Avocet skiing watch replacement?

[Hacksaw]

So, my faithful Avocet ski watch looks like it's going TU. What have folks replaced their old Avocet watches with?

[couloirman]

why not just get another one? I got one off ebay last year for a smoking deal. What functions are you needing in its replacement? Do you have an iphone? I might just get any old great outdoors watch and use the Ski Tracks app for other ski specific functions. My iPhone easily gets 8 hours of battery life with the Ski Tracks app on it for a full day of resort skiing if I keep the phone warm enough.

[CarveMan]

Suunto Core if you want a barometric altimeter. Suunto Ambit3 if you want GPS as well.

[Adamantium]

Suunto Core if you want a barometric altimeter.

Agreeing with this. Got one last season and it's been great so far, no complaints.

[Hacksaw]

The Sunto watch look and feel like a hockey puck on your wrist. I was hoping there was something smaller out there, that counted vertical.

[goldengatestinx]

I was big time bummed when my Avocet shit the bed. I got a Suunto Vector. Yep it's big. But the Avocet wasn't small. And the Suunto looks OK when not skiing. The pink/purple Avocet looked strange outside of skiing/hiking.

The Vector is awesome...I've had it for maybe 12 years now. Use it year round for elevation, vert count and laps. Plus the alarm works well if you keep it near you (it's not crazy loud). The strap is nice and long so you can wear it over a sleeve if you want yet holes located so it'll work on small wrists. I got mine before the compass was available but usually have a separate compass if I'm out somewhere.

Good deals can be found also. I've worn it in water with no trouble. When replacing the battery be careful to clean the cover and the o-ring well if not replacing them. Some people complain about battery life but I don't change mine more then every 16 months or so. I'd buy another in a second if I kill the current one.

[EaglesPDX]

why not just get another one? I got one off ebay last year for a smoking deal. What functions are you needing in its replacement? Do you have an iphone? I might just get any old great outdoors watch and use the Ski Tracks app for other ski specific functions. My iPhone easily gets 8 hours of battery life with the Ski Tracks app on it for a full day of resort skiing if I keep the phone warm enough.

Second on SkiTracks vs. a watch. Watches have been mostly replaced by peoples phones for time keeping, certainly better for ski tracking.

IPhone 6 adds barometer but my 5C with GNS Bluetooth GPS in my glove gives excellent altitude accuracy.

[Harvey44]

So, my faithful Avocet ski watch looks like it's going TU. What have folks replaced their old Avocet watches with?

PM and I'll send you an address for a SASE. You can have mine. It's old and the battery is dead but assuming it can be replaced (?) it's all yours. I never really used it so it probably works.

[goldengatestinx]

Is cell service needed for a phone to work and track runs? I've heard some phones have real GPS so that would work but not all do.

[Hacksaw]

I hate my cell phone. I'd rather have a watch on my wrist, then having to pullout my phone and swipe the screen every time I want information...

[EaglesPDX]

Is cell service needed for a phone to work and track runs? I've heard some phones have real GPS so that would work but not all do.

No if they have an actual GPS. iPhone and others do. They all use the cell to increase accuracy on the GPS but can work with out it and do a good job. Skiing at Whistler with Extremely Canadian, guide had an Android with GPS, I had iPhone with GPS blue toothed to a GNS 5870 GPS. We'd compare location and altitude and speed and the phone with the regular GPS was pretty close to the iPhone tied into the standalone GPS in my glove.

SkiTracks does great with pitch, altitude, speed, time. It creates Google Maps of your day. Great support also, they'll answer your questions via email.

I had the Sunnto watch with a ski program years ago but just too cumbersome. Phone apps are the way to go. Way cheaper too.

[robgoose]

Ski tracks Speed measurements are a little buggy... but fun nonetheless.

[Shredhead]

I hate my cell phone. I'd rather have a watch on my wrist, then having to pullout my phone and swipe the screen every time I want information...

If only you could communicate, navigate and procrastinate with your watch.

[CarveMan]

I was big time bummed when my Avocet shit the bed. I got a Suunto Vector. Yep it's big. But the Avocet wasn't small. And the Suunto looks OK when not skiing. The pink/purple Avocet looked strange outside of skiing/hiking.

The Vector is awesome...I've had it for maybe 12 years now. Use it year round for elevation, vert count and laps. Plus the alarm works well if you keep it near you (it's not crazy loud). The strap is nice and long so you can wear it over a sleeve if you want yet holes located so it'll work on small wrists. I got mine before the compass was available but usually have a separate compass if I'm out somewhere.
.

The Suunto Core in Brushed Steel or Deep Black Alu can def be worn day-to day.

In the Ambit range the Peak Sapphire looks OK with a shirt etc. I had an Ambit 1 and it looked out of place but the Ambit3 Peak Sapphire is a massive improvement.

Second on SkiTracks vs. a watch. Watches have been mostly replaced by peoples phones for time keeping, certainly better for ski tracking.

IPhone 6 adds barometer but my 5C with GNS Bluetooth GPS in my glove gives excellent altitude accuracy.

Tracking kills your phone battery.

[EaglesPDX]

Tracking kills your phone battery.

Not in my experience with a iPhone4 and IPhone 5c. I use Mophie battery cases so I've never lost power but I have never run down either the phone or the Mophie in a day of skiing and that's with Bluetooth on synching with the GPS in the glove. SkiTracks seems like it is a low power consumer on the iPhone tracking in the background with the screen off. If you are running down, turn off the Wifi and make sure a whole lot of apps aren't running.

[alfajores]

Ski Tracks also has an app for the Pebble watch. They are less than $99 used and $100 new, waterproof, small, OS agnostic, and have a multi day battery life. I use mine and can pause ski tracks, music, run keeper, sleep tracker, and get Bluetooth notifications on it. You also have color options if you want something less absurd or get the more dressy steel for a metal case and band.

[couloirman]

Tracking kills your phone battery.

I used ski tracks at mammoth the other day for 7 hours, didn't pause at lunch, took a bunch of photos, texted photos, made a couple calls, checked TGR, etc... And at the end of the day I was still over 50% battery with my year old iPhone 5s. So yeah it uses battery, but not a crazy amount for a day spinning lifts. Might not use it in the backcountry though unless I had an external usb battery to recharge from

[Hacksaw]

Has anyone tried the Garmin Fenix2 watch?

[Hacksaw]

Buler? Buler?

[freshie247]

I still have a Vertech1 & 2. I still use the 2 .I'm not a fan of the Suunto because they are gigantic, but more importantly, they won't record over 29,999' on a page, you have to open a new page which is oxymoronic & counterintuitive in my lexicon.

[GPP33]

I use my phone to track GPS track, distance and vert in the BC. I don't love it though as I know (or have read anyway) that it can fuck with a beacon search. Does anyone know if the watches can have the same affect?

Regarding battery life, turning off cell service goes a long way to preserving power. If you don't don't it'll be constantly searching.

[Skidog]

I use my phone to track GPS track, distance and vert in the BC. I don't love it though as I know (or have read anyway) that it can fuck with a beacon search. Does anyone know if the watches can have the same affect?

Regarding battery life, turning off cell service goes a long way to preserving power. If you don't don't it'll be constantly searching.

Long thread or article on bca page about safe distances from electronics and cell phones during search. It's easily avoidable. No known issues with transmit.