 Great watch that "has it all" |
| Review Date: May 20, 2008 |
| Reviewer: scottjl, USA |
Picked up this watch last week (found it somewhere else for a for a bit cheaper) and loving it. The watch has all the functions mentioned and all work smoothly. The only thing to note is that the watch case itself is a mix of dark green and black (it's hard to make out in photos). Keep that in mind if you're "fashion conscious," didn't bother me one bit. The watch is a little on the large side so if you've got a very small wrist it might be huge on you. I'm a lefty and wear it on my right wrist and have no problem with button operations. For some reason the moon display was reversed but the documentation explained how to fix that quickly. Like all temperature sensing watches, your measurements will be off if you try taking a reading with it on your wrist (body heat and all). Everything else appears accurate. The radio receiver has worked flawlessly every night, even receiving a signal with the watch deep inside my house.
Pros:
Watch has everything except a GPS!
Solar powered, don't worry about batteries.
Large, easy to read numbers.
Bright backlight, auto backlight if you enable it.
Calendar programmed until 2099.
Great water/depth resistance (200m).
Cons:
Large size (only a problem if you have a small wrist).
Disclaimers in manual to take all readings with a grain of salt (not meant as professional quality measurements).
Two-tone case (dark green and black, why not just back?).
Non-standard watch bands, can't swap it out easily for non-Casio band. |
Great watch...just know its limitations
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| Review Date: April 29, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Oregon Troutbum, Sisters, OR USA |
I just got this watch and I really like it. As a flyfishing guide/fisheries biologist, I have found it a very useful tool. For a watch I have found its "casual" data quite useful. I have found the barometer to be accurate within .05 inPb and the altimeter accurate within 60-100 ft... what more can I ask from a watch. If I need more accurate data, I use precise scientific equipment(that costs thousands of dollars and needs more calibration than this watch). For the casual user (hiker, biker, fisherman/woman) this is close enough.
The compass is a little tempermental but works great outdoors once it is calibrated (readings are a little iffy indoors, near powerlines, or electronic equipment). The tide/moon data is great and can be specified to exact locations. For the thermometer to work accurately, the watch needs to be off your wrist for 20-30 minutes. This is probably the biggest con of this watch but temp is the least of my concerns.
The biggest downfall of most watches in this catagory is they eat lots of batteries. Well, I have found the solar powered battery more adequate. Just leave it exposed to sunlight for 5-10 minutes and it is fully charged. Additionally, if you set the watch to "Power Save" mode, it automatically goes to sleep when not exposed to light for more than 60 minutes.
The light can be left on by enabling "auto light." Turn on this function and rotate the watch to >40 degrees and the light stays on until you move it <40 degress. |
Got Gadgets?
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| Review Date: January 21, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Randell J. Grenier, |
For those who aren't familiar with atomic time watches, it works something like this. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) maintains super-accurate cesium atom and hydrogen atom clocks (hence "atomic time"). Astronomical observations from the U.S. Naval Observatory are used to keep the atomic clocks in synch with the actual rotation of the earth and its orbit around the sun. The resulting time information is then broadcast via short wave radio from Fort Collins, Colorado. An "atomic time" watch picks up the radio signal and adjusts its time to match it. Simply leave your watch near a window at night, and it will automatically adjust the time. Your watch will always be super-accurate within a fraction of a second (theoretically at least).
I've had many Casio watches over the years including a solar powered Casio G-Shock with atomic time that I've had now for 5-6 years. It still works perfectly. It's been in very hot weather, sub-zero cold weather, in the ocean, in the snow, in high-pressure car washes, in luggage compartments at 40,000 feet, and it still works perfectly. The damn watch won't die! The only reason I bought a new Pathfinder was because I felt due for a new watch. I don't need an altimeter, barometer, compass, moon phase nor tide indicator, I just wanted a new damn watch!
That being said, the Pathfinder PAW1500-1V is a really cool watch for gadget lovers. You can view the phase of the moon for the current date as well as for any other date. Not only can you view the tide for the current time and place, you can see the "lunitidal interval", whether it is spring tide or neap tide (I don't know--ask a surfer), and you can get this information for any time on any date.
In addition to the current barometric pressure, you can display a graph of the trend of barometric pressure readings to help forecast the weather. And then there's a compass, an altimeter, world time (all 29 time zones--yes, there's 29--not 24), a countdown timer, and 5 alarms. The atomic time feature also works in most of Europe and Japan (they have their own atomic time broadcasts) as well as most of the U.S. and parts of Canada.
All of this is solar powered. So long as the watch gets a little sunlight now and then, you never need to replace the battery. Did I mention that that this watch is water resistant to 200 meters?
If past experience with Casio watches is any indicator, I expect my PAW1500-1V to be an extremely durable and reliable watch for many years. BTW, it is really cool looking, and you'll want it to be visible the next time you're in the conference room where everyone else is wearing those bogus diving watches.
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PAW1500-1V - Excellent Pathfinder Watch!
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| Review Date: June 6, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Paul E. Harvey, Culver City, CA |
Just picked up the PAW1500-1V - all things considered, it is my favorite pathfinder yet!
With moon and tide graphs, along with compass, altimeter, barometer, thermometer, timer countdown, stopwatch, five alarms, world time, hourly chime, solar power, extreme temperature resistance, power saving, radio-atomic timekeeping - this watch simply has it all!
