Best Watch for Backpacking.

[Transient Being]

Title says it all...opinions please.

[Lone Wolf]

this is all i've carried for 25 years. no need for nothin' fancy
http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___96627

[dillard]

I love my Luminox 8800 Series... Very light, tough as nails, 25 year illumination that doesn't need charging.

[Rocket Jones]

I carry a cheapo Casio from Wally World. The face lights up for night time checks and it has an alarm if I need to use it.

[JAK]

I like windup watches for backpacking, but they are hard to replace when you lose them.

On the other extreme it would be cool to have a reasonable small and comfortable watch that simply displayed information from a central unit. The central unit could be in your pack, and contain all the electronics for timekeeping, gps, communications, heart rate monitoring, speed, elevation, calorie consumption, weather, whatever else.

[Mike2012]

What do you want the watch for?

[JAK]

I use my watch primarily for keeping time, for stuff like dead reckoning, how long til sunset, how long til sunrise, how long until low tide. Perhaps most importantly, when lost or in a crisis, it is good to be able to keep track of time objectively. It reduced panic considerably, and can also assist in problem solving. If you lose your compass, your watch will help you determine direction.

[JAK]

Perhaps the question is, `why on the wrist`.

Interesting how watches have evolved into heart rate monitors, and gps, but never really caught on for communications, as in Dick Tracy. I never held out much hope for Get Smart`s shoe phone, but I thought Dick Track was on to something. Star Trek seemed closest to the mark with their various hand held devices.

[Slo-go'en]

The cheapist one I can find, which is usually 5 bucks. The last one I bought a couple of years ago is still going. It will get replaced when the battery finally dies.

I keep mine on the back of my pack so I don't keep looking at it. Once you figure out your average pace, keeping track of how long you've been walking can give you a good idea of how far you've gone.

[JAK]

I guess there are more watch phones out there than I thought.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84que8konRo

[JAK]

Also this... iPodNano + LunaTik wrist strap = iWatch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xa_G...eature=related

[leaftye]

Backpacking tends to rip the bands off my watches, so now I just keep the watch in my pocket. I thought I'd lose it, but I've been hiking with it in my pocket for two years and I still have it.

I use my watch for timing my breaks and keeping an eye on the sunset. Sunset I get from my gps, but I don't want to keep my gps on all day. I do wish my watch had a countdown timer to alert me when I should take breaks instead of having to check the watch. I occasionally set an alarm in the morning to get me on the trail earlier than normal. My watch has an altimeter, thermometer and barometer, but I don't really use those features.

[JAK]

I would love to have a wind up pocket watch. I also tend to take my wrist watch off and store it somewhere safer. A small cheap light watch is not so bad on the wrist, but something like the iWatch or those Garmins would be sketchy.

[PapaGarrettP]

Can't go wrong with a basic Casio. They are inexpensive and have an alarm, which can be useful.

[bigcranky]

I like the basic Timex with the "indiglo" feature. I pick one with really large numbers so I can see it in my bag at night.

The only time I wear a watch is when backpacking. Go figure.

[Transient Being]

What do you want the watch for?

I actually like the watch better at night, when you can't really tell what time it is. On my last trip, I woke up to what I thought was the first light of sunrise...starting preparing some oatmeal...turned on my phone to see what time it was...1:30 AM! It was light from the moon. Coulda used a watch then.

[Hikes in Rain]

Star Trek seemed closest to the mark with their various hand held devices.

I always liked the "slap your chest and yell at the ceiling" method of the Next Generation.

I've been using a Swiss Army Watch daily for years, so that's what I take hiking.

[Spokes]

1+ for the cheap Timex w/ Indiglo

[flemdawg1]

Cell phone (in airplane mode), also used as alarm clock and camera.

[EastCoastFeastCoast]

This is what I use.

Citizen Eco Drive Diver's Watch.