Casio Men's PAW1500-1V Pathfinder Multi-Band Solar Atomic Ultimate Watch Review

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(More customer reviews)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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Perfect for rugged adventurers and weekend warriors, the solar-powered Casio Pathfinder men's sport watch is loaded with a digital compass and altimeter/barometer/thermometer--perfect for both mountain trekking and cave spelunking. It also includes tide and moon graphs and moon age data, and is very precise thanks to its atomic timekeeping features. The altimeter offers 5-meter measurements from -700 to 10,000 meters, and it can store altitude, month, date and time data, provide tendency and differential graphs, track cumulative ascent/descent, and sound an alarm when you reach a specified altitude. The watch also has a digital compass with 16 points of measurement displayed on the dial face. Other environmental and timekeeping features include:
Barometer with atmospheric pressure tendency/differential graphics
Thermometer
World Time: 29 times zones (30 cities), city code display, daylight saving on/off
5 daily alarms
1/100 second stopwatch with 24-hour capacity and elapsed/split time modes and 1st-2nd place times
Countdown timer with 60-minute range
Auto Calendar (pre-programmed until the year 2099)
This watch also features a ±20-second accuracy per month, Afterglow backlighting, and water resistance to water resistance to 200 meters (660 feet)--which will stand up to the rigors of recreational scuba diving. This solar-powered watch has a battery life of up to 5 months on a full charge (without further exposure to light).
This multi-band radio-controlled watch receives a time calibration signal transmitted from several locations across the globe (the U.S., UK, Germany, and Japan), and it has an auto receive function (up to 6 times per day). You can choose to automatically receive this signal four times a day, or manually update the watch to the atomic clock.

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Garmin GPSMAP 60Cx Handheld GPS Navigator Review

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(More customer reviews)Finally a GPS unit that simply works the way it's supposed to! Ok... I admit I am still on my honeymoon with the Garmin Map 60Cx, but so far it has worked like a dream and has exceeded my expectations.
This unit was very easy to use intuitively right out of the box. My greatest surprise was when I turned on the unit for the first time and, literally within a minute, I had locked 6 satellites! (with another 4 on the way). I just have to mention that with my previous 3 GPS units, I would have to wait 10 to 20 minutes for a lock on the minimum 3 satellites. Also, this Map 60Cx seems to keep lock well even with buildings, trees, and obstructions (whereas my previous GPS units would frustratingly lose lock when I entered a forest or even stood next to a building). This really makes the Map 60Cx a great pleasure to use. It initiates right away and keeps lock, just like it should. The displays are easy to read and interpret and it easily navigates through the different pages with simple intuitive controls (with Windows-like menus). Oh! and the colour display is great, very easy to see even without the backlight.
The difference between the Garmin GPS Map 60Cx and the Garmin GPS Map 60CSx is that the 60CSx has an electronic compass and a barometric altimeter built in and it usually costs about $30 more than the 60Cx. I opted for the 60Cx (minus the compass and altimeter) because I already had these instruments on my wrist watch, they were redundant with the GPS compass and GPS altimeter already included with the unit, and I noticed that compared to the 60CSx with an 18 hour battery life, the Map 60Cx sips power with up to a 30 hour battery life. Since the only difference between the two are these two additional instruments (compass and altimeter), I can only surmise that the exta power drain must be related to them.
As for battery life, I have not encountered any problems yet. One of my reasons for choosing this product is because it did NOT use an internal or proprietary rechargeable battery. I needed a unit that used plain, readily available, easily replaceable alkaline batteries. Rechargeable batteries do gradually lose their effectiveness over time (as another reviewer noted and attributed to the GPS unit). For me, it is easier and more reliable to just pop in 2 fresh Duracells than to wonder what the current max charge is on my rechargeables (or to pay $20-$30 for some exotic hard to find "EL-1078-4a" battery when it finally dies). This principle holds true for most consumer electronics. I try to avoid anything that uses some special battery (even a CR123 at $5 each) or worse, some specific proprietary battery made just for the device.
Another key feature that I required was waterproofness. I use my GPS unit on, in and over the water (not to mention inclement weather).
The base map is sufficient for my needs so far (hiking and geocaching), but eventually I will pick up the City Navigator software for road directions when I travel. I have seen this software in use on my friend's GPS Map 60CSx (the sister unit to the 60Cx) and despite the seemingly high additional cost, I think that for what you get, it is a good deal. Not only does it upgrade the unit into a highly effective turn by turn road navigator, but it also adds a nice city guide feature that allows you to find restaurants, gas stations, hotels, and Starbucks.
Also, having had some previous experience in law enforcement and familiarity with the California Vehicle Code, I would like to mention that the suction-cup mount accessory for the windshield is illegal in the State of California. It's CVC 26708(a).
UPDATE TO REVIEW 5/20/08:
Ok, I've used this product for a year now, the honeymoon's over... LOL... ...and I still love this product. It has performed superbly way beyond my expectations. First of all, it is indeed very rugged. I've dropped this unit many times, abraded the casing against rocks, accidentally given it impromptu dunkings in rivers and streams (not sea water yet!), and have taken it into extremes of temperature from freezing 20 below, to 120 degree desert. All I can say is, it has endured all of this abuse admirably.
Secondly, the unit when hooked up with the North America Map Pack and the car power cord (which illuminates the display constantly) serves as an excellent turn-by-turn driving GPS. Sure a bigger screen might be nice, but the GPS and directions work (with audible alerts), so I have no complaints. The big advantage is that you can easily unhook it and take the unit with you since it was designed to be handheld, thus avoiding the biggest new temptation for auto burglars.
Thirdly, much to my delight, the base maps pre-installed with the unit include INTERNATIONAL locations also! I was able to use my GPS extensively while traveling abroad 1) ensuring that I could not get "lost" and 2) keeping an automatic, constantly updating travel track log for me. This has turned out to be a wonderful extra benefit of traveling with a good GPS unit. Everywhere I went, every interesting site, every store, every restaurant, every beautiful vista, was accurately and duly recorded, and when I got home and uploaded this track log to my computer, I have a perfect travel diary of my journey. Also, marking waypoints and actually labeling them is quite easy with this GPS unit, and I've been able to do it with gloved hands. If I'm in a hurry, I'd just set a "marker" and then come back and label it later.
I burn through batteries at a consistent rate of 2 AAs every 3 or 4 days (as I power down at night), which is fine with me, to avoid all the hassles of recharging or degrading performance of rechargeables.
Any negatives??
Well, I wish that instead of suspending all functions and wasting power to give me multiple and redundant audible and lit up "pop-up" warnings that my "BATTERY IS LOW", that it would just go ahead and try to function with what little power is left until I run out of power. This is an annoying idiosyncracy of many small electronics including cell phones and iPods. I mean, I can't help but wonder how much longer these units might have functioned if they didn't expend their last gasp of power on these incessant low power warnings.
I think I would have extended the grippy rubber covering to the sides of the unit also. The times that I've dropped it were usually because it simply slipped out of my hand while holding it along the sides.
Alas, the nifty plastic belt clip did not last long under field use. Replacement clips are hard to get (and pricey too). I finally had to upgrade to a rugged military grade nylon web pouch (designed to hold a single smoke or flash-bang grenade).