The PAW1500 is a fantastic looking timepiece as well.
I have also owned the models below:
PAW-1300G
PAW-1200-1V
PAG-40 (Newer with Resin Band - Green/Grey)
PAG-40B2V (Blue w/Nylon Band)
A few other models I don't have the numbers for
In response to someone else's complaint about the backlight - I agree it could stay on longer (and I looked for a way to set this, but unfortunately there isn't), but unlike the PAG-40, this watch features a MUCH BETTER Auto Backlight function as this watch has a light sensor so it won't activate the auto backlight when you're in conditions with alot of sunlight. The PAG-40 Auto Backlight turns on no matter the condition or amount of sunlight. Also, being that the PAG-40's auto-backlight is tied to the Barometer button, it would continually turn itself off as it would invariably be hit by my hand during the day if my wrist was flexed. Lastly, being a solar powered watch, you don't have to worry about battery drain with the auto backlight on the 1500.
In response to one other reviewer's complaint about the band - I have a solution and have created what I consider to be the ultimate looking pathfinder.
I too dislike the plastic resin bands. The band doesn't stay in the band-holder and the plastic bands also become uncomfortable after hours on my wrist.
Using the black plastic band 'holder pieces' from the PAG-40B2V (which easily bolt onto the PAW-1500) I have attached a multi-strap nylon band with quick release buckle from a Casio G2110V G-Shock which truly creates the ultimate, rugged looking pathfinder timepiece.
The G2110V Multi-strap nylon band is wide and makes the timepiece look more balanced as the wide band suits the large watch. I've been searching for the ultimate looking and performing active watch and I've finally been able to create it.
This configuration also works and looks great with the Green/Grey/Black PAG-40 (however, if you're buying from scratch, the 1500's additional Solar Power, Atomic Timekeeping, Countdown Timer and Auto Backlight features make it a much better buy).
Try it out if you get the chance! |
Lots of fun, easy to wear, looks better in person
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| Review Date: April 23, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Kelly Knight, |
A lot has already been said about this watch, so I'll just add a few more notes.
I like this version better than the one with the titanium band. First, the color scheme is more to my liking. Easier to match black. Second, it's much more comfortable. If you're going to be wearing this outdoors, possibly while sporting or hiking, then you might prefer the resin band to the titanium band, especially considering how it will feel on a hot day when you're sweating. I prefer the resin.
Next, this watch looks pretty good in person. It does look odd, what with having such a huge display, but it doesn't look close to as bad as it does in the online photos. If you're iffy about it, you should definitely go to a local store and try it on.
As others have said, the thermometer function is largely useless. Not only do you have to remove the watch from your arm, but you then have to wait about 10 minutes to get anything close to what the real temp is. This is no joke, as the other day I measured the temp in my office at 73 degrees (thermometer right on my desk), but the watch said that it was 86 degrees. So I took the watch off and hit the temp button every minute. Each minute it would come down about a half degree. Took so long that I finally just gave up on waiting.
The functions are really nifty. Do we need all of these functions? No. Are they super cool? Absolutely.
Fun toy!
I bought this watch just before heading to Japan for vacation. Now, when I get to Japan and can't figure out which way is north, I'll have a compass on my wrist! And a barometer so I can figure out if rain is coming (it's raining there this weekend). And an altimeter for when I hike Fuji-san. And a tide graph for when I go surfing. And ultra-water resist so I don't have to worry about leaving the watch on the beach. And a day/date/worldtime mode so I'm always oriented. And an atomic clock so I won't have to re-adjust the watch. And an alarm so I'll wake up on time. And an auto backlight so I can see all of this at night by just tilting my wrist to an angle and having the light turn on.
Is any of that necessary? Probably not. But it sure was fun typing that out...
=) |
Great Watch For Hikers and Climbers
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| Review Date: August 27, 2009 |
| Reviewer: T. Vervaeke, Colorado Springs, CO USA |
I bought this watch about 8 months ago and have used it regularly when hiking or climbing. Have been a lover of the Casio sport watches (G-Shocks) for a long time. Primarily I got this watch to hike with as it's altimeter will be helpful as it is on my wrist. I always hike with a Garmin Rino 530Hcx which is a GPS, Radio, Moving Map, and altimeter. But it attaches to the front of my backpack's shoulder strap and is not always that convenient to read w/o unclipping it and reading it.
The 1500 watch is perfect for that. At the Trailhead I will turn on the GPS, get a fix, read the elevation, and then set the Casio 1500 to that elevation. It's normally pretty close on it's own but not always perfect. Then I start my hike. Most of my hiking is upwards from the TH to a lake or mountain peak that I know the elevation of. So I can use the watch to determine how I am doing and how much time I have expended. In conjunction with the Garmin GPS it's a wonderful combo.
This is my first solar powered watch and that too was one of the reasons I got it. No more batteries. No chance it is going to die from batteries when out on a week-long adventure somewhere (which has happened with my battery powered quartz watches). My watch keeps itself charged even if sitting on my desk in my office for weeks at a time and the only light it gets comes through a window 10' away.
I have not really used the back light much that many folks complain about as I don't hike much at night. I'm old, when it's dark I'm likely to be inside.
