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Highgear Axis Watch

Highgear Axis Watch description

Track your vert and the weather with the Highgear Axis Watch. This all-weather watch is equipped with an altimeter, barometer and compass. The altimeter can store up to 20 checkpoints with time and date to track accumulated altitude; put it to use when yo-yo'ing laps in the backcountry, bagging multiple peaks and bragging about both. The barometer records trends for the last 24 hours, and provides a weather forecast all on your wrist! Both altimeter and barometer are tied to the digital thermometer to keep them on track when things warm up or cool down. Upgraded with an easy-to-change battery hatch, the Axis is ready for as many miles you can put on it. A chronograph, dual alarms, and water resistance allow you to trace your tracks from winter powder to summer singletrack.

This watch has some really great features, such as air temp, compass, altimeter, etc... It shows you clouds when air pressure is dropping and a sunshine when air pressure is rising. It can even show you a profile of your elevation gain and decent (which was my favorite feature). Maybe it was just a string of bad luck or maybe I was too hard on it, but my first Axis' backlight quit working and my second Axis' alarm quit working (two very important features for what I was doing at the time). I finally made the switch to a different brand (which feature-wise I like less but has been tickin' away for the last couple of years). Anyway, if you're considering this watch you might read other reviews of Highgear's watches. If you purchase the Axis, calibrate before every adventure and remember to take it off for a few minutes to get an accurate temp reading.

For the most part I would have liked this watch but I am very particular about how sensitive the temp. is. Since it's a wrist watch, you wouldn't think the temp. would vary much. Running with it and have that going on, not accurate enough for me. The compass was a bear to calibrate and frankly, I couldn't trust the reading. After thinking about it, I decided to get an altimeter that can hang off my backpack. Much less expensive decision than a wrist watch altimeter.

I bought the Axis because it came highly recommended. At first it performed like I expected. It was easy to use and very accurate. But not two months had gone by when the ring on the face of the watch came loose. The watch was not made to last.