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The most helpful favorable review
The most helpful critical review
43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
Great watch that "has it all"
Picked up this watch last week (found it somewhere else for a for a bit cheaper) and loving it. The watch has all the functions mentioned and all work smoothly. The only thing to note is that the watch case itself is a mix of dark green and black (it's hard to make out in photos). Keep that in mind if you're "fashion conscious," didn't bother me one bit. The watch is a...
Published 22 months ago by scottjl
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
Good features, but a bit on the big side
I was debating on getting this watch or the PAW1300 series, since they are pretty much the same features. I had no need for the tide information. I am a pilot so I wanted to have the other options. I didn't want a grey bezel, but wanted the resin strap. So the problem with the grey bezel is that it makes the watch look cheap and walmart'ish. Besides that the watch is...
Published 10 months ago by George Lai
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43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
Great watch that "has it all", May 20, 2008
Picked up this watch last week (found it somewhere else for a for a bit cheaper) and loving it. The watch has all the functions mentioned and all work smoothly. The only thing to note is that the watch case itself is a mix of dark green and black (it's hard to make out in photos). Keep that in mind if you're "fashion conscious," didn't bother me one bit. The watch is a little on the large side so if you've got a very small wrist it might be huge on you. I'm a lefty and wear it on my right wrist and have no problem with button operations. For some reason the moon display was reversed but the documentation explained how to fix that quickly. Like all temperature sensing watches, your measurements will be off if you try taking a reading with it on your wrist (body heat and all). Everything else appears accurate. The radio receiver has worked flawlessly every night, even receiving a signal with the watch deep inside my house.
Pros:
Watch has everything except a GPS!
Solar powered, don't worry about batteries.
Large, easy to read numbers.
Bright backlight, auto backlight if you enable it.
Calendar programmed until 2099.
Great water/depth resistance (200m).
Cons:
Large size (only a problem if you have a small wrist).
Disclaimers in manual to take all readings with a grain of salt (not meant as professional quality measurements).
Two-tone case (dark green and black, why not just back?).
Non-standard watch bands, can't swap it out easily for non-Casio band.
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33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
A great watch, but a step backwards, December 14, 2008
I recently received this watch as a gift, as I already owned a Casio Pathfinder PAW1300G-1V (the earlier model), and it was thought that I would appreciate the upgrade.
In short, this is a nice watch, but there aren't that many features over the PAW1300 line to justify the increased size. Unfortunately, in spite of these new features, I find that I still go back to the PAW1300 as my daily watch, simply because it's a better package as a whole.
There are three major new features in the PAW1500 series that are not in the PAW1300:
-- Tide calculator
-- Moon phase calculator
-- Water resistant to 200m (instead of 100m)
The increased water resistance is terrific, as this turns the Pathfinder into an actual diving watch, instead of a mere snorkeling watch. But the other two features, in my opinion, are underwhelming, and the cost in the module's case-size are quite great.
To whit: the PAW1300 is 47.4mm round and 11.5mm thick. The PAW1500 is 51mm round and 13.9mm thick. This may not sound like a big difference, but side-by-side, it's palpable. Before obtaining this watch, the PAW1300G-1V was the largest one I owned (in a close tie with the Seiko Orange Monster). Now this watch completely dwarfs it. It's so big, I feel like I can use this watch to deflect bullets, Wonder-Woman-style.
(If you like big watches, then don't listen to me. If you don't care, but want this watch anyway, then get ready for the predictable, "Good thing that watch is water-resistant to 200 meters, because you'll need it when that watch drags you down to the bottom of the ocean"-type jokes from your friends, and even strangers.)
Additionally, the 1500PAW has some shortcuts, like the countdown timer. The PAW1500 only has a "yacht" timer, which means that you can count down only from a maximum of 60 minutes. Instead, the PAW1300 has a full 24-hour countdown timer, which is something I use frequently. To find this feature crippled in the PAW1500 was a disappointment. (Also, the altimeter only has a 20-record capacity in the PAW1500 compared to the 40 records in the PAW1300, but I don't think many people will be affected by this.)
