Customer Reviews

Casio Men's PAW2000T-7CR Pathfinder Digital Multi-Function Titanium Bracelet Watch

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

Got it a week ago and still enjoy playing with it. Note to first-time users of advanced watches: you absolutely have to read the manual to make good use of this watch! Experienced users will guess how to get to the most important functions, but will still have to read the manual for fine-tuning of some features. Here are some comments:

Looks: The watch is big, but not overwhelming as some older Pathfinders. I especially enjoy reduced thickness. Buttons seem to be of better quality than older models, but of course longer testing is required to prove this statement. Titanium bracelet is very light, yet strong, with reliable, secure clasp. Yes, the shade of the bracelet is different (metallic) when compared to plastic gray shade of the case, but it does not bother me at all. Some of the reviewers that complained about it definitely mistook this Pathfinder for a dress watch.

Display: Big and very well arranged. Small time reading is displayed at the bottom of the screen in majority of special modes - very useful feature. The top layer with radial lines is used not only for compass readings, but also as an indicator in other modes: especially creative use is the simultaneous display of sunrise, sunset and current time. Backlight is pleasant green, uniform and bright enough. Auto-EL feature that turns on the backlight in the dark when you position the watch at certain angle is very convenient, but maybe a little bit too sensitive.

Accuracy: Perfection! Since the case is plastic, atomic time reception is very easy, even in difficult conditions when metal-encased watches may have problems. The ability to sync in China in addition to US, Europe and Japan makes this watch ideal companion for any World Traveler (current or future).

Compass mode: accurate if you enter correction for magnetic declination. In the US alone the difference between magnetic and geographical North varies between +17 and -17 degrees! The simplest idea is to go to [...] and check your home or travel city value, then enter it into your watch.

Baro mode: Readings seem accurate, but I do not have really good reference to test it. Quick warning: this watch measures real air pressure, but what you see on weather forecasts is Medium Sea Level Pressure (real pressure normalized to sea level). If you live at high altitudes, your Pathfinder and Weather Station readings will differ naturally.

Alti mode: Most misunderstood feature! Your watch uses air pressure and temperature to measure altitude difference between two points. Calibrate it to your home or office or other favorite spot altitude to get pretty good readings. Passing weather systems and rapid temperature changes will give you false readings, so calibrate frequently. Preferred method of getting altitude of any place is to use Google Earth or Bing Maps 3D: zoom in, point to the exact spot with your mouse, and read complete geographical data at the bottom of the screen.

Really good buy for any adventurer and/or watch aficionado!

I have the previous generation Casio PAW1300T Pathfinder watch as well as this PAW2000T watch. I thought this watch would be an improvement and so far it has been. The PAW2000 adds sunrise/sunset data to the menu as well as a couple of other fixes such as allowing you to deselect beeps when you press the buttons. Otherwise, it is nearly identical to the PAW1300. The big difference for me is the display face of the PAW2000 is now double layered glass that was supposedly to make the display easier to read. What it actually did was make the display darker. Holding the PAW1300 and the PAW2000 next to each other in low light situations you can immediately see the difference. I prefer the PAW1300T simply because it easier to read and it is the watch I wear. Other than that, both watches are durable, light, and do a great job.

Love it. Labor free watch . Battery recharges time ,reset every night to adjust seconds. Lights up to show time at flick of wrist.I shower with it and that is the only maintenance. However,
it takes a magnifying glass and an hour to read the instruction manual. The temperature gauge is a waste, compass accurate even in a vehicle or plane. Love it!

I just recently bought this as my Xmas present from the wife :) I was using an Aeris Dive watch, but with that watch, I was constantly replacing the batteries even though they were supposed to last 1yr. So, i decided I wanted to get an actual watch with all the bells and whistles as my "everyday" watch and just keep the Aeris for when I go diving. So, one of the reasons I got this watch was for the Solar power so I do not have to continously replace the batteries. And the atomic time keeping is great as well.

So far, this watch has been great. It is not complicated to use for the most part. I am still getting used to the Baro/alt features as when I use the Barometer, the temp doesnt see about right. Last night it was pretty dang cold, but the watch was saying 80degrees and was gettnig down to the 70's.. it felt more like the 40s, so I still need to get used to that aspect of it.

Like most of the other reviewers, the watch band is off colored from the main part of it, but this is not a huge deal to myself. I still think it looks good. I used one of the previous reviews to remove the links which helped out. Though, it was still a bit tough and took a while to do. I would recommend purchasing one of those little tools that you can get here on Amazon that is like 10$ or less that will make it a lot easier to remove instead of using a paperclip and pliers.

For the most part, I would highly recommend this watch to others. It is a great watch for the price. Though, it is a bit pricey for most, it is worth it.

Great watch in all respects already mentioned BUT there is one additional fault not mentioned.....There is no way to turn the dial illumination on longer than 2.5 seconds (two options are 1 sec and 2.5 sec after pressing the "Light" button). Thus in a dark environment, it is very difficult to do anything more than observe whatever is displayed. Even toggling through the time zones requires continually pressing the light button while at the same time pressing the time zone selection button. Selecting or changing a stopwatch setting is even more difficult. How did Casio miss this one? PITA!

