While attending the GoPro Mountain Games last weekend, I bought the Casio Pro Tek WSD-F20X Smart Watch. It turned out to be a huge disappointment. It was so slow to open menus , it was unusable. In addition the Maps wouldn't load if my VPN/ Firewall was running on my phone. I returned the the following day. $400.00 watch to avoid.
I am back to using my Samsung Gear 3 Frontier. It has full day battery life and beyond. Voice to text is good, and so are notification, Heart Rate monitor works well, and Stainless Steel case is rugged. Additionally, mileage and floor counts are accurate.
Samsung Health isn't very accurate when calculation calories burned. I may need to try Google Fit.
Last I checked COSTCO has them for 239.00, I feel that is a nice value.
So, what Outdoor Smart Watch do you wear, and what are your likes and dislikes?
Smart Outdoor Watch-What do you wear?
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- Nighthiker
- Posts: 1506
- Joined: Feb 03 2002 6:59 am
- City, State: Payson
Re: Smart Outdoor Watch-What do you wear?
I do not use one and I noted the US Navy recently did a training exercise in the SE US and the exercise would/did interfere with GPS signals. Can some units pick up the non US GPS signals.
jk
Re: Smart Outdoor Watch-What do you wear?
I have a Timex Snoopy. It takes a licking and keeps on ticking.
It also tells time!
It also tells time!
Tonya Harding's triple lutz
- Mountain_Rat
- Posts: 128
- Joined: Jul 14 2011 11:15 am
- City, State: Tucson, AZ
Re: Smart Outdoor Watch-What do you wear?
@Nighthiker
fenix 3 offers GPS + GLONASS
fenix 5 offers GPS + GLONASS or GPS + Galileo
Without a doubt, some Goggle ninja is going to jump in here and tell you different (based purely on the first wiki-somethin article he comes upon), but I can tell you from 100s of miles worth of comparative tracks that Galileo Kicks A@# over the others.
fenix 3 offers GPS + GLONASS
fenix 5 offers GPS + GLONASS or GPS + Galileo
Without a doubt, some Goggle ninja is going to jump in here and tell you different (based purely on the first wiki-somethin article he comes upon), but I can tell you from 100s of miles worth of comparative tracks that Galileo Kicks A@# over the others.
Matt
- CannondaleKid
- Posts: 1428
- Joined: May 04 2004 8:39 pm
- City, State: Mesa, AZ
Re: Smart Outdoor Watch-What do you wear?
@Mountain_Rat
Is your experience with the basic free Galileo or the higher-precision encrypted service?
Is your experience with the basic free Galileo or the higher-precision encrypted service?
CannondaleKid
- Mountain_Rat
- Posts: 128
- Joined: Jul 14 2011 11:15 am
- City, State: Tucson, AZ
Re: Smart Outdoor Watch-What do you wear?
@CannondaleKid
The Galileo functionality in the fenix 5X is essentially an additional receiver (not additional antennae). It isn't an enhanced piece of equipment that would be considered an HA system as say a surveyor would use. Nonetheless, the broad dispersion of the Galileo satellites lends to a much greater accuracy in triangulation.
The Galileo functionality in the fenix 5X is essentially an additional receiver (not additional antennae). It isn't an enhanced piece of equipment that would be considered an HA system as say a surveyor would use. Nonetheless, the broad dispersion of the Galileo satellites lends to a much greater accuracy in triangulation.
Matt
Re: Smart Outdoor Watch-What do you wear?
Update: Since June of 2019, I have been using the Fenix 5X. Love it!
Re: Smart Outdoor Watch-What do you wear?
Not a smart watch but I wear a Suunto Core. I like it.
- Mountain_Rat
- Posts: 128
- Joined: Jul 14 2011 11:15 am
- City, State: Tucson, AZ
Re: Smart Outdoor Watch-What do you wear?
@hikerdw
Calling a fenix a smart watch is a stretch anyway. I've heard a lot of good about the Suunto lineup, but at the $500 - $800 we pay for these things, I tend to stick with the more familiar name. It's kind of like hanging onto the edge of the pool
Also, I started in 2015 with the original fenix, so until they botch it, I will probably stick with what I know.
One more thing - I did a week long test drive on a fenix 6, finding no reason to upgrade from the previous model. There are some upgrades in bells & whistles, but nothing for my purposes.
Calling a fenix a smart watch is a stretch anyway. I've heard a lot of good about the Suunto lineup, but at the $500 - $800 we pay for these things, I tend to stick with the more familiar name. It's kind of like hanging onto the edge of the pool

Also, I started in 2015 with the original fenix, so until they botch it, I will probably stick with what I know.
One more thing - I did a week long test drive on a fenix 6, finding no reason to upgrade from the previous model. There are some upgrades in bells & whistles, but nothing for my purposes.
Matt
Re: Smart Outdoor Watch-What do you wear?
I am looking at a K watch which is still being tested. Now it won't help me with God at least so far. But it will monitor my blood sugar and tell me the time.
I am just getting tired of sticking my self to check my blood sugar levels.
I am just getting tired of sticking my self to check my blood sugar levels.
Rowdy and Widowmaker
- wildwesthikes
- Posts: 234
- Joined: Nov 23 2010 9:41 am
Re: Smart Outdoor Watch-What do you wear?
The Instinct is actually quite different - it is designed to be a bit more utilitarian along the lines of significantly longer battery life and ruggedness to where I wouldn't hesitate to drop it in a creek or drag it along the wall of a slot canyon. But - trade-offs abound... The Instinct screen is fairly low resolution, black and white and the responsiveness is a little sluggish. A Fenix is what I would use for more routine day hikes and training. But when doing something like backpacking, the Instinct is what I would choose personally. Mainly for battery life. But I sure wish it had little topo maps like you can get with the top-end Fenix series.Mountain_Rat wrote:Instinct looks to be pretty much the same as fenix