The PAW1500 does have one minor pro that I should mention: the information is better-displayed than it is on the PAW1300. Despite the watch's large size, there is technically less space in the LCD display for numeric/text/icon information, but to me the information is presented with a cleaner layout and is more intuitive to read. I.e., I think it makes the best of what it has, and I wish that the PAW1300 had done a better job in this regard.
In short: if you are looking to get a cool outdoor-gizmo watch, this one will deliver heaps of features in spades. The solar power is awesome, and once you have atomic syncing, you'll never go back. The other features, when you learn how to use them, are extremely powerful in combination.
Still, I would advise that you be honest with yourself. Do you really need 200m water resistance, and calculators for tides and moon-phases? (And do you really want a watch the size of a beverage coaster?) If not, then I would recommend that you take a look at the PAW1300 series. It's considerably cheaper, and the size is less obnoxious.
(The PAW1300G-1V in particular is noteworthy in that the band is not integrated with the case, but can be swapped out for standard one-piece 22mm bands, like the Zulu or NATO straps.)
There have been many generations of Pathfinder watches over the past several years, and to me, the PAW1300 feels like the golden version: the Pathfinder done right (well 90% right). Unfortunately, the PAW1500 feels like an awkward, next-generation compromise in order to pack in those few extra features. Maybe the PAW1600 will be an improvement.
As a final note: I see a lot of reviews for the Casio Pathfinders complaining about the lack of accuracy. Please note that these watches need to be calibrated to local conditions if you want them to be truly accurate, and even still, you should fully understand how the features work (and the basic science behind them) if you want to get the best use of these watches. If you are looking for a zero-maintenance, GPS-quality dashboard for you wrist, I would recommend looking at the Garmin Foretrex 101 (while a terrific piece of equipment, it's not solar-powered, and will require changing the AAA batteries every 10 hours).
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33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
Very cool and useful, June 6, 2008
Great watch with many useful features. I bought this as a backup tool for aviation. It has proved to be fairly useful. I give it only 4 stars because of the functionality of the measurements.
I calibrated my watch at the airport with actual observed conditions. Once calibrated it will provide fairly accurate measurements, I use fairly loosely. The barometer only measures in increments of .05 inches. Yesterday the barometer was as 30.07 observed and my watch read 30.10. I suppose 30.05 would have been closer but I was thankful that the watch read that close. The temperature measurements have been dead on. I have an outdoor digital thermometer at my house and they generally read the same to .2 degrees F.
The altimeter and compass do not continually measure. They have to be refreshed. I believe that the compass reads for 20 sec and the altimeter might be the same. The altimeter has shown to be the most inaccurate of the measurements. It tends to fluctuate a lot.
My biggest complaint though is the backlight. It only stays on for about 2 seconds once the button is pushed. It isnt nearly enough time to take in all the information that this watch provides. I havent found a way yet to change the duration.
I could certainly have gotten away with the 1300 series but my wife thought the 1500 looked better so who was I to argue. The moon feature of the 1500 is pretty cool. I do enjoy knowing what phase the moon is in and how high the tides are.
Overall I really enjoy this watch. I wish that it was a little more accurate but I guess that is why aviation instruments are thousands of dollars and this watch is hundreds. BTW, I really like Amazon and buy most everything from here...except this watch. I bought it at my local Casio dealer for about $30 less than advertised here. The casio pathfinder website has a dealer locater function. If you are thinking about this watch...get it.
Edit:
Seems as if the price is dropping on Amazon. It is currently under $225. I doubt that you will find it cheaper. Maybe, but prob not. Amazon came through again for me. They most always have the best prices.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
Great watch...just know its limitations, April 29, 2009
I just got this watch and I really like it. As a flyfishing guide/fisheries biologist, I have found it a very useful tool. For a watch I have found its "casual" data quite useful. I have found the barometer to be accurate within .05 inPb and the altimeter accurate within 60-100 ft... what more can I ask from a watch. If I need more accurate data, I use precise scientific equipment(that costs thousands of dollars and needs more calibration than this watch). For the casual user (hiker, biker, fisherman/woman) this is close enough.
