Monday, May 9, 2011

Tech 4 O Trailhead 1 Watch

Again, this equipment review comes from the fact that my current wristwatch finally went kaput. But as I was researching a new wristwatch, it came to me that perhaps I could get something a bit more than just a watch. At first, I looked at those gps watches to keep track of where I was and how far I had hiked, but, I simply didn’t need to know exactly where I was, and the battery times of those gps watches was usually quite low. What I simply needed was a watch that did all the watch stuff, but that had a way to keep track how far I had gone. I found that, and more, in the Trailhead 1 watch.

This watch is larger than most, so be warned. If you’re a fan of tiny watches, this is not this. Despite this, it fits well on my wrist. The wristband has several notches to help fit any size.
The mile tracker on it works like a charm. It doesn’t rely on gps but on an accelerometer, and on flat land, it works to .002 of a mile precise. Doing uphill and downhill hikes, it’s more like .1 miles off, but this can be adjusted by changing your stride. It’s still more than useful to know where you are at, how far you have gone, your pace and your hiking time. It is EXACTLY what I needed, and the battery lasts for 3-4 years, just any normal watch.

Additionally, you get an altimeter, which was fun to use on our hikes. It also has a barometer and provides temperature readings. The temperature is only accurate while off the wrist, which is something that I don’t think will ever be worked out. It works great at night though. I’d hang it up in the hammock and see just how cold it got at night.

All other watch aspects are available. Timer, chronometer, alarms and multiple times are all there. The special features take some time to setup and calibrate, but once it’s all set, everything works within a few quick and easy button pushes.

I am quite happy with this watch and highly recommend it to fellow hikers that just need a simple way to keep track of mileage.




http://store.tech4o.com/products/345261/Traileader_1

Happy Hiking

2 comments:

Jack Thyen said...

Does it have a compass? I have an old Casio that has a compass and altimeter. But for my replacement, I want something that also tracks distance/speed.

North Carolina Hiker said...

Yes, it does. A very functional one too. Some compasses Ive had on watches just point out degrees, but this one has a handy arrow pointing north. Sometimes, I just need a quick view. You can also set it up to vary with magnetic variances that change each year if you really want precision.