Alba Hyper-Tech Carbon Twin Sensor

As it's Easter Sunday, it's a tradition to go for a hike before sunrise and watch the sun come up from the top of a hill. For that purpose I decided to wear a watch designed for the hills.

The watch I chose today is by the Seiko brand Alba, and part of their Hyper-Tech (or Hypertech) range. The watch has many names printed on it: Carbon, Twin Sensor, and Alti-Thermo.  I think that Carbon refers to a particular line of Hyper-Tech watches, while the twin sensor and alti-thermo names refer to the fact that this watch has both barometer (altimeter) and thermometer sensors /functions. The design is big and chunky and has a look which is a little reminiscent of the G-Shocks, but with a non-symmetrical shape. There are many screws on the case, and the sensor is visible at the top of the watch. The strap is a rubbery plastic (which suffers from brittleness) with a ridged design and had the part number of PW031.

The LCD is split into two sections for the different features. The top display has a dot matrix array and a small area for digits, and is used for the day and date as well as the altitude graph or elevation change and hundredths of a second in stopwatch mode. The bottom part of the LCD has two lines which give the time (6 digits at the bottom) and height and atmospheric pressure above. At the right side of this section is a set of Arrows pointing up and down to indicate the change in atmospheric pressure and hence predict the weather (going up =sun, and going down =rain). The watch is controlled by 5 buttons for the modes, adjustment, start/stop and light (small bulb based). The mode button unusually pulls out to put the watch in time setting mode.

The watch is powered by a W754 module which has alarm (possibly time, altitude, and temperature), altimeter /barometer, and chronograph (with altitude recording).

This model is the W754-4A00 and came out in 1995. The catalogue number was ADQP001 and an original sales price of ¥14,000.

Casio Protrek PRT-40 Bird Life International

I decided on today's watch as it is Easter Sunday, and that is a day I go hiking up a hill to watch the sun rise.

The watch I chose is one of my more extreme outdoor watches, and was also a milestone when it came out.

The watch in question is part of the Casio Protrek range and is called the PRT-40. It came out in Japan in 1996 and was the third of the Protrek Triple Sensor watches. On the European Casio site, the PRT-40 is shown as one of the watches in their milestone list with a 1998 release date, so I think it was just late coming out of Japan. As this was a Japanese release, and the module date starts in 1995, i think this was an early PTR-40 model.

The Protrek range started in 1994 as an outdoor watch range for hikers. They started with a triple sensor watch which evolved very little design wise to the PRT-40, but this model was the first with an automatic el-backlight.

This particular version is the PRT-40BLJ, and is a model that as released in partnership with BirdLife International. The BirdLife International organisation is a global collaboration between different conservation organisations. It was started in 1922 as the International Committee for Bird Protection, but changed its name in 1993. The organisation is in charge of the official Red List of birds requiring protection.

The PRT-40 is a typical triple sensor model with thermometer, compass, and barometer/altimeter. It has a large and robust design with a round LCD display in the centre. The LCD display is made up of three rows and a display round the edge of 60 markers for seconds or as a part of the compass. The other parts of the LCD are the time at the bottom, date or temperature /height in the middle, and a small dot matrix at the top (for day or mode).

Inside is a 1471 module which is powered by 2 batteries. Modes on the watch include altitude /temperature (with altitude graph on the dot matrix), data recall (for heights and temperatures), alarm (x5), and stopwatch. The compass is not accessed through the mode button, but the bearing button. Pressing this shows the current bearing, but it is not a live compass, so doesn't change automatically when you turn.

The strap is a fabric, leather, and cord design, fastened to the case through Protrek branded plastic connection, which also has the BirdLife International name printed on it. The first part of the strap is the black leather section, imprinted with the Protrek logo, which is sewn to the velcro fabric strap. It also connects to the secondary cord fastening with a Protrek branded hook, which makes sure that the watch can't accidently fall off.

The back contains the usual information, and has a BirdLife International logo dominating the back plate.

Alba Twin Sensor W750

After a few newer watches, I'm taking it back to the 90s with today's watch.

The watch is one of the Twin Sensor range of watches by the Seiko brand Alba. The watches were released in the 90s to be high tech watches for outdoor use, with sensors designed to help with your outdoor activities.