As for the atomic time sync: no issues at all. Again, my watch normally sits on my desk inside my house and it gets the time signal just fine. In fact there's a screen on the watch to inform you when it last synced. Never an issue. I live in the western US.
The thermometer is accurate as long as the watch is not on your wrist. It takes 5-10 minutes once off of your wrist to be accurate. Unfortunately, since I'm a mammal and it's a watch it can't measure wind chill. Darn. :-)
All in all this is a great watch for the $$ especially if you buy it someplace like Amazon on sale. I expect this watch to last 10+ years and thousands and thousands of hiking miles. I consider it part of my hiking survival kit.
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Excellent Piece of Time Keeping Equipment
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| Review Date: January 2, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Cpl Delves USMC, Brooklyn, NY |
I purchased the Casio Men's Pathfinder Multi-Band Solar Atomic Ultimate Watch #PAW1500-1V via my wife for Christmas, its something we both do. I have to say I am very impressed. I am a "just like to know/ useless information" type of person and this wrist watch had me intrigued from first sight. I tested out the various non-time keeping inturments on the watch to give my self a feel for its accuracy, or inaccuracy for any matter. Here is what I found, along with the pros, cons, and intuitive insight of add-ons:
Compass: Pretty accurate when compared with my old manual compass from my Marine Corps days. Slight movements will throw off the bearing but,as with manual compasses one should check their bearing from time to time anyway.
Barometer: Accurate when checked with the National Weather Service.
Barometer Graph: Accurate. When the graph displayed a downward slope there was rain or snow within 12 hours, as the weather faired better the graph sloped upward.
Altimeter: I still have not totally figured how to check the accuracy of this measurement.
Thermometer: Inaccurate due to reads the ambient air along with your body heat when worn. Accurate if taken off your wrist and allowed to calibrate.
Atomic Timing: Accurate with offcial US time at [...]
Moon Graph: Accurate.
Tide Graph: Accurate.
Pros:
Solar powered
Atomic Timed
Compass
Barometer Graph
World Time
Automatic Illumimnation, when watch is tilted 40 degrees or more.
Lots of gadgets
Cons:
Thermometer
Bezel too loose
Good features to include for future:
GPS
Mild Vibrate
I have a little insight ot a couple of feature others complained about.
-Illumination time is only 2 seconds: I see this as purely tactical. As a Marine I wouldnt want a backlight so bright to be on for more than a couple seconds.
-Alarm is on the low side, volume wise. Another tactical advantage. I would not want it to be any louder but a mild vibrate feature would solve that slight discrepancy.
-Size; I am six foot tall, 155 pounds, slim build, the watch doesn't seem large or bulky at all.
All and all the Casio Men's Pathfinder Multi-Band Solar Atomic Ultimate Watch #PAW1500-1V is as the the title for my review states, an excellent piece of time keeping equipment. |
casio PAW1500-1V
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| Review Date: August 14, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Thomas E. Coleman, st louis, mo |
| i bought this watch after reading about it. i didnt think it was possible for a watch to do so many different functions. however it does, and at a very reasonable price. barometer, thermometer, altimeter, compass, stopwatch, timer, and on and on. i have checked the readings against the weather station, and the readings are right on the button. enjoy this watch, it does so much |
Best non-dress watch you can own.
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| Review Date: August 27, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Bearcat, Ohio |
| I have owned all manner of watches and I can say without a doubt that this is the best non-dress watch I have ever owned. I have a $3k Tag Heuer Link watch but I enjoy wearing this Casio more. It's light, durable, accurate and just plain cool. The solar power is a great feature and the atomic time keeping is so nice I want every watch to have that feature. You never have to set the time again! Overall VERY pleased with this watch and it does the same as other watches costing hundreds or over $1k more. |
Tom-n-NC
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| Review Date: June 10, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Tom-n-NC, North Carolina USA |
| This is one phenomenal watch. It is as tough as the G-Shocks, and it has a decidedly handsome look to it. Receipt of the nightly time update has never failed, and I don't even take the watch off. The compass is as accurate as it is advertised. The barometric pressure function is always in the ballpark with the local report, and its way of showing the trend as constant, upward, or downward is commendable. The tide and moon graphs are very accurate and valuable to folks like me who spend time on the beach and in the sea. The instruction manual is straight forward, and the watch functions are marvelously intuitive. The only downer is the altimeter. I'd be as well off depending on a ouija board. It's not a function I value, so I don't whine about it. Fine job, Amazon and Casio. |
Great watch, with some effort to learn
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| Review Date: November 4, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Chris S, |
| Pretty happy with the watch, getting to learn it does require some time unless your familiar with this series already. It's also alot more compact than I thought it was going to be, my last G-Shock sat about half an in off my wrist in height! This Pathfinder paw1500-1V combines features of the Seafinder also. Tough looking, tough acting! I do wish the compass bezel was a bit more tactical and less shiny, but it's nothing that can't be solved with some ingenuity. |
Leading the way in Iraq
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| Review Date: June 20, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Robert Beer, IRAQ |
| Im currently serving in iraq and the PAW 1500 is a life saver sometimes our equipment goes out and we have to rely on just a compass and map well the pathfinder is a great reference to double tap and verify a direction not to mention it tells military time and temp which helps in planning missions i use every feature everyday and even though the book is thicker than most novels the watch its self is very easy to use |
Excellent watch
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| Review Date: July 30, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Rover, |
| Initially I thought this watch was not charging well but found out it just takes time to fully charge and then just routine exposure to light gets it fully charged. There are areas (east coast) where the level of the signal from Denver is not good and the watch will not receive and update from atomic time clock. Otherwise I am very happy with this watch. |
Great watch features for the price
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| Review Date: August 4, 2010 |
| Reviewer: John D. Scott, Chicago |
| This is a wonderful watch. It works pretty much as advertised; however, I have not used all of the feautures such as the altimeter. It is easy to see and use and the display really does look nice. My only complaint (a minor one)is the lack of a better band. The original wrist strap is kind of flimsy and narrow. I would have loved it if it were a wider more substantial band. Other than that it is a great watch for the price!! Ordered from Amazon with no problems and a great price!!!! |
SECOND BEST-EVER MALE TOY
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| Review Date: November 12, 2008 |
| Reviewer: P. Bergsman, Philadelphia PA |
Casio Men's Pathfinder Multi-Band Solar Atomic Ultimate Watch #PAW1500-1V
My local bookstore carries TWO monthly wrist-watch magazines. Some of the watches go for over $250,000! And, they all have about the same functions: Time, Date, and Stop Watch. In 10 years, if they still work, and have not been crushed by a bowling ball, their actual value will have to depreciate. And, in 20 years, who will have replacement parts?