The compass is a little tempermental but works great outdoors once it is calibrated (readings are a little iffy indoors, near powerlines, or electronic equipment). The tide/moon data is great and can be specified to exact locations. For the thermometer to work accurately, the watch needs to be off your wrist for 20-30 minutes. This is probably the biggest con of this watch but temp is the least of my concerns.
The biggest downfall of most watches in this catagory is they eat lots of batteries. Well, I have found the solar powered battery more adequate. Just leave it exposed to sunlight for 5-10 minutes and it is fully charged. Additionally, if you set the watch to "Power Save" mode, it automatically goes to sleep when not exposed to light for more than 60 minutes.
The light can be left on by enabling "auto light." Turn on this function and rotate the watch to >40 degrees and the light stays on until you move it <40 degress.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
Good features, but a bit on the big side, May 1, 2009
I was debating on getting this watch or the PAW1300 series, since they are pretty much the same features. I had no need for the tide information. I am a pilot so I wanted to have the other options. I didn't want a grey bezel, but wanted the resin strap. So the problem with the grey bezel is that it makes the watch look cheap and walmart'ish. Besides that the watch is huge. I own a Atomic Skyhawk from Citizen, and I thought that watch was big and that the PAW1500 wouldn't be any bigger. But it is, and I just felt kinda funny about it. I ended up returning it and getting the 1300 series, which was definitely better fitting. So if you don't mind a huge watch, then this would work out for you. I would still recommend the 1300 series because it's more casual.
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20 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
Comparison to the PAG-40, August 6, 2008
So in 2001, I got my first Pathfinder watch, the PAG-40. It was great. The PAW-1500 is an obvious improvement in function. It is solar powered, water resistant to 200 m (although anyone who is diving 660 feet...I find hard to believe they would be wearing this watch, but whatever), atomic precision in time keeping, world time, tide/moon phases, and a countdown timer, and a silent mode (the last four are my favorite, most useful). I was actually hoping to get a watch that has all of these, including a depth gauge and GPS, although I know that GPS tends to suck the life out of watch batteries, at least this is the rumor I heard with the Suunto watch.
But here are my complaints. The back light function is not as brilliant as my PAG-40. This is a little difficult to explain, but the PAG-40 backlight actually lit up the characters/numbers, not just the background, which I always liked -- the PAW 1500 just lights up the background. Also, the compass function on the PAG-40, would be superimposed upon the entire face of the watch, whereas the PAW-1500 is just on the periphery, this is a major disappointment for me.
As far as looks. I was torn between the PAW-1500 and the PAW-1500 7T b/c the latter has a black bezel. But I didn't want the metal watch band. I do not like the silvery/shiny bezel on the PAW-1500. The face of the PAW-1500 is not as large as the PAG-40, which, I am sure the reason is that when you incorporate the solar power and water resistance down to 200 m, compromise has to be made somewhere (It's only about a 15% difference, but still)
This is a high functioning watch, but for aesthetics, I am not as impressed.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Got Gadgets?, January 21, 2009
For those who aren't familiar with atomic time watches, it works something like this. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) maintains super-accurate cesium atom and hydrogen atom clocks (hence "atomic time"). Astronomical observations from the U.S. Naval Observatory are used to keep the atomic clocks in synch with the actual rotation of the earth and its orbit around the sun. The resulting time information is then broadcast via short wave radio from Fort Collins, Colorado. An "atomic time" watch picks up the radio signal and adjusts its time to match it. Simply leave your watch near a window at night, and it will automatically adjust the time. Your watch will always be super-accurate within a fraction of a second (theoretically at least).
