessible!



The display is large and easy to read.



I have owned my Casio PAG 40 for two years now.



The watch band has held just great so far and the watch is free of defects.



I plan to buy two more of these watches.





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Helo Pilot Loves Casio Pathfinder PAW1399T-7V - Great size and function..

I have admired the Casio altimeter/barometer/compass pathfinders for several years. But I never cared for the huge size.



I wanted their functions in a smaller lighter watch. When Casio introduced the PAW1300T-7V I decided I would try it as a replacement for my aging Luminox Navy Seal watch. I needed a watch that was fairly light and easily readable in the dark. The Luminox had fit that bill perfectly with the Tritum capsules on the hands at at the hour marks. But over time those capsules loose their luminosity. Also batteries have to be replaced. The prospect of a solar powered rechargable watch that automatically corrected itself with the Atomic Clock signal was an added benefit.



I fly for an EMS helicopter service for a living. Half of my shifts are night shifts. This watch works very well for quick time checks with its auto-illumination feature. I have found if I calibrate the altimeter and barometer with local conditions that the altimeter function is very accurate usually within 20-40 feet of the calibrated altimeters in my helicopter. I frequently check the watch against the altimeters when we are flying. Dual time zones means I can leave the secondary time zone on UTC for filing filght plans. The temperature function is not of any real value to me as it is greatly affected by body proximity. But it is accurate if the watch is removed from the body for about 30 minutes. The alarms work well but the alarm tones are too soft for my ears after flying turbine engined aircraft for almost 40 years.



So a quick recap: Automatic self-correcting time snychronization Solar powered/recharged Excellent automatic self-illumiation Accurate altimeter and compass functions when calibrated for local conditions. It smaller than previous PAW's and lighter especially in the Titanium version. I was just thinking the other day that I have been using Casio watches for the last 30 years. (I just put a battery in one of the oldest and it still works great!) I have always liked their layout and user interface. This newest Pathfinder of mine is no exception. It is easy to use easy to set. If you like Casios for the money it is hard to beat this watch especially on Amazon!More detail ...

What are you Paying for?

I love this watch. It is a massive piece on my wrist and easily readable (which is why I put away my expensive swiss time piece in favor of the digital readout of the Casio). What you need to ask yourself here is what exactly are you paying for. The Temp Barometer Atimeter and Compass are additional features on this WATCH. They are all estimate readouts taken using changing atmoshperic pressure and other conditions. The manual explains all of this and tells you NOT to depend on these features for professional acute measurements. They are approximations. Remember this. The WATCH you are purchasing here is absolutely accurate...to within +/-20 seconds a month WITHOUT receiving a signal from the Atomic Clock. You should get reception at least once out of 6 opportunities a day which makes the watch totally accurate (are you ready?) to within ONE second every 3000 years! Now that is accuracy! You're buying a watch...not a compass or a barometer or thermometer. A very very accurate watch that can also give you a close approximation on several atmospheric measurements and also an altimeter estimation according to air pressure. I love this watch. Thing of beauty. Well worth the money if you want a good-looking and accurate time piece. ALSO (and this is a big also if you are used to dealing with digital watches) the ease of operation and programming on this watch are phenomenal. There are no sub-menus and double and triple clicks to program this beast. Because of the number of buttons you can push one to leave the time mode...another to find the mode you wish to adjust...two more to eather go up or down making the adjustment and then simply press the time mode button again to return to the ...(you guessed it) time mode. VERY VERY easy. The easiest digital watch I have ever had. And we all know how tough Casio's are. I think you will really like this watch as much as I do.More detail ...

Casio PathFinder PAW2000T

I've had it about a month and I'm very happy with it. The altitude/barometer sensor is accurate provided you give it a good initial reference which I always do when climbing/hiking. I've read some complaints that the altitude is not accurate. But one should try to understand that outside air pressure can change with altitude and/or temperature. Cold air is more dense and pushes on the sensor harder than warm air. So if a cold front rolls in while I am on my climb the altitude is going to read a bit lower than actual (as if I was further down in more dense air). Likewise a warm front will cause the sensor to read a bit higher. Either of these situations is often obvious as you will feel & see a change in the weather around you. ALL pressure-based altitude sensors have this vulnerability. That's why pilots constantly adjust their altimeters based on local sea-level barometric pressure data along their path. The best thing you can do is set an initial reference before you climb and be advised of local forecasts. Just common sense stuff really. The compass is plenty accurate enough for routine navigation and a good backup to the GPS in the canyons and back-country.



I've read other reviews about the alarm not being very loud on some pathfinders. This one seems quite loud - haven't slept through it yet and I use it every day. All the features are very easy to figure out - never had to crack open the manual (but I did anyways). It syncs up every night with the atomic clock no problem (Houston TX). Based on the specs I thought it was going to look monstrous on my wrist but it doesn't. Looks really good to me. I did have to pull out several links to get the right fit (more on this below).



The watch is very light! for it's size. The band is a nice satin gray titanium with an effective locking mechanism on the clasp. Very comfortable doesn't pull hairs etc. PLEASE NOTE that even though the product specifications above state that the "case material" is titanium it isn't. There seems to be quite a bit of misleading internet info regarding the case material. To me the case appears to be an assembly of stainless steel (back) mystery metal (black knurled ring around the face - maybe aluminum) and plastic/resin (all the gray-ish part). I have to admit that based on the description I thought all the gray-ish stuff would be titanium. A little disappointment there but not much. Actually the case still looks new it's the satin finish on the titanium band that scratches/scuffs quite easily. Some will probably cry about this. I am of a practical sort and this to me is a tool. I actually enjoy the battered well-used look of my adventure gear. I'm very happy with my purchase and would definitely recommend this watch to others. Ordered it from Amazon one afternoon had it the next morning with free overnight shipping. Practically instant gratification.



TITANIUM BAND ADJUSTMENT:

I'm adding this because it took a while searching goog to find out how to do this. Basically you need a pair of needle nose pliers and one of those larger paper clips. Using the paper clip held by pliers you push the pin on the link IN about 1/8" in the direction indicated by the arrow on the inside of the band. Then grab the pin with the pliers where it's sticking out on the other side and pull it out with a steady action. Do this over a cookie sheet or something with edges. This is important!!! - There is a tiny metal tube that sits inside the hole in the smaller (male) side of the link. Do not lose this - it acts as the locking mechanism to hold that pin in place. To re-assemble - replace the tube in the hole if it fell out align the links and push the pin back through in the direction of the arrow. Good idea to use the paper clip and pliers to counter sink the pin a bit so that it's equal on both ends. This should all make sense when you have it in front of you. This procedure may sound intimidating but it's really pretty easy. Just be thankful you heard about that tiny metal tube beforehand.



Cheers.



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