I buy a watch for functionality. And, the PAW1500-1V has it all. The '1V, with it's two bands, is lighter, more comfortable, and less expensive. No other wrist-watch can compare with the PAW1500. While enjoying outside activities, I always know when to pack-it-up because rain is definitely on the horizon.
When hiking, or cycling, I use the compass, altimeter, and temperature sensors. All teenagers are connected by brain wave transmissions. During a full moon, all teenager's thought processes deteriorate. In fact, a lot look like they have crashed after a very long week-end party. So, I depend on my PathFinder to provided a reality check. While I'm in the classroom teaching high school mathematics, my PathFinder tells me if my students are being influenced by a full-moon. The five alarms provide a three minute warning to wrap it up before the bell rings.
I never worry about knowing the correct time because the the PAW1500 automatically receives time and date updates from daily government radio broadcasts.
The PAW1500 is the second best male toy ever made. The all time best male toy is a portable, talking, GPS system. NOTE: GPS systems that do not talk are worthless.
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Love it!
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| Review Date: March 23, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Philip Sanfilippo, NH |
| Have been wearing the watch for a couple weeks and love it! Atomic/solar, readability, fit/finish, just a fantastic watch. Have gone through the functions quickly and they have all worked well. Have had a number of G shocks and this Pathfinder is my favorite Casio thus far. This is what a G should be! Don't hesitate if you are looking for a watch in this category or if you just want a fun, indestructible watch! |
this is grate watch
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| Review Date: April 15, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Junior Arevalo, sweetwater florida |
| super quik delivery and the watch is all i was looking for :) |
Fantastic watch!
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| Review Date: September 4, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Gerald, |
This watch is everything I ever hoped for in a watch.
I absolutely love all the features!
The price was great!
Delivery was fantastic!
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As always, Casio does the best
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| Review Date: October 15, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Andres C. Enrico, Caracas, Venezuela |
Recently I was thinking that no Casio product I owned (watches, calculators, cameras, clocks) ever disappointed me... thats quality.
Regarding the watch, I was waiting for Casio to put in a single model the triple sensor and the moon/tide functions... now I just wait that it becomes smaller (like 1300 series) and includes deep meter.
The watch is very well made, better than expected. Even if big, it wears comfortly. One suggestion to Casio: I need to adjust the string on a length just between two holes, can you put the holes near one to another?
Drawback: I does not recognizes other standard times outside the small set preprogrammed, this is annoying when traveling.
Surprise: the automatic time set has worked twice being in Venezuela, far away from the signal area! |
good all around watch
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| Review Date: September 25, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Mark C. Allen, |
| Quick down and dirty, the watch performs every function I need it to and it is solar powered. If you are one of those guys that never takes his watch off...this may be the one for you. |
A very good sport watch
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| Review Date: September 24, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Carol E. Williams, Kansas City, MO United States |
This watch follows Casio's penchant for good high tech gear.
The watch which offers the moon phases as well as fish times and alarms is very reasonable priced and offers good features that are useful to anyone.
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Best all-around watch for the outdoors and water
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| Review Date: November 2, 2009 |
| Reviewer: William Lawton, Greenville, SC |
| this watch is so good that there will be items that you never use. would definately recommend to anyone. |
best outdoors watch.....period.
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| Review Date: November 26, 2009 |
| Reviewer: K. Schmidt, Tampa, FL |
| This is by far the best outdoor watch period. The watch does everything(if calibrated) correctly. The build quality is second to none. Extremely rugged. Great size, and not too heavy at all. The features list just keeps going. |
Good watch
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| Review Date: March 10, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Willem, Costa Rica |
| Have it since 3 weeks. Working perfectly. Also time check works correctly in Central America. Have to get used to the big size. |
Casio Pathfinder
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| Review Date: June 15, 2010 |
| Reviewer: James A. Tyra, Lakeside, Az |
| I am very happy with my purchase. I have always like Casio products and I love this watch. |
The Pathfinder is a very Capable Tool
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| Review Date: July 20, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Sherlock Maxwell, California |
| With knowledge gained from the times spent at aviation safety seminars and other types of emergency preparedness training, having a robust and essential tool within reach is a must. The Pathfinder is elegant and practical, it's timekeeping, compass, altimeter and barometer are useful tools for dealing with daily routines and the urgent necessity of an unexpected emergency. |
Great product.