I've had many Casio watches over the years including a solar powered Casio G-Shock with atomic time that I've had now for 5-6 years. It still works perfectly. It's been in very hot weather, sub-zero cold weather, in the ocean, in the snow, in high-pressure car washes, in luggage compartments at 40,000 feet, and it still works perfectly. The damn watch won't die! The only reason I bought a new Pathfinder was because I felt due for a new watch. I don't need an altimeter, barometer, compass, moon phase nor tide indicator, I just wanted a new damn watch!
That being said, the Pathfinder PAW1500-1V is a really cool watch for gadget lovers. You can view the phase of the moon for the current date as well as for any other date. Not only can you view the tide for the current time and place, you can see the "lunitidal interval", whether it is spring tide or neap tide (I don't know--ask a surfer), and you can get this information for any time on any date.
In addition to the current barometric pressure, you can display a graph of the trend of barometric pressure readings to help forecast the weather. And then there's a compass, an altimeter, world time (all 29 time zones--yes, there's 29--not 24), a countdown timer, and 5 alarms. The atomic time feature also works in most of Europe and Japan (they have their own atomic time broadcasts) as well as most of the U.S. and parts of Canada.
All of this is solar powered. So long as the watch gets a little sunlight now and then, you never need to replace the battery. Did I mention that that this watch is water resistant to 200 meters?
If past experience with Casio watches is any indicator, I expect my PAW1500-1V to be an extremely durable and reliable watch for many years. BTW, it is really cool looking, and you'll want it to be visible the next time you're in the conference room where everyone else is wearing those bogus diving watches.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
PAW1500-1V - Excellent Pathfinder Watch!, June 5, 2009
Just picked up the PAW1500-1V - all things considered, it is my favorite pathfinder yet!
With moon and tide graphs, along with compass, altimeter, barometer, thermometer, timer countdown, stopwatch, five alarms, world time, hourly chime, solar power, extreme temperature resistance, power saving, radio-atomic timekeeping - this watch simply has it all!
The PAW1500 is a fantastic looking timepiece as well.
I have also owned the models below:
PAW-1300G
PAW-1200-1V
PAG-40 (Newer with Resin Band - Green/Grey)
PAG-40B2V (Blue w/Nylon Band)
A few other models I don't have the numbers for
In response to someone else's complaint about the backlight - I agree it could stay on longer (and I looked for a way to set this, but unfortunately there isn't), but unlike the PAG-40, this watch features a MUCH BETTER Auto Backlight function as this watch has a light sensor so it won't activate the auto backlight when you're in conditions with alot of sunlight. The PAG-40 Auto Backlight turns on no matter the condition or amount of sunlight. Also, being that the PAG-40's auto-backlight is tied to the Barometer button, it would continually turn itself off as it would invariably be hit by my hand during the day if my wrist was flexed. Lastly, being a solar powered watch, you don't have to worry about battery drain with the auto backlight on the 1500.
In response to one other reviewer's complaint about the band - I have a solution and have created what I consider to be the ultimate looking pathfinder.
I too dislike the plastic resin bands. The band doesn't stay in the band-holder and the plastic bands also become uncomfortable after hours on my wrist.
Using the black plastic band 'holder pieces' from the PAG-40B2V (which easily bolt onto the PAW-1500) I have attached a multi-strap nylon band with quick release buckle from a Casio G2110V G-Shock which truly creates the ultimate, rugged looking pathfinder timepiece.
The G2110V Multi-strap nylon band is wide and makes the timepiece look more balanced as the wide band suits the large watch. I've been searching for the ultimate looking and performing active watch and I've finally been able to create it.
This configuration also works and looks great with the Green/Grey/Black PAG-40 (however, if you're buying from scratch, the 1500's additional Solar Power, Atomic Timekeeping, Countdown Timer and Auto Backlight features make it a much better buy).
Try it out if you get the chance!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
Lots of fun, easy to wear, looks better in person, April 23, 2009
A lot has already been said about this watch, so I'll just add a few more notes.
