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Highgear Summit Altimeter Watch

Highgear Summit Altimeter Watch description

Mad style, mad data, but no mad squinting trying to read tiny little numbers. The Highgear Summit Watch is a precision altimeter/compass watch with a large readable face and enough style to masquerade as a dress watch. The altimeter can store up to 20 altitude points with time and date data and tracks accumulated altitude. The barometer tracks trends for the last 24 hours, and provides a forecast based on that data in case millibars just make you scratch your head. Both altimeter and barometer are tied to the digital thermometer to keep them honest when things warm up or cool down. The compass is declination adjustable and works with the same rotating bezel that lends the watch its unique style.

I bought a Highgear Summit watch in July of 2005 and was excited with the triple sensor features. In the fall, we hiked through the Grand Canyon and I was anxious to review the elevation changes throughout the hike. Five days later on the trail up the South Rim the altimeter ceased to function. I called Highgear and explained the situation and they authorized a return. I received a new watch a week later (November 2005) and all seemed OK. In July 2007 I started to experience problems again. Now the barometer would not change and since the altimeter is tied to the barometer that too was incorrect. I procrastinated calling Highgear and with an upcoming vacation planned to the Tetons in September 2007 I wanted to have a functioning altimeter. However, the watch then signaled a low battery by beeping and flashing a number of times and went blank. I replaced the battery and nothing. Total blank. I tired the complete reset maneuver (holding all four buttons simultaneously) and still nothing.When I called Highgear and explained all the problems, the customer service person was nice and did a lot of searching to find my original contact in 2005 and the authorized return. She informed me that the replacement watch was within the 2-year warranty and likely they would replace the malfunctioning watch. I was told I would get an email with the RMA. That never happened. A week passed and no email. I called again but never got through to a person as the customer service number immediately transferred to voicemail. I left my contact information repeatedly but never received a call back. Upon returning from the vacation, I called again and customer service still transferred directly to voicemail. I called back but choose technical support and talked to a technician. This person was either having a bad day or did not like taking support calls. His first reaction was that I did not know how to change the battery. His second reaction was that I was using an expired battery as a replacement. When I insisted I had a fresh battery he then informed me I would get an email with an RMA (sound familiar) and to send the watch back with a copy of my receipt and Highgear would either replace or repair after they evaluated the watch. When I told him that the watch had been replaced by Highgear in November 2005 and that a previous customer service contact indicated the replacement watch was within warranty he just repeated his instructions without any comment about the prior replacement.I never received the email with the RMA and at this point no longer interested in any Highgear solution.Pros: The watch is attractive and I received a lot of compliments on its look. I liked the large size and large numbers.The backlight feature was strong and there were times I used it as a quick flashlight in a dark tent.Cons:The mechanism failed in two watches in two years through normal wear and tear.Customer support and technical support do not follow up on their commitments.Here' the bottom line: The watch was not cheap and should have more durability than I received. I could understand one watch having a problem but for two watches to fail in two years seems very odd and a bit concerning. Since I am in the market again for another watch, I have read more reviews on triple sensor type watches and have learned that all seem to have issues, regardless of manufacturer, mainly in the barometer and altimeter features. Perhaps it may be too much to ask a timepiece to accommodate the triple sensor technology.

I recently bought the Summit watch as a less costly alternative to some of the others on the market. So far, I am very pleased. The watch is very functional and easy to use.

This watch, functionally, works great. It has pretty much everything you need at a great price (vs. Suunto). The gripes I have though outweigh the positives. The first is setting the alarm at night. The set button is the same as the light, and the light is never on long enough to set the alarm. The other is the size. At first, it's sweet having a huge watch, then you try to put your pack on and the straps get stuck on it. Or you bend your wrist and it pushes the buttons. Annoying.