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| Review Date: October 4, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Ramandeep Sidhu, Capt. Jaswinder Pal |
| I am a professional sailor and you have my word that this is a great wrist watch to have out at sea. All the right things. |
casio
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| Review Date: January 24, 2009 |
| Reviewer: H. Lora, |
| it is a very good wacth . It lives up to its name THE PATHFINDER |
excellent product
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| Review Date: August 2, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Leah Langevin, |
| Of all the watches I have, this is my favorite. it has great features. it is well worth the price. |
A great watch, but a step backwards
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| Review Date: December 15, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Megarat, Squirt Island, USA, Earth |
I recently received this watch as a gift, as I already owned a Casio Pathfinder PAW1300G-1V (the earlier model), and it was thought that I would appreciate the upgrade.
In short, this is a nice watch, but there aren't that many features over the PAW1300 line to justify the increased size. Unfortunately, in spite of these new features, I find that I still go back to the PAW1300 as my daily watch, simply because it's a better package as a whole.
There are three major new features in the PAW1500 series that are not in the PAW1300:
-- Tide calculator
-- Moon phase calculator
-- Water resistant to 200m (instead of 100m)
The increased water resistance is terrific, as this turns the Pathfinder into an actual diving watch, instead of a mere snorkeling watch. But the other two features, in my opinion, are underwhelming, and the cost in the module's case-size are quite great.
To whit: the PAW1300 is 47.4mm round and 11.5mm thick. The PAW1500 is 51mm round and 13.9mm thick. This may not sound like a big difference, but side-by-side, it's palpable. Before obtaining this watch, the PAW1300G-1V was the largest one I owned (in a close tie with the Seiko Orange Monster). Now this watch completely dwarfs it. It's so big, I feel like I can use this watch to deflect bullets, Wonder-Woman-style.
(If you like big watches, then don't listen to me. If you don't care, but want this watch anyway, then get ready for the predictable, "Good thing that watch is water-resistant to 200 meters, because you'll need it when that watch drags you down to the bottom of the ocean"-type jokes from your friends, and even strangers.)
Additionally, the 1500PAW has some shortcuts, like the countdown timer. The PAW1500 only has a "yacht" timer, which means that you can count down only from a maximum of 60 minutes. Instead, the PAW1300 has a full 24-hour countdown timer, which is something I use frequently. To find this feature crippled in the PAW1500 was a disappointment. (Also, the altimeter only has a 20-record capacity in the PAW1500 compared to the 40 records in the PAW1300, but I don't think many people will be affected by this.)
The PAW1500 does have one minor pro that I should mention: the information is better-displayed than it is on the PAW1300. Despite the watch's large size, there is technically less space in the LCD display for numeric/text/icon information, but to me the information is presented with a cleaner layout and is more intuitive to read. I.e., I think it makes the best of what it has, and I wish that the PAW1300 had done a better job in this regard.
In short: if you are looking to get a cool outdoor-gizmo watch, this one will deliver heaps of features in spades. The solar power is awesome, and once you have atomic syncing, you'll never go back. The other features, when you learn how to use them, are extremely powerful in combination.
Still, I would advise that you be honest with yourself. Do you really need 200m water resistance, and calculators for tides and moon-phases? (And do you really want a watch the size of a beverage coaster?) If not, then I would recommend that you take a look at the PAW1300 series. It's considerably cheaper, and the size is less obnoxious.
(The PAW1300G-1V in particular is noteworthy in that the band is not integrated with the case, but can be swapped out for standard one-piece 22mm bands, like the Zulu or NATO straps.)
There have been many generations of Pathfinder watches over the past several years, and to me, the PAW1300 feels like the golden version: the Pathfinder done right (well 90% right). Unfortunately, the PAW1500 feels like an awkward, next-generation compromise in order to pack in those few extra features. Maybe the PAW1600 will be an improvement.
As a final note: I see a lot of reviews for the Casio Pathfinders complaining about the lack of accuracy. Please note that these watches need to be calibrated to local conditions if you want them to be truly accurate, and even still, you should fully understand how the features work (and the basic science behind them) if you want to get the best use of these watches. If you are looking for a zero-maintenance, GPS-quality dashboard for you wrist, I would recommend looking at the Garmin Foretrex 101 (while a terrific piece of equipment, it's not solar-powered, and will require changing the AAA batteries every 10 hours).
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Very cool and useful
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| Review Date: June 6, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Tim Crumley, South Carolina |
Great watch with many useful features. I bought this as a backup tool for aviation. It has proved to be fairly useful. I give it only 4 stars because of the functionality of the measurements.
I calibrated my watch at the airport with actual observed conditions. Once calibrated it will provide fairly accurate measurements, I use fairly loosely. The barometer only measures in increments of .05 inches. Yesterday the barometer was as 30.07 observed and my watch read 30.10. I suppose 30.05 would have been closer but I was thankful that the watch read that close. The temperature measurements have been dead on. I have an outdoor digital thermometer at my house and they generally read the same to .2 degrees F.
