Customer Reviews

Casio Men's PAG80-1V Pathfinder Altimeter/Barometer/ Digital Compass Solar Digital Watch

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is a really well-engineered watch with many features that are far superior to my previous-generation altimeter watch. But I bought it heading into an upstate New York winter and that is presenting a problem since the watch is inside my sleeve and not exposed to light as required for solar charging. As a result I'm finding I have to wear the watch one day, then leave it in a window all the next day to get an adequate charge for operating. Too much of a tradeoff for the cool feature of solar charging, so I'd recommend you buy the same watch in the battery-operated model.

UPDATE: according to the manual (p. E-87), "in order to generate enough power for normal daily operations" the watch needs to be exposed to 5 minutes a day of outdoor sunlight or 21 minutes a day of sunlight through a window. So now I just leave it on a windowsill till I'm ready to wear it. And next summer when I go backpacking I'll strap it on the top of my pack (something that's advisable anyway for accurate altimeter readings, which are affected by temperature/body heat) and perhaps achieve the 6 hours of full sunlight required for a complete charge.

UPDATE: continuing with my reading of the manual, there's a supplement on charging that says you should charge the watch to its maximum before using. I left it outdoors for 2 days on a trip to Texas and now have "high" battery charge at all times with just a few hours on a sunny windshield every couple days. Would like to change my rating to 4 or maybe 5 stars with this big concern out of the way.

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.

This is the third Pathfinder I have owned - All three have been great watches, with one minor exception and hopefully this watch will change that -
This watch is a SOLAR watch which IS NOT supposed to require battery replacement - If that is true, then all should be good - Because, on the replacement of batteries, you can't do it yourself - You can try, but very doubtful if you will get the watch to function normally again -

One last thing on Pathfinder watches - Take them off when in the shower, the soap buildup from after a few years will jam up the mechanisms for the different functions of the watch -

Overall this is a good watch; however, the non time keeping features have fallen short of my expectations. The compass can not be used for navigating even the shortest legs due to an 11 degree margin of error. The thermometer or altimeter features lack accuracy as well and can only be used to take rough measurements. The stop watch and alarm features are easy to use. The durability is high and that is an important feature to me. Casio advertises that a signal sent out daily will keep the time set correctly but this feature will not work if you are outside of North America as I often am. In summation this is a good watch for outdoor activities but the navigational features leave something to be desired.

My new watch has just arrived. Earlier than I expected. Thanks for the fast delivery from digitalfotoclub.com. I paid $169.90 with free delivery. The watch is a bit difficult to set in the beginning, but once I got use to it by reading the user's guide and just play with it for a while, it's quit easy and I just love it. It almost got everything I need. The only disappointment is that the thermometer only reads down to -10 degree Celsius or 14 degree Fahrenheit. (Which I know before I place the order. I'll be going to some places where the temperature will be well below that...) Compare to other similar watches on the market, the Casio Pathfinder Series are the best, both in qualities and prices. The similar Suunto watches will cost much more than the Casio watches.

Watch Functions

Time. It's a watch first and foremost so it has got to keep good time and display it legibly and simply. The PAG80 does just that. The display is large and bright which is easy to read in both the dark, with the aid of the backlight, right through to bright sunlight. I like the seconds display being on a separate line to the hour and minute also.

Accuracy. I have owned the watch for just one month and in that time it has gained one second. That's accurate enough for me.

World Time. As a regular traveller the World Time feature is important to me. It is easy to use and convenient. GMT is a nice touch.

Date. Dumb, dumb, dumb. The whole world writes the date with the day of the month first followed by the month ... except the Americans. February 1st is written by the people of 250 countries as 1/2. The Americans write 1st February as 2/1. This watch follows the American convention and does not provide a method of reversing the characters. Just about everything else on the watch is customisable except this. Surprising, Casio!

Alarms. The alarm functions are good. Five alarms plus an hourly beeper which can be turned on or off. There is also a countdown timer and stopwatch. Enabling the alarms is non-intuitive (to me) and, like all watch alarms, not loud enough. All work well, though.

Compass

I have tested the compass against a Suunto and a Silva magnetic compass. The watch compass is remarkably accurate. It is sensitive so gives great results when used outside. When using inside it is easily influenced by magnetic devices. I like everything about the compass including the overlay screen, the direction indicator (eg ENE) and the degree readout.

