GPS Watch

GPS watches, useful for what they record as much as where they point

A gps watch reads signals from satellites and works out where the wrist is, then keeps doing it as you walk so the route builds up as a line. The range covers rugged outdoor models, shock and water resistant builds and a few non-satellite hiking watches, a reminder that not every watch on a walk needs a receiver.

What does a satellite watch actually give you on a walk?

Three things worth having. It records the track behind you, which lets you retrace a route in poor visibility. It gives a grid position that can be read out to someone else, which matters on featureless ground. And it counts distance and pace from movement rather than from strides, so the numbers hold up over rough terrain. What it does not do is read the ground ahead or choose a line, which is the part a map still owns.

Do you need satellites, or a compass and a map?

A watch runs on a battery and a battery empties, usually on the coldest day of the trip. A compass has no such failure and weighs almost nothing, which is why the sensible arrangement is both rather than either. The comparison worth making is with the simpler models in the hiking watch range, which track time and altitude without hunting for a signal. Items across the navigation & watches selection are usually bought as a pair for that reason.

What should be checked on a gps watch before buying?

• Charging method: proprietary clip cables are easy to leave at home, so check what the watch charges from before it becomes the thing you forgot.
• Screen legibility: a display readable in bright sun without a backlight saves the battery you will want later in the day.
• Strap and lug fit: a wide strap over a jacket cuff needs the buckle holes to reach, and lug width decides what replacements will fit.
• Button operation: physical buttons work with gloves and wet fingers where a touchscreen stops responding.
• Water resistance: read the rating printed on the product page rather than assuming that resistant means suitable for swimming.

What does rugged mean on a watch?

Usually three construction choices. A raised bezel around the glass takes the impact when the wrist meets a rock, so the crystal never touches first. A resin or reinforced case absorbs shock rather than transmitting it into the movement. And recessed or guarded buttons stop a press happening inside a sleeve or against a pack strap. None of that is visible in a specification list, but all of it shows in a side-on photograph of the case.

How do you keep a watch working in wet and cold?

Cold flattens a battery faster than anything else on a winter walk, so a watch worn under a cuff rather than over it holds its charge noticeably better. Salt and grit are the other enemy: rinse case and strap in fresh water after coast or mud, since grit trapped under a strap bar works into the button seals. Dry the case before storing it, and avoid pressing buttons while the watch is submerged, which is when seals let water past.