The altimeter and compass do not continually measure. They have to be refreshed. I believe that the compass reads for 20 sec and the altimeter might be the same. The altimeter has shown to be the most inaccurate of the measurements. It tends to fluctuate a lot.
My biggest complaint though is the backlight. It only stays on for about 2 seconds once the button is pushed. It isnt nearly enough time to take in all the information that this watch provides. I havent found a way yet to change the duration.
I could certainly have gotten away with the 1300 series but my wife thought the 1500 looked better so who was I to argue. The moon feature of the 1500 is pretty cool. I do enjoy knowing what phase the moon is in and how high the tides are.
Overall I really enjoy this watch. I wish that it was a little more accurate but I guess that is why aviation instruments are thousands of dollars and this watch is hundreds. BTW, I really like Amazon and buy most everything from here...except this watch. I bought it at my local Casio dealer for about $30 less than advertised here. The casio pathfinder website has a dealer locater function. If you are thinking about this watch...get it.
Edit:
Seems as if the price is dropping on Amazon. It is currently under $225. I doubt that you will find it cheaper. Maybe, but prob not. Amazon came through again for me. They most always have the best prices. |
Great watch, but a couple of nits
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| Review Date: December 6, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Kayakjack, |
I like Casio watches. This one replaces one I have worn for almost 20 years.
I love the atomic watch feature. It automatically gets a signal once a day. Perfect time. The moon feature is great too.
Unfortunately I think the altimeter is a toy. I get very different readings each day from the same location. The barometer isn't much better. It does have a little graph which shows upward or downward trends and that has some value.
Overall, I like it. It looks good, keeps great time and has a few toys to play with. |
Casio Atomic Pathfinder
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| Review Date: May 18, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Kosh, England |
| This is my favorit watch! It picks up the radio signal anywhere in my house. The only think that dockes a stare is the wrist strap; Its constintly pulling my arme heair unless I get it just wright, but other then that Fantastic! |
My do everything watch
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| Review Date: April 15, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Ronald LaCroix, Yorba Linda, CA |
| My old watch gave up the ghost recently so it was time to find another. Digital watches lack the elegance of mechanical-jewelry-type or traditional watches. I figured it would be fun to get a digital watch which would make up for these shortfalls. The Casio PAW1500 fits the bill quite nicely. Imagine keeping perfect time with its WWV receiver. How about the compass, altimeter, barometer,tide, and moonphase? They all work pretty well,not quite perfect, but pretty well. For fun I use most of the functions daily. As for the thermometer it has some limitations. If you really must know the air temp. you'll need to take it off your warm wrist for several minutes which is unfortunate. All the other typical features like stop watch, world time etc. perform as you'd expect. The alarm works well except it is not nearly as loud as my old watch. Overall I like this watch a lot but gave it 4 instead of 5 stars for the above mentioned imperfections. Keep in mind if I lost it I'd get another as soon as possible. |
Great Watch for the outdoors person!
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| Review Date: March 14, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Jeffrey Reed, DC, USA |
| VEry statisfied. Great watch. Exactly what the active outdoors person needs. Does everything it advertises. I'm very happy with it. |
Good value
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| Review Date: October 13, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Sonu Khunkhun, California |
| Love the features in this watch so far, only thing missing is a GPS on this thing...but then the watches that have GPS have pretty low batt. life. |
Good Looking Watch, Temperature Inaccuracy!
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| Review Date: November 13, 2008 |
| Reviewer: JJ, Missouri, USA |
| I love this watch with a lot of features, I especially love the digital compass. I wish the temperature sensor would be more accurate, it seems to be higher than actual all of the time, may be it has something to do with the body temperature. It's so inconsistence that it gives different temperature reading almost everytime you press the button. I also wish the light will stay on longer than 1 second. All the features pretty much useless if you're in the dark and have to keep pressing the light. The only thing missing is this does not have "G-Shock". |
Better getting the same model without the atomic time update feature
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| Review Date: August 26, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Jeremy Lee, Singapore |
If the Protrek PRG 130 is available in your area, it is better off getting it than the PAW 1500. the multi-Band 5 Atomic Timekeeping feature is not very useful at all as it will require you to put your watch near a window at night to get a clear signal to update.
With so many of us owning car GPS units, you can easily get the the update by synchronising your watch with the time there instead. GPS time is also synchronised with ground based atomic time keeping facilities.
Both models are identical otherwise in features. The price difference will be what you pay for the atomic time keeping feature. It might not be worth the difference in price. |
Nice watch works great.
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| Review Date: April 6, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Vaughn Smith, |
I think for the money you can't find a better outdoors utility watch.
I have owned many time pieces from Rolex to Citizens and I like this watch very much. I don't think some of the features are the most accurate, but what do you expect for the price. Seems very durable. |
Excellent Watch, bad shipment.
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| Review Date: March 26, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Jorge, Miami, FL |
This is one of my best buys, I love this work!