Barometer

Again remarkably accurate. I have an expensive German aneroid barometer which took some weeks to calibrate. I believe it to be quite accurate. The PAG80 records a measurement just one hPa different to my aneroid barometer. Here it is important to note that again the barometer in the watch is very sensitive. Do not expect accurate readings indoors, especially if the building is well sealed and air-conditioned.

The barometer graph should only be used as a rough indicator of trend. If you are in an artificial environment when the watch records a pressure measurement (building, car, plane) then this may cause the graph to show misleading information unless you realise what is going on. You may be in an environment which is outside the range of the graph and this will cause a reading to be missed on the graph. It may look like the watch is faulty but, in reality, it is just being consistent.

Altimeter

This is the feature of least accuracy. As stated in plenty of other places the altitude recorded is a function of air pressure. As a general indicator of altitude it is great. If you want really accurate altitude then get a GPS. With practice and an understanding of how air pressure alters with altitude and climatic conditions you can guage how far off the altitude may be. Start by having a look in the manual at the altitude graph.

Solar Battery

When I received the watch the power indicator was reading high. However the barometric graph was displaying erratically. I thought I may have a defective watch. As I live in a warm, sunny climate I put the watch outside in the sun for two days. Problem solved. Just make sure you give it a good charge when you get it.

Since that time I have spent two weeks skiing in the Rockies where it was very cold and the watch was rarely exposed to the sun (what sun?). All functions operated perfectly throughout the two weeks which would indicate that when fully juiced up there is ample power in the internal solar battery to last for quite some time. This is where the power saver feature comes in to its own. Obviously very efficient.

Physical Features

Watch Size. It is big. I knew it was a big watch when I bought it so no complaints but it could probably be refined in size without losing any of its functionality.

Ruggedness. It has already had a bang or two without any visible sign of damage. The crystal glass seems suitably tough.

Resin Band. I opted for the resin band model over the titanium band. If buying again I think I would pay a little extra and get the titanium band.

Operating Temperature Range. Surprisingly, within the first month of ownership, I have subjected the watch to the extremes of its operating temperature range. From a low of -36 C (-34 F) in Colorado to a high of 42 C (107 F) in Sydney. A temperature differential of 78 C (141 F). The watch displayed perfectly and seemed to function normally when digital camera screens were failing.

Conclusion

The watch actually exceeds the advertised claims. If you like the sound of the advertising blurb then you will probably be satisfied with the watch. Finally, but still importantly, it represents excellent value for money.

This watch does exactly what I expected. It gives me general compass bearings, tells me the altitude (roughly), and gives me the temperature (off wrist). It even tells me what time it is. The large face is easy to read without bifocals and the light does come on when you turn the watch to your face.

The solar idea is nice. I have yet to see the power go below high and I don't stay out in the sun. Don't be suprised when you see the face absolutely blank - it's a power saving feature when no movement is sensed.

I gave it four stars because I don't care for the wrist band. It is too firm and does not feel natural like cloth or leather (but that's just my personal preference).


2yr update: This watch just keeps going. I now use it for temperature while camping. I've yet to see power levels below high. Fun to watch altimeter when on a plane. One negative, it has gained about two minutes over the past couple of years and I've forgotten how to adjust it. The wrist band (the one I used to hate) is still solid and I've gotten used to it. Just make sure to wipe it down about once a week. All in all, this watch has been a very good buy for me.

This watch is perfect for anyone who likes to be outdoors. For myself being in the Marines and current deployed right now this watch is perfect for what I do. With a built in compass and different time zones it certainly makes my life easier. I recomand this watch to anyone in the Armed Forces or anyone who just like to hick.

Casey

I have worn my several year old pathfinder snorkeling many times with no leaks. I cant say that about other watch brands I have worn. Mine doesnt have a countdown timer which i could have used. I would not depend my life on the altimeter readings but I rather doubt anyone has to. (Found out it doesnt work in a pressurized jet.)
I have never checked the exact accuracy of the compass but it certainly will tell you which direction your going and that should be sufficient for most hikes.
Overall except for the size of mine it is a good watch. The solar power works fine too.

Watch is big and looks nice on larger wrists. The numbers are big and easy to read, which is nice. The only real problem is that the altimeter works off air pressure, so there is error with some of the readings. The watch can be calibrated very easily, so it is not something to worry about. I have enjoyed using it fot the past four months.