This model is the W750 and comes from 1995. It is a smaller design than some of the Twin Sensor designs, but still has a barometer /altimeter, and a thermometer.

The LCD display is quite packed with 3 lines of information. Along the top is the altitude and barometric pressure display and the bottom line covers the time. The middle line has a dot matrix array and additional digits which normally shows the date and day. The dot matrix can also show a graph of your altitude over time as well as some text. As well as these, there is a set to do markers down the right side of the watch which show the trend of air pressure, and uses that to predict the weather.

The modes I'm this model are aimed at climbing and hiking. As well as the altimeter and barometer and temperature sensor, the watch has a memory recall (for altitude), alarm, and an Alti-Chr. The Alti-Chr is like a stopwatch, but it also measures your altitude and rate of climb, and is controlled by the front button. As needed for an outdoor watch, it is also 10 bar water resistant. The time adjust is unusual on this model in that you pull out the mode button to activate.

The full model number is W750-4A00. It has an Alba strap with the part number FA89FE 20. The catalogue number was ADQB003, and it originally sold  ¥14,000.

Suunto Vector Black

We're expecting a storm to pass here over the next couple of days, so I decided to choose a watch that can survive the elements.

The watch I chose was the Vector black by Suunto. The Finnish company Suunto Oy was created in 1936 and are manufacturers of outdoor watches, dive computers, and compasses. The factory is next to the headquarters in Finland, and many of the watches are still hand finished.

The Vector model is called the original outdoor watch on the Suunto website, and is one of the most popular models. It is a compass and barometer watch, and uses the air pressure change for altitude calculations. The watch case is quite large and ruggedly built with a custom strap. The front us dominated by the large round LCD display. Time is shown on the largest digits in the centre, and the seconds are shown in a ring around the edge of the dial, or they can replace the date on the bottom. In the top left is a little barometer sign showing the air pressure trend. The compass mode shows the North using the markings around the edge, along with your bearing in digits at the centre. There is also a little spirit level bubble on the glass to make sure it is flat. The altimeter shows height in meters, and has a rate of climb/descent at the top of the display. You can change this to show air pressure in millibar, and in this display, it also shows the temperature. The other watch modes are alarm (multiple), stopwatch, and timer. It takes a very large, and not so common battery, the CR2450, which is accesses with a coin opening slot on the back. My one has had a bit of a hard time in the past so has lost its printing around the face.

This model has been popular in the movies and on TV, appearing in the movie Shooter, the TV series Supernatural, and being the main prop on the film Clockstoppers.

Timex Expedition WS4

An Easter Sunday tradition on a nearby island is to watch the sun rise from the highest point on the island, and hope to see the sun dance. So I decided today should be one of my hiking watches.

The chosen watch is by the Timex watch brand, and part of their Expedition line of watches.

It has probably the most comprehensive LCD display of any of my watches, having a dot matrix area (for time and mode description), two areas for numbers (both of which are also set-up to do letters), an LCD dial display, and a part with pictures of weather conditions.

The weather conditions icons are from the barometer part of the watch, as the changes in pressure can be used to predict the weather, and this is shown on the watch. Below the icons usually lies the temperature of the watch - but as with most watch thermometers, it's badly affected by body temperature. The pressure sensor is also used for the altimeter, and the watch can show graphs of a walk, store data on a journey, have alarms at a set altitude, or just your altitude on the display.

The last hiking function is the compass, which I think is gyroscope based rather than magnetic (as you have to calibrate north). On this mode, the LCD dial points as a compass, and it also shows heading in text and degrees. The LCD dial usually shows the time, but the number of LCD segments can only show changes of two minutes.

There are still even more functions in the watch. It also has a chronograph, timer, dual time, and alarm!

The model number is WS4, and on the back there are two numbers - M810, and the serial number. I guess the WS stands for Wide Screen, as the watch is known for it's widescreen dashboard display.

It is a well sealed watch (50m water resistant), but has a battery hatch on the back. It takes a CR2430 battery, and is the first watch I've come across with that big battery - 24mm by 3mm deep.
The model originally came out in 2009, but is still available today at a cost of around $120-150 (although it seems that this colour is no longer available). The instruction manual pdf can be found at the Timex website.