My only claim is that I had to go to the local USPS office to pick up my watch because by shipper policies they did not ship it to my job. |
Good features, but a bit on the big side
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| Review Date: May 1, 2009 |
| Reviewer: George Lai, |
| I was debating on getting this watch or the PAW1300 series, since they are pretty much the same features. I had no need for the tide information. I am a pilot so I wanted to have the other options. I didn't want a grey bezel, but wanted the resin strap. So the problem with the grey bezel is that it makes the watch look cheap and walmart'ish. Besides that the watch is huge. I own a Atomic Skyhawk from Citizen, and I thought that watch was big and that the PAW1500 wouldn't be any bigger. But it is, and I just felt kinda funny about it. I ended up returning it and getting the 1300 series, which was definitely better fitting. So if you don't mind a huge watch, then this would work out for you. I would still recommend the 1300 series because it's more casual. |
Comparison to the PAG-40
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| Review Date: August 6, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Surgerator, Tampa, FL |
So in 2001, I got my first Pathfinder watch, the PAG-40. It was great. The PAW-1500 is an obvious improvement in function. It is solar powered, water resistant to 200 m (although anyone who is diving 660 feet...I find hard to believe they would be wearing this watch, but whatever), atomic precision in time keeping, world time, tide/moon phases, and a countdown timer, and a silent mode (the last four are my favorite, most useful). I was actually hoping to get a watch that has all of these, including a depth gauge and GPS, although I know that GPS tends to suck the life out of watch batteries, at least this is the rumor I heard with the Suunto watch.
But here are my complaints. The back light function is not as brilliant as my PAG-40. This is a little difficult to explain, but the PAG-40 backlight actually lit up the characters/numbers, not just the background, which I always liked -- the PAW 1500 just lights up the background. Also, the compass function on the PAG-40, would be superimposed upon the entire face of the watch, whereas the PAW-1500 is just on the periphery, this is a major disappointment for me.
As far as looks. I was torn between the PAW-1500 and the PAW-1500 7T b/c the latter has a black bezel. But I didn't want the metal watch band. I do not like the silvery/shiny bezel on the PAW-1500. The face of the PAW-1500 is not as large as the PAG-40, which, I am sure the reason is that when you incorporate the solar power and water resistance down to 200 m, compromise has to be made somewhere (It's only about a 15% difference, but still)
This is a high functioning watch, but for aesthetics, I am not as impressed. |
Decent outdoorsman watch
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| Review Date: March 27, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Skip, Santa Cruz, CA USA |
This watch functions as described and, given the price of the competition, provides a decent value for the money. I needed a digital watch for timing yacht racing starts (my 15 year old Casio has died). I decided I would also use it for everyday outdoor activities, hunting, fishing hiking and general exploring so the altitude, barometer, tide and compass features were important. As I said all these features function as advertised, and I am generally pleased with my purchase. I will start with notes on things that could be better. The Barometer and Altimeter are not interdependent, so setting the altitude does not affect the barometer reading. The barometer is effectively an ambient barometer with no sea level correction, and the altimeter is only as accurate as you are at knowing some reference altitude on a given day. It would be really nice to have some more altimeter functions (as other models apparently do) such as accumulated ascent/descent, and ascent/descent rate functions (Max, avg, current).
The tide function, to be accurate in your location requires that you enter the time of the first high tide of the day, then it calculates the subsequent tides. Unfortunately it is off by a few minutes per tide so after a few days you need to check your tide table and reset the timing, at least that is the case for Santa Cruz, this whole function is sort of gimmicky, but cute.
On the positive side the watch is comfortable to wear, the interface is intuitive and simple to navigate, the illumination is effective and easy to find and activate in the dark. The automatic timekeeping (Atomic clock) is also cute, but it works well in my area and gets an update every night, making the time consistently as accurate as a GPS (I was recently in a hotel in Orlando, where it never got the update, but the time stayed accurate). The compass function works well and appears to be quite accurate. The yacht racing countdown timer is easy to set and to update during the sequence and easy to see. It is very nice to be able to see the actual time in the same display as the countdown timer.
In general I am pleased with the product and would recommend it. |
Casio Pathfinder PAW-1500-1V Review
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| Review Date: April 23, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Donald A. Peterson, |
I saw the watch in an Outside Magazine and was curious about all the different things the watch would do, so I bought one. I like the weight and the style of the watch, and the color is perfect for an everyday or outdoors watch.
I will say that the Compass is pretty cool, but the Temp Gauge and the Altitude Gauge is not very accurate. I find that the Altitude can be off by 200-300 Feet, and the Temp. Gauge while on your wrist is about 15-20 Degrees warmer than what is actually is. You have to take the watch off your hand and let it sit in the area you want to measure for at least 30 minutes.
The tide chart looks cool, but I have not tested that part of it, to make sure it is accurate. I do wish the light button was easier to get to in the dark, so maybe they will end up moving that in newer models.
If you buy this watch, you will need to memorize a lot of information, as the book is about 150 pages, so be patient.
I think for $190, you should have accurate readings. I suggest you get the Garmin Watch at your local running store for about $100 more. |
Good watch but really disappointed...
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| Review Date: February 20, 2010 |
| Reviewer: OSCAR MORA V, CCS VZLA |
| Like all G-Shock is very tough and has an aggressive design and sporty, the battery lasts much. Apart from the functions of all G-shock extra only thing that works is the compass. But the altimeter and thermometer are useless, I have to recalibrate all the time |
Bulky, clumsy, overpriced
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| Review Date: August 27, 2008 |
| Reviewer: 2cents, |
First, I got a very good deal on this watch. Still, I regret the purchase
Key points:
1. Its too big and heavy, it tends to want to spin around your wrist
2. The tide feature is simply a toy. It will not even tell when there will be a high or low tide. You must hunt for it. Yet, its still one of the most interesting features.
