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I've been thinking about investing in an altimeter to help with navigation. However, there seems to be a massive range on the market. Are there any features that I should be looking out for? Can anyone recommend a brand? Do you really have to spend £200 + to get a decent one?! Any help much appreciated.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by cheese
Can recommend Suunto. You can pick up a brand new Vector or Altimax for £100 - £120.
Very accurate. Features include logbooks to store how much ascent, descent you've done and will also tell you your rate of ascent/descent.
Cheers, Ali
Garmin e Trex vista HCX. £170 from Amazon. Probably does more than you need!
Not sure that an altimeter will help with navigation.Quote:
Originally Posted by cheese
Do not rely on the altimeter reading corresponding with the height on the ground or the contour on the map.
The Use of Altimeters
They are a big help provided you keep an eye on it and reset it at known points, particularly over longer races - otherwise changes in air pressure will give you a false 'altitude' reading (they measure pressure which changes with the weather, and translate it in to the height that corresponds to the actual existing pressure where you happen to be) - if you do lose accuracy they are still useful for measuring short term height changes (eg when you know you need to descend a particular height from a known point). I recommend a Suunto,
so does that mean i would not be able to use one to run along a specific contour? obvisouly i'll be using a map and compass too.Quote:
Originally Posted by XRunner
Yes you can, though it is likely to be only accurate to 10 or 20m in reality, but this is fine for most situations.Quote:
Originally Posted by cheese
I also recommend Suuntos - I have an Altimax.
They are of most use on mountain marathons, though could be helpful in longer races in thick clag. As Cougar says, you have to reset them at known points fairly regularly, or at least check that they give the correct height.
I had agonised over whether to spend on one for a few years - well, every so often thought about it!! Anyroad, a few months ago I did a bit of market research, talked to a few folk and settled for a Sunnto Core.
like most have said here there are pro and con's - map and compass always best but Sunnto gadget offers some extra dimensions....obviously need to calibrate at spot heights etc, thermom function is subject to body heat from wrist...so remove it to see...good functionality in terms of ease of use...recalib' takes a minute if that.
profiles functions such as height gained etc. useful. Barometer is sound as is storm alarm. other stuff like timer/stop watch easy and ok...sun up/set good.
Used it in Saunders other weekend and was pleased with Altimeter/compass function (as a back up) and my race partner thought it was useful too.
Would I buy was as core essential kit? not really ...but if I had a spare cash etc yes.
Sunnto looks to be market leader ---options being Vector
cheers guys, very helpful. i was hoping it would be useful for mountain marathons. will have a closer look at your recomendations. thanks
I recently bought a Techtrail Alterrra.
I did look at the Suunto ones but I think I went for the Alterra as it had better split time functionality.
I got mine for something like £110. Been using it for a couple of months now with no problems, just remember to re-calibrate it especially on days when the atmospheric pressure is changing a lot.
On a related subject, my local shop is offering (with various club/BMC discounts on top of the sale price) an E-Trex Summit HC for 115 quid (reduced from 169.) As I have neither a GPS (which is what I'd really want) nor an altimeter (which I see as an added extra), I'm quite tempted. Advice, anyone?
Be careful on Mountain Marathons! - many MM/Orienteering maps only have contour lines without any heights marked on them - however an altimeter is still a useful bit of kit, for example if you count the lines to work out the height of a control above a known feature you will be passing on the way (for example a col or summit) you can then have a reasonably accurate idea of how far to climb/descend to reach it (ie I dont know how high I am or how far out my altimeter has drifted, but I now know I want to climb 250m above whatever my altimeter happens to say right now) and you then can push on until you get close to where you want to be. If you wanted to contour to a feature I would suggest contouring with a reasonable gap above or below where you want to be (as long as you know which) then relying on timing/pacing and the MK1 eyeball as you get nearer unless there is a nice handrail or other feature to intercept.
the more i look into this the more i think i would be better off spending the money on a nav. course that would give me more confidence in timing/pacing. thanks for all your replies
Elleterwater is full and we have already got people on the spring course @ Kettlewell 2009, @ £60 you will find it good value and enjoyable, if you want to go, be quick as there are only 30 places on each course.Quote:
the more i look into this the more i think i would be better off spending the money on a nav. course
what are the dates for 2009?
Cheese
I will check the dates when I get home tonight and let know.
i'd recomend suunto aswell. i find it very usefull on claggy days with a map. i also have an altimax.
Cheese
The Navigation Course @ Kettlewell is on 20/21/22 March 2009, if you are a FRA member it's £60 if not it's £85, worth joining the FRA for £12, you get 3 super mags, a race calendar and £25 off the price of the course, bargain.
thanks BC, will look into that....hopefully it doesn't clash with the Edale Skyline!