I got this Ti version of this off Ebay a month ago actually, my first Pathfinder on Titanium. A little hesitant in the beginning, but now it's my everyday banger. Lighter than paper, the Ti case and bracelet are very comfortable.
The bracelet looks a bit too shiny,and scratches, obviously, but you'll get over it. It's a Pathfinder!!!
Sensors are very accurate, altimeter reads dead-on!! Sunrise/sunset data very accurate, input exact coordinates off Google Earth. Very helpful if you are a outdoor photographer. Actually this was the reason I bought this (my 5th) Pathfinder.

Cheers,

Bob
[...]

This watch is an amazing piece of technology. It seems very accurate and the user interface is very well thought out. Much better than any other watch of this type that I have owned. Along with a GPS you are not going to get lost once you learn how to use both.


The thermometer portion is not very useful for ambient temperature readings. You could take it off and wait 20 minutes. On the other hand it can show you if the barometric pressure and altimeter can be believed since they are temperature sensitive. It tends to show that temperature on the wrist changes very little so probably will not affect readings very much.

The watch is very light for the size.

It is a large manual and a lot to learn but much of the interface becomes intuitive after some use. Read the manual and learn it or you are wasting your money. Read it on your computer (download the pdf from Casio) because the book itself is almost useless since the type is REALLY tiny,

This is more than a watch,it is now my every day watch it is easy to use just out of the box. You can go to the Casio web site to down load the manuel in a full page form so you can read it easer. Good looking and very light. If you need to adjust the watch band be careful and do it over a towel to catch the small pin keeper it is easy to take out links and think of purchasing the proper tools the small cost will pay off the first time you use it. I had it set to my time zone and set my location in less than 10 min.Easy to read seems to be accurate and at night turn your wrist toward you and it will light up for several seconds then turns off to save power. It will go to sleep mode when not being used at night. Compass is accurate ,Barometer helps to see weather changes.

This watch is perfect for us gadget geeks. When I first opened the box to this watch, my OCD told me to adjust the band first. So that's what I did. I was able to knock out the first adjustment pin using a small hammer and a paper clip. The following pins I hammered out more easily, using the pin from the prior link. It's very easy to do, and no - it doesn't bend the pin. WARNING: When knocking out the pin, there is a TINY little "collar" that comes out also. I suspect that if you lost that collar, it would be a super pain to get a replacement one. Sooo... knock out the pin, then dump the little collar onto a piece of scotch tape. Then put the pin next to that, and fold the tape in half over the pin/collar to store it. If you've never adjusted a metal band before, make sure you knock the pin down, in the direction of the little arrow. And also make sure to take a link from each side of the clasp. Otherwise the watch will fit un-evenly on your wrist (pulling to one side).

Ok, so now the watch fits PERFECTLY. Now to press all of the buttons. After messing around for a while, I got out the instructions and started programming things and getting it all setup. Super easy to do!

Notes after a few hikes and some daily use:

The thermometer is crazy. If you have the watch sitting all by itself for a while (not in direct sunlight or anything that would mess up the temp), pick it up and adjust the thermometer to as close as possible to the actual temperature. Later while you are wearing it, it will go crazy again. But, when you take it off, it will get decently close to the correct temp. This is due to your body temperature. And being in sunlight, etc.

The barometer - find a local weather forecasting station, or website that has your local barometric pressure, and set the watch to this. It will remain pretty accurate. Every once in a while I've found it to be a tiny bit off, but, what you are really looking for is a trend over a few hours anyway. So if it is 1010 in the morning and 960 at noon, you may be looking at rain. I guess it being off by a few digits isn't really important. I am just OCD. lol

The altimeter - yeah, crazy too. Find out from a topography map, or something trustworthy for elevation readings (my GPS is reliable, but its for hiking, not driving - so the maps have topology), and set the watch for this. Each day, the watch will change by some odd amount.
I suppose if you were going on a mountaineering expedition, you would know your height at the bottom of the mountain, and set the watch to this. Then as you ascend, the watch is very accurate, and it keeps your "difference" for you, from where you started. It has little built in features to keep graphs of your elevation changes and etc. But, if you just wake up, and go drive to a mountain, and climb it. The watch may say you are lower than you were at home. You are best off checking the settings each time you intend to use it, not checking after you are already hiking and don't know your height. I guess this is due to changes in the weather. The barometric pressure goes down, so the altimeter is offset. Maybe.

The compass - Perfect! It only gives me false readings in the car, and I'm guessing thats due to the radio/speakers/digital dash/radar detector/ipod/etc... There's so much electrical interference in my car, I'm surprised airplanes don't lose their bearing around me. Out walking around, the compass is perfect. I have set the declination/offset to my area and the compass feature of this watch is very precise. Sooo... nothing but good things here.