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The venerable Garmin 60C just got a whole lot better. The 7.5-ounce GPSMap 60Cx now features an insanely accurate, high-sensitivity GPS receiver by SiRF that tracks your position even in tree cover and canyons. Plus, you get a bright, sunlight-readable color TFT display and an included a 64 MB microSD card for storage of optional map detail. Simply put, this powerful unit is ready to take you anywhere on land or sea.
You can use the 60Cx's memory card slot with preprogrammed microSD cards from Garmin (sold separately) that provide topographic maps, city streets, and nautical charts. In fact, the unit is compatible with most Garmin MapSource products including BlueChart, City Navigator, U.S. Topo 24K, and U.S. Topo and Recreational Lakes with Fishing Hot Spots. The unit comes preloaded with an Americas autoroute basemap that provides automatic routing capabilities including highways, exits, and tide data. There's also a preloaded marine point database. You can even get turn-by-turn directions when you're driving, and an integrated trip computer provides odometer, stopped time, moving average, overall average, total time, max speed, and more.
The 60Cx's 2.6-inch, 256-color TFT color display is designed to present mapping and trip information clearly and accurately in any lighting conditions. Plus, the case is lightweight, rugged, and water resistant to IEC 60529 IPX7 standards (can be submerged in one meter of water for 30 minutes). When using two AA alkaline batteries, you'll get up to 30 hours of battery life from the unit.
Another key feature of the 60Cx is the 10,000 point automatic track log; 20 saved tracks (500 points each) let you retrace your path in both directions. There's also a large-numbers option for easy viewing, as well as a dual-position display mode. The also unit includes built-in celestial tables for best times to fish and hunt, plus sun and moon calculations.
The 60Cx's trip computer provides odometer, stopped time, moving average, overall average, total time, max speed, and more. Meanwhile, a fast processor allows the 60Cx to provide quick auto-routing, turn-by-turn directions, and audio alerts when you use the optional MapSource software, which can be stored on the unit's included 64 MB microSD card. Downloading information is quick with the USB or serial port interfaces. Using the dedicated serial port, the 60Cx can share navigation instructions with repeaters, plotters, and autopilots. The four-position rocker pad and dedicated high-use buttons make navigating through the unit's features easy, even when your fingers are cold or wet.
Finally, the GPSMap 60Cx is packed with some extra fun features. An integrated outdoor calendar provides ideal hunting and fishing times, as well as moon rise/set/location information. There is a dedicated geocaching mode for those of you into the hot GPS community treasure hunt game. Finally, there are indoor/outdoor GPS games to help you and your friends enjoy the outdoors.
If you like the features of the 60Cx but require an electronic compass and a barometric altimeter, check out the Garmin 60CSx.
What's in the Box 60Cx unit, 64 MB microSD card, belt clip, USB interface cable, MapSource Trip and Waypoint Manager CD, lanyard, owner's manual, and quick-start guide.

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