I like this version better than the one with the titanium band. First, the color scheme is more to my liking. Easier to match black. Second, it's much more comfortable. If you're going to be wearing this outdoors, possibly while sporting or hiking, then you might prefer the resin band to the titanium band, especially considering how it will feel on a hot day when you're sweating. I prefer the resin.
Next, this watch looks pretty good in person. It does look odd, what with having such a huge display, but it doesn't look close to as bad as it does in the online photos. If you're iffy about it, you should definitely go to a local store and try it on.
As others have said, the thermometer function is largely useless. Not only do you have to remove the watch from your arm, but you then have to wait about 10 minutes to get anything close to what the real temp is. This is no joke, as the other day I measured the temp in my office at 73 degrees (thermometer right on my desk), but the watch said that it was 86 degrees. So I took the watch off and hit the temp button every minute. Each minute it would come down about a half degree. Took so long that I finally just gave up on waiting.
The functions are really nifty. Do we need all of these functions? No. Are they super cool? Absolutely.
Fun toy!
I bought this watch just before heading to Japan for vacation. Now, when I get to Japan and can't figure out which way is north, I'll have a compass on my wrist! And a barometer so I can figure out if rain is coming (it's raining there this weekend). And an altimeter for when I hike Fuji-san. And a tide graph for when I go surfing. And ultra-water resist so I don't have to worry about leaving the watch on the beach. And a day/date/worldtime mode so I'm always oriented. And an atomic clock so I won't have to re-adjust the watch. And an alarm so I'll wake up on time. And an auto backlight so I can see all of this at night by just tilting my wrist to an angle and having the light turn on.
Is any of that necessary? Probably not. But it sure was fun typing that out...
=)
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent Piece of Time Keeping Equipment, January 1, 2010
I purchased the Casio Men's Pathfinder Multi-Band Solar Atomic Ultimate Watch #PAW1500-1V via my wife for Christmas, its something we both do. I have to say I am very impressed. I am a "just like to know/ useless information" type of person and this wrist watch had me intrigued from first sight. I tested out the various non-time keeping inturments on the watch to give my self a feel for its accuracy, or inaccuracy for any matter. Here is what I found, along with the pros, cons, and intuitive insight of add-ons:
Compass: Pretty accurate when compared with my old manual compass from my Marine Corps days. Slight movements will throw off the bearing but,as with manual compasses one should check their bearing from time to time anyway.
Barometer: Accurate when checked with the National Weather Service.
Barometer Graph: Accurate. When the graph displayed a downward slope there was rain or snow within 12 hours, as the weather faired better the graph sloped upward.
Altimeter: I still have not totally figured how to check the accuracy of this measurement.
Thermometer: Inaccurate due to reads the ambient air along with your body heat when worn. Accurate if taken off your wrist and allowed to calibrate.
Atomic Timing: Accurate with offcial US time at [...]
Moon Graph: Accurate.
Tide Graph: Accurate.
Pros:
Solar powered
Atomic Timed
Compass
Barometer Graph
World Time
Automatic Illumimnation, when watch is tilted 40 degrees or more.
Lots of gadgets
Cons:
Thermometer
Bezel too loose
Good features to include for future:
GPS
Mild Vibrate
I have a little insight ot a couple of feature others complained about.
-Illumination time is only 2 seconds: I see this as purely tactical. As a Marine I wouldnt want a backlight so bright to be on for more than a couple seconds.
-Alarm is on the low side, volume wise. Another tactical advantage. I would not want it to be any louder but a mild vibrate feature would solve that slight discrepancy.
-Size; I am six foot tall, 155 pounds, slim build, the watch doesn't seem large or bulky at all.
All and all the Casio Men's Pathfinder Multi-Band Solar Atomic Ultimate Watch #PAW1500-1V is as the the title for my review states, an excellent piece of time keeping equipment.
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