3. Solar. When I was looking, I had this as a must have, but now, I dislike it. I find myself always worried about making sure the dang thing is in bright light. I think I would rather just replace a battery once in 10 years.
4. Display. There are small icons of all types on the display. They are sooooo small that you can't make out what they are. I must put on reading glasses and be in bright light to make them out. For a watch sooo big, you would think that the time, date, and other info would have larger text.
5. Moon phase. The contrast on this is not good and this is difficult to see sometimes as well
6. The compass seems to work well
7. The altimeter, is accurate to about +- 160 feet. Not the best
8. Its good to 200M, but really over 100M is over kill.
This thing goes for North of $200. Yet I was at Walmart and on the shelf was some chinese watch that had a large display, with many of the same features, Tide, Moon, world time, Water resistant, etc, and it was $11.00. That killed me.
Then when you think about it, for $200, you can get an iphone 3G which has all that this watch has, a GPS and more. With the GPS, I know my position, my altitude, speed, etc, and its all accurate. The only thing missing is the iphone is not water resistant. |
great watch, horrible place to buy it.
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| Review Date: October 18, 2008 |
| Reviewer: annoyed at amazon, Chicago Il |
I like the watch, it works as advertised, it looks neat-o.
But I'll never buy anything through Amazon again. They made a mess of my bank account, didn't seem to care that they froze over $500 in my bank account for a full week. Their customer service people don't have a good grasp of English and no sense of urgency in problem solving. Sure, I saved some money, but the time I spent on the phone getting it to ship and then reconstructing my bank account didn't make the savings worth it.
In short, Amazon sucks. |
expensive, imperfect watch
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| Review Date: April 11, 2009 |
| Reviewer: B,Jones, Chicago |
Quite simply, for $200, you're not getting anything close to perfection. While I understand that a compass, barometer, and thermometer are not even close to accurate when worn on a wrist, it wasn't until I realized how much I spent on something that isn't perfect, that I realized how ridiculous it is to own something like this. I needed a watch to replace my G-Shock that finally gave out. Im active outdoors, and for some reason, I thought this would be a nice thing to own. In the end, whats the point? None of the features can be relied upon.
I returned this and bought another G-shock. |
Casio Failure
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| Review Date: August 19, 2010 |
| Reviewer: William J. Bozzuffi, Sierra Mountains, CA |
| THe Altimiter is off by 200 feet right after calibration, the thermometer only works if you take it off and Leave it in the shade for 12 minutes( not what it says in the book.). But the real issue is that the alarm sounds are so low that most human beings cannot hear them. Andrea a manager at the US headquarters in New Jersey told me that they were built especially this way even though at the same time she was telling me this they are offering to fix the problem for $136 on a watch in warranty. I have owned Casio products for over 40 years, I have never had a problem they have never been so quiet that the alarms didn't work what they were wonderful well priced watches. I bought the titanium version this watch and it's asked retail is over $420 and I am told by Andrea that I have to live with it they wouldn't do anything for me I bought the watch from a thief or sold it as new and was used and not Casio. I can understand that you may not believe me but you may call Casio and they will tell you the same things that I have just told you and they make it sound like what it is no big deal. I've owned an Oregon scientific altimeter which still works this day I paid $39 for 30 years ago and it never was off but by a few feet and by recalibrating it it would work almost perfectly until the next calibration. I would suggest before buying any of the Pathfinder watches that you call Casio their number is 800 -706-2534 then pushed the number two when prompted and asked these questions to these people and they will tell you the truth that the thermometer doesn't work when worn ,the altimeter is severly affected by weather condition. I was told this by the people in warranty on two different occasions and even Andrea whom I wish you good luck in speaking to admitted that most people could not hear the alarm go off. What good is an alarm or a timer that one cannot hear one cannot feel or one can not tell when they go off. Like all grown up we have to do what is best for you but it is worth calling and talking to the techs about these watches. Good luck. |
Disappointing Quality!!
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| Review Date: September 24, 2009 |
| Reviewer: cynicalwiseguy, Dubai, UAE |
| I bought this product a 30 days back and after couple of uses I find that the "Adjust" button has gone in. I used this only twice, once to set the time zone and second time to set the alarm. Now it is difficult to use this button. I am halfway around the world now and I don't think there is a chance to replace this. It hurts to realize I lost money on this! I have no idea what has to be done now. I have written to Casio and awaiting their feedback. |
Pathfinder PAW1500-1V
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| Review Date: March 9, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Tom J. Roelfs, California |
| aside from simply keeping time this watch is WAY overrated. Tide chart is not so accurate, moon phase indicator is off, altimeter is so so but feel its a bit shady considering it only counts in incraments of 20ft rather than suuntos 10ft. Seems to be a little less accurate during runs and rides. Mode button sticks bad when cold. Compass bezzel moves much to easy with a simple brush of shirt sleeve, leaving you with a highly innacurate heading. True you shouldn't use these watches as your only source however if they're going to charge this